ABCFT - YOUnionews - February 7, 2020
ABCFT BARGAINING UPDATE by Ruben Mancillas
The negotiating team recently sent out a survey to help us bargain our upcoming master contract. Please respond by Tuesday, February 18. There are a number of open-ended questions that should allow everyone to identify their priorities, provide data, and give us valuable suggestions as we return to the negotiating table.
We have challenging jobs with a great many responsibilities so let’s remember to pause and celebrate when we can. Congratulations on the new 3% raise that was reflected on our February paychecks as well as the 2% off-schedule payment that went out to the sites on February 5.
But a change in the rules at the state level has altered the intent of our original agreement as it pertains to those contemplating retirement and I want to speak directly to this issue.
The negotiating team elected to bargain for a mid-year start to the 3% pay raise in order to lock that percentage in for our future salary schedules. It was designed as an innovative way to maximize the increase for our members as well as remain cognizant of the district’s available ongoing funds for this fiscal year. We typically negotiate traditional deals that cover the entire year and feature a retro check but we have precedent for this model and it was a considered approach given the constraints put on the district by an increase in health care costs and declining enrollment.
PERSONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY -
MAXIMIZE YOUR KAISER HEALTH PLAN
The sixth in the series of free members-only Personal Learning Opportunities is Maximize Your Kaiser Health Plan offered by Alicia Loncar of Kaiser Permanente.
Get the most out of your Kaiser Permanente health plan. Come learn about all the benefits that are available through Kaiser Permanente. Did you know that Kaiser Permanente offers members a reduced gym membership and discounts on massage therapy, chiropractor and acupuncture? Kaiser Permanente also offers many options for accessing care (some of which are co-pay free and more convenient). KP’s Center for Healthy Living has a wide array of health classes, and our website provides podcasts, encyclopedia, and healthy recipes. Come learn how to access these resources to save yourself money and time.
Maximize Your Kaiser Health Plan
Personal Learning Opportunity
Tuesday, February 18th from 3:30-5:00 p.m.
at Fedde Middle School MPR
21409 Elaine Ave. Hawaiian Gardens
Light refreshments will be provided.
Click here to register for the "Maximize Your Kaiser Health Plan"
PICTURE OF THE WEEK
This is a fun picture of some of your ABCFT Site/Program Representatives celebrating the 3% salary increase this month in addition to the 2% off-schedule extra check we all got this week. We all need some joy in our lives and it was hilarious fun having a room full of people doing “poppers” at the same time. ABCFT hopes that you too can use your extra check for some well-deserved joy in your life.
School of Choice Important Dates
Schools of Choice (SOC) is an open enrollment process for students and families seeking admission to an ABC school that is not the "home school" based on the residence address. SOC is done via online application and students are selected based on a random, unbiased, “lottery” process. SOC results depend on many factors including pupil enrollment by school and grade level, district capacity, and the total number of applicants vs. openings.
Schools of Choice Application Period - Applications will be accepted online:
- Beginning - Friday, March 1, 2019 at 12:00 A.M. PST
- Ending - Monday, April 1, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. PST
Schools of Choice Parent Notifications
Parents will be informed by Wednesday, May 1, 2019 of their application status.
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FEBRUARY ACADEMIC SERVICES UPDATE
Each month Kelley Forsythe 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 the 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 Kelley give reports and take questions on all things related to academic services.
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ABCFT 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. Throughout the year I find articles that are interesting and food for thought;
On behalf of all the ABCFT members, I would like to send my condolences to Willow for the loss of a newly retired teacher, Kathy Harrington. She was a strong advocate for students and excellent teaching. I would like to dedicate this weeks edition of the YOUnionews in her honor because she was a strong advocate for all teachers and students in ABC. In recent years we have lost ABCFT colleagues and loved ones at Leal, Melbourne, Stowers and other places across the district. Although these events are personal losses for many I feel we need to honor the memory of those who have given their lives for the education profession or nursing profession.
I’m going to keep it short this week since we are all ready for a three day weekend and we all can’t wait to jump into our cars for some me-time. Over the past week, Membership Coordinator, Tanya Golden and myself visited the Leal Elementary staff, Adult Transition, ABC Nurses, ABC Speech and Language Teachers, Tracy HS, and Cerritos HS. We value the time and rich discussions we are able to have with our members about the things that matter most to them and their students. A hearty thank you to all of those who gave up valuable time to speak with us.
