2012 Legislative Session Bills Filed
SB 297 – Authored by Senator Leising
Bill Highlights
SB 297 sets a 4th Monday school start date and pushes back the administration of the ISTEP+ Multiple Choice exams to the 150th to 155th day of instruction. (Click here for more information or click the bill number listed to be taken to the actual bill.)
Bill Activity:
January 23, 2011 -- Legislative Update....thanks to all the parents who took time to speak to the members of the Senate Elections Committee today and thanks to everyone who took the time to send letters.
As you know requiring schools to put the balanced calendar to a vote of the people is not something school administrators nor school board members support. It's because of everyone who took time to contact the committee members that the bill did not die! The bill was not voted on today. The reason is we didn't have enough votes to pass the bill yet and the Chair wanted to give us more time for folks to contact legislators and to work on the issue. Also, she is willing to send the issue to a summer study committee so that a study can be done and a report given to the committee next session - keeping the issue alive and giving it more support! Again, thanks to everyone who worked hard on this issue.
If you haven't yet sent a letter you still can! Just click the link: http://saveindianasummers.org/supportsb248.html
SB 248 – Authored by Senator Leising
Bill Highlights
SB 248 gives parents voting rights if a school corporation wishes to adopt a balanced calendar. Also provides a way to recall current balanced calendars and require a public vote. (Click here for more information or click the bill number listed to be taken to the actual bill.)
January 30, 2012 – This bill was not heard in the Senate Education & Career Development Committee and thus is dead for the 2012 session. The language setting a 4th Monday in August school start date in this bill was added to SB 236 before SB 236 was passed out of the Senate committee. Sadly, the language in this bill requiring students be given 150 days of instruction prior to the ISTEP administration was not included in SB 236.
SB 236 – Authored by Senator Delph
Bill Highlights
SB 236 does many things including setting a post-Labor Day to June 10th school year. SB 236 exempts schools that adopt a balanced calendar from the school start date requirement of the bill. We are concerned this exclusion will act as encouragement for school districts to adopt modified or balanced calendars. The bill also offers exemptions for school corporations working with large employers in the area and schools that coordinate calendars with postsecondary educational institutions. This bill also requires cursive writing be taught in schools and ends “class” basketball. (Click here for more information or click the bill number listed to be taken to the actual bill.)
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January 27, 2012 – SB 236 passes out of the Senate Education and Career Development Committee to consideration by the full senate with changes. SB 236 was amended during the committee hearing. Language requiring cursive writing to be taught in school and for the elimination of class basketball was stripped from the bill. The requirement for a post-Labor Day to June 10th school year was amended to require a school year beginning no earlier than the 4th Monday in August with an end date of June 10th. Exemptions to the start date requirement are, as outlined in this bill, charter schools, non-public K-12 schools, year-round schools, schools that have a balanced calendar of quarters, a school that coordinates the school’s calendar with that of postsecondary educational institution, a school that sets a calendar with that of a large employer within the school corporation. For a complete listing of changes click on the bill number above and review the bill history.
Save Indiana Summers is a non-profit, statewide coalition of parents, teachers and community members disappointed with the ever-earlier start to the school year. Our mission is to educate consumers of the education system, taxpayers and other interested people about the negative impact the early-August school start date and nontraditional school calendars have on our students, teachers and families. It is our hope that we can work with parents and school districts to help establish educationally and fiscally sound school calendars; a school calendar that allows more money to flow into teachers' salaries, classroom supplies and educational services ... without a heavier tax burden on Indiana families.
Voice Your Opinion!
Voicing your opinion on the school start date to your local legislator is the single most important thing you can do to move this issue forward.
