ABCFT - Week in Review - May 10, 2019
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(ABC Federation of Teachers)
In Unity
ABC Federation of Teachers
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Ten Things to Know About Immunizations
If you’ve been watching the news lately it seems like every day we hear a new statistic about the increase in measles and the topic of immunizations. We want to make sure you have the facts so that if your students ask you about this growing concern, you will have the facts to calm and inform. The California Federation of Teachers just released this helpful article to inform members about the facts concerning immunizations. If you have additional questions or comments write to abcft@abcusd.us
1. Measles is highly contagious and deadly.
In an unvaccinated population, one person with measles can infect 12 to 18 others. That’s higher than other viruses like Ebola and HIV. Before a vaccine was introduced in 1963, there were 4 million measles cases in the United States each year, resulting in 48,000 hospitalizations and 500 deaths. Measles was also a leading killer of children globally.
2. Vaccines work. But to prevent measles outbreaks, we need 93-95 percent of our population immunized.
These days, with two doses, the measles vaccine is 97 percent effective in individuals. But for the vaccine to protect the population, including the small number of people who can’t be vaccinated, we need what’s known as “herd immunity.” According to Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, “As soon as measles vaccination coverage drops below 95 percent, outbreaks are inevitable.” This means that for herd immunity, everyone who is medically able to get the vaccine needs to do so to protect public health.
3. The entire medical community stands behind the science and public health benefits of vaccinations.
4. Measles cases are climbing again due to declining rates of immunizations.
In 2000, the United States essentially claimed victory against childhood diseases, eliminating measles and making other diseases extremely rare. Today, we are losing ground. From Jan. 1 to March 7, 2019, 228 individual cases of measles were confirmed in 12 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington. In these states, not enough people are vaccinated to maintain the 96 percent threshold for herd immunity.
5. Declining immunization rates have a serious financial cost.
These outbreaks will cost states (e.g., Washington and Minnesota) and the federal government millions of dollars to contain and will distract from other important public health programs. Most important, the outbreaks will put people who can’t be immunized—newborn babies, kids with vaccine allergies—at risk.
6. States that allow more opt-outs to vaccinations have higher rates of outbreaks. The federal government must act.
National studies show that states that limit the reasons to opt out of vaccination have higher immunity rates. This also can be shown by comparing vaccination rates among states that only allow people who can provide documented medical reasons not to be vaccinated, such as Mississippi’s nearly 100 percent immunity rate for measles, as compared with states like Oregon and Washington that don’t reach the 93 to 95 percent herd immunity bar.
Laws vary greatly from state to state. All states, appropriately, allow medical exemptions, but 47 states (excluding California, Mississippi and West Virginia) permit religious exemptions, and 17 states allow exemptions for philosophical or “conscience” reasons. Federal law is virtually silent on childhood vaccinations.
7. Lack of immunization is a global health threat.
In 2019, the World Health Organization called vaccine hesitancy one of the top 10 threats to global health. Severe cases of measles can be life-threatening. For every 1,000 children infected with measles, one or two will die from the illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Serious complications can include encephalitis and pneumonia.
8. There is no proven association between measles vaccine and autism—a theory debunked over and over.
A new large study has confirmed what many other studies have found: There is no association between the measles vaccine and autism—a reason often given by parents for rejecting inoculation.
9. Measles had been nearly wiped out in some countries as a result of vaccination.
According to the World Health Organization, vaccination prevents 2-3 million deaths each year. And 1.5 million more deaths could be prevented if global coverage of vaccines improved. Before the recent 30 percent increase in measles cases worldwide, the disease was nearly eradicated in some countries.
10. Philosophical objections and fear have contributed to a decline in immunizations.
U.S. researchers have concluded that even a 5 percent reduction in vaccination coverage would triple measles cases, with significant health and economic costs. According to the 2015 National Immunization Survey, only 72.2 percent of children ages 19- to 35-months old in the United States were fully vaccinated as per guidelines from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
In 18 states, families can obtain nonmedical exemptions from the vaccinations required for school entry. A detailed analysis of states with exemptions reveals that several counties, including those with large metropolitan areas, are at high risk for vaccine-preventable pediatric infection epidemics.
Protecting Yourself on the Job
Follow good hand-washing/hand hygiene protocols.
Use disinfectants in high touch areas and practice good cleaning procedures elsewhere.
