ABCFT - Week in Review - January 18, 2019
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(ABC Federation of Teachers)
In Unity
ABC Federation of Teachers
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UTLA strike Strike Update (press releases from UTLA and newspapers)
Bargaining went till midnight on the 17th and was continued at 11am on Friday the 18th. The office of the mayor is working with both parties to reach an agreement.
Los Angeles strike enters fifth day amid talks
Los Angeles teachers will walk picket lines for a fifth day Friday after the union and school district officials returned to the bargaining table with hopes of ending the massive strike in the nation's second-largest school district. Mayor Eric Garcetti had urged both sides to resume talks at City Hall; while not having any authority over the district, he has sought to help both sides reach an agreement. Assisted by senior aide Matt Szabo, the mayor has been on the phone with both parties trying to work out what a final deal might look like. "We should be aware that we've been at this for 21 months and there are some very fundamental issues that there are key differences on. So an agreement is not going to take shape overnight," said Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles. "But today there's been good and hard work on that." Meanwhile, the Sun-Star profiles Roxana Duenas, a teacher at the Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Academy at Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights, and the “face” of the strike. Her image is plastered on billboards, classroom walls and the UTLA website. The poster was crafted by Ernesto Yerena, who lives in Boyle Heights and was one of the artists involved in the "We the people" protest art campaign in January 2017 ahead of President Donald Trump's inauguration.
Women’s March - January 19th
Be a part of history by participating the in the third annual Women’s March that will be held in Washington DC and cities across the globe. There are local marches in Downtown Santa Ana and Los Angeles.
For the Orange County March, the starting point is the corner of N. Flower and W. Civic Center Dr. and begins at 10 am. Details about the OC Women's March can be found here.
The Los Angeles March begins at Pershing Square at 532 South Olive Street in Downtown LA. The demonstration kicks off at 8:30am with a Tongva Nation Blessing, followed by speakers at 9am for around an hour. At 10am, the march will kick off with participants walking from Pershing Square to City Hall where programming on that stage will start at 11am. The whole event concludes around 2pm. Details about the LA Women's March can be found here.
MEET A MEMBER
The ABCFT YOUnion is made up of 1,100 great teachers and medical professionals and each one of us has a story to tell. Each week we will highlight a member of ABCFT.
Meet Brian Rodriguez in his 5th year as a CTE Film and Video Production Teacher at Cerritos High School. He worked professionally in the Film and TV industry for 14 years prior to teaching. Brian was instrumental in helping ABCFT craft the Article in our contract for CTE teachers. 
If you could give ”first year teacher you” advice what would it be?
Keep things simple, don't stress out if things don't go completely according to plan, always stay spontaneous and be ready to improvise when 'teachable moments' present themselves!
Why did you get involved in the Union?
I want to provide a voice and be a conduit for my fellow CTE teachers as to the inner workings of their Union. As career and private industry instructors, I'd like to help future CTE teachers make the transition from industry to the classroom, and help to ensure their concerns are heard and addressed by their fellow Union brothers and sisters.
Describe a day in the life of being a Rep at your site.
At Cerritos High School, my door is always open to any Union members who want to chat, talk shop or bring up a concern of theirs. I look forward to our monthly PAL meetings and feel fortunate and honored to be a part of a great team of site reps at CHS.
What is your favorite movie/show, song, or book?
Movie - The Big Lebowski Show - Crashing Song - "Don't Stop Believing" Book - "The Alchemist"
Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter...MySpace?
FB and a little Insta. Not so much the others. Tom from MySpace is my homeboy.
What do you do for fun?
Hang out with my wife and kids (5 year old daughter and 3 year old son). Love to cook and BBQ, watch sports, get out to see live shows, movies, play video games, go for bike rides and hikes and work on personal video editing projects with my brother for our blog.
Do you have a bucket list?
1) Open my own small BBQ joint restaurant or food truck.
2) Take a trip to Europe with my parents and family.
3) Write and produce an original feature film.
2) Take a trip to Europe with my parents and family.
3) Write and produce an original feature film.
If you could have a superpower what would it be?
Invisibility
Thank you Brian for sharing your story with the ABCFT community.
MEET OUR ABCFT Teacher Leaders
Since October, the 2018-19 ABCFT Teacher Leaders have been hard at work researching and formulating their question for their Action Research. Each participant selects an education related topic with the end result of affecting policy. While they are exploring their topic of interest they also learn about the national, state and local union issues. Delving into such topics as class size, curriculum, working conditions, special education supports, and the effects of the landmark Janus decision. All the while working as full time teachers in ABC! Yes, you are looking at a group of hardworking strong union activists.
