Friday, June 16, 2017

Week in Review – June 16, 2017 - Last one till August.

Week in Review – June 16, 2017


ABCFT This Week –

End of School Year for Students and Teachers
Congratulations on the closing of another academic year! Today marks the end of the school year for teachers and nurses in ABC. Thank you for all the hard work you do throughout the school year and even in the Summer.  Now is the time to reconnect with family and friends, regain your sanity, and prepare mentally for the coming school year. Relax and have fun!

Have an awesome Summer Vacation!

ABCFT Finalizes MOU for CTE Teachers
The ABC Federation of Teachers has been working with District to transition ROP teachers as they become ABC employees. Career Tech Educators (CTE) teach vital strands for ABC students at the secondary level and help to provide pathways to many careers. This week ABCFT leadership and ABCUSD Director of Secondary Schools met with CTE teachers to discuss an MOU that address salary, summer school, health benefits, and scheduling. This agreement is a one year bridge agreement with ABCUSD as we work to put new language in the ABCFT/ABCUSD Master Contract covering specific issue for CTE teachers.  Please welcome our new CTE brothers and sisters to the ABC Federation of Teachers.

President’s Report
I attended/worked with members on  representations, contract resolutions, site concerns and mediations. I attended a meeting with CTE teachers on Monday to present a MOU that covered transitional bread and butter issues. The negotiating for a new set of unit members is an ongoing task and ABCFT will continue to work on contract language that addresses their working conditions.

This has been another exciting and challenging year for me as president of ABCFT.  I would not be able to be effective without the leaders on the ABCFT Executive Board and ABCFT Site Representatives. The huge amount of hours these people donate for the common goal of protection and voice for teachers are countless, thank you. A special note of thanks to all of the members of the ABC Federation of Teachers for your guidance, input, critical voices, expert voices, and wisdom. I know that next year ABCFT will continue to provide even better services for the members of Local #2317.

This will be the last Week in Review for the 2016-17 school year. We will resume with our weekly reports in August.

In Unity!

Ray Gaer
ABCFT President

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(ABC Federation of Teachers)
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AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
AFT on Stanford University’s CREDO Study of For-Profit Charter Schools

WASHINGTON—Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes study, finding that students attending for-profit charter schools have significantly lower academic gains than those attending non-profit charters:
“When you let the market control education, profit wins and children lose. It’s what we’ve seen with vouchers, and this CREDO study confirms that for-profit charter and virtual schools serve the interests of corporations—the CEOs, the shareholders, the owners and those seeking to profit off education. That is fundamentally different from creating opportunity for children, regardless of their needs. Public dollars need to be devoted to public education that is accountable, transparent, and ensures equity for all children.
“This study is consistent with the poor performance of for-profit charters Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pushed in Michigan. Even the CREDO approach, which exaggerates the effects, correctly identified the worst performers. It’s just more evidence that DeVos is pushing an agenda that is fueled by ideology rather than facts and what works for kids.”

AFT President Randi Weingarten on Trump’s Apprenticeship Announcement
Washington—AFT President Randi Weingarten on President Donald Trump’s executive order and announcement on apprenticeships:

“We believe strongly in apprenticeship programs. They give Americans the opportunity to develop the technical skills and hands-on knowledge they need for the good jobs of today and tomorrow. While we don’t know the contours or details of this order, we are ready to work with anyone, including this administration, to ensure apprenticeship programs—like the ones the building trades have modeled—are high-quality and prevent bad actors from preying on students, and that real investments are made in career and technical education in high schools and community colleges.”


Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten

NATIONAL NEWS
Trump announces expansion of apprenticeship programs
President Donald Trump is to place the expansion of apprenticeship programmes at the centre of his labour policy as the country seeks to fill a record level of open jobs. The administration is committed to “supporting working families and creating a pathway for them to have robust and successful careers”, Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and assistant, said Friday, adding “There has been great focus on four-year higher education, and in reality, that is not the right path for everyone". Nine in 10 Americans who complete apprentice training succeed in gaining employment, and their average starting salary is $60,000 a year, according to the Labor Department.