Adapted from the AFT Nurses and Health Professionals fact sheet on immunizations. For more information, check out this AFT resource guide on immunizations and public health.
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 Barbara Forceto Testalot, a teacher for 3 years. She is currently 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade at Every School Elementary.
If you could give ” first-year teacher you” advice what would it be?
Get immunized and a flu shot every year.
How did you get involved with the union?
I was voted to be a Co-Union Rep after I left the union meeting to meet with our administrator for the third time about the same topic. OR I was like Ray Gaer who forgot to take his name off the ballot when he was a new teacher at Artesia High School.
Describe a day in the life of being a Rep at your site.
I spend most of my time listening and working in solidarity with my fellow union sisters and brothers. It takes a lot of energy fighting for the rights of educators that just want to do their job as professionals. I am so glad my union has monthly social gatherings for collaborative libations.
What is your favorite movie/show, song, or book?
I’ll get back to you after I binge watch all the shows over summer that I was too busy to watch during the school year. It’s tough all year having to avoid “spoiler alerts” for everything that I really want to see.
Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter...MySpace?
Who has time for social media when I can barely keep my social life alive. Come to mention it, I need to go and update my email account. I’m still using my AOL email account and people give me weird looks when they ask for my email.
What do you do for fun?
I like to listen to death metal, go to punk shows, skydive, drive race cars and anything else that defies the odds of sanity.
Do you have a bucket list?
Ensure STRS remains strong so I can have a carefree retirement. OR Win the lottery.
If you could have a superpower what would it be?
I’m going to choose two superpowers because I can! First, make every student a lifelong learner, be kind to another, and a self-advocate. Second, teachers have final say for any federal, state, county, or district law or Ed/Board Code regarding what happens in the classroom!
Thank you Barb for sharing your story with the ABCFT community.
Hopefully, you noticed Barb is our satirical educator. So, yeah, we need to hear from you.
If you’d like to be featured in the Meet a Member Click this link here.
School of Choice Update #5 by Ray Gaer
This Thursday I attended the meeting of the School of Choice Ad Hoc Committee and I’ll write about the content of that meeting in next week’s Review. If you have been negatively impacted by the dramatic procedural change for ABC’s School’s of Choice lottery, I would encourage you to write to Tim.Catlin@abcusd.us
As promised for this weeks School of Choice update I wanted to share with you the information and presentations that were shared with the SOC committee members on April 11, 2019. As you look at these materials you will understand why there was so much confusion about why the district decided over Spring Break that they would revert the SOC priority to school board policy midway through the process. There are a number of employees that were caught by surprise and now have their children on wait lists for SOC schools. More than one teacher wrote to Tim Catlin at the district office expressing their frustration, the unfairness of the situation, and how this stressful situation is impacting their ability to do their teaching. Not knowing where your kids will go to school and having no alternative districts to go to because the SOC window is closed it more than unfair for the ABC employees, it’s downright disgraceful. More than one teacher told me they were thinking about leaving ABC so they can avoid a childcare nightmare because of the prospect of having their kids in multiple schools.
If you look at the powerpoint presentation you will notice on page 11 that there is a priority list for the school of choice that has been used for the past two years. In contradiction to what is stated in the school board policy, the priority chart has school employees and over-enrollment listed as the top priority in the SOC lottery. This powerpoint was developed before there were questions from school board members and community members about the validity/legality of having employees as a top priority. The District Administration was forced to look at the school board policy for SOC for the specifics of priority. In the school board policy, it is not spelled out that employees are a top priority and the reality is that a annual subcommittee for the school of choice lottery had made the decision to place employees as a priority without changing the actual school board language. It’s my understanding that the district had to revert to what is legally defensible but as I’ve repeated too many individuals, I just don’t understand why the change was made this year so that employees have no other options. The choice to change the lottery this year is unfortunate since employees were misled on the priority in the SOC lottery and it will take years before employees recover from the sting of this decision.
Next week, I will report about the May 9th meeting and what the committee is looking at for future school of choice changes.
ABCFT Teacher Leader News by Tanya Golden
Next year, we will be offering the program again and we are seeking ABCFT members to join this exciting and dynamic program. If you would like to learn more information please join us at the Showcase to get a better idea of how the program works. We will be sharing the application for the 2019-20 ABCFT TLP soon so watch your inbox for an email!