Lastly, I’ve been re-reading Ruby Payne’s books over the last couple of months and I found a quick book that I thought might be helpful for any educator. Reading books on education practices allows us to be reflective of what we are currently doing in our classrooms. Often times we are successful in how we handle parents or students out of instinct and good teaching practices. The book, Working With Parents: Building Relationships for Student Success can help any educator who wants to reflect on how they build relationships for academic and behavior success. Having strategies on how to understand our student’s parents is a critical component for a successful outcome for our student’s achievements. We are offering a limited number of books for our members. If you would like a copy of this book please send an email to ABCFT@abcusd.us for a free copy.
Have an awesome three day weekend……..do some joy and me-time. You deserve it.
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
AFT President Randi Weingarten Reacts to Impeachment Vote
WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate’s vote to acquit President Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress:
“What we witnessed today was the death of respect for a country that believes in the rule of law, not the rule of monarchs and despots.
“The majority of the U.S. Senate turned its back on what the people fought for in the American Revolution—the rule of law—and on the will of the American people who elected them to serve as a check and balance on executive power.
“This sham trial lacked the availability of evidence that a majority of voters wanted to hear, and its conclusion, without hearing from any additional witnesses or reviewing any additional documents, is a sad day for our democracy.
“The founders of this great republic hoped for better for America. Today, we recommit to building that future.”
Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten
----- NEWS STORY HIGHLIGHT-----
U.S. schools responding to coronavirus
Increasing numbers of U.S. school districts have canceled Chinese student exchange programs to alleviate concerns over the coronavirus. Though there have been just 11 cases confirmed in the United States so far, the virus has spread from Wuhan, China, sickening about 17,400 people across the globe and killing at least 362. The Yakima School District in Washington, which was the first state where a U.S. case of the coronavirus was identified when a man in his 30s was confirmed sick in Snohomish County, has already canceled a trip to Macao in mid-February, while a handful of schools and school districts in Massachusetts have canceled Chinese exchange programs. The Chula Vista Elementary School District in San Diego has urged parents to follow any guidelines released by the California Department of Public Health. Thirty high school students from The Benjamin School, an independent day school in Palm Beach County in Florida, were told to stay home from class after they attended a Model United Nations event at Yale University attended by a Chinese student who may have had the coronavirus.
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
More students are homeless than ever before
More students are living in emergency shelters, cars, motels, on the street or in some other temporary housing situation than ever before, according to new federal data. Public schools identified more than 1.5m children experiencing homelessness during the 2017-18 school year, an 11% increase over the previous school year and the highest number ever recorded. The biggest increase appeared in the number of homeless students living in unsheltered situations, such as in a car, in parks and on the street, which more than doubled from the 2016-17 school year to the 2017-18 school year, jumping by 103%. Florida and Texas saw the biggest increase in the number of students experiencing homelessness. Public schools in Texas identified 231,000 students as homeless during the 2017-18 school year compared to 111,000 during the 2016-17 school year. In Florida, public schools identified 95,000 students as homeless during the 2017-18 school year compared to 75,000 the previous year. The data was published by the National Center for Homeless Education, which is funded by the Department of Education.
Confusion over what data schools can provide for 2020 census
The U.S. Census Bureau this week starts its process of counting students living in college-run housing, but there's confusion over what demographic information university officials can share with the agency. Two weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Education said in a memo to schools that they couldn't, if asked, provide information about students' sex, race and Hispanic origin for the 2020 Census. Now the department says schools are able to furnish such data if they strip away anything that could identify a student. The department's new position was issued last week in a revision of a memo it sent out last month to universities about how students living in college housing should be counted. The revised memo says schools can furnish the demographic information provided “such data is de-identified.” The 2020 count will help determine the allocation of $1.5 trillion in federal spending and how many congressional seats each state gets.
