Who's Afraid of Data Collection

After attending last night's meeting on Common Core, I realize many attendees have a genuine concern regarding student data collection.  Data collection is necessary in assuring opportunity and equity for all students.  According to DESE, individual student data is collected and aggregated for the purpose of reporting and decision making.  Much like a business, our schools have "key performance indicators" that they are required to monitor in order to provide accountability for federal and state funding.

Federal and state funding make up about 40% of the funds Missouri schools receive to educate all children.  The other (approximately) 60% comes from our local taxes.  Federal and state funding provide resources for schools that assure opportunity and equity among districts, such as Title Funding, School Lunches and transportation.  Data collection provides necessary information to show that these services are warranted and that all populations of students are being served.

Missouri adheres to the confidentiality requirements of both federal and state laws including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), and the National School Lunch Act.

I am not afraid of this data collection or the uses of the aggregated data that our state and federal government need to provide essential school services.  What concerns me more, as a parent, is the use of "directory information" within school districts.  In many cases anyone can access "public information" for any reason, unless the district has an "opt-out" policy.  I found out about directory information when my daughter (who was under 18 at the time) received a mailing from a political campaign.  I made a phone call to the politician and he explained to me the process of simply asking our school district for a mailing list.  He only had to pay a minimal fee for the printing of the list to acquire this public information.  

According to my district, "directory information" means information contained in an education record of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. It includes, but is not limited to: name of student; present address; electronic mail address; telephone number; name of parent and/or guardian; step-parent; sex; photograph; date and place of birth; dates of attendance; grade level; enrollment status (e.g., elementary, secondary); present school or most recent 
educational agency or institution attended.

At the time, the only opt-out policy was "all or nothing" meaning that if I opted out, my daughter's name would not be included in the yearbook or the PTA directory. Since this discovery, because of better data collection technology, our district now allows for more specific opt-out strategies.  

What directory information does your school district provide?  Are you able to opt-out of the release of public information to political campaigns and "etc."? Are you filing the proper forms to do so? If you don't know the answers to these questions, you should ask.  To me, this represents a greater risk to our students than what is shared with our federal government. 

Quote for the Day

"A mistake is simply another way of doing things."

– Katharine Graham

About Katharine Graham

Katharine Graham, the publisher of The Washington Post, is considered one of her era's most powerful women. She was born in 1917 in New York. After her father bought the newspaper, she joined the staff as a reporter. Her husband inherited the paper from her father, and Graham took it over when he died in 1963. During her tenure, the paper printed the controversial Pentagon Papers and uncovered the Watergate conspiracy. She won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for her autobiography, Personal History. She died in 2001.

Please Reply

RSVP...a French phrase, "répondez, s'il vous plaît," which means "please reply".  

Quote of the Day

"I learn by going where I have to go."
– Theodore Roethke

Information Regarding Proposed Tax Rate Cut Plan - SB 26

From Missouri PTA Department of Legislation and Advocacy (Dorothy Gardner, VP)

Missouri Senate bill 26 has been perfected by the senate and will soon be voted upon.  Unlike consumption tax or revenue and expenditure (TABOR and TELs) initiatives, both of which Missouri PTA strongly opposes, SB 26 is more of a hybrid tax rate cut plan that has a lot of parts – it address individual taxes, business taxes, use taxes, internet taxes and sales taxes.  The biggest cut to the general revenue will come in the form of significant business tax cuts.  The theory behind this measure would be to make Missouri a more business friendly environment.  Reducing business income tax to increase business growth and the effect on education funding is a discussion our membership has not yet entertained.  There are different figures on how big of a cut to the general fund this bill will produce, but regardless which figures are used the amount is significant. 

The possible effects of this bill have generated great concern in the education community.  Missouri PTA feels our members should be aware of the issues and facts surrounding this measure.

Senate Bill 26 Facts:

·         Over a five-year phase in period, the individual tax rate for taxable income over $9000, currently at 6%, will be reduced to 5.25%. 