All year long the ABCFT Teacher Leaders have been busy learning how to be union activists, polish their speaking skills, complete their action research which included a close analysis of their topic with a literature review, surveys, and sharing a summary of their findings with a written report and oral presentation.
Please join as we celebrate the hard work of our Teacher Leaders at our 2nd Annual ABCFT Teacher Leader Showcase on Friday, May 17th from 3:30 to 6:30 pm at Fedde Academy multipurpose room.
NEGOTIATION TIMELINE revised
At this time, the ABCFT Leadership and Negotiating Team are researching data, attending budget workshops, and working with ABCFT member groups. ABCFT will have a full review of California’s May Revised Budget which is released later this month. As we wait for the state to sort out the revised budget, we thought it would be good to highlight the State’s budget process over the past eleven months. Hopefully, if you were not aware of the budget process for the state of California this timeline would shed light on how the process works.
ABCFT expects to be in salary negotiations for the 2019-2020 school year starting in August after the State budget is finalized.
New information
CFT Research Department - Joanna Valentine
- State revenues ran behind Dec-March due to personal income taxes coming in lower than expected. This turned around in April with the receipt of more than enough money to cover the shortfall. The additional funds could result in an upward revision of Ca general fund revenues which will yield a corresponding increase in minimum Prop 98 guarantee. Governor called this "modest good news" as "there are dark skies on the horizon." May revise may be out as soon as next week, due on May 14th.
- COLA rate at January budget was 3.46%, will be revised down to 3.26% in the May revise.
California State Budget Timeline Made Easy
July 1 - Fiscal year begins.
July 9 - September 15 - Department directors and agency heads initiate detailed reviews and develop budget proposals for their programs for the next fiscal year. These requests are then reviewed by the Department of Finance for review.
October- January 10 - The Governor evaluates the requests as reviewed by the Department of Finance and sends his or her proposed budget to the legislature.
January - February - The budget committee chairs in each house introduce the Governor's’ budget proposal in bill form. The Legislative Analyst’s Office prepares a detailed review of the budget bill.
March - May - Each house refers its budget bill to their respective budget committees. The bills are then broken down by subject and assigned to the appropriate subcommittees by subject areas. After completion of the hearings, each subcommittee votes and send its report to the full budget committee.
Late May - June - The budget committee of each house considers the subcommittees’ reports and sends a revised budget bill to the floor for evaluation by the full body. Each house discusses and then votes on its version of the budget bill. The differences between the Assembly and Senate versions of the budget bill are worked out in a conference committee made of three members from each house. Upon completion of its review, the conference committee submits a single version of the budget bill to both houses. The Senate and Assembly each vote on this final version before it is sent to the Governor. The houses also vote on trailer bills if statutory changes are necessary to implement provisions of the budget bill.
June 15 - July 1 - The bill becomes law as soon as it is signed by the Governor due to its status as an urgency measure.
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MAY ACADEMIC SERVICES UPDATE
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's 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.
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CDE Wants YOU! by Tanya Golden
One of my roles as an officer for the CFT EC/TK-12 Council is to represent our member across the state on the CDE Assessment Workgroup. We have monthly webinars and meet in-person twice a year. The purpose of the workgroup is for the CDE to get feedback and input about state assessments from the stakeholders.
The California Department of Education is seeking the help of science and dual immersion teachers. The science teachers will be tasked with California Science Test (CAST) standard setting. The dual immersion teachers are being asked to set standards and range finding for the optional California Spanish Assessment (CSA). There is also an opportunity with an ELPAC item writer workshop.
I hope you truly consider sharing your expertise and using your teacher voice to form and influence state tests that thousands of students will take. Depending on which task you apply for, there is reimbursement for travel expenses to Sacramento and an honorarium of $150 per day may be available. The details are in the links below.
RESEARCH FOR YOUR CLASSROOMS
Growing up in poverty increases the diagnoses of psychosis-spectrum mental illnesses
The study followed families for three decades
Date: April 24, 2019
Source: University of California - Davis
Summary: Growing up in impoverished urban neighborhoods more than doubles your chances over the average person of developing a psychosis-spectrum disorder by the time you reach middle adulthood, according to a new study of nearly 4,000 families who were monitored over 30 years.
