ABCFT YOUnionews for September 10, 2021
KEEPING YOU INFORMED - Negotiations Update By Ruben Mancillas
I have received a number of inquiries regarding the status of our negotiations so I am going to use a Q & A format to address them.
Q: When will we have a contract?
A: Let’s start with a distinction. We have a contract in place. Members are still covered by the master contract and all of its protections. We will be negotiating any potential changes to the master contract over the course of this year. The master contract is negotiated every three years though we have extended it due to the focus on so many COVID-related issues of late.
We negotiate for salary and benefits every year. So if the question is, “when can I expect to see a new salary schedule?”, we can expect that to happen during this school year. Typically, we conclude negotiations sometime between November and February though there are a number of factors that may impact this timeline. For example, this year we have a statewide recall election on September 14. If there were to be a change in leadership in Sacramento it would likely lead to a change in education funding and thus our bargaining as well.
Q: When was the last time we received a raise?
A: We received a 3% increase on our salary schedule in 2019-2020. We also received a 2% off-schedule one-time payment.
Q: What is the difference between on-schedule and off-schedule?
A: An on-schedule raise is referred to in that manner because it shows up on your salary schedule. It is ongoing and helps your final compensation when you factor in your retirement with STRS. On schedule raises are ABCFT’s preferred mode of compensation for this reason and is our priority at the table.
An off-schedule payment comes as a one-time check and is typically factored in as a percentage of your overall salary. For a number of years, the state sent one-time money to districts so we utilized this as a method of compensation.
The crucial difference for the district is that off-schedule is one-time and thus not ongoing while on-schedule is permanently a part of the salary schedule and must be factored into all ongoing expenses.
Q: You mentioned that we received a 3% on-schedule raise in 2019-2020. What happened in 2020-2021?
A: We did not receive an on-schedule raise during 2020-2021. The state provided us with flat funding or a zero Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) last year so there was no money available for ongoing compensation on the salary schedule. COVID made 2020-2021 “the pandemic year” in terms of funding. Districts were held harmless regarding attendance and one-time money was available but not ongoing dollars.
Credit to the negotiating team, however, for what they were able to achieve during such a difficult year. ABCFT’s priority, which we heard clearly communicated during our YOUnion chats, was to focus on the health and safety of our members and our students. We bargained for a model which featured an asynchronous Wednesday all year long. We did not rush back into the classroom when so many questions remained but were able to return to a simultaneous hybrid model after vaccines became more available in the spring. And when we did return we were able, unlike many districts, to do so with additional compensation attached. Many of our members, CTE included, were able to earn an additional $400 a week during the weeks of our in-person instruction. If this amount were to be represented as the equivalent of a one-time payment the percentage would vary but, for example, a TK-12 teacher making the district average salary the increase would be 4.5%.
Q: Would any salary agreement we come to this year be retroactive? Any hope for an agreement being retroactive to last year as well?
A: 2020-2021 was flat funding so there will not be any retroactive raise back to last year. Our proposals typically are retroactive back to the beginning of the current school year. That is, if we come to an agreement on a raise in January the first month it would show up in our check is February while a one-time or retro check would be issued to reflect that raise during the months September through January.
Q: How does COLA work? If there is a 2% COLA can we expect a 2% on schedule raise?
A: COLA is the amount of ongoing dollars the state provides for education. Districts are provided funds based on enrollment and attendance so we receive funding based on the number of students we serve. That is why the concept of “declining enrollment” is significant for negotiations; it means that there is less money available for increases to the salary schedule.
So the district may receive a 2% COLA but if enrollment has declined that equates to a reduction or a cost. Similarly, if there were to be an increase in the cost of benefits those dollars would come from the COLA. As would any increase the district needs to contribute to our STRS retirement fund. Thus there is not a one-to-one correlation between the COLA and the amount we are able to bargain for on the salary schedule.
Q: What about that district I heard about that got that big raise?