Pictured from left to right: Stefani Palutzke (AHS), Catherine Pascual (AHS), Sharon Zamora (Wittmann), Marivel Aguirre (Carver), Susie Gomez (Fedde), LeAnn Gause (CHS), and Erika Cook (Cerritos El). Not pictured are Claudia Fontoura (Elliott), Jennifer Marcus (Aloha), and Facilitators; Kelley Forsythe (Neimes) and Tanya Golden.
MEASURE BB UPDATE
In Dr. Sieu’s Monday message she continues to outline the process for changing the Measure BB vote into funding for projects that are slated to begin this Summer. Here is her detailed report on what went on at this Tuesday’s school board meeting.
“With the passage of Measure BB, we are moving forward with many legal steps to ensure the
smooth implementation of improving our facilities. This will begin with our Board of Education
Meeting on Tuesday, January 15, 2019.
At the January 15th Board Meeting, we will have Rob Anslow, Bond Counsel with AALRR, discuss
the three Resolutions that need to be approved by the Board following the passage of Measure
BB. Included will be the following: a) Resolution to Canvass the Results of the General Obligation
Bond Election; b) Resolution to Adopt Policies and Regulations for the Citizens Oversight
Committee; and c) Resolution to Adopt a Debt Management Policy.
Following Board approval on Tuesday night, we will be advertising for volunteers to serve on the
Citizens’ Oversight Committee. The purpose of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee is to ensure that
the expenditures of the bond proceeds are carried out appropriately. The Committee may not
include any employees or District vendor, contractor, or consultant. The Committee shall include all
of the following: 1) One member active in a business organization; 2) One member active in a
Senior Citizens’ Organization; 3) One member shall be a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in
the District and; 4) One member shall be both a parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the District
and active in a parent-teacher organization or school site council; 5) One member who is active in
a bona-fide taxpayers’ association; and 6) Two members at large. There will be advertisements
soliciting volunteers in our local media, on our District website, and e-notifications to parents in the
District. Information regarding the Citizens’ Oversight Committee will be available on our District’s
website later this week. Our goal is to have the Board approve of the members to serve on the
Measure BB Citizens’ Oversight Committee at the Feb. 19, 2019 Board Meeting.
During February and March, we will determine the projects that will be included in the first issuance of Measure BB bonds. By mid to late April, 2019, we will sell the Measure BB first Bond issuance. Our goal is to fund the first Measure BB projects by late April, 2019.”
ABCFT Retiree Chapter In Solidarity - #UTLASTRONG
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
ABCFT-RETIREE CHAPTER has been very active in showing support to our UTLA brothers and sisters.
Arlene Riddick, Dennis Cox, Roni Love, and Silvia Rodriguez proudly represented our chapter at the December 16th UTLA MARCH, carrying a huge banner of solidarity through LA’s streets. Our chapter, as well, sent a letter of support to UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl and to our adopted UTLA school, Sharp ES. Additionally, we emailed our members, a petition from CFT President Joshua Pechthalt, asking them to voice their support by signing it.
Twenty four years ago, ABC Teachers went on strike for very similar reasons – taking action to create a better teaching environment for our students, our teachers and our community.
In part to show our solidarity, our Chapter adopted Pacoima’s Sharp Avenue ES (Sharp) as the school where we would directly show our support and I have kept constant communication with their Union Rep. Last Friday before school was out at Sharp, I distributed flyers and communicated with parents in Spanish since this is a predominantly Hispanic community. They were very much on board with their support of Sharp’s staff and its planned action.
It was heartwarming to see that Sharp’s parents are true activists and organizers; some telling me that they would not be sending their children to school for the duration of the strike. Many of them have opened their homes to the staff by allowing them to use their bathrooms and to have a place to rest, get out of the rain, or just to warm up. Others have provided pan dulce, juice and hot coffee. In addition, a vendor in the area provided a delicious meal with homemade tamales for the strikers. Unity resides in every corner of the district!
This past Tuesday, I began federal jury duty and because of all the freeway traffic, my GPS took me through the streets of East LA toward the courthouse. To my surprise, I noticed very few students walking to school in the morning. Knowing that LAUSD has 500,000 pupils, the fact that only 250,000 students attended school on the strike’s first day was a genuine show of unity, solidarity, support and love from the parents. They understand the need for better funding for their children’s education and they trust their teachers.
