09.16.09: Assembly Announces Education Special Session Committee
by Aileen Dalen
Bass Names Special Education Committee to Put California in Lead in President’s Race to the Top Program
SACRAMENTO – Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Education Committee Chair Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) today announced the formation of the Committee on Education for the Fifth Extraordinary Session and a schedule of hearings to develop the legislation necessary to place California in a favorable position to compete for federal Race to the Top funds. The Fifth Extraordinary Session was called by Governor Schwarzenegger on August 20 to act on legislation related to California’s eligibility to apply for these federal funds.
“This is a historic opportunity for California,” Bass said. “Chairwoman Brownley has my full confidence and I am sure she and her committee will take a thorough and thoughtful approach to developing legislation to help our state compete for these important new funds.”
“Our president has given us a challenge,” Brownley added, “and we intend to meet that challenge. I have developed a preliminary work plan and schedule of hearings to identify the statutory and regulatory changes we need to make to be competitive in the Race to the Top program. I intend to bring together teachers, parents, school leaders, researchers, and everyone with a stake in successful public schools to help our committee craft legislation that is both responsive to the president’s challenge and is broadly supported by stakeholders.”
Race to the Top is President Obama’s education reform initiative that challenges the states to develop innovative reform strategies that focus on high academic standards, using data to inform instruction, developing highly skilled teachers and leaders, and turning around struggling schools. The President has allocated more than $4 billion nationwide for this historic effort.
The members of the 5th Extraordinary Session Committee on Education are:
Assemblymember Julia Brownley, Chair
Assemblymember Brian Nestande, Vice Chair (R-Riverside)
Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco)
Assemblymember Juan Arambula (I-Fresno)
Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D-Alamo)
Assemblymember Wilmer Carter (D-Rialto)
Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-Eureka)
Assemblymember Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park)
Assemblymember Ted Gaines (R-Roseville)
Assemblymember Martin Garrick (R-Carlsbad)
Assemblymember Isadore Hall (D-Compton)
Assemblymember Dan Logue (Linda)
Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach)
Assemblymember Jeff Miller (R-Corona)
Assemblymember John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles)
Assemblymember Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim)
Assemblymember Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch)
Assembly Committee on Education for the 5th Extraordinary Session schedule of hearings:
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 (Sacramento)
Overview of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with emphasis on competitive grant programs under the Race to the Top Fund. Presentations on the structure and level of funding in the competitive grant programs, preliminary guidance, comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, and proposed and projected timelines for the final notice of requirements and criteria, applications, awards, and implementation.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 (Sacramento)
Overview of, discussion of, and presentations on two of the four reform areas that form the over-arching foundation for the specific requirements and criteria proposed by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Standards and Assessment
• Data Systems to Support Instruction
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 (Los Angeles)
Overview of, discussion of, and presentations on the remaining two reform areas that form the over-arching foundation for the specific requirements and criteria proposed by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Great Teachers and Leaders
• Turning around Struggling Schools
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 (Sacramento)
Presentations on the nature of the Final Notice issued by the U.S. Department of Education with a focus on changes in eligibility requirements, competitive criteria, the overall structure and level of funding in the competitive grant programs, the extent to which comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Education were incorporated, and final timelines for applications, awards, and implementation. Discussion of next steps for the Committee, the House, and the Legislature.
Website of Speaker Karen Bass: www.asm.ca.gov/speaker
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