A: I am always happy to hear about the successes that other districts may have achieved but I do like to see the details of any such agreements. The challenge is to be sure that you are comparing apples to apples. There are always improvements to be made but some of the impressive numbers that other districts report can come with a price. For example, there is a district with very good salary figures but they made a choice to do so by eroding their benefits package. In my experience, once you give up your benefits you will not get them back so this seems to be a poor long-term strategic decision for a shorter-term gain. Similarly, some of the districts that have higher salaries than ABC may also have larger class sizes and/or more duty days.
Q: I understand that a union is not a transaction but what has ABCFT been able to bargain for me in terms of compensation?
A: Great question. Let’s look at the record over the last eight years:
In 2020-2021, I referred to the additional compensation we were able to achieve despite flat funding statewide. We also had a 15% retirement incentive.
In 2019-2020, we bargained for a 3% on-schedule increase to the salary schedule. We also received a 2% off-schedule payment. This year contained a 15% retirement incentive as well.
In 2018-2019, we bargained for a 2% on-schedule increase to the salary schedule and a 2% off-schedule payment. This was also the year we were able to raise our hourly pay to $40 per hour and $50 per hour for an additional period option.
In 2017-2018, we bargained for a 0.5 % on-schedule increase to the salary schedule and a 1% off-schedule payment. This was the year we increased the stipend schedule by 15%.
In 2016-2017, we bargained for a 1% on-schedule increase to the salary schedule and a 1% off-schedule payment.
In 2015-2016, we bargained for a 4% on-schedule increase to the salary schedule and a 1% off-schedule payment. This was also the first year of an increase to hourly pay to $35.
In 2014-2015, we bargained for a 3% on-schedule increase to the salary schedule.
In 2013-2014, we bargained for a 4% on-schedule increase to the salary schedule.
So from 2013-2020 we were able to increase our salary schedule by 17.5% This figure is not compounded, the rate goes up if this is factored in. During this same time period, we received 7% in off schedule payments and saw our hourly rate increase from $30 to $40 and to $50 for additional period options as well as increase our stipend schedule by 15%.
The negotiating team was able to achieve these gains for our members without sacrificing benefits or class sizes. Our benefits package is strong, particularly for the fact that we still offer free health coverage for a member’s entire family via Kaiser. Let me please offer a public thank you to our stellar team and all of the time they volunteer to serve our members: Jill Yasutake, Patty Alcantar, Laura Lacar, Daren Ham, Tanya Golden, and Ray Gaer.
To restate the main points; we are still under our current contract and will be negotiating a master contract over the course of the year. We will be negotiating for salary and benefits over the coming months. I will be meeting with my district partner, Dr. Zietlow, on Monday to calendar upcoming dates. And we will continue to update our members regarding any progress via your ABCFT executive board, your site representatives, and ongoing communication like this YOUnion news as well as any upcoming chats.
Lastly, we follow the same timeline for any such agreements. The negotiating team would bargain a tentative agreement with the district team. Our executive board would then need to vote to send it to the representative council. The site representatives would then vote to approve to send it to a vote of the members. A general meeting would be held to discuss the agreement. A ratification vote would then take place. Finally, the school board would then vote to approve our ratified agreement. So there are a number of different steps that take time as well as opportunities to receive information throughout the process.
In Unity,
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY - Teacher Leaders Program
ABCFT is seeking teachers, nurses, and SLPs to join the 2021-22 Teacher Leaders program. ABCFT now has 42 members that have completed this powerful program and we are hoping you will join us next year.
Have you ever seen a news report or talk show discuss issues around education, social and emotional issues, equity, or learning and thought to yourself or said to your colleagues, “Why don’t they just ask a real educator about (you fill in the blank)?”
The AFT Teacher Leaders Program is a union-sponsored program designed to help prepare YOU to be that classroom teacher, nurse, or speech and language pathologist facilitating discussion of the issues that affect our profession both here in ABC Federation of Teachers and nationally.