I believe that this is a momentous opportunity to show our country - post Janus - what the true intent of a union is … to improve the lives of its members and the people that they serve. I bet you do, too!
In unity - with love and light,
Silvia Rodriguez
ABCFT-Retiree Chapter President
JANUARY ABCFT ACADEMIC SERVICES UPDATE (repeated story)
Each month Connie Nam and Rich Saldana work with Beth Bray and Carol Castro to provide teacher input about professional development, curriculum changes and testing changes. ABCFT believes that the biggest working condition impacting teachers are the key curriculum and the professional development being churned out of academic services. Many times the district is implementing changes that are coming from the State of California but rarely do unions get involved in those changes. ABCFT believes that teacher voice helps to provide the district office with classroom advice and input that helps to deliver better comprehensive changes. Each month at the ABCFT Representative Council Rich and Connie give reports and take questions on all things related to academic services. Here is the report for the month of January.
HEALTH BENEFITS UPDATE (December report repeated)
Every December starts the process for the district health committee to look at the health usage data from the previous year and preparations with the broker for anticipated changes from the health providers.
ABCFT has three representatives on this committee which is made up of all the bargaining groups and administration. Each group has equal representation which gives us a 25% stake when voting. For this reason, we work closely with our CSEA and AFSCME sisters and brother about possible changes or messaging to our members. This year we would like to recruit an ABCFT member who would be interested in becoming an alternate representative. If you think you would like to be on the ABCFT Health Committee team please contact us at abcft@abcusd.us and let us know.
Megan Harding who is the ABCFT Vice President of Secondary and ABCFT health committee point person has filed this report for the membership as we enter a new year of negotiations for health benefits. In Megan’s presentation to the ABCFT Rep Council this week she discussed how important it is for ABC to have a viable alternative to Kaiser since it give the the ABC Health Committee negotiating leverage when speaking with their representatives. If Kaiser has a monopoly on health plans in ABC then they can raise rates with impunity which would be bad for all employees. Therefore, the ABC Health Committee is working with the broker to improve the services offered by the Blue Shield Trio plan. At this time the coverage in Trio’s Orange County offerings is better than the Trio coverage in Los Angeles County and the committee is working to improve the Los Angeles County coverage.
Here are some other highlights from Megan’s report from the health committee.
- Rates for the last year are trending well- this means that there should be no need to increase rates.
- There were 20 people that left Blue Shield (largely due to retirements)
- 2 More people chose the Trio plan
- 7 People joined Kaiser
- New hires have not yet been calculated
- Open Enrollment went smooth
- This year we will continue to investigate the financial impact on richer vision benefits
Negotiations Update (repeated story)
We wanted to update you on the timeline for the off schedule/one-time 2% monies that was a part of the two year deal from last year. We were told that this 2% off schedule extra check would be issued by February 15, 2019. We were getting a little bit of the run around from the district about when this would happen and when human resources hinted that it would by in April we decided that was too late and not what we negotiated. As an example of our power as a YOUnion, ABCFT told the District that we were considering having every teacher and classified employees in the district call to question the timeline for this check. Well, they didn’t really want all 3,600 employees calling the district office and very quickly thereafter we got a reasonable date when this check will be issued.
When do negotiations for salary raises start again?
The timeline for negotiations begins in January when the Governor proposes his preliminary budget for the 2019-2020 State fiscal year (July 1). The negotiating team will be attending a budget seminar that analyzes his proposed budget and its impact on the State's educational budget. Therefore, you can expect to see an update on the State’s funding and how it will impact ABCUSD sometime in late January. The final election results and the passage of Measure BB facilities bond will be external factors that will have influence on the District’s budget priorities. 
Expect to see a summary of the Governor’s report in January from ABCFT and a timeline for salary negotiations for the 2019-2020 school year.
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Each week I work with unit members in representations, contract resolutions, email/text/phone call questions, site concerns, site visits, presentations, state/national representations and mediations. Here are some of the highlights of interest.
A long week of days with rain can sure make the job extra challenging. I’m thankful that we have a three day weekend with Martin Luther King’s special day. As I was looking for the pictures for this week I reflected on how he would of approved of what our fellow educators in UTLA are doing for their communities. I can think of no greater American hero who stood for the right for all students to have access to a good education. Thanks Dr. King for all you did to light the fire. It’s up to us to keep that torch going.