·         Missouri’s current individual income tax brackets increases in percentage for every $1000 of taxable income and tops out at $9000.  All individuals with taxable income over $9000 are taxed at the same rate.  By 2018 that top tax bracket will be reduced to $7,600.  All individuals with taxable income over $7,600 will be taxed at the same rate.

·         Over a five-year phase in period, corporate tax rates, currently at 6.25%, will be reduced to 5.5%.  In addition, over the next five years, business will received a 50% tax deduction of business income. 

·         Individual taxpayers who earn less than $20,000 will receive an additional $2000 deduction.

·         The sales tax will increase from its current rate of 4.25% to 4.725%.

·         Estimated cuts to the Missouri general revenue in FY14 - $200 million.  Estimated cuts to the Missouri general revenue in FY18 range from $782 million to $960 million.

Missouri Facts:

·         In 2008 (most recent complied data) Missouri ranked 36^th lowest per capita for state and local investments in Elementary and Secondary Education and 39^th lowest in the nation per capita for state and local investments in higher education.

·         Over the last decade the Missouri budget has experience shortfalls every year with the exception of 2006.  Revenues declined by 9.1% in FY2010.  In 2009 (most recent complied data) Missouri ranked 24^th lowest for individual tax, 45^th lowest for corporate income tax and 42^nd lowest for general revenue.

·         Missouri’s funding for local schools is currently underfunded by $620 million dollars.  Sequestration will result in an additional loss of $23 million dollars.

·         Missouri’s public four-year colleges and universities and community colleges are currently $292 million below the level of funding received in FY 2001 when adjusted for inflation.  Tuition at Missouri’s four-year institutions has doubled in the last decade.

Links for additional information:

·         SB 26 perfected bill

·         The Missouri Budget Project

·         The Kansas City Star – Missouri tax plan may save little for many

·         St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Editorial: What's the matter with Kansas?

National PTA Legislative Conference

I recently returned from Washington, DC, where I was attending the annual Legislative Conference hosted by National PTA.  This year was my 8th trip to DC advocating for our children and public schools.  This is trip is always a highlight of my PTA year and this year was no exception.

We started the week by attending State President's training and learning news from National PTA is always exciting.  They are planning great programs that I am sure all PTAs will find useful. Be looking for more information about Schools of Excellence, Youth Summit and a new member management system that has all the functionality of JBF, but is exclusively PTA.

The National PTA Board of Directors recently updated their gun safety position.  The new position statement can be found at this link:  Position Statement – Gun Safety and Violence Prevention.

Please take a look at the requirements and nominate a student for PTA's Youth Summit to be held in conjunction with National PTA Convention in June, 2013.

The Schools of Excellence program promises to be a great tool for your school to implement our National Standards for Family-School Partnerships and to help set your PTA up for grant money (up to $2000).   Look for more information on this program to roll out at National PTA Convention.

National PTA will be rolling out its new Family Literacy program (sponsored by Kindle) soon!  This is a "program in a box" complete with tools for you to help plan an event in your school.  Be sure to check the NPTA website after March 18 for the Marketing Toolkit, Leaders' Guide and the first of 4 theme releases.
Family Reading Experience

The second day of our trip to DC included workshops and collaboration time for Hill visits.   The first workshop that I attended was about the Common Core Standards.  Most of the information was not news to me because I have been interested and involved in Common Core Standards since they were first introduced to PTA leaders several years ago.  I have followed the progress from learning why the standards are necessary to learning about assessments and as a parent involved in the discussions at the state level (as Missouri DESE worked toward implementing the Common Core Standards). National PTA's parent guides are a great tool for parents to help enhance learning at home and to help start a dialogue for collaborating with their child's teacher.  Parent Guides are available for grades K-High School.

The second workshop I attended was led by Jacque Chavelier who is with the National PTA Public Policy office in DC.  Jacque provided details of the key provisions of ESEA and of National PTAs efforts to ensure capacity-building for family engagement is safeguarded and strengthened as Congress works towards reauthorization of ESEA.