ABCFT is seeking teachers and nurses interested in collaborating with colleagues across the city/district and nation on:
Increasing an understanding of the major challenges facing the education profession
Improving leadership skills
Representing our profession as spokespersons
Becoming members of an influential and supportive network of educators
Over 70% of the Teacher Leaders are also active in our local and serve as Site Reps, ABCFT Executive Board, ABCFT’s Equity committee, district committees, Negotiating team, Facilitator for Professional Learning, PASS Coach, PAL Council, CFT convention delegates, and state committees, and AFT Committees. Essentially, where there is ABCFT union representation and leadership there is a Teacher Leader.
This program will take place monthly, from October 2021 to May 2022. A modest stipend will be offered. We are looking forward to you joining us in this exciting, rewarding program. Here is the Teacher Leaders Guidelines. For more information, contact co-facilitators, Erika Cook at Erika.Cook@abcusd.us or Tanya.Golden@abcusd.us
Click here to Apply for the ABCFT Teacher Leaders Program
Applications due by Friday, September 17th
MEMBER-ONLY RESOURCES
MEMBER BENEFITS - Wellness Wednesday Archive
Maintaining our mental health and well-being is important for all of us. Last year, ABCFT offered Wellness Wednesdays members had an opportunity to virtually participate in Guided Meditation and Chair Yoga. These weekly sessions gave members a chance to practice self-care. Even if you were not able to attend these wonderful restorative practices you can still access the archive by using the link below.
Click here to view the recording of the Guided Meditation and Chair Yoga for the weekly archives
In partnership with Kaiser Permanente, you can also access mindfulness resources for all ABCFT members. For Kaiser members, you have free access to the app Calm and myStrength which offers personalized self-care programs based on the cognitive behavioral therapy model. Please be kind to yourself and find time in your busy schedule to take care of yourself.
SEPTEMBER ACADEMIC SERVICES UPDATE
This month’s academic service update is vital for all teachers. We hope that you will take a moment to look at this monthly report which discusses changes in academic services. This document provides the union with a means of giving the District feedback on the many programs or changes they are proposing at any one time. Without your feedback or questions on these changes, it is harder for ABCFT to slow down and modify the district’s neverending rollout of new projects. Please submit your comments and questions to the appropriate ABCFT liaison.
For Elementary curricular issues please email Kelley at Kelley.Forsythe@abcusd.us if you have any questions or concerns.
For Secondary curricular issues please email Rich at Richard.Saldana@abcusd.us if you have any questions or concerns.
Click Here For This Month’s Full Report
ABCFT PRESIDENT’S REPORT - Ray Gaer
Communication is a union’s most important tool for advocating for its members at the bargaining table. Every conversation with the membership is focused on the end result of negotiating for the future prosperity and wellbeing of ABCFT members. This weekly report aims to keep the membership informed about issues that impact their working/learning conditions and their mental well-being. Together we make the YOUnion.
Hello everybody, I hope that you have had a good week and that you have some good plans for this coming weekend. By now you should of got our back-to-school swag delivered to your boxes at the schools. Back by popular demand are the magnetic erasers which were very popular a couple of years ago and the always needed tiny first aid kit for those small emergencies. For a couple of years we did not send out paper calendars but with continued requests, we reinstated the power of paper. We found that members often use them to either track specific things like IEP dates, professional learning days, grading dates, or just fun events like birthdays. I personally used to use it as a planner for my IEPs and parent meetings so that I could track those dates at a glance. In addition to the calendar, you will also find some pamphlets from the American Federation of Teachers, our national affiliate, highlighting a brief description of the “Freedom to Thrive” agenda put forth by AFT president Randi Weingarten over the past eight months. There is also a pamphlet with information on professional learning and some overall descriptions of what the national union offers to locals and individual members. In ABC, we try to spotlight some of these resources by having a weekly addition in our YOUnionews. Doing our part locally, ABCFT is proud to offer news to our members on a weekly basis with one of the few weekly union newsletters in the country. Lastly, in the package is an additional pamphlet outlining other services and discounts offered by AFT such as Education opportunities, Financial and legal services, health services, shopping discounts, insurance offers, travel discounts, and mortgage/home services. I hope that you will take a moment to see these additional member benefits that are provided by AFT and requested by members across the country. I know of many ABCFT members who have used these services and they have had a positive impact on their family and their finances.
