President's Message
ME PTA
2010-2011 Legislative Priorities
SummaryA new legislative session starts in December 2010. ME PTA will be monitoring bills presented to the Joint Standing Education and Cultural Affairs and Health and Human Services Committees. Our focus is on actions that impact children’s education and health.
We continue to support the Kids Safe Product Act, passed two years ago. Two groups of chemicals harmful to children have been identified and the process is going forward to reduce, hopefully, the likelihood of children’s exposure.
Other on-going actions ME PTA is following are the likely adoption of the Common Core Standards; the possibility of charter schools; any further action regarding school consolidation; teacher evaluation; child health and safety including nutrition, bullying, and the physical condition of school facilities; and school finance.
For a more complete discussion of ME PTA’s on-going legislative interests please see the Legislative Priorities Grid 2010-2011 or contact Ginny Mott, ME PTA’s Legislative Chair: vmott@almanacmtn.us, 738-2180.
Please add your voice to the discussion about ME PTA’s legislative priorities. Your help in monitoring bills as they’re written or come to Committees for hearings would be appreciated! Advocacy is an important part of PTA. Together we have a strong voice.
Topic
Position
Background and rationale
Action
1
Kid-Safe Products Act
Continue supporting this Act
This Act which requires the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to establish a list of priority chemicals of concern and select at least two per year to be reduced/eliminated from products sold in Maine that will be used by or will impact children.
The first designated chemical is Bisphenol A (BPA). We will provide testimony in support of removal of BPA from products marketed for children under 3 years of age and reusable food and beverage containers; monitor for further chemical listings. Because fetuses are impacted by BPA, we will encourage the expansion of this ban to include products used by women who are or may become pregnant. It is probably overly hopeful to think BPA will be banned as a liner for cans holding food.
Testified pro at BEP hearing8/19/10;
Testified in support of KSPA at hearings related to future of KSPA – One bill going forward was written by the chemical industry as acknowledged by the sponsor; another bill (good bill) would fine tune the KSPA
2
Common Core Standards
Support; encourage and be part of dialogue among a broad range of stakeholders; concern about need to make changes to some aspects, e.g. some language confusing standards with assessment; language available 8/18/10 eliminates data-handling in elementary school which would be a mistake.
Supported by National PTA.
Required for Race to the Top Funding.
Math needs to be taught sufficient to support quality science program and to ensure math education includes authentic experiences. This includes the need to manipulate age-appropriate numerical information. Near the end of the 2010 Legislative Session, the Legislature began the process of considering adoption of the Common Core Standards in order to qualify for Race to the Top Funds.Testified pro 3/10/10
Took part in Council of State Governments Roundtable, 8/18/10.
Collaborating with Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education to print/distribute brochures developed by National PTA
3
Charter Schools
Support
Required for Race to the Top Funding.
We have supported charter schools as proposed by Maine Small School Coalition in bills submitted to Legislature in 2009; encourage that requirement regarding certified teachers be adjusted to encourage all teachers to become certified. It is unknown when charter school legislation will be reintroduced. The Legislature passed LD 1801: An Act To Promote the Establishment of Innovative Schools near the end of the 2010 Legislative Session in order to qualify for Race to the Top Funds. We feel this bill is too weak to allow meaningful innovation and an inadequate substitute for charter schools as previously proposed. We await action by the Small School Coalition.Testified pro 5/09 for Charter Schools
Testified against LD 1801
New bill to allow Charter Schools making its way to Education Committee
5
Health and Safety
Monitor
Our policy has been and should continue to be to:
- Support bills to increase physical activity and/or improve nutrition for children.
- Support bills to improve/protect the health and safety of school facilities.
- Support environmental bills that protect the health of children. For example, in the past we supported legislation regulating mercury, lead, and brominated flame retardants.
