November 11, 2014 at 5:30 PM - Board of Education Work Session

RESOLUTION 2

Reasonable Charges for Answering Open Records Requests

Submitted by TSBA Board of Directors

The Tennessee School Boards Association urges the General Assembly to enable LEAs to  

charge reasonable fees to parties requesting to inspect records.

Rationale:

While LEAs may charge a reasonable fee for copying records requested under the law, if

someone makes a request simply to inspect records, LEAs must make these records available

without charge regardless of how many records are requested. Often times, too, LEAs are

required to protect identifying information in records which requires copies to be made,

information to be redacted, and new copies made to comply with the request.

A reasonable fee to cover the costs of reproduction and man-hours involved in these inspections

would be very helpful to LEAs and other governmental entities.

 The TSBA Board of Directors Recommended this Resolution for Adoption. 09/26/14

RESOLUTION 3

 Budget Proposals Seeking Maintenance of Effort

Submitted by the TSBA Board of Directors

The Tennessee School Boards Association urges the General Assembly to enable the budget

 proposals of local boards of education to be automatically approved upon the Department

of Education’s verifying such proposals simply request those funds required under the

 statutory provisions of maintenance of effort.

 Rationale:

 Under the law, local funding bodies must provide LEAs with at least as much money for schools

this year as they funded last year. Often times, LEAs recognize budgetary challenges and simply

request the funds necessary in order to meet this requirement. In these instances, some LEAs

still face opposition and hurdles with funding bodies despite the fact that the law outlines this

requirement.

This change would enable boards to focus more on students and schools, rather than a lengthy

budget process. The Department of Education already reviews school budgets to ensure that

they comply with maintenance of effort so this change should not put an additional burden on the

Department.

 The TSBA Board of Directors Recommended this Resolution for Adoption. 09/26/14

RESOLUTION 4

Authorizer Fees for Charter Schools

Submitted by the TSBA Board of Directors

The Tennessee School Boards Association urges the General Assembly to change state law

 to enable local boards of education to retain a percentage of funds from charter schools to

 cover the costs of being an effective authorizer.

Rationale:

Under current law, local boards are authorized to charge an application fee of $500 per charter

application. This fee, however, does not come close to covering the actual costs of being an

effective authorizer. School officials must review a very long application which requires

expertise in curriculum, federal programs, instruction, etc. They must also then provide

sufficient oversight to ensure that the provisions of the charter agreement are followed and that

students are receiving the appropriate services.

This change would enable local boards to more effectively review applications, seek

applications, and provide appropriate oversight of charter schools. The National Alliance for

Public Charter Schools recommends authorizer fees and includes such provisions in its model

law.

 The TSBA Board of Directors Recommended this Resolution for Adoption. 09/26/14

RESOLUTION 5

 Tuition Discounts for Children of School Board Members

 Submitted by Bristol City Schools

 The Tennessee School Boards Association urges the General Assembly to extend a 25%

tuition discount, as established by Tennessee Code Annotated §49-7-119, to children of

active school board members whose children are under 24 years of age and attend any

state-operated institution of higher learning.

 Rationale:

School board members campaign to be elected for the privilege of putting in a considerable

amount of time and effort for little or no pay because they have a deep commitment to improving

education in Tennessee for children. In recognition of and appreciation for the service dedicated

school board members contribute to provide a solid base upon which college and career skills are

built and to further focus and support all educational stakeholders in advancing postsecondary

opportunities to complement other initiatives in the Drive to 55, school board members should be

afforded the same eligibility under this law as public school educators.

Given the relatively small number of actively serving school board members with children

eligible for the tuition discount, the fiscal note should be mostly negligible while the gesture will

speak volumes about the legislators who choose to show their support of school board members

and the work they do.

The TSBA Board of Directors Did Not Recommend this Resolution for Adoption. 09/26/14
 
 

Lillios - Allford, Peak-Jones

Rose - Winters, Rawls

Critchfield - Mull, Crye

Dillard - Blake, Yarber

Beaty - Hall, Caywood

Turner - Hughes, Rominger

Motion to change Bradley County Board of Education Policy 2.400 - Revenues Section- Grants:

Grants for educational purposes made available by the state and/or federal government may be sought by the school system but only when the conditions of their availability are in harmony with the purposes and policies of the Board and the laws of the state and county.  Upon Board authorization of grants 10,000 dollars and greater, individual principals may apply for and receive grants, but funds must be recorded in a separate restricted fund account.