This Monday I was invited with Dr. Sieu, Dr. Zietlow and CSEA President Rebecca Macias to present in Bellflower at the Bellflower District Office. We presented to a small audience of the value of working collaboratively to support teachers and the students in our classrooms. In attendance was the Bellflower Superintendent, members of their school board, the teachers union President Linda and her board, the CSEA President and her executive board. The CSEA President has attended the ABC West Coast Labor Management Institute that we hold every year and she wanted the rest of the district leadership to hear what we are doing in ABC in hopes of using similar strategies to keep labor peace. Overall, the presentation and questions were productive and I am thankful for the opportunity to share our story. During the presentation, I couldn’t help but notice that in a room of forty people only two were wearing Red For Ed on the first day of the UTLA strike. I was told by someone that they were nervous to wear red to the meeting and after hearing of some of their history I could understand.
Okay, so contrast that with the many teachers and medical professionals in ABC who stood proud, weren’t afraid to show their support, and were proud to be educators with a voice (Thank you all for all the great pictures and support that you’ve expressed for UTLA). I’m not saying that Bellflower teachers don’t have a voice but it was interesting to see the contrast in our militancy. ABCFT is all about teacher voice and professionalism and we do everything we can to make sure that ABCFT members are heard since you are the experts in the classroom and who better to guide the district office on how to best deliver a world class curriculum to ABC students. The strike in Los Angeles is as much about being respected as a professional as it is about working conditions. Being a professional means that your voice is heard, you are supported, and you are compensated because you are valuable.
As a profession, we need to see more teachers stand proud to be educators. For decades the media, politicians, and our communities bought into the propaganda that teachers were the problem that was destroying America and in the end we were starting to believe it. If everyone says you’re not doing a good job and they continually tell you how to do your job, you start to forget how to think for yourself since your jumping hoops and playing defense. I think teachers have had enough and that is evident in the uprisings in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, Washington, Colorado, and Los Angeles. Be proud to be an educator, we deserve the respect all professionals get. People don’t tell doctors how to do their jobs so why should we let non educators tell us how to teach the students in our classrooms? 2019 is a reawakening for educators across the country and I for one am excited for the change that is blowing in the wind.
On another note, from Tuesday to Thursday this week I was in Washington DC for the AFT Policy Committee that meets three times a year. ABCFT is a loud voice in DC. I will have a special report on what I learned and advocated for at the Capitol building next week. One thing that I do know is that change is in the air and Teachers and medical professionals need to use this time in American history to be a part of that change so we can help guide and shape what is to come in America for education.
Thank you for all you do everyday. Have a reflective and relaxing Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In Unity,
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Time to stand with our UTLA brothers and sisters
After years of unchecked growth of charter schools, and the hiring of an investment banker with a radical plan to reorganize schools as superintendent of LAUSD, UTLA members are now on strike to protect the future of public education in Los Angeles.
Instead of cutting LA schools to the bone, and denying students the essential services and resources they deserve, UTLA is asking for a profound re-investment in Los Angeles schools, including:
- Smaller class sizes
- More nurses, counselors, psychologists, and librarians
- Competitive wages
- Community schools and supports for families
CFT provides members important information about professional issues and workplace rights through numerous newsletters and publications. You can find a summary of each publication below and download the current issue of each newsletter. Click on the links to read some stories online, to get more information or contact the editor, and to access the archives.
As the CFT's flagship publication, California Teacher contains news and information that affects all members. It also contains news specific to each division of the CFT. California Teacher is published four times during the academic year. All members receive California Teacher.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
AFT President Randi Weingarten Joins Los Angeles Teachers for Beginning of Strike
Los Angeles—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten will join United Teachers Los Angeles President Alex Caputo-Pearl and thousands of Los Angeles educators—along with parents, students, clergy, community members, and other trade unionists and working people—on picket lines on Monday, the first day of their strike. UTLA is calling on the Los Angeles Unified School District and Superintendent Austin Beutner to use the city’s significant reserves and new state funding to respond to the educators’ cries for school counselors, nurses and librarians; to cap class sizes; and to prioritize the neighborhood schools that have been drastically underfunded, instead of focusing on growing charter schools.
The historic strike—the first educator strike in Los Angeles in nearly 30 years—represents a fundamental clash over the vision and values for the city and for public education nationwide. After more than 20 months of negotiations between the union and the district, it’s clear the district’s priority is not its kids, its public schools or those who teach.