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KEEPING YOU INFORMED
California overhauls sex education guidance for teachers
The California Department of Education has overhauled its sex education guidance for public school teachers, encouraging them to talk about gender identity with kindergarteners and giving the advice to help LGBT teenagers navigate relationships and practice safe sex. The meeting was preceded by a rally at Capitol Park, where nearly 200 people gathered to protest the framework revisions. “How are they helping kids find themselves when they are confusing them about who they are, or they could possibly be nothing at all,” said Stephanie Yates, founder of Informed Parents of California. Several organizations have called the revisions “sexually explicit,” and say that the framework’s recommended books show how “offensive, reckless and immoral” the framework is. In a statement, the department said: “Our priority is to make all children feel comfortable at school. Dispelling myths, breaking down stereotypes and linking students to resources can help prevent bullying, self-harm, feelings of hopelessness, and serious considerations of suicide.” Schools are not required to implement the framework; they are merely recommendations for teachers and administrators.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT - Ray Gaer
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.
I want to send a special THANK YOU to all the members who participated and voted in the ABCFT Officers Election this week. Thank you for voting for the Unity Slate. This new ABCFT Executive Board is comprised of like minded individuals who will work together to advocate for teachers, nurses, and SLPs. In June at the Site Representative meeting, we will recognize those past site representatives and executive board members who are stepping down from their positions. We want to take the time to honor these YOUnion activists. I know that getting involved in the Union is no small decision. Union work is time intensive and requires individuals to step beyond their current world to learn about district-wide, state and nation issues. Often representatives find that they have to be self-reflective about themselves which is brave. Union work is empowering and as individuals get involved and learn they often experience growth as individuals which can be both scary and exhilarating. Cheers to all those who serve the membership!
You will be seeing more emails than normal from ABCFT in the next week because we need member input on some of the health benefits discussions that are happening in the district’s health committee. You may recall, when I’ve written about this committee in the past that we have three votes on a 12 seat committee. Not being a majority means that ABCFT is not in control of this committee but we have a strong influence in the direction of the committee. The district health committee is comprised of three members from each bargaining units (ABCFT, CSEA, AFSCME, and Administrators). These twelve members work with a broker who helps the committee interface in negotiations with our health care providers. This group meets throughout the school year but the crucial negotiations with our providers happens in May of each year.
On Tuesday, ABCFT will be sending crucial information concerning health benefits and on Friday we will be posting an ABCFT Health Benefits Survey to get your input and give direction to our three ABCFT representatives. We have been aware that the committee was reporting of the likelihood of high-cost increases in the coming year and we have mentioned that in several Reviews, but the ABCFT Leadership wants to make sure that members are fully aware of the conversations that are occurring in the District Health Benefits Committee. Just to be clear, ABC is not looking at changing carriers or anything dramatic but we want to make sure the membership is aware of the situation and the minor changes that most likely will happen in the future. More to come.
Lastly, thank you for your vote of confidence in the election this past week. It is an honor to serve you as President of the ABC Federation of Teachers, Local #2317, the proudest AFT local west of the Mississippi.
In Unity,
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
The latest CFT articles and news stories can be found here on the PreK12 news feed on the CFT.org website.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
FT’s Weingarten Responds to Betsy DeVos on Teacher Salaries
WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos raised the important issue of teacher salaries at the Education Writers Association National Seminar.
“It’s great that Betsy finally thinks higher teacher salaries are important. More than a decade ago, when I was president of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, we were able to bargain $100,000 for teachers who had a couple of decades of experience. While we disagreed on other things, Mayor Bloomberg and I worked hard to get that done.
“I’d be delighted if Betsy wants to get all teachers close to $200,000—they deserve that—and so much more. Let’s start by using a proposal like the one from Kamala Harris, who is actually with us today visiting public schools in Detroit and Dearborn and listening to the educators who teach our children. We could do this if Betsy worked with us to revoke tax cuts for rich people. She won’t even have to give up the summer homes and the yachts.”
The Tide Is Turning For Teachers Unions. Randi Weingarten Isn’t Surprised.
Randi Weingarten, 61, has been an ever-present force in national Democratic politics since taking the helm of the American Federation of Teachers labor union in 2008.
With 1.7 million members at her command, Weingarten stands to play an important role in the fight to unseat President Donald Trump in 2020.
But first she needs to unite her diverse membership behind a Democratic candidate.