Two Obama-era student protection rules dropped by Trump administration
Two key rules from the Obama administration that were intended to protect students from for-profit colleges have been suspended by the Trump administration, claiming it will soon start the process to write its own regulations. The move ends changes that would speed up and expand a system for erasing the federal loan debt of student borrowers who were cheated by colleges that acted fraudulently. It also freezes the implementation of key parts of what is known as the gainful employment mandate, which cuts off loans to colleges if their graduates do not earn enough money to pay off their student debt. Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey called the delay a violation of federal law and a “betrayal of students and families across the country who are drowning in unaffordable debt”.

STATE NEWS
California 46th in per pupil spending
According to new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, California’s public elementary and secondary schools spent $75.1bn in 2015, well ahead of the $64.8bn spent by New York. Per student, California spent $10,467.. After New York ($21,206)  and Alaska ($20,172), the District of Columbia came in third, at $19,396 per student, Connecticut fourth, at $18,377, and New Jersey fifth, at $18,235. Utah spent the least amount per student, at just $6,575. Total U.S. spending on public school education in 2015 was $639bn, according to the data, up from $613bn in fiscal 2014.

Torlakson visits Mexico to promote closer ties
California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson met Mexico’s Secretary of Education Aurelio Nuño this week in an effort to promote closer ties and friendship between the two regions. The two also discussed expanding teacher exchange programs and efforts to help California students if their parents are deported to Mexico. “The national political atmosphere at this time makes it especially important to reiterate the bonds of friendship between California and Mexico”, Torlakson said. About 54% of California students are Latino, and nearly 1.4m are English learners.
The Reporter

DISTRICTS
LAUSD set to have pro-charter majority
A pro-charter majority is set to take over the governing board of the Los Angeles USD. Nick Melvoin and Kelly Gonez, will ally with two other charter-friendly members on the seven-member board that manages a structure containing 1,300 schools and 735,000 students. The district counts more than 107,000 students enrolled in independent charter schools. Melvoin said: “I’m school-model agnostic,” but countered, “When you have more charters in L.A. than anywhere else in the country, it’s an indictment of a failed status quo.”
The Washington Post

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY
The decline of student summer jobs
The number of US teenagers who have some sort of job while in school has dropped from nearly 40% in 1991 to less than 20 %, an all-time low. Jobs that were once taken by teenagers are increasingly going to underemployed adults, while employers are also unwilling to set work schedules far in advance, making it difficult for teenagers to plan a job around other summer activities. Meanwhile, in upper-middle-class and wealthy neighborhoods, students are doing other things, like playing sports, studying, and following a full schedule of activities booked by their parents.

HIGHER EDUCATION
UCSD science education program to launch this week
A science education program that couples students and faculty from San Diego and Baja California will launch this Friday at UC San Diego. The CaliBaja Education Consortium "will allow researchers and students to work together across borders”. Olivia Graeve, a UC San Diego professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering who is leading the effort, said: “Building this connectivity on both sides of the border can promote economic development for the entire region.”
The San Diego Union-Tribune

OTHER
Many feel buyers’ remorse about college experience
A new Gallup report highlights the 'buyers’ remorse' many people in the US feel about college - this despite policymakers' longstanding advocacy of the experience citing data showing that college graduates earn more money over their lifetime, pay more taxes, enjoy better health and are more likely to vote.

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Thursday, June 15, 2017

CFT Legislative Update June 6, 2017

CFT Legislative Update
June 6, 2017 
Introduction
Friday, June 2, 2017 was the last day for the Legislature to pass bills out of their house of origin. The California Federation of Teachers was successful in securing the passage out of the Assembly of all four of our sponsored pieces of legislation. In addition, CFT’s three budget proposals are included in current budget deliberations. Finally, CFT’s technology audit proposal was approved by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee.



