Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Education Bill Passes Through Committee.
A Senate bill that would offer several incentives to increase the number of students taking advanced math and science courses in Kentucky was amended and passed by a House committee today.
The House Education Committee made only a few changes to Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Sen. Ken Winters, R-Murray, which would create a science and mathematics advancement fund aimed at improving students' math and science knowledge from elementary school through college. Those changes include allowing high schools to use start-up grants provided in SB 2 to pay for college training of advanced math and science teachers and requiring the Kentucky Department of Education to provide an ACT prep program to all high school juniors if funding is available.
Another change proposed by the House committee clarifies that each middle school shall have a policy for moving students into advanced math and sciences classes such as algebra or chemistry, if a student meets certain requirements.
SB 2 now goes to the full House for a vote.
Incentives that would be provided under SB 2 would cover the cost of high school AP (Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) tests in all subjects--not just math and science--as well as the start-up grants for high school advanced math and science courses and Kentucky Virtual High School scholarships for high school students who do not have advanced math and science courses offered at their school.
SB 2 would also provide renewable learning grants to middle schools, funds to develop an energy technology engineering career track in public schools and professional development funding for elementary teachers.
The total cost of the incentives would be approximately $4.25 million, Winters said, with more than half of the cost paying for students' AP and IB exams.
The House Education Committee made only a few changes to Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Sen. Ken Winters, R-Murray, which would create a science and mathematics advancement fund aimed at improving students' math and science knowledge from elementary school through college. Those changes include allowing high schools to use start-up grants provided in SB 2 to pay for college training of advanced math and science teachers and requiring the Kentucky Department of Education to provide an ACT prep program to all high school juniors if funding is available.
Another change proposed by the House committee clarifies that each middle school shall have a policy for moving students into advanced math and sciences classes such as algebra or chemistry, if a student meets certain requirements.
SB 2 now goes to the full House for a vote.
Incentives that would be provided under SB 2 would cover the cost of high school AP (Advanced Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) tests in all subjects--not just math and science--as well as the start-up grants for high school advanced math and science courses and Kentucky Virtual High School scholarships for high school students who do not have advanced math and science courses offered at their school.
SB 2 would also provide renewable learning grants to middle schools, funds to develop an energy technology engineering career track in public schools and professional development funding for elementary teachers.
The total cost of the incentives would be approximately $4.25 million, Winters said, with more than half of the cost paying for students' AP and IB exams.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 2:29 PM 
