HB 90 task force members named; first meeting September 26

The members of the Enrollment Preferences Task Force established by HB 90 have been named (see list below). There are the usual suspects but also some pleasant surprises. I’ll have more comment before the first meeting.Thanks to Rep. Kim Williams for all her hard work.

Mark your calendars; the meeting dates and locations are listed below:

TO: Members of the Enrollment Preference Task Force
FROM: Rep. Kimberly Williams, Enrollment Preference Task Force Co-Chair
Sen. Nicole Poore, Enrollment Preference Task Force Co-Chair
DATE: September 4, 2013
RE: Meeting Schedule- Enrollment Preference Task Force
CC:
Jack Markell, Governor of Delaware
Pete Schwartzkopf, Speaker of the House
Patricia Blevins, President Pro Tempore
Michael Barlow, Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor
Sean Finnigan, Chief of Staff, House Democratic Caucus
Valerie McCartan, Chief of Staff, Senate Democratic Caucus
_____________________________________________________________________________
Section 8 of House Bill 90 creates the Enrollment Preference Task Force, which is designed to consider the current landscape of enrollment preferences and practices used by magnet, vocational technical and charter schools, and to develop recommendations, as necessary. The task force is to present a final report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, the speaker of the House, and the president pro tempore of the Senate by January31, 2014. Full text of the bill can be found here:

http://www.legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis147.nsf/vwLegislation/HB+90/$file/legis.html?open

Given this timeframe, the task force will meet on the following dates: Thursday, September 26th; Thursday,October 24th; Wednesday, November 20th; Thursday, December 12th; and Wednesday, January 22nd. All meetings will be held from 6:30pm-8:30pm in the Buck Library at the Buena Vista Estate (661 South DuPont Highway New Castle, DE 19720).

All meetings will be opened to the public and will allow for public comment. Meeting agendas will be posted to the state’s public calendar within 24 hours of each session. For further information, please contact 302-577-5246.

The members are:

 

Two members of the Delaware State Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore or designee, one of whom shall act as a co-chairperson of the Task Force;	1. Senator Poore 2. Senator Sokola
Two members of the Delaware State House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives or designee, one of whom shall act as a co-chairperson of the Task Force;	1. Rep. Kim Williams 2. Rep. Scott
The Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education or designee;	Secretary Murphy
The president of the Delaware State Board of Education or designee;	Randall Hughes – SBE Board Member
The president of the Delaware State Education Association or designee;	Frederika Jenner – President DSEA
The president of the Delaware School Boards Association or designee;	Susan Francis DSBA Executive Director
The president of the Delaware Parent Teacher Association or designee;	Yvonne Johnson – State PTA President
The president of the Charter Schools Network or designee;	Chuck Taylor – President Delaware Charter Schools Network
A representative from the Delaware Business Roundtable appointed by the chair of the Delaware Business Roundtable Education Committee;	Gary Stockbridge – President of Delmarva
A representative from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (“GACEC”) appointed by the Council Chair;	Terri Hancharick
A representative from the Office of the Governor appointed by the Governor;	Lindsay O’Mara
One superintendent from each county, or designee, appointed by the president of the Chief School Officers Association;	1. Dr. Merv Daugherty – RC – NCC 2. Kevin Fitzgerald – CR – Kent 3. Shawn Joseph – Seaford – Sussex
One school administrator appointed by the president of the Delaware Association of School Administrators or designee;	Dr. Matthew Donovan – Principal Appoquinimink High School
The superintendent of each of the Vocational Technical Districts or designee(s)	1. Victoria Gehrt – NCC Votech 2. Deborah Zych – Poly Tech 3. AJ Lathbury – Sussex Tech
Two representatives from Magnet Schools or Programs appointed by the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education in consultation with the President of the Chief School Officers Association;	1. Mark Pruitt – Conrad Schools of Science 2. Julie Rumschlag – Cab Calloway School of the Arts
Two representatives from Charter Schools with selective enrollment criteria appointed by the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education in consultation with the Charter Schools Network;	1. Diana Ruth – CSW Board Member 2. Don Mell – Prestige – President
Three parents appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Education or designee.	1. Terri Hodges – PTA 2. Elizabeth Lockman – PTA 3. Katie Hegedus – Newark Parent