Government Relations

Stephen E. King, Ed. D.

Government Relations Chair

Virginia Music Educators Association

5250 Keffer Road

Catawba, VA  24070

H: (540) 384-7449

O: (540) 231-5334

seking42@verizon.net
 

Colleagues,

The hearings on the proposed Fees and Charges Regulations have passed.  However, we still have time to offer comments to the BOE regarding the language of the proposed regulations.

The Board of Education will also receive public comment through July 26 on proposed amendments to the Regulations Governing Local School Boards and School Divisions (8 VAC 20-720) and Repeal of the Rules Governing Fees and Charges (8 VAC 20-370).

Public comment should be e-mailed to Michelle.parker@doe.virginia.gov. 

Letters/fax may be sent to:

Office of Policy

Virginia Department of Education

P.O. Box 2120

Richmond, VA   23218

FAX:  804/ 225-2524

 

Since attendance at most hearing sites was light, this open comment period provides us with an opportunity to share our thoughts with the BOE.  Our organizations can have a significant impact.  Please encourage your members and other interested citizens to take a few minutes to e-mail, write a letter or fax the BOE.  Please use your web sites and other means of information distribution to get the message out.  Numbers count!!

For those who were unable to attend the hearings, this is an opportunity to have share their thoughts with the board.  Margaret Roberts, Executive Assistant for Board Relations shared with me at the Marion hearings that written comments are taken seriously by the BOE.

Those who will write may use the comments provided below,  selected statements from the comments or take the comments and adapt to fit their own thoughts.  Citation of personal examples from their own situation can be powerful.  

The important issues are: school boards and divisions having the option to charge fees, if they so choose and the changes to the language of the regulations as noted in item G, numbers 5 and 10.  The changes suggested in item 10, in particular, will impact ALL Fine Arts disciplines and other elective classes where materials and supplies are necessary.

Using the comments in red below as a sample, written comments could be:

Dear Members of the Virginia Board of Education,
 

I support that school boards and school divisions may charge fees. In addition, I recommend the following changes to the language of the proposed:

 

REGULATIONS GOVERNING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS AND SCHOOL DIVISIONS

 

8VAC 20-720-80    Student fees and charges, to read:

 

G.  Local school boards may charge fees for the following:

 

       5.   Musical instruments and equipment required for instructional activities:

 

     10.  Consumable materials such as workbooks, writing books, drawing books, and fine arts materials: however, in accordance with 22.1-1-243 of the Code of  Virginia, the local school board shall develop a policy ensuring that consumable materials such as workbooks, writing books, drawing books, and fine arts materials are furnished to students who are unable to afford them at a   reduced price or free of charge;

 

Why do I believe the regulations should be changed?  Allow me to cite several examples of the impact of strictly limiting fees:

 

1.  The economic conditions facing school boards and school divisions have forced drastic cutbacks in programs and personnel.  Likely, the recovery will last for several years, perhaps resulting in more cutbacks.  Schools will be unable to assume the full funding of Fine Arts programs under these conditions.

 

2.  If the proposed regulations are finalized as initially approved, the strong potential exists for funding for Fine Arts programs, already being supported by parent organizations, to be further pushed outside of the responsibility of the school division.

 

3. With the elimination of student fees, coupled with drastically reduced local school budgets, music, visual arts, theatre arts, dance arts and other elective programs will struggle to meet the Standards of Learning expectations; an issue to be shared across the curriculum.

 

4.  The source of funding for maintenance, repair and replacement of musical instruments and all fine arts equipment must come from somewhere or the equipment will soon fail.  As the equipment fails and funds are unavailable for replacement or maintenance, the quality of our offerings deteriorates.

 

5.   Musical equipment is very expensive; too expensive for most students to purchase until they are confident they wish to pursue advanced study on the instrument.   School divisions and booster clubs have purchased these instruments to make them available to students, often only for a maintenance fee.

 

6.   Fine arts equipment is very expensive; it is impractical and too expensive for students to purchase much of the equipment.

 

7.  Without fees, or funding from the school boards, it will be difficult to provide many consumable materials for fine arts classes; thus, diluting the quality of offerings for the students.

 

Please keep in mind the long-term impact of the proposed regulations for fees and charges.  While asking school divisions to fully fund the equipment, maintenance and consumable supply needs of our schools is laudable and desirable, in today’s budget situation, and it appears the future, it is not practical.  Increasingly, local school boards and school divisions will face severe choices regarding what to keep and cut from their budgets.  Regrettably, this may well become the norm for a number of years.  The end result is a net loss for our students.

Sincerely,
 

 

Please encourage all, who will and are not prohibited from doing so, to participate in this effort.  This would include teachers, administrators, parents, students, and interested citizens.  Keep in mind if the regulations as proposed are adopted, they will become law. We still have the opportunity to help modify the regulations by sending comments by July 26.

Please contact me if you have questions.

Thank you for your efforts!

Steve

Stephen E. King, Ed. D.
VMEA Government Relations, Chair
5250 Keffer Road
Catawba, VA 24070-2122
(540) 384-7449
(H) seking42@verizon.net
(O) stking5@vt.edu

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MENC is a good source for information helpful in advocacy for your music program.

MENC Advocacy and Government Issues

http://www.menc.org/information/legislationpolicy/Legislationpolicy.html