The union elicited criticism from some members for endorsing Hillary Clinton in July 2015 ― more than six months before any votes were cast in the race for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.
Now Weingarten is promising a slower, more transparent endorsement process that gives union members plenty of time to hear from the party’s plethora of White House contenders and give feedback before the AFT’s executive council makes a decision.
HuffPost spoke to Weingarten about the union’s endorsement process; the role of perceived electability in the Democratic presidential primary; her views of longtime school choice proponent Sen. Cory Booker, who is among those seeking the party’s nod; her deleted tweet questioning whether Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign was involved in Lucy Flores’ allegation of unwanted kissing against former Vice President Joe Biden.
In the interview, Weingarten also stressed that she believes the national debate over education policy has shifted decisively in teacher unions’ direction.
Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten
----- NEWS STORY HIGHLIGHT-----
Gov. Newsom proposes $213bn state spending plan
Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $213bn state budget Thursday that boosts spending on K-12 education, wildfires and homelessness while putting more money toward state reserves and debt. The revised budget is up $4.5bn from his first proposal in January and maintains a $21.5bn surplus, the state's largest in at least 20 years. It includes a near-$700m increase for special education funding, about $120m more than he suggested in his initial budget in January. It would also redirect about $150m to teacher training and paying off loans for newly credentialed teachers who agree to work in schools with high turnover. His announcement kicks off negotiations with lawmakers, who must pass a budget by June 15th or lose pay.
U.S. teachers endure poor pay
K-12 educators across much of the country endure some of the lowest wages among professionals, according to 24/7 Wall St.'s review of the average salaries of elementary, middle, and secondary public and private school teachers - adjusted for regional cost of living differences - in U.S. metropolitan areas, leaving teaching as one of the lowest-paying jobs for college graduates. Sierra Vista-Douglas in Arizona tops the list, with regional price-adjusted average teacher pay of $49,610, while Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville in Florida comes fourth, with regional price-adjusted average teacher pay of $48,940, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach in Florida sixth, with regional price-adjusted average teacher pay of $48,240 and Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach in Florida tenth, with regional price-adjusted average teacher pay of $39,790. One linked study reveals that almost 20% of teachers leave their jobs because of inadequate salary.
USA Today
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
Dems seeking to cut federal charter funding
House Democrats are chasing a cut in federal funding for charter schools, arguing that the U.S. Education Department “does not intend to be a responsible steward” of taxpayer dollars by funding charters. The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday released its proposed 2020 budget for the Education Department and is seeking $75.9bn, $11.9bn more than President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are requesting and $4.4bn more than what was enacted in 2019, along with big boosts for Title 1 and special education provisions. “Clearly, the tide is turning regarding charter schools,” said Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education.
School shooting in Colorado
An 18-year-old student has been killed after two suspected student shooters opened fire at STEM School Highlands Ranch in the Denver suburbs. Eight were injured and both suspects are in custody. The school has 1,850 students - 550 elementary age students, 700 in middle school and 600 high school students - and the shooting comes just weeks after Florida woman Sol Pais sparked a security scare that shut down area schools over her “infatuation” with the Columbine shooting.
Florida to allow teachers to carry guns
Following hours of heated and emotional debate, the Florida House has voted 65-47 in favor of the school safety package which allows teachers to carry guns on campus—despite protests from educators and students urging them not to put more firearms in schools. School boards representing some of the state’s largest counties—including Broward, Palm Beach, and Orange—are opposed to the idea and other critics of the bill include Rep. Mike Gottlieb, D-Davie, who said: “Teachers need to teach. We need to create a more nurturing, loving environment in a school so people don’t grow up to become monsters. … We are creating a police state. It is wrong." Advocates include Rep. Chuck Brannan (R-Macclenny), who said allowing the arming of school staff will serve as a "powerful deterrent" for anyone thinking of harming students.
Teacher protests hurt kids, DeVos says
Betsy DeVos has complained that teachers are walking off the job too often and that their protests about pay and school conditions are impacting children. Speaking in Baltimore, at the Education Writers Association's annual seminar, the Education Secretary said: "I think it's important that adults have adult disagreements on adult time, and that they not ultimately hurt kids in the process." Mrs DeVos, often at odds with the major teachers unions, also criticized Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. "Great teachers perhaps should be making at least half as much as what Randi Weingarten does at a half million dollars a year," she added. The Education Secretary also asserted her free-market approach to public education, claiming that existing schools have failed too many students and the "only answer" is to give families an alternative.
