Pump the Brakes

With the start of the calendar year comes the beginning of a new legislative session. As I reminded the school board last week, the distance between policy proposal and enactment is quite a journey. The point is that even though something is proposed doesn't necessarily mean it will become law. A proposed piece of legislation has to pass through two separate legislative chambers and be signed by the governor. If the process works as designed, there will be opportunity to offer comment, individual legislators to propose amendments, and in some cases decide that legislation simply should not advance. If you want to skip to the end, HSB 542 is one of those proposals that should not advance. As has been my practice, I'll offer commentary in an effort to help you understand how all education policy proposals might impact Hudson Schools. I would encourage you to ask questions, contact your legislators, and share your opinions as we navigate the legislative process.

It is important that the process is followed openly, transparently, and thoughtfully. For some reason, HSB 542 is on the fast track to become law before many of us really have an opportunity to fully understand the implications of this massive 123 page bill. So what is HSB 542? This is legislation that has been proposed by the governor to overhaul the AEA (Area Education Agency) system. While the argument has been made that closing the AEA system is not what is being proposed, I don't see how that isn't exactly what will happen. In my view, it would be wise to pump the brakes a bit to fully understand the implications of what this will actually do.

The first question is, why? As I understand it, part of the rationale for this legislation is based on the premise that these agencies have engaged in 'mission creep'. When originally enacted by the legislature in 1974, their mission was focused on special education support. In the intervening years, their scope has been expanded (through legislative action), to include a whole host of services that have become very important to local public school districts. Services that include vast media libraries, professional learning for educators, and the purchasing power of a large consortium. 

So how does that impact Hudson Schools? Well, the proposal calls for the elimination of media services, educational services, and professional development programming. The elimination of these programs would be a significant blow to our school district. All of that work would continue, but without the expertise and collaboration that the AEA brought to the table. The professional development alone has produced dividends that are readily apparent in our student achievement data. Our junior high and high school is currently engaged in a school improvement exercise that is being led by the AEA. I had an opportunity to sit in on some of this work last week to observe the data analysis and collaboration that was occurring. As I sat there I wondered, who will help with this work next year if the AEA isn't around?

In its current form, this bill is quite problematic for public schools. Smaller schools like Hudson simply don't have the resources to leverage the void that would be left if these changes are enacted. I urge caution and deliberation. I encourage our legislators to ask questions, not only of the AEA but of their local public school district. Perhaps changes are necessary, but first it would be wise to have a full accounting of the changes that are being proposed and a plan to mitigate this loss in service.