The last workshop that I attended had to do with public policy for Military Families and Children.  As PTA leaders its important that we understand the relationship between the federal government and schools with military-connected students.  Not only do we have military bases in Missouri, but we also have a number of students who are part of the reserves and we want to be aware of resources that are available to these students.
 http://www.operationmilitarykids.org/public/statePOCHome.aspx?state=Missouri
http://soarathome.org/
http://www.tutor.com/
http://www.militaryfamily.org/
http://www.emilitary.org/
http://militaryimpactedschoolsassociation.org/

Our last day in DC included visits to Congressional offices of Sen. Claire McCaskill,  Sen. Roy Blunt and some of our Missouri Congress Members (Hartzler, Cleaver, Graves and Long).  We asked specifically that education funding not be cut; that Congress reauthorize ESEA; and for grants to help our schools improve safety.  We also have an awards luncheon while we are on the "Hill".  This year we were honored to witness our very own student representative, Meagan Gardner, receive the first-ever Youth Advocacy Award from National PTA.

It event was a very informative and productive time in DC.  As the Missouri PTA State Legislative Chair, VP of Legislation, President-Elect and now President, it has been my honor to represent Missouri in Washington, DC, these past 8 years.  I will miss this annual trip to advocate for all children and for our public schools, but I promise to keep up the work back here at home.  No matter what my next life assignment may be, I will always believe in the future of all children.  As long as I can send an email or make a phone call I will do my part to speak up for children because advocacy = democracy!

Meeting with Sen. Blunt 2013

 Meeting with Sen. McCaskill 2012

 With Cory Dukes (Aide to McCaskill) 2011

 Hill Day 2010

With Sen. Bond 2009

With Rep. Blunt (Minority Whip) 2008

 First Legislative Conference March 2006

National PTA updates Position on Gun Safety

National PTA Board of Directors recently issued an updated policy on gun safety.  This was in response to states that have mandates regarding school security officers, deferring to local collaborative decision-making to allow for the presence of law enforcement deployed in community-oriented policing.  Please use the new policy when communicating with members.

http://www.pta.org/about/content.cfm?ItemNumber=3581&RDtoken=63010&userID=

Given National PTA’s history of advocacy for the safety of children and youth, National PTA supports federal efforts to protect children and youth from gun violence. National PTA also advocates restricting access to guns from persons who may endanger public safety.

School safety is a critical priority for all parents, educators, students, and community members that cannot be taken for granted.  We must make every attempt to reduce violence, especially incidents that involve firearms.  National PTA recognizes the importance of parent involvement in the decision-making process in the development and implementation of school safety policies, including crisis response plans.

National PTA recognizes the importance of a safe learning environment in attaining the highest level of student learning and achievement. National PTA believes the most effective day-to-day school climate to be gun-free, but defers to local collaborative decision-making to allow for the presence of law enforcement deployed in community-oriented policing.

Examples of ways to improve youth safety and to restrict guns to only responsible owners include advocating for the following:

• gun safety locks and other safety devices to prevent young children from accidentally discharging a gun
• alternative educational settings for youth who have brought a firearm to school, along with appropriate evaluation and counseling
• restrict Internet gun sales, including kits that can be used to make/modify guns
• enforce federal and state minimum age requirements for handgun purchases
• raise the minimum age to 21 to be allowed to buy a handgun from non-licensed dealers
• allow at least three business days to conduct background checks
• require non-licensed dealers to conduct background checks and fill out proper paperwork so that guns can be traced
• increase penalties for the transfer of handguns or semiautomatic assault weapons to juveniles for use in a crime
• revoke the license of dealers who knowingly sell to minors
• establish education programs to teach students, parents, and community members about gun safety and violence prevention
• prevent juveniles who commit violent crimes from buying guns as adults

These and other measures are some of the ways National PTA believes that gun violence can be decreased in order to make our schools, as well as our communities, safer. National PTA believes we must enact legislation that will reduce gun violence and help protect all children and youth.