Today, I am at an Executive Council meeting for the California Federation of Teachers finding out the latest information about what is happening in Sacramento and Washington D.C. As I’m writing this report I’m listening to an interesting presentation that highlights some interesting statistics that are part of overall polling that was recently completed by CFT. Here are a couple of screenshots that I found particularly interesting: First here are some poll numbers on the Governor recall election -
You can see by this poll that the majority CFT members are in support of our current governor. If you would like to see another slide that breaks this down by gender, age, ethnicity, and political affiliation you can find that with this link.
In this next slide the poll numbers related to the return to in-person instruction:
But what is even more interesting are the additional questions that were asked in the polling:
As you can see from these two slides, a majority of members feel comfortable with returning to in-person instruction but it comes as no surprise that members are concerned about the risk of our youngest students and that there is still is a worry about being infected on the job. However, please note that the numbers have improved over the span of the past seven months.
Finally here are a number of slides pertaining to vaccinations and vaccination policies and how members feel about those policies. Here is a slide reporting the number of members who are vaccinated:
And when asked about vaccination mandates for educators and students
ABCFT is in support of vaccination policies, however, we also advocate for options for non-vaccinated individuals such as weekly testing or some type of regular self-testing for easier contact tracing. If you would like to see other slides that were shared in this presentation you can find them here.
As I was just telling Tanya, I’ll probably get in trouble for releasing these slides from the CFT Executive Council but I thought that the information was just too important to go unreported. I’ve been a Vice President for the California Federation of Teachers for the past ten years and I can think of no other time where these internal polling numbers helped to give a great bird-eye view of how members across California are feeling about the current situations (which we get annually). I hope that they provide additional information and transparency as to what data is used at the state level to help make critical policy decisions.
Lastly, there was an ABC School Board meeting this week. If you would like to read my comments to the board you can read it here or see the recording of my comments here. Here is a brief board report provided by the district communication officer, Scott Smith for this meeting:
Board Meeting Recap The ABCUSD Board of Education took the following actions at this week’s meeting: Adopted a new CTE textbook for Gahr High School; Approved the unaudited financials for 2020-2021; Approved a contract with World United PPE, LLC for COVID testing. You can watch this week’s meeting on our Board Meeting Channel.
Have a good weekend!
In YOUnity,
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Take action now to extend emergency COVID sick leave in California
Dear CFT Members,
In less than 30 days California’s emergency supplemental COVID sick leave will expire if our elected officials in Sacramento don’t act. Without an extension, many California workers will be in danger of losing their jobs if they are unfortunate enough to get infected with COVID. School workers without sufficient sick leave will also be at risk of losing pay should they become infected with COVID.
Tell California’s elected leaders to extend emergency supplemental COVID sick leave now!
With most kids still too young to qualify for vaccinations and schools reopening, parents are already receiving notices of quarantines and classroom closures, potentially requiring families to keep kids home for days or weeks at a time. Without the extension of emergency COVID sick leave, parents are at risk of being terminated or forced to quit their jobs to care for their children.
Allowing the emergency COVID sick leave to expire will directly force both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals to work while sick, jeopardizing their health and the health of their co-workers and the public.
Please urge California lawmakers to extend the emergency supplemental COVID sick leave. The safety of our families and communities is at stake.