Democratic primary candidates: who is donating what to whom
Federal campaign finance records show that some of the biggest names in education policy and philanthropy have donated to a range of Democratic presidential hopefuls since their campaigns began. Bill and Melinda Gates were early supporters of Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who last month suspended his campaign, but haven’t donated to anyone since. Netflix founder and charter school donor Reed Hasting, meanwhile, has donated to Pete Buttigieg, and co-hosted a fundraiser for him. Laurene Powell Jobs, the founder of the Emerson Collective, gave $2,800 apiece to Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), former vice president Joe Biden, Booker, Buttigieg, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). She also gave $2,700 to Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) last January. Meanwhile, National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen GarcÃa says the union is waiting to see which candidate “actually can deliver votes” in states with early primaries before offering any endorsements, while the American Federation of Teachers is also leaving its options open. Individually, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) received $2m from K-12 teachers in 2019, the most of any candidate from educators, according to data provided by the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) took in the second-highest amount from teachers at $875,000, followed by Biden at $393,000.
----- STATE NEWS -----
California school officials reassure immigrant parents after ruling limiting benefits
School officials across the state are looking to reassure parents that, if their children attends public school or eats school lunch, it won’t hurt their application for permanent residency. The U.S. Supreme Court las week ruled that the Trump administration can begin using new rules to deny permanent residency, or green cards, based on whether an immigrant is likely to use certain public benefits, such as food stamps or public health insurance. “The policy will make Los Angeles County children hungrier, less healthy and more likely to become homeless,” said Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo, in her statement. “The harm caused will not be borne by immigrants seeking a change in status alone, but will reverberate throughout communities and destabilize school districts, harming children and creating an atmosphere of anxiety that makes it more difficult for fearful students to focus on their studies.” The Trump administration has said the new rules are needed to promote self-sufficiency.
Advocates for science-based reading instruction worry California plan sends the wrong message
Early-reading advocates in California have raised concerns about a forthcoming state literacy plan, arguing that some of the instructional approaches to be included aren’t sufficiently aligned to research and won’t lead to success for many students. California was one of 13 states recently awarded a federal grant to develop a comprehensive literacy program for children from birth through 12th grade. As part of the grant, the state is creating a literacy plan with guidance and recommendations for school districts. In the reading “workshop” model, teachers demonstrate a skill that students then try out on their own, through guided practice and with books of their choice. Reading Recovery is a one-on-one intervention for struggling 1st grade readers that targets word-level reading difficulties, fluency, and comprehension. Reading researchers have critiqued both of these approaches, saying that they don’t provide enough explicit, systematic instruction in foundational skills, and that they teach reading strategies that can confuse students who are just learning to read words.
State schools chief on revised ethnic studies curriculum
The California Department of Education is siding with ethnic studies advocates who argue that courses should focus on four ethnic and racial groups whose histories have been largely overlooked in the high school curriculum: African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanos and Latinos, and Native Americans. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond agreed with activists who argued that ethnic studies courses fill a vacuum. What’s taught in schools hasn’t done enough to highlight “the contributions of people of color and has actually minimized the importance of their role,” he stated. “Therefore, our recommendations will acknowledge and honor the four foundational groups” that are the core of ethnic studies. Some ethnic and religious groups had criticized the first draft of more than 350 pages, written by a panel of high school ethnic studies teachers and university experts, for excluding their stories and struggles in America. Later this spring, the education department will present its revision to an advisory committee of the state board for further editing. The revised version will go to the state board for final adoption by March 2021.
----- CLASSROOM -----
When teachers are tough graders, students learn more, study says
A new study from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute claims that students perform better on end-of-year standardized tests when their teachers are tough graders, and argues that the "mindset that says 'everybody gets a gold star' does more damage than good." Author Seth Gershenson, an associate professor at American University, studied a decade of 8th and 9th grade Algebra 1 course grades and end-of-course test scores in North Carolina public schools (the data was from 2006 to 2016). He found that teachers with the highest grading standards increase their students' end-of-course scores on standardized tests by 16.9% of a standard deviation over teachers with the lowest grading standards. Even teachers who are in the middle with their grading standards are more effective than those with the lowest standards, the study found.