CFT-SPONSORED BILLS
For-Profit Charter Schools: Assembly Bill 406 (McCarty) would, on or after January 1, 2019, prohibit a petitioner that submits a charter school petition for the establishment of a charter school, or a charter school that submits a charter renewal or material revision application, from operating as, or being operated by, a for-profit corporation, a for-profit Educational Management Organization (EMO) or a for-profit Charter Management Organization (CMO).
AB 406 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 50-24-6 vote.
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Program: Assembly Bill 410 (Cervantes)
would prohibit Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) from charging new teachers for their participation in the mandatory Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program. Currently, according to a survey conducted by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, at least 12% of providers of the BTSA Program charge new teachers upwards of $3,350 to participate in this program.
AB 410 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 64-13-3 vote.
Paid Pregnancy Disability Leave for School Employees: Assembly Bill 568 (Gonzalez Fletcher)
would require certificated and classified school employees to be provided a paid leave when an employee is required to be absent for a length of time to be determined by the employee and their doctor or a minimum of six weeks for pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth and recovery.
AB 568 passed out of the Assembly on May 22, 2017 on a 65-9-6 vote.
School Safety: Assembly Bill 1029 (Weber) would add a community schools coordinator, a restorative justice practitioner, and/or a mental health professional to school safety planning committees. In addition, AB 1029 would require the comprehensive school safety plan to be aligned with the school climate state priority and the local control accountability plan. The bill would also require the Department of Education to post on its website models of best practices. Finally, AB 1029 would require the Department of Education to provide technical assistance and professional development to educators and administrators in these practices.
AB 1029 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 75-1-4 vote.

CFT BUDGET REQUESTS
The California Federation of Teachers had three budget requests this year: 1.) an appropriation to fund the Labor in the Schools Pilot Program; 2.) an increase in the allocation for community college part-time faculty office hours, and; 3.) budget trailer bill language to prohibit Local Educational Agencies from charging new teachers for participation in the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program. In addition, the CFT supports the allocation of money to fund affordable housing for certificated and classified school employees.
Currently, the Budget Conference Committee is meeting to come to agreement on the differences in budget proposals coming from the Assembly and the Senate. The 2017-2018 budget must be passed by the Legislature by midnight on June 15, 2017. The budget then takes effect on July 1, 2017.
Labor in the Schools Pilot Project (Conference Item) would seek one-time funding for the “Teaching about Labor, Immigrant Workers and Workplace Rights” pilot project. The Assembly Budget Committee proposed to provide $2.7 million for the three-year pilot program that would provide training and other resources for lead teachers in various school districts across the state on the history of labor, with a focus on immigrant workers, farm labor and workers of color. The Senate had no proposal, so the Budget Conference Committee is discussing whether or not to provide $2.7 million in one-time Proposition 98 funding for the project.
Increased Funding for Community College Part-Time Faculty Office Hours (Non-Conference Item) would seek to secure increased funding for part-time faculty members’ office hours. Both the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees agreed to augment the existing Community College Part- Time Faculty Office Hours program by $5 million of on-going funds.
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program (Conference Item) would prohibit LEAs from charging new teachers to participate in the BTSA Program. The Assembly Budget Committee included BTSA language in their budget proposal, but the Senate Budget Committee had no proposal, so the Budget Conference Committee is discussing whether or not to include budget trailer bill language.

CFT TECHNOLOGY AUDIT REQUEST
Joint Legislative Audit Request (Pan) calls on the Auditor General to review a sample of community college districts to determine if they are engaging in long-term strategic planning for replacing and upgrading their instructional technology and support structures, as well as providing adequate professional development for their employees.
The Audit Request was approved on March 29, 2017 on a 13-1 vote.

CFT CO-SPONSORED BILLS
In addition to sponsored legislation, the CFT is working with Legislators and coalition partners to co- sponsor bills that, if passed, will have an impact upon our members and students. Below is the current status of CFT’s 2017 co-sponsored legislation.
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School Employee Housing Assistance Program: Assembly Bill 45 (Thurmond) would require the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) to administer the California School Employee Housing Assistance Program, a pre-development grant and loan program, to fund the creation of affordable housing for certificated and classified school employees.
AB 45 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 53-19-8 vote.
The Assembly Budget Committee proposed a $400 million allocation in one-time General Fund resources for a variety of housing programs. Out of this amount, $25 million would be earmarked for the Teacher Workforce Housing program, administered under AB 45 – CFT’s co-sponsored measure.
The Senate had no funding proposal for affordable housing for educators, so the Budget Conference Committee is currently discussing whether or not to fund a variety of affordable housing proposals.
Charter School Pupil Admissions, Suspensions and Expulsions: Assembly Bill 1360 (Bonta) would require that charter school petitions contain a comprehensive description of procedures by which a pupil can be suspended, expelled or otherwise involuntarily removed, dismissed, transferred or terminated from the charter school that includes an explanation of how the charter school will comply with specified federal and state constitutional due process requirements. In addition, AB 1360 would authorize a charter school to encourage parental involvement, but would require the charter school to notify the parents and guardians of applicant students and currently enrolled students that parental involvement is not a requirement for acceptance to, or continued enrollment at, the charter school.
AB 1360 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 69-2-9 vote.
Charter School Transparency and Accountability: Assembly Bill 1478 (Jones-Sawyer) would expressly state that charter schools and entities managing charter schools are subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act or the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. In addition, AB 1478 would state that charter schools and entities managing charter schools are subject to current law that prohibits certain public officials from being financially interested in any contract made by them in their official capacity, or by any body or board for which they are members. Finally, AB 1478 states that charter schools and entities managing charter schools are subject to the Political Reform Act of 1974 (conflict-of-interest code).
AB 1478 was placed on the Assembly Inactive File on May 30, 2017 in order to work on a compromise with the Governor around the application of the conflict-of-interest code.
Charter School Authorizing Restrictions: Senate Bill 808 (Mendoza) would alter the charter school act to only allow school districts, rather than counties or the state, to authorize charter schools and only within the authorizing district’s boundaries. The bill would also restrict the State Board of Education’s ability to hear appeals of charter petition denials.
SB 808 was heard in the Senate Education Committee on April 26, 2017 for testimony only. Committee Chair Senator Allen wishes to work with stakeholders further before allowing a vote on the bill.
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CFT PRIORITY SUPPORT BILLS
The CFT legislative department tracks hundreds of pieces on legislation every year. Bills that are deemed as having the most significant impact on members and students are designated as priorities. Below is a summary of several of the bills that have been deemed priority “support” or “oppose” pieces of legislation.
The California Community College Promise: Assembly Bill 19 (Santiago) would create the California Community College (CCC) Promise Program to provide tuition-free education at a CCC for one academic year for all first-time, full-time (12 units or more) students.
AB 19 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 56-18-6 vote.
Student Success and Support Program Funding: Assembly Bill 504 (Medina) would require the California Community Colleges Chancellor, when allocating Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) funds to community college districts (CCD) for purposes of successfully implementing activities and goals adopted in student equity plans, to establish a standard definition of "equity" and a standard definition of "significant underrepresentation" and measures of these terms, for use in the student equity plans of CCDs.
AB 504 passed out of the Assembly on May 4, 2017 on a 76-0-4 vote.
Part-Time Playground Positions: AB 670 (Thurmond) would delete the provision in current law that exempts a person employed in a part-time playground position from the classified service, when the person is not otherwise employed in a classified position, thereby making that person part of the classified service.
AB 670 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 54-22-4 vote.
University of California: Resident Student Access: Assembly Bill 1674 (Grayson) would request that the University of California (UC), in collaboration with the Academic Senate of the UC, comply with specific requirements regarding the admission policies of nonresident undergraduate students and report to the Legislature annually.
AB 1674 passed out of the Assembly on May 31, 2017 on a 77-0-3 vote
AB 540 Modernization: Senate Bill 68 (Lara) would allow two years at a California Community College to count towards AB 540 eligibility (also known as the California Dream Act which exempts certain students from paying nonresident tuition and allows them to apply for different types of financial aid). Additionally, the bill would allow the completion of an Associate’s degree or satisfaction of the minimum requirements to transfer to the University of California or California State University, in lieu of a high school diploma, to allow a student to qualify for in-state tuition and financial aid.
SB 68 passed out of the Senate on June 1, 2017 on a 31-9 vote.
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The Golden State Reading Guarantee Grant Program: Senate Bill 494 (Hueso) would establish the Golden State Reading Guarantee Grant Program, which would be administered by the State Department of Education. In addition, the bill would require the Department to establish a process to provide professional development training to LEAs on, among other things, the existing diagnostic, formative and interim assessment tools that are available from the state, including those that are appropriate for pupils who are English learners. Finally, SB 494 would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to conduct an evaluation of reading intervention strategies to identify successful strategies and best practices and to report to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature and Governor on or before December 31, 2018.
The CFT took an oppose position on the “as introduced” version of SB 494 because it would have required additional and redundant testing of students and the development of what amounted to individualized education plans for students in grades K-3. However, due to extensive lobbying by CFT members and staff, SB 494, was “gutted and amended” and now would create a grant program that supports teachers and students.
SB 494 passed out of the Senate on May 31, 2017 on a 31-8-1 vote.
The Healthy California Act: Senate Bill 562 (Lara) would create the Healthy California Program to provide comprehensive universal single-payer healthcare coverage and a healthcare cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state. The bill, among other things, would provide that the program cover a wide range of medical benefits and other services and would incorporate the healthcare benefits and standards of other existing federal and state provisions, including, but not limited to, the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medi-Cal, ancillary healthcare or social services covered by the regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities, Knox-Keene and the federal Medicare Program. In addition, the bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would develop a revenue plan, taking into consideration anticipated federal revenue available for the Healthy California Program. Finally, SB 562 would create the Healthy California Board to govern the program, made up of 9 members with demonstrated and acknowledged expertise in healthcare.
SB 562 passed out of the Senate on June 1, 2017 on a 23-14-3 vote.
CFT PRIORITY OPPOSE BILLS
Charter School Petition Approval: Assembly Bill 950 (Rubio) would have authorized a charter school petitioner to submit a petition for renewal to either the governing board of the school district that initially denied the charter or directly to the State Board of Education. In addition, AB 950 would have authorized a charter school petitioner, if a county board of education denies or revokes a petition, to submit the petition directly to the State Board of Education. Finally, AB 950 would have required, as part of the determination of the statewide benefit, to ensure that the charter school has described the manner in which the charter school would have sought to share best and promising practices with other traditional and charter schools with low academic performance.
AB 950 was held in the Assembly Appropriation Committee.
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Teacher Probationary Period: Assembly Bill 1220 (Weber) would move the current probationary period for teachers employed by a county office of education or a school district from two years to an optional three years. In addition, AB 1220 would require a county superintendent or the governing board of a school district, if a probationary employee is offered a third complete consecutive school year of probationary employment, to develop an individualized improvement plan to assist in addressing the deficiencies identified in the probationary employee’s evaluation, to provide copies of all prior evaluations before the plan meeting and to provide individualized professional development consistent with the plan.
AB 1220 passed out of the Assembly on June 1, 2017 on a 60-5-15 vote.
Teacher Shortage: Senate Bill 533 (Portantino) would have authorized the Governor to declare an “Urgent State of Need” in response to a teacher shortage in a school district for the shortage of teachers with an authorization to provide bilingual instruction to limited-English-proficient pupils. In addition, SB 533 would have authorized a school district, subject to an “Urgent State of Need” declaration, to employ as a teacher a person without a valid credential, certificate or permit otherwise necessary to provide instruction to pupils.
SB 533 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File.
Charter School Operations: SB 806 (Glazer) would have provided carve-outs of portions of the Open Meeting Act, Public Records Act and portions of the Political Reform Act of 1974. SB 806 essentially would have provided charter schools with various loopholes in current law that protect tax dollars and ensure public accountability.
SB 806 was defeated in the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 25, 2017 on a 2-1-4 vote.
Conclusion
The California Federation of Teachers’ legislative staff will continue to advocate for legislation that benefits our members and California’s students. It is critical that CFT members continue to remain actively engaged in lobbying at both the local and state levels in support of the organization’s priority legislation. 
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Friday, June 9, 2017

Week in Review – June 9, 2017

Week in Review – June 9, 2017


ABCFT This Week –

ABCFT Negotiation Update (preparation for August negotiating)
This week members of the negotiating team got together after school to discuss preliminary observations of the 2017-2020 Master Contract Survey that members took late in May.  Here is a detailed report from ABCFT Chief Negotiator, Ruben Mancillas:

"The negotiating team will meet in June-August to further discuss the results of our calendar and master contract surveys as we prepare for negotiations with the district over the summer.  In addition, members of the team will be attending the School Services conference on July 14 to get the final statewide numbers after the budget is passed in Sacramento.  

The overall outlook for education funding looks relatively positive at the moment but the switch to LCFF funding has created a new paradigm for how districts receive state monies and what portion of those funds can potentially be negotiated for compensation.  For example, LCAP dollars are generated by the unduplicated percentage of students who are English learners, income eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and foster youth pupils.  Thus, neighboring districts with higher numbers of these unduplicated students will receive more state funding than a district like ABCUSD which is currently hovering right at the 55% limit used to determine such supplemental grants.

Another statewide factor which negatively impacts the amount of money the district has available to negotiate for compensation is the rising employee contribution for STRS and PERS retirement systems.  This is a positive in the long run as these increased contributions help maintain the solvency of our pension programs but in the immediate future the additional percentages the district has to pay lessens the amount that we can bargain for.

An ABCUSD specific issue that affects negotiations is the fact that we are in our second consecutive year of declining enrollment.  We lost over 200 students last year and the count for this year is down approximately 140+ students.  This impacts us immediately in terms of the amount of ADA that the district generates.  

As you know, we bargain for salary and benefits every year but this is a master contract year so those suggestions for potential improvements in contract language or issues to be addressed are something else we will be bringing to the table as well.

The negotiating team thanks all of those who participated in both surveys and will use this valuable input to help craft our proposals that we make during negotiations. In Unity, Ruben Mancillas"

ABCUSD Board Meeting - LCAP Proposal
This Tuesday was a school board meeting and on the agenda was the first public hearing for the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and the preliminary budget for the 2017-18 Fiscal Year. This is the preliminary discussion of the presented LCAP proposal to the school board after the administration has received input from all employee and community stakeholders. For more information please see the attached LCAP proposal. The next step in this process is for the school board to vote to ratify the proposal on June 20th.

Rutgers/Cornell Research Survey
Hopefully you got the appropriate link to the Rutgers/Cornell research survey for all teachers, administrators, district and union leaders. ABC is part of national survey to look at how teacher input, problem solving methods, and collaboration  factors have on academic achievement, teacher retention, and teacher recruiting.  We appreciate your time and  help to complete this survey.  We look forward to being able to share the results of this survey when they are posted.

ABCFT Monthly Site Representative Meeting
This was our last ABCFT site rep meeting for the 206-17 school year so we did some work and celebrated. Please take the time to thank the site rep at your school for all of their volunteered time on behalf of their colleagues. We have 65+ site reps at thirty sites and a dozen programs who come to a monthly meeting the first Thursday of the month from 3:30-5:30. They work hard to share your concerns, problem solve, and communicate back to the school site staff what they learn about the District, negotiations, budgets, LCAPs, contract issues and resolutions. At many sites a local rep is part of a natural network of support for teachers with various concerns or questions throughout the school year. A special thank you to all those site reps for all you do throughout the school year. Our first site rep meeting will be on August 16th prior to teachers returning.

President’s Report
I attended/worked with members on  representations, contract resolutions, site concerns and mediations. This week I spent time with the negotiating team discussing survey results, contract language, and problem solving on how to address situations with new contract language. On Wednesday, ABCFT CN Ruben Mancillas and myself met with representatives of the speech and language department to discuss concerns about recruitment and retention of the ABCFT  speech teachers. On Thursday I met with district, administration, and employee representatives for the Safety Committee. This committee meets quarterly to discuss, injury statistics and safety for all employees,  facilities maintenance, and discussions on how to improve department communication during emergency events.

In Unity!

Ray Gaer
ABCFT President

Join us on Twitter @ #ABCTEACHERNEWS or on Facebook @ ABC Federation of Teachers



NATIONAL NEWS
NIEER sets new benchmarks for education quality
In an opinion piece, education specialist Valerie Strauss says providing every child with a high-quality preschool education needs more than merely adequate funding and minimum standards for teachers and classrooms. The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) has introduced major changes to how it monitors states on quality standards. She says new benchmarks focus on policies that more directly affect the quality of children’s experiences in the classroom. The key changes fall on teachers and teaching, with requirements for direct observation, in-classroom coaching and improvement plans based on evaluations.