In Unity,
Jeffery M. Freitas
CFT President
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
Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten
----- NEWS STORY HIGHLIGHT-----
Two-thirds of parents support school mask mandates, claims survey
Sixty-four percent of parents of children under the age of 18 say they support mask mandates for both teachers and students regardless of vaccination status, according to a USA Today/Ipsos poll. Half of parents reported that they support requirements for eligible students to be vaccinated, compared to 59% of all American adults. The support for requiring eligible children to get vaccinated is split among partisan lines with 31% of Republican parents in favor of the requirements. Meanwhile, 70% of Democratic parents back such requirements. Pediatric cases have soared in recent weeks, with infections among children representing 22.4% of reported weekly COVID-19 cases for the week ending August 26th, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Throughout the entire pandemic, child cases have made up almost 15% of all cases. At the same time, pediatric hospitalizations have rapidly climbed over the past two months to hundreds of admissions per day as the highly transmissible delta variant spreads and overwhelms children's hospitals.
Ed Dept announces grants to support districts facing state penalties over masks
The U.S. Department of Education has launched Project SAFE (Supporting America's Families and Educators), a grant program established to support districts penalized by states over COVID-19 prevention strategies. The program is expected to use Education Department funding provided by the Every Student Succeeds Act under Title IV, Part F, School Safety National Activities for applicable districts where funding has been withheld by state leaders. "We should be thanking districts for using proven strategies that will keep schools open and safe, not punishing them," U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a release. "We stand with the dedicated educators doing the right thing to protect their school communities, and this program will allow them to continue that critical work of keeping students safe."
----- VACCINATIONS -----
LAUSD to become first major district to require student vaccinations
Los Angeles USD is poised to become the first major school district in the United States to mandate coronavirus vaccines for students 12 and older who are attending class in person. Its Board of Education will meet today to vote on a measure requiring student to have their first vaccine dose by November 21st and their second by December 19th, so as to begin the next semester fully inoculated. Students participating in in-person extracurricular activities will need both shots by the end of October. “Our goal is to keep kids and teachers as safe as possible and in the classroom,” said Nick Melvoin, a Los Angeles school board member, in a written statement expressing support for the resolution. “A medical and scientific consensus has emerged that the best way to protect everyone in our schools and communities is for all those who are eligible to get vaccinated.”
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
Biden urges states to implement vaccine requirements in schools
President Joe Biden has called on school officials to require vaccinations for all school employees and for districts to implement more regular testing. “We know that if schools follow the science, and implement the safety measures like testing, masking, adequate ventilation systems, social distancing, and vaccinations, then children can be safe from COVID-19 in schools,” Mr. Biden said in a speech Thursday in which he outlined several steps to quell the virus. The administration also said staff who work in Head Start programs and in schools run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Department of Defense will be required to be vaccinated. The administration also called on all schools to continue to tap billions of dollars in funding allocated for mitigation measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including increasing regular testing in schools for students, teachers, and staff. However, even with the extra funding, esting programs can be logistically challenging to start. “The reality is that testing is not what it could be,” said Noelle Ellerson Ng, advocacy director at AASA, the school superintendents association. “There are multiple reasons why testing is not more widely used, from supply, access and cost to logistics, consent and staffing.”
Report highlights school closures due to COVID
Data service Burbio has reported that some 1,000 schools across 31 states have closed as a result of COVID-19 outbreaks since classes resumed in the summer. Connally ISD in Texas informed parents that "Due to a continued increase in COVID-19 cases and an increase in absences (of staff and students), we have made the decision to close all Connally ISD campuses through Monday, September 6th,"while a survey released by the National Parent Teacher Association last week noted that just 43% of parents want their children to attend in-person classes full-time. Meanwhile President Joe Biden responded to Republican Governors who have opposed mask mandates, stating: "This isn't about politics. It's about keeping our children safe. It's about taking on the virus together, united. I've made it clear that I'll stand with those who are trying to do the right thing."
