HCCPTA Legislative Page

2004 Legislative Update

ESEA - "No Child Left Behind" -
full document in web page format and/or pdf format - http://www.ed.gov/legislation/ESEA02/

ESEA Implementation Guide 2002 -
http://www.mdpta.org/legislation/05-03_esea.PDF

Join the Legislative e-group!
Keep informed of our county's issues
Subscribe to the HCCPTA Legislative Mail Group

Candidates Survey Responses!

Contents

HCCPTA Legislative Committee Goals:

Results:

1. Increase participation in the Permanent Nominating Caucus by local PTA's to 90 percent of all local units.
2. Improve communication of pertinent legislative issues to all local units through regional coordinators.
3. Assure maximum input to legislators on pertinent PTA issues.
4. Maximize relationships with legislators throughout the year.
5. Provide information to the community at large with regard to candidate positions on educational issues.
6. Develop programs and agenda for the HCCPTA Legislative Forum in November.
7. Testifies before the Maryland General Assembly.

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Contacts Galore:

Legislative Contacts: For a listing of the Names, Addresses, and Telephone Numbers of Harford County Public Officials, Board of Education Members, State Senators, State Delegates, U.S. Congress, and the Governor's Office.

A list of officials specific to Harford County can also be seen here - Harford County Government.

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PTA Night In Annapolis

HCCPTA will sponsor a bus to PTA Night in Annapolis. All Harford County PTA members are welcome to ride with us, there is no fee. Contact Cindy Mumby - 410.838.8682 or Cindym4321@aol.com - for a seat on the bus. The bus will leave Wal Mart, Abingdon between 4:30 & 5 PM sharp and return around 10 PM.

MARYLAND PTA LEGISLATIVE NIGHT

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2003

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
LEGISLATIVE SERVICES BUILDING
JOINT HEARING ROOM
6:00 TO 8:00 P.M.

Meet with the Legislators, be the voice of the PTA!

All of the delegates and senators will be invited. Please call your legislators and let them know you will be there and that education is the #1 priority of the Maryland PTA.

The key issues for the 2003 session for the Maryland PTA will be public money for non-public schools, and funding the Bridge to Excellence Act.

AGENDA

6-6:30 pm Registration         Legislative Services Building
6:30-7 pm Legislative Briefing        Joint Hearing Room
7-8 pm Meet With the Members of Your Delegation
8-9 pm Attend a Session of the General Assembly

Because of increased security, please bring a picture ID
(children will not need a picture ID to pass through security)

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What You Can Do

	Get to know your legislative issues.
	Get to know your legislators.
	Get to know the budget process.
	Contact your legislators when something happens (or doesn't happen!)
	Support Public Education!

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What Local PTA Legislative Committees can do

Legislative Committees assist the State and County PTA in promoting and supporting legislation designed to protect all children and youth and to meet their educational, health, and welfare needs. The Maryland PTA Legislative Program has four primary concerns: parental involvement, excellence of programs, equity of program delivery and appropriate funding.

Legislative Committees should:

1. Increase awareness in the parent and teacher communities of legislative activity affecting education.
2. Assure that State and Local elected officials are aware of PTA objectives regarding specific pieces of legislation.
3. Assure participation in the Permanent Nominating Caucus (PNC) for the selection of Board of Education Members.
4. Attend Legislative Roundtable meetings and bring your PTA priorities to the forefront for discussion with PTA delegates around the county.

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You Can Choose the Next School Board Member (The PNC)

One of the most important things a local PTA can do is take part in the Permanent Nominating Caucus (PNC). The PNC is an organization comprised of representative from non-profit, non-partisan Harford County organizations that have an interest in public education. Members of the Harford County Board of Education and the Harford Community College Board of Trustees are appointed by the Governor. The PNC submits to the Governor the names of qualified persons to fill the vacancies on the two Boards. Names may also be submitted by elected offices or by individuals on their own account; however, Maryland Governors have a long tradition of appointing Harford County Board members from the nominees submitted by the Caucus.

Each organization that joins the PNC may register four individuals (two delegates and two alternates), and is entitled to two votes for each open position. All PNC Forums and Voting Conventions are open to the public and the media.

Each candidate completes a short questionnaire and biographical form for review by the PNC delegates. At the Candidate's Forum, delegates (and heads of participating organizations) are entitled to ask questions of all candidates. After the Forum(s), delegates have the opportunity to review the candidate positions with their respective organizations. The PNC Board encourages dialogue in all organizations regarding the selection of candidates. The decision of whether or not to direct the votes of delegates is left strictly to each organization.

At the Voting Convention, each delegate votes for one candidate for each open position. The names of the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes for each open position are sent to the Governor, listed in preferential order.

The Board of Education consists of seven lay members appointed for five year terms, staggered so that one or more vacancies occur each year. A two term limit is placed on Board membership. The Board of Trustees is composed of nine members, with like terms and term limits. It is important that candidates for the respective vacancies reside in the appropriate school or council district to contend for a position (with the exception of three at-large members of the Board of Trustees). Board Members may live outside of the current geographical districts and still be eligible to seek a Board position in only one instance. That is, if a Board Member becomes part of another area due to a change in rules and/or redistricting of school boundaries (but not due to member moving to a new residence).

The three at-large positions were created as a result of a law that went into effect in 1994 which disallowed members of the Board of Education to sit at the same time on the Board of Trustees. The third at-large Trustee position will be implemented this year. In addition, the appointment cycle for the Board of Trustees has been altered slightly to reflect the appropriate councilmanic district for each current Board Member, as well as eliminate two At-Large seats from being nominated in the same year. Beginning with the appointments made in 1996, candidates for the Board of Trustees have been required to reside in the appropriate Councilmanic (rather than school) District.

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The County School Budget Process

BUDGET TIME LINE

Late August: Budget input received from school administrators and department heads.

September/October: Central office compiles input from schools and other sources.

November: Superintendent meets with HCCPTA on budget priorities.
Complete detail budget and review by staff.

December: Superintendent presents recommended operating budget to the Board of Education and the public at the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting.

December/January: Public hearings and work sessions of the Board of Education.

January: Board of Education takes final action on the operating budget and returns budget to the Superintendent for final review.

Late January: Superintendent submits proposed operating budget to the County Executive.

January/February: County Executive holds at least one public hearing/meeting for input into budget needs.

Mid-February: Based on advice and input of citizens, advisory boards, the county treasurer and budget office, the County Executive makes final budget decisions.

April 1: County Executive submits budget to the County Council

April: Superintendent and staff present budget to the County Council.

April/May: Budget reviewed by the County Council and public hearings are held.

June 1: Budget approved by the County Council.

June: Budget returned to the Board of Education with revisions. Board of Education makes final adjustments to line items with categories.

July : Budget adopted by the Board of Education

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