Federal funded schools must follow federal law
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has stated that all schools that receive federal funds will be required to follow federal civil rights laws. When asked if schools that are in the voucher program were included, Mrs DeVos said, “Schools that receive federal funds must follow federal law. Period”. She also defended the administration’s proposed $9bn cut to education, saying the planned 13% reduction in funding may seem shocking, but it’s necessary. When talking of the administration’s proposal to spend $1.4bn to expand the school choice program, she said it is up to states to decide whether to withhold federal money from private schools that are neither required to serve a diverse pool of students nor held publicly accountable for doing so.

STATE NEWS
Financial aid still there for undocumented students
Regardless of the current federal immigration climate, California lawmakers and educators are encouraging undocumented students to apply for state financial aid. The California Dream Act provides financial aid to students but recent fears have kept many from filing an application. Spokeswoman Eloy Oakley says:  “Aid for low income families, including undocumented immigrants, is critical for their success. “(The California Dream Act) is an opportunity that California is providing to them. We want to make sure they get the benefits.”
The Sacramento Bee

CDE launches mobile app
The California Department of Education has announced the launch of a free mobile app, ‘CA Schools,’ which gives users access to data for the state’s 10,000 public schools.  The app also provides the same information for the state’s private schools and charter schools. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said: “Never before have we put so much school information literally in the hands of our students, parents, and community members and made the information so accessible and user-friendly”.

FINANCE
Palo Alto USD budget shortfall leads to job cuts
A $3.9m budget shortfall at Palo Alto USD has led to the loss of support staff positions at Gunn High School. Teachers, parents and students protested the cuts at a school board meeting this week with Angela Merchant, a science teacher, saying the cuts will affect “vital functions” and will be devastating for students and teachers. “Most staff and teachers are already stretched to their limits,” she said, “and it seems that every year more gets placed on everyone’s plates without anything being taken off.”

HIGHER EDUCATION
Programs to entice trainee teachers
The California Department of Education, California State University, the University of California and others have developed programs to lure college students and mid-career professionals to become teachers. For example, a California Department of Education website offers a step-by-step guide to becoming a teacher in California, complete with personal career plans, profiles of inspirational teachers and news about community college programs and financial aid.

Harvard withdraws acceptance offers after explicit posts
After discovering that prospective students traded sexually explicit and offensive messages in an online Facebook chat, Harvard University has reportedly withdrawn at least 10 admission offers into its fall freshman class. Writing in the Mercury News, Emily Du Rey asks if universities are increasingly shredding acceptance letters because of foolish posts and threads. She says the question is especially interesting in California, which is the only state in the country with a law that grants First Amendment protections to students at private colleges and high schools as well as public institutions.

California second most expensive state for higher education
In a list compiled by personal-finance site GoBankingRates.com showing which U.S. states require the most money to attend public college, California is the second most expensive, after Hawaii, with households needing to earn almost $106,700 a year to pay for higher education and cover day-to-day necessities.

INTERNATIONAL
More African girls receiving education
The percentage of girls completing secondary school has risen in all regions of Africa since 2005 as attitudes change and state spending rises, a recent report by the African Development Bank, the OECD and the UN Development Programme said. However, the annual African Economic Outlook report also said some of the most marginalised girls - like those married young or forced to work - are still missing out, and more must be done to support them if the world is to meet a UN global goal to ensure all children receive secondary schooling by 2030.

Education aid 'stagnates' despite pledges
International funding to support education in poorer countries is "stagnating", says a Unesco report, despite campaigns calling for more investment. Overseas aid for education stands at about $12bn - which Unesco says is 4% less than in 2010. The UN agency says the funding gap means global targets for access to school are unlikely to be achieved. The U.S. and the U.K. remain the biggest donor countries for basic education.

OTHER
Burglar found asleep in classroom
Placer County sheriff's officials have said a burglar was found asleep by an employee in a classroom at Chana High School in North Auburn. Another man was discovered in a bathroom. The men broke windows to get into classrooms and filled two school-owned vehicles with computers, televisions and other stolen items.

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