Child COVID cases rise in states where schools opened earliest
The recent spread of the highly contagious Delta variant has thrown back-to-school plans into disarray, with a new report from data service Burbio showing that since the school year began in late July, at least 1,000 schools across 31 states have closed because of COVID-19. The shutdowns are hitting classrooms especially hard in the Deep South, where most schools were among the first to open. In Mississippi, 13,715 students have tested positive for COVID since most schools inaugurated the new academic year in early August, sending more than 20,000 students into quarantine for each of the past three weeks, as of August 31st, according to the state health department. In New Mexico, nearly 10% of the state’s 317,000 students have spent time in quarantine, state data show. And in Georgia, more than half of the state’s outbreaks for the week ended August 27th were linked to schools, according to the state health department. One way to minimize mass closures and quarantines is the “test and stay” protocol deployed in Massachusetts in which asymptomatic people exposed to a confirmed case take rapid tests daily to monitor for infection rather than be automatically confined to their homes, said Elizabeth Stuart, the associate dean for education at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “I think that’s the kind of creative and technological solution that we’re going to need,” said Dr. Stuart, “because that balances the COVID risk with the desire to keep kids in in-person learning.”
House panels begin drafting $3.5tn social policy and climate bill
Five House committees will today begin formally drafting their respective elements of a $3.5tn social policy and climate change bill. Democrats plan to push through the legislation using a process known as reconciliation, which shields fiscal measures from filibusters and allows them to pass with a simple majority if they adhere to strict rules. The Education and Labor Committee’s portion of the bill expands on the details of the $761bn in spending proposals it was instructed to make as part of the Democrats’ budget resolution that passed earlier this summer. The plan includes $82bn in new federal funding to build and repair K-12 schools; the money could be put towards a wide variety of initiatives including facility upgrades, energy efficiency and new construction. Districts may also use the funding to eliminate health and safety hazards such as lead, asbestos or mold. But eligible projects exclude buildings mostly used for sports contests, vehicles and school district buildings that aren’t used for the primary purpose of educating students. Approximately $450bn has been earmarked for the expansion of federal support for child care and universal pre-K for three and four year-olds, and $35bn has been designated for nutrition programs, some of which would be used to increase the number of children receiving free school meals by nearly 9m students. Funds would also be dedicated to update school kitchen equipment and create a “Summer EBT” program for low-income children. Democrats have set a soft deadline of September 15th for compiling from various committees the legislative text of proposals.
House Committee on Education and Labor Politico New York Times
----- STATE NEWS -----
California could require free menstrual products in public schools
California public schools and colleges would have to stock their restrooms with free menstrual products under legislation sent Thursday to Gov. Gavin Newsom as women’s rights advocates push nationwide for affordable access to pads, tampons and other items. Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia's bill expands her 2017 law requiring low-income schools in disadvantaged areas to provide students with free menstrual products to grades 6 to 12, community colleges and the California State University and University of California systems, starting in the 2022-23 school year.
Independent study frustrates California parents who enrolled children
Weeks after most districts began the school year, some students who enrolled in independent study, the only option for those opting out of in-person learning, have yet to begin instruction, be assigned a teacher or be enrolled in all required courses. Most California K-12 students have returned for in-person learning, but those who can’t or don’t want to return must enroll in independent study. While independent study has long been an option for a few students, this school year’s surge in demand is overwhelming districts and frustrating students’ families. The situation has been so chaotic, state legislators are proposing changes that will make it easier for districts to manage independent study. In the meantime, parents are struggling to manage their children’s education. However, school officials are complaining that the new rules are cumbersome and unclear and say they’re worried the system will break down if Covid outbreaks force large numbers of individual students, classrooms and entire schools into independent study programs on short notice. In response to districts’ requests for clarification, legislative leaders have proposed a revision of independent study requirements, which must be voted on by Friday before they recess for the year. The proposed amendments clarify that districts can provide remote learning to quarantined students, receive funding beginning from the first day that a student enters quarantine, and have up to 30 days to ensure parents sign a contract agreeing to independent study.
Proposals for teaching quarantined California students proposed by governor, Legislature
Responding to districts’ complaints, the Newsom administration and legislative leaders are proposing revising requirements for educating and funding quarantined students through independent study this year. The changes will help but probably not fully satisfy school districts beleaguered by COVID outbreaks. Among the significant revisions, the proposed legislation will make it clear that districts can: provide remote learning to quarantined students; receive funding starting from the first day of a student’s quarantine; and be eligible for funding without providing instruction during students’ quarantine if they are experiencing a staff shortage. Legislators must pass the language in Assembly Bill 167, the cleanup language for the budget “trailer bill” they passed in early July, before they recess Friday for the year.