House committee approves $189.8bn education, health bill
On a 30-23 vote, the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a $189.8bn spending bill covering Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, which added $4bn to early childhood programs, increased funding for K-12 and boosted postsecondary education by $4.4bn, a 6.2% increase over current spending. "This bill invests in educating our children to ensure a brighter future, including by relieving many of the financial barriers for families," said Appropriations Committee Chair Nita Lowey (D-NY). Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) said that, while generally supportive of the bill, he had concerns that its overall funding increases would get vetoed by President Donald Trump, even after reconciliation with the Senate version of the legislation. The Hill Education Week
----- STATE NEWS -----
Sex education guidance targeted
Ed Source reports that conservative religious groups are mobilizing parents in an aggressive effort to remove recommendations focused on the sexual health of LGBTQ students and other material they deem too explicit for young students. The guidance, known as the Health Education Framework, aligns with the 2015 California Healthy Youth Act, which mandated sex education in public school districts statewide and was among the first in the nation specifically to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender students and those students questioning their sexual identities. State officials, who are preparing for a meeting on Wednesday, ssaid in addition to being provocative, the rhetoric against the framework is mostly inaccurate and misinterprets the power the law and the framework have over a local school district’s sex ed curriculum.
New California bill pushes back school start time
For the second time in two years, California lawmakers are advancing a bill that would forbid K-12 schools from starting class earlier than 8:30 a.m. They argue that later start times would improve academic performance and students’ mental health. More than three-quarters of all California schools, nearly 79%, start classes before 8:30 a.m., according to an analysis of the bill. A third of all schools, 31%, start before 8 a.m. Research shows that teens who get less than eight hours of sleep are much more likely to report symptoms of depression, greater use of caffeine and the possible abuse of controlled substances. The proposal passed the Senate Education Committee last month by a 4-2 vote and has another hearing scheduled for May 13th.
----- DISTRICTS -----
Sacramento City teachers to face layoffs
Teachers in Sacramento City USD are to face layoffs set to be approved at a special board meeting on Thursday, with the district saying that it does not have the resources to maintain its current workforce. Emphasizing that the decision to lay off staff was "not easy," superintendent Jorge Aguilar highlighted SCUSD's "fiscal crisis and declining enrolment" as factors which necessitated the cuts.
Opinion: Sacramento teacher raises "at expense" of students
An opinion piece in The Sacramento Bee holds that the teacher raises secured by Sacramento City Teachers Association last week will "come at the expense of Sacramento school kids," with "programs for kids such ass music and sports [set to be] gutted to pay for raises and other labor disputes." The 3.5% raise approved for mid career teachers last week during court-ordered arbitration is set to rise to a 7% raise according to salary schedules presented by union negotiators. Sacramento City USD is struggling to close a $35m budget deficit and is set to be taken over by the state if it does not close this deficit ahead of next fiscal year.
State faults Escondido for evading special education caps
The California DoE looks set to win a case arguing that Escondido USD renamed some special education positions in order to get around state laws that cap student-teacher ratios at 28-1. In 2017, investigators faulted EUSD for eliminating the category of "resource specialist" and transferring most of these duties to "specialized academic instruction" in order to boost figures for special ed staff. After EUSD brought the case to court, a Superior Court judge sided with the state last month and is expected to give a final ruling soon.
Sac City approves 102 layoffs
Sacramento City USD’s Board of Education voted unanimously yesterday to cut 102 jobs, including 77 teaching positions. Seventy-six more positions will be cut through attrition. Among those who will be laid off include the district’s only visual and performing arts coordinator and its only GATE, or Gifted and Talented Education, and AP, or Advanced Placement, coordinator. The district is facing a $35m budget deficit,and expects to run out of cash by November. “We are trying to remain hopeful but the fact is that we have a clock ticking and weeks to avoid a deficit that could result in a state takeover,” Board president Jessie Ryan said.
----- FINANCE -----
Oakland superintendent urges California to up school funding
In an opinion piece for EdSouce Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell – superintendent of Oakland USD – calls for the state to do more to direct additional resources to California’s highest-need students. She notes that California is consistently among the lowest-ranked states in terms of per-student education funding, despite being the world’s fifth-largest economy. In a separate piece for the same publication, Paul Bruno - author of a brief on school district finances for the Getting Down to Facts II research project – says that the cost of providing medical benefits for teachers and other staff in California increased to $14,600 last year, from around $9,700 in 2004. He says that, although districts need to offer strong compensation plans to attract high-quality staff, they need also to consider making savings on such benefits in order to improve working conditions for teachers and outcomes for students.
----- WORKFORCE ----
Bilingual teachers in short supply across U.S.
The majority of states in the U.S. do not have sufficient qualified, bilingual educators to teach bilingual instruction and English as a Second Language, with some expressing concerns that this shortage will negatively impact English learners' education opportunities. 38% of California students enter school as English learners, with 21% of all public school students statewide considered English learners.
----- HEALTH & WELLBEING -----
Bathroom restrictions place transgender teens at higher risk of assault
Transgender and gender-nonbinary teens are at greater risk of sexual assault at schools that deny them access to bathrooms or locker rooms that match their sexual identity, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics. Some 25.9% reported being a victim of sexual assault in the past 12 months, while transgender and gender-nonbinary teens who were subject to restroom or locker room restrictions had an even higher prevalence of sexual assault - at 36%. "Unfortunately, kids' access to restrooms and locker rooms has become very politicized in some communities," said Gabriel Murchison, the study's lead author.
UC Irvine student and baby contract measles in Orange County
Orange County Health Care Agency officials confirmed two new measles cases on Saturday, with a 7 month old infant - too young for vaccination - and a vaccinated UC Irvine student identified as the patients. Students at UCI have been notified and informed on treatment and prevention for the disease, with medical histories being collected for those who may have been in contact with the affected student. Interim OC health officer Dr. Nichole Quick noted that whilst the MMR vaccine is 97% effective, there is , herefore "a chance that 3% of vaccinated individuals" will become infected. Dr. Quick added that the student's case is relatively mild because he was vaccinated.
-----CHARTER SCHOOLS -----
California NAACP chapters divided on charters
Three California NAACP chapters last week passed resolutions calling on the organization to support charter schools. The resolutions, passed by San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside, put the chapters at odds with the California NAACP and its ally the California Teachers Association, both of which have endorsed four anti-charter bills introduced by state lawmakers.
----- SOCIAL & COMMUNITY -----
Glendale offers financial literacy education to local community
Fiscal responsibility for students and parents during and after high school was the focus of a new financial literacy program offered by Glendale USD at the Adult Recreation Center in Glendale late last month, with goals that range from saving for college to making future investments. Glendale students in the fifth, seventh and ninth grades can access financial literacy materials offered by EverFi, a provider of technology education and data analytics, and there is also a class taught by district instructors.
----- INTERNATIONAL -----
U.K. Headteachers Could Strike Over School Funding
Headteachers could strike over funding cuts or refuse to make staff redundant after vowing to “invest greater effort and resources into [their] campaigning work”. School leaders at the NAHT conference chanted “it is not good enough” as talks moved to the funding crisis, before voting to “explore options up to and including industrial action”. London headteacher Dave Woods, who proposed the motion, said it was a “national scandal” that the fifth largest economy in the world was “unwilling” to invest in future generations.
Brazil Premier Calls For Schools Discipline Code
Brazil's new president, Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain who campaigned on promises to improve Brazilian schools, which are widely recognized as a problem, is leading a pilot program whereby schools are co-run by police in a model akin to Brazil’s exclusive military colleges. While teaching remains in the hands of the Education Ministry, police officers oversee discipline and enforce a new code of conduct. A 2015 study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ranked educational performance in Brazil as 63rd out of 72 countries and regions.
----- OTHER -----
Amazon to make sure school supplies don’t have lead, cadmium
Amazon has agreed to make sure school supplies and children’s jjewelrysold on its website do not contain excessive levels of lead or cadmium,after an investigation found dozens of items that tested above legal levels for the dangerous metals. Products found to have contravened standards included plush pencil pouches and backpacks with cartoon characters. Under an agreement announced Thursday by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Amazon must require third-party sellers of these products to provide certificates proving their safety and compliance with U.S. and Washington consumer-protection statutes. Amazon also agreed to pay the Attorney General’s Office $700,000.
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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