Proposed Law Would Change Rules For On-The-Job School Training Programs

On-the-job training for local school board members would be limited under a proposed new law. Local school board members can voluntarily go through training programsoffered by the two support organizations. But that’s not good enough for Odessa representative D. J. Davis. He’s one of the lawmakers proposing a law saying school board members cannot seek re-election unless they have taken 16 hours of state-sanctioned training. Some critics think the requirement will discourage people from wanting to run for school boards. Davis thinks the law will produce just theopposite result. Davis opposes suggestions board members should have the training before they can even run for the job. He says that would be a matter of requiring someone to pay for their own training for a position they might not win. Teachers and School Boards organizations say the value of the program is shown in results from those who have voluntarily enrolled. They say the program helps people make know how to make decisions, and how to make better decisions.