----- CLASSROOM -----
How schools can help kids with dysgraphia
Watching a child struggle with handwriting can be heartbreaking for parents, teachers and children. If difficulties with penmanship can't be corrected with traditional methods, it may be time to assess whether a learning disability known as dysgraphia is the root cause. Unlike dyslexia, children with dysgraphia may have no trouble reading, but instead have difficulty in correctly writing letters, and the condition can go beyond penmanship. Children with dysgraphia may also have trouble spelling and translating their thoughts into written sentences. “This is very frustrating for students because their thoughts and ideas often exceed their ability to express them in writing,” explains Susan Mayes, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at Pennsylvania State University. She says dysgraphia “is easy to diagnose and can be assessed by psychologists and occupational therapists.” Such an assessment could be done privately, or parents can request that the school’s psychologist and special education professionals perform the testing. Once a diagnosis has been received, parents may want to explore whether to press their school for an individualized education plan, or IEP, for their child. Because written expression disorders and learning disorders in written expression are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as eligible learning disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, children may be able to receive accommodations through IEPs for writing assignments.
----- FINANCE -----
Advocacy groups request info on ESSER spending for underserved students
Several education and civil rights organizations, including the Alliance for Excellent Education and the National Center for Learning Disabilities are urging the U.S. Department of Education to collect comprehensive state and district spending data for COVID-19 relief funds to ensure the money is reaching students who have been historically underserved or disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Among the groups’ recommendations for the proposed data collection is for states to include information on how interventions met the intended purpose for the funding set aside for each student subgroup. “With the historic investments that the federal government is making through COVID relief funds, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address systemic disparities in our education system for all students, particularly our most vulnerable students,” said Deborah Delisle, president and CEO of the Alliance for Excellent Education, in a statement.
----- LEGAL -----
Florida Judge Rules Against Governor’s School Mask Mandate Rules Again
The Washington Post (9/8, Rozsa) reports that on Wednesday, Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper ruled against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) “for a second time over school mask mandates, allowing school boards to require that students wear face coverings.” Cooper “again sided with parents who said an executive order from DeSantis overstepped the state’s authority in restricting school districts from requiring masks.” The judge “pointed to the guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommends masks for students and staff in schools, calling it the ‘the gold standard.’”
USA Today (9/8, Kennedy) reports that Cooper “said DeSantis was wrong in determining that the state’s new ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights,’ law prohibited school districts from enacting limits like masks – the provision on which he based his order.” The Hill (9/8, Weixel, Coleman) reports that Cooper “said under the separation of powers, school boards as government institutions have the right to implement policies ‘related to health which may affect parents’ rights over their children to some small degree.’” Politico (9/8, Atterbury) says, “Attorneys for the state argued that the parents didn’t do enough to prove that removing the stay would cause them harm.”
The AP (9/8, Anderson) reports, “The case next goes before the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee.” DeSantis “said...he is confident the state will prevail.” Also reporting are CNN (9/8, Simon), NBC News (9/8, Madani), Bloomberg Law (9/8, Levin, Subscription Publication), and National Review (9/8).
----- CHILD DEVELOPMENT ----
Staffing crunch limits childcare options for parents who want to get back to work
Childcare centers can’t find enough qualified educators to be fully staffed for the back-to-school season, and owners say burned-out workers are quitting and fewer people than usual are applying for open positions. The struggle to find childcare center staff is further limiting care options for parents who want to return to work, and is further creating more difficulties for working mothers, who were disproportionately pushed out of the labor market when schools adopted virtual learning and childcare centers closed because of the pandemic. Economists say that a lack of reliable childcare will make it more difficult for parents to resume steady work schedules. "I think what we’re going through right now is a revaluing of care work and understanding that care work is the work that makