I'm wondering . . .

As I catch up on my RSS reading that includes updates on the rapidly approaching last day of the state legislative session it makes me wonder what closed doors are precluding us from knowing our fate.  With the significant issues around the NCLB waiver, the 1080 hour requirement, and supplemental budget differences in the two houses I am sure that education is one of the major topics of conversation behind these closed doors.  Unfortunately, it is also the place where policy makers make trades at the last minute often resulting in decisions that influence our work without the opportunity to engage in the conversation.

After sessions I sometimes wonder how we lost something or how a particular requirement was added when it wasn't even on the radar before the last minute, closed door negotiating sessions?  An example would be when we lost the opportunity to apply for a waiver to use our Classroom 10 instructional model instead of one of the three state approved models.  What will it be this session?  Even with the teacher presence this past week lobbying against changing the language in the evaluation bill from "may" to " must" will they prevail or will the governor/state superintendent coalition prevail?  They have four more days before the scheduled end of the session before we find or before they decide that more time is needed behind closed doors.