The following information regarding the Education Jobs Fund is now posted on the U.S. Department of Education's web site:

• Letter to Governors

• Application for Funding

• Initial Guidance 

The following states along with Washington D.C. have made the final round:

Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee

Click here for a letter from Kathy Taylor thanking you for your support during the application process for the Race for the Top.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to those seen in a seasonal human flu: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. More severe illnesses, such as respiratory failure, and even death have been reported in connection with swine flu infection.

Is your district ready in case of an emergency? Here are some things you can do to prepare now.
• Coordinate messages with other community agencies, like your local health department, to raise awareness of this may affect your schools.
• Meet with your county health department contacts and school health coordinator or specialist to develop a local communication plan to address swine flu.
here for a sample letter to be sent to parents.

What can you do to protect against Swine Flu:
• Stay home from work or school and limiting contact with others when you are sick.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Frequent washing of your hands with soap and water.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Avoiding close contact with those who are ill.

The following are links to information about swine flu:
• Swine Flu Information from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC)
• What is swine flu?

• CDC Dismissal Guidelines

• National School Boards Association
• U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
• Update By Secretary Of Agriculture
• Pandemic Flu

The following CDC links provide more specific prevention information:
• Germ Stopper posters and materials (Germ stopper, Cover Your Cough, and Healthy Habits)
• Hand washing and other Germ Stopper resources

The economic downturn has school board members and superintendents across the state worried about future funding issues. Since the majority of a school district’s budget is allocated for personnel, significant budget cuts will often lead to reductions in force (RIFs).  Bryan Drummond, a shareholder with the law firm Rosenstein, Fist and Ringold, was the luncheon speaker at the recent OSSBA Employment Law Workshop in Oklahoma City on March 5.  The subject was reductions in force.

Even though officials are hopeful that a reduction in force will not be necessary, “we still need to be prepared for that possibility,” according to Drummond.

Based on his expertise and experiences as a school attorney, Drummond shared several helpful suggestions for managing staff reductions.

“Don’t get the cart before the horse,” Drummond said. “Do the research before making any RIF decisions.  Look at the position rather than the person holding the position. Do not look at the performance of individuals.”

“The RIF process is compromised if there is a teacher performance ‘cause’ instead of a funding shortage driving the actual RIF,” Drummond said.  “Do not try to play games. A RIF is not an opportunity to get rid of poor teachers. It has to do with a lack of resources, not teacher performance.”

A reduction in force is probably one of the most difficult things a school board ever has to address, and Drummond hopes school districts will be able to weather current economic conditions without having to reduce staff.  “There are things that are legal and things that are ‘just not right.’” People in the community may feel that what you are doing is ‘just not right,’ but as board members sometimes you have no choice.”

The OSSBA will hold two more workshops in April at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City.  The OSSBA Spring Mini Conference will be held April 18, and will feature breakout sessions for everyone on boards of education.  Special Education Law will be held April 29, and will feature sessions regarding special education laws and requirements.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Academic Performance Index (API) scores for 2008 for every public school and district in Oklahoma were presented to the State Board of Education at its regular monthly meeting today in Oklahoma City.  Click here to read the entire article.

The Helping Oklahoma Public Education (HOPE) Initiative would require the State to fund each year an amount of money per pupil for public schools that is at least equal to the average of the amounts spent per pupil by surrounding states.  The HOPE Initiative is supported by the OSSBA. Find out how you can get involved at the HOPE web site.