And while Beutner and LAUSD have waged a costly legal and public relations campaign to blame teachers, and are now retaliating against students who support their teachers, UTLA has seen an outpouring of support from parents and community members because of the real issues facing the city’s public schools: overcrowded classrooms, onerous standardized testing and a per-pupil funding rate that ranks California 43rd in the nation. Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Eric Garcetti have called for more resources for public schools, and in anticipation of the strike, tens of thousands of people have signed a petition asking Beutner to do the right thing.
On Tuesday, Weingarten will join the Accelerated Schools’ charter educators as they begin their strike. The 80 members of UTLA who work in the charter network are facing 40 percent turnover rates and one-year contract renewals that negatively affect student achievement.
“Last year,” Weingarten said, “public school educators in West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arizona, and charter school educators in Illinois, walked out for their kids. Now, in L.A., a big, wealthy city, educators are doing the same, and for the same reasons: They’re tired of the pattern of starving our schools and our students of the resources they need for their success. Teachers want to teach, but they need help, not school leaders who just want to take a district apart piece by piece. This is not a business driven by a profit motive; this is public schooling, driven by the motivation that we care about all kids. And if the school system’s superintendent cared about teaching and learning enough to invest in them, we wouldn’t be on the precipice of a strike now.”
As Weingarten noted, “L.A.’s teachers are working two and three jobs to afford rent, and they’re teaching in classrooms with 40 or 50 students, in schools without counselors, librarians or nurses.”
She continued, “The district is crying poverty, but this is about choices: Do we deny public schools the resources they need, then push a privatization and charter agenda to solve it? Or do we strive to make every public school a place where teachers want to teach, students want to learn and parents want to send their kids?
“Austin Beutner isn’t fooling anyone. We’ve seen this slash-and-burn agenda play out before, and as the people in the classroom every day, we know: Scarcity is not a strategy that actually helps kids learn. L.A.’s teachers are willing to strike until they get the resources they need to do their jobs effectively.”
During the strike, UTLA and other community groups will mobilize to support families, including creating a strike fund for educators; providing meals for students; and offering child care, transportation and activity options to help families. Thousands nationwide are wearing red on Monday, Jan. 14, in solidarity with Los Angeles, and starting Jan. 15, cities around the country will stage walk-ins and other actions in solidarity with UTLA.
Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten
----- NEWS STORY HIGHLIGHT-----
School leaders increasingly concerned over government shutdown
Though the U.S. Department of Education remains fully-funded throughout, Amelia Harper considers how the U.S. government shutdown will impact federal administrators and the National School Lunch program - which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. School leaders are also acutely aware of the direct impact the shutdown is having on students whose parents are in the military, are federal employees, or work in businesses affected by the loss of income those employees are facing - offering practical help in the form of clothing closets or food pantries, access to community resources and emotional support. If the shutdown lasts for several months, she suggests, school leaders will need to step up the level of concern for district finances as grants and federal funding may be affected for the coming year. Separately, a number of large school systems are appealing to furloughed federal workers to step in and earn some extra cash. The American Association of School Personnel Administrators’ executive director Kelly Coash-Johnson noted: “There is a massive shortage for teachers and substitute teachers, so being creative and making lemonade out of lemons is a fabulous idea.” Pinellas County Schools is already offering lunch assistances for children of affected families.
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
Furloughed federal workers could step into the classroom
As the government shutdown continues, a number of large school systems are appealing to furloughed federal workers to step in and earn some extra cash as a shortage of teaching substitutes remains a problem. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, for example, has urged federal employees, with Amber Tyus, director of talent acquisition for the 85,000-student district, stating: “We understand this is a tough time for many families impacted by what is happening at the national level… We believe this is a way for workers to find employment that benefits them and the thousands of young people we serve in this district every day.” Meanwhile, Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia has held two recruitment events in the past week, with district spokesman John Torre noting that “the response has been overwhelming”. The American Association of School Personnel Administrators’ executive director Kelly Coash-Johnson noted: “There is a massive shortage for teachers and substitute teachers, so being creative and making lemonade out of lemons is a fabulous idea.”