Teaching financial education in schools begins to catch on
A new report from the Council for Economic Education has found that the number of states that require a high school student to take a personal finance course, either a standalone class or integrated into other coursework, in order to graduate has risen to 21. Forty-five states now include personal finance education in their curriculum standards for kindergarten through 12 grades, although only 37 states require those standards to be implemented by local school districts. Studies show that having state-required classes can have a significant impact on students’ money moves in the future. “Financial education graduation requirements increase applications for aid, the likelihood of receiving a grant, and acceptance of federal loans, which are all low-interest means of borrowing,” according to a 2019 report by Montana State University researchers Carly Urban and Christiana Stoddard.
-----CHARTER SCHOOLS -----
Trump Promotes Education Freedom Scholarships And Opportunity Act During State Of The Union
U.S. News & World Report (2/4, Camera) reports President Donald Trump “pressed members of Congress to pass his administration’s No. 1 education priority during his State of the Union address – a controversial tax credit scholarship that would allow states to direct billions of dollars to private and religious schools.” Trump said Tuesday evening, “For too long, countless American children have been trapped in failing government schools. To rescue these students, 18 states have created school choice in the form of opportunity scholarships.” He urged Congress to pass the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act “because no parent should be forced to send their child to a failing government school.” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos “has been clamoring for congressional Republicans to give serious consideration to the $5 billion tax credit scholarship proposal,” which she argues would “give rocket fuel to some of what’s going on in states today.”
The Inquirer (PA) (2/4, Rushing) reports Stephanie Davis, a Philadelphia single mother, and her daughter Janiyah “sat in the gallery as the president spoke.” Trump praised Davis for wanted to get her daughter into a better school, noting that Janiyah had been on a waiting list for a school-choice scholarship. “While discussing his plans for school choice and federal tax credits,” Trump spoke directly to Janiya: “Janiyah, I have some good news for you. ‘Cause I am pleased to inform you that your long wait is over. I can proudly announce tonight that an opportunity scholarship has become available, is going to you, and you will soon be heading to the school of your choice.”
Education Week (2/4, Blad) reports Trump “also called for an expansion of career and technical education and touted his administration’s recent guidance on prayer in schools.”
Fox Business (2/4, De Lea), NPR (2/5, Walsh), Bloomberg Government (2/5), The Seventy Four (2/4, Mahnken), Houston (TX) Chronicle (2/4, Wermund, Zelinski), Reason (2/4, Soave), Forbes (2/4, Greene) also report on this story.
----- SOCIAL & COMMUNITY -----
Foster care students require academic, financial support from schools for college success
Youngsters in the California foster care system face more barriers during the transition from high school to college than their non-foster-care peers, according to an Educational Results Partnership and California College Pathways report. The barriers include greater school mobility, suspensions, exclusions and missed school days. Frequent school changes remove these students from friends, teachers and any other support network and sometimes occur with no communication between districts and social workers. The Every Student Succeeds Act requires districts and child welfare agencies to provide these students transit to their schools of origin, but there is no mention about how this should be funded.
----- HIGHER EDUCATION -----
UCSC teaching assistant unrest may escalate to full strike
A group of graduate student teaching assistants at UC Santa Cruz say they are organizing for an open-ended strike starting next week. Organizing without authorization of their union, the students have engaged in a grading strike since December - refusing to submit fall quarter grades until given a $1,412 monthly raise on top of the average teaching assistant’s monthly pay of $2,434. An email to UCSC Chancellor Cynthia Larive states that, without action on pay, an open-ended strike will begin on February 10. More than 750 graduate students work as teaching assistants and graduate-student instructors, constituting nearly half of the roughly 1,800 graduate students enrolled at the Santa Cruz campus.
----- OTHER -----
Disney bills California school $250 for showing ‘The Lion King’
A California father’s decision to put on a DVD of “The Lion King” to entertain kids at a parents’-night-out fundraiser may end up costing an elementary school $250. Emerson Elementary School in Berkeley has received a letter from Disney's licensing agent, Movie Licensing USA, ordering the school to pay $250 for screening the film without a license. The event, a “parent’s night out” fundraiser presented by the PTA's Dad's Club, was advertised on Eventbrite with a suggested donation ticket price of $15. “The event made $800, so if we have to fork over a third of it to Disney, so be it. You know, lesson learned,” PTA president David Rose said.
NTA Life Insurance - An ABCFT Sponsor
About three years ago ABCFT started 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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