| tcta.org |
August 29, 2007 |
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| New School Year Begins | ||
The first year of the uniform school start date is in full swing, and the new school year is officially under way. We would like to welcome all our members, new and renewed, to the classroom and wish everyone a safe and successful school year. This e-update focuses on an NCLB draft discussion and some new education-related laws initiated by the 80th Texas Legislature that have taken effect or will take effect by September 1. |
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| Committee releases draft NCLB bill; invites comments | ||
Today U.S. Representatives George Miller and Howard "Buck" McKeon, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Labor, released a staff discussion draft of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). A summary of the draft is available online. This draft was developed through input received at nearly two dozen Congressional hearings and many discussions with education organizations and concerned citizens. The Committee is welcoming and collecting any additional comments through Wednesday, September 5. Please send any comments to ESEA. |
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| New Laws | ||
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The following is a brief listing; please go to the TCTA website, under the Politics and Government link to read more legislative changes. Amended pledge to the state flag House Bill 1034 added the words “one state under God” to the Texas pledge. The newly amended version now reads, “Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible." Litigation has been filed by a North Texas couple asserting that the addition to the Texas pledge renders it unconstitutional; a federal judge has refused to grant an injunction. We'll keep you posted as this case proceeds. According to The Handbook of Texas Online: In 1933 the legislature passed a law establishing rules for the proper display of the flag and providing for a pledge to the flag: "Honor the Texas Flag of 1836; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and indivisible." The pledge erroneously referred to the 1836 national flag, known as David G. Burnet's flag, instead of the Lone Star Flag. Senator Searcy Bracewell introduced a bill to correct this error in 1951, but the legislature did not delete the words "of 1836" until 1965. Religious expression in schools Districts are required to allow religious expression in the same manner that secular or other viewpoints would be allowed, including religious expression in class assignments.This new law has caused considerable controversy throughout the state as local districts have struggled with whether to adopt a model policy included in the legislation, Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) policy, or a locally developed alternative. Read more... Background checks and fingerprinting Senate Bill 9, also known as the “Fingerprinting Bill”, was passed by the 80th Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry on June 15, 2007. SB 9 required greatly expanded criminal history information reviews for most classes of educators and other school employees. TCTA ensured that a provision was included in SB 9 to make the first five scores on certification exams confidential. Tougher penalties for inappropriate behaviors SB 6 increased penalties for inappropriate/illicit online communication with a minor who is 14 to 16 years old and online solicitation of a minor who is 14 to 16 years old. TCTA was successful with including a provision in SB 6 that requires certain juvenile offenders to be placed in an alternative classroom setting. Read more… |
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| Membership Update | ||
Membership CardsMembership cards are being mailed this week. If you do not receive your card, please contact the Membership department at 1-888-879-8282 or by e-mail at membership@tcta.org. If you are a renewing member, your 2006-07 card is valid through August 31. Membership incentive program: Take 2, Make $25That's right. For every two new Active-level members you recruit for TCTA, we'll send you $25! If you sign two Active-level members, you get $25; if you sign four, you get $50; if you sign 10, you get $125! Payments will be processed approximately every 30 days. Don't forget this great recruiting tool: active member dues are only $90 for new members! Current members of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association are eligible to participate. Read more… |
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| Copyright © 2007 Texas Classroom Teachers Association®. All rights reserved. The Texas Classroom Teachers Association is an independent association for Texas teaching professionals, which was founded in 1927 and over 50,000 members across the state. TCTA is based in Austin and is the only statewide teachers association that limits Active membership to those directly involved in classroom teaching or teaching support. For more information about TCTA, please visit our Web
site at www.tcta.org. |
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