Plans to reduce incidents of improper restraint of students with disabilities
The Education Department has announced that it will work with schools to reduce incidents of improper restraint and seclusion of students with disabilities, as data revealed that students with disabilities are subjected to these practices far more often than other students. Ron Hager, managing attorney for education and employment at the National Disability Rights Network, said: “This approach is extremely significant and if done properly will be an incredible benefit.” According to federal data, in the 2015-2016 school year, more than 36,000 students nationally were subjected to seclusion. Meanwhile, a further 86,000 were restricted from moving freely by a school worker holding the child or by being immobilized by handcuffs or other restraints. Experts say that the figures, which are reported by schools, understate incidents. The Education Department said it would work to improve data reporting. The department also said it will conduct compliance reviews of school systems that may be inappropriately restraining or secluding students and will offer guidance on obligations under federal civil rights law.
----- STATE NEWS -----
Districts required to verify measures to fix low-performing schools
California’s State Board of Education has approved measures for school districts to verify what they are doing to turn around their low-performing schools, as required under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. The Board will require districts to add a separate section to their Local Control and Accountability Plans to deal with low-performing schools, demonstrating that they thoroughly examined the school’s needs and weaknesses, adopted interventions that have been proven to work and identified “resource inequities” that a school improvement plan would address. A district must seek the advice of principals and other school leaders, teachers and parents and tell how the school will meet the needs of students at risk of not meeting the state academic standards.
New bill proposes full-day kindergarten in all school districts
All California school districts would need to have full-day kindergarten by the 2021-22 school year if Assembly Bill 197 becomes law. The measure requires that districts provide a full-day service that “is the same number of minutes per school day that is offered to pupils in 1st grade.” It stipulates that full-day kindergarten, which Gov. Gavin Newsom said in last week’s budget address he would like to offer statewide, “should provide time to meet the developmentally based instructional needs of the whole child. It should encompass all curricular areas, including visual and performing arts and physical education, as outlined in the state-adopted curriculum frameworks.”
Student suspension rates are far higher in rural schools
While California has made substantial progress in reducing school suspensions, it faces a challenge in often overlooked rural regions of the state, where student suspension rates are significantly higher than those of urban areas. School suspensions in grades K-12 have dropped across California by more than a quarter over the past five years; however, outside urban areas, suspensions remain common. In sparsely populated rural regions as well as in towns in largely rural areas — such as Butte County’s Oroville — schools reported eight suspensions for every 100 white students enrolled in 2017-18, one and a half times the rate of schools that are located in cities and suburbs. Rural schools logged 22 suspensions for every 100 black students enrolled, compared to just over 15 per 100 black students at urban schools.
----- DISTRICTS -----
LAUSD teacher strike goes ahead
United Teachers Los Angeles confirmed yesterday that its 30,000 members will go on strike today, with picketing to begin at 7:30 a.m. A rally and march will follow at 10:30, starting at Grand Park on Spring Street, in front of City Hall. A last-minute offer from Los Angeles USD was not enough to avert the action; the package included a 6% raise, and the addition of 1,200 new teachers in the upcoming school year. Superintendent Austin Beutner said the offer would reduce high school and middle school class sizes by two. Most schools today are scheduled to be open during normal hours and offer after-school programming, though extracurricular activities and sports are on hold. State preschool sites will be closed, and early education centers will only be open for students with special needs. School administrators, school police and bus drivers will be reporting for duty. The district has hired about 400 substitutes and redeployed 2,000 district staff with teaching credentials — to replace about 31,000 striking teachers union members. Though school police will not enforce truancy laws, the district has said that a strike does not constitute a valid excuse to miss school.
Districts required to verify measures to fix low-performing schools
California’s State Board of Education has approved measures for school districts to verify what they are doing to turn around their low-performing schools, as required under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. The Board will require districts to add a separate section to their Local Control and Accountability Plans to deal with low-performing schools, demonstrating that they thoroughly examined the school’s needs and weaknesses, adopted interventions that have been proven to work and identified “resource inequities” that a school improvement plan would address. A district must seek the advice of principals and other school leaders, teachers and parents and tell how the school will meet the needs of students at risk of not meeting the state academic standards.
LA teacher strike keeps thousands of students off school
Monday saw approximately one third of Los Angeles USD students attend school, on the first day of a teachers' strike over smaller class sizes, more support staff at schools and better pay. Some 141,631 students arrived for school, preliminary data showed, of a total enrollment of about 485,000. About 31,000 members of the teachers union had agreed to walk. Thousands of picketing teachers and other union members joined the mid-morning downtown rally. Police estimated the turnout at 20,000. Governor Gavin Newsom called on both sides to find a deal. "This impasse is disrupting the lives of too many kids and their families," Newsom said in a statement. "I strongly urge all parties to go back to the negotiating table and find an immediate path forward that puts kids back into classrooms and provides parents certainty." LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said the first day of strike action had cost the district $15m. Meanwhile, local organizations, including the Los Angeles Tenants Union have announced their support for the teachers, as has “Jane the Virgin” actor Jaime Camil, who announced support for the strike from the Screen Actors Guild?American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The city’s Natural History Museum has offered free admission to LAUSD students during the strike.
L.A. school attendance improved slightly as teachers' strike continues
School attendance across Los Angeles has improved slightly since the first teachers’ strike in 30 years began in the city on Monday. Approximately one third of the district’s total enrolment attended campus Tuesday. Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner said the first day saw only one third of the district’s students showing up for school, costing the system about $25m in state funding tied to enrolment, which amounts to an estimated one-day, net loss of $15m after unpaid wages of $10m for the strikers are factored in. Meanwhile, teachers at three charter schools in South Los Angeles have also begun to strike, marking the first time ever that a California charter school organization did so, the teachers’ union claimed. However, Accelerated Schools co-founder and CEO Johnathan Williams said in a statement: “Accelerated Schools is disheartened that the United Teachers Los Angeles leadership has called for a strike, putting our students and families in the middle of contract demands.”
Berkeley Super announces retirement plans
Berkeley USD Superintendent Donald Evans informed the school board of his intention to retire at the end of the school year, effective July 31st. Mr Evans said he believed he had achieved the three goals he had when beginning at Berkeley: building the capacity of teachers by providing professional development and training, implementing professional learning communities and systematizing best practices. “Under his leadership, the district had a stronger focus on not only instruction but also socio-emotional support for our students,” BUSD board Vice President Beatriz Leyva-Cutler said.
----- CLASSROOM -----
Study reveals complexity of restorative justice
A $3m study in Pittsburgh, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, wherein half of schools were randomly assigned to try restorative justice practices between 2015 and 2017, has revealed that, as anticipated, while suspensions dropped in schools that added restorative justice - such policies disproportionately hurt black students. Also of note, students in schools that implemented restorative justice were more likely to say their teachers struggled to manage their classes, while teachers themselves reported that their schools had a better understanding of how to handle student behavior and a better culture for teaching and learning.
Embracing families 'key' for special ed students
Jessica Campisi profiles the work of Boston's Dr. William W. Henderson Inclusion School, which advocates strong school-parent partnership as key to serving students with disabilities. While Congress catches up and puts more money into the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to unburden school districts, she notes, Henderson Director of Lower Campus Amy Gailunas champions the establishment of trust and collaboration, followed by making sure students get the therapies they need inside the classroom as opposed to elsewhere.
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Future educators prepped on homelessness
A new Certificate in Child Homelessness Studies program at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts aims to better prepare early educators to work with families in unstable living conditions. The series of five courses covers topics including trauma, counseling and parent resilience. Education Dive notes that some districts also provide professional development on homelessness. Los Angeles USD offers training on how to identify homeless students and understand the rights and protections that apply under the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
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IRS disruptions affecting students’ financial aid
Ongoing disruptions at the IRS are hindering college students from receiving federal student loans and grants, university administrators say, though federal officials deny it is related to the partial government shutdown. The disruptions, which make it harder for some families to provide proof of their income, potentially preventing them Pell grants and other forms of student loans from reaching recipients, are preventing them enrolling in spring classes or selecting an affordable school for the coming academic year.
Community college transfer students under-enrolled
Selective colleges and universities overlook students seeking to transfer from community college despite those students graduating at higher rates than other students, according to a new study by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, which advocates for low-income, high-achieving students. When it comes to the 100 most selective colleges, the research noted, 14% of students transfer in but just 5% have transferred from a community college. "Students who do successfully transfer from community college to a selective university do quite well and are more likely to graduate," says Jennifer Glynn, author of the report.
NTA Life Insurance - An ABCFT Sponsor
About three years ago ABCFT stated a working relationship with National Teachers Associates Life Insurance Company. Throughout our partnership, NTA has been supportive of ABCFT activities by sponsorship and prizes for our various events. This organization specializes in providing insurance for educators across the nation. We have been provided both data and member testimonials about how pleased they have been with the NTA products and the opportunity to look at alternatives to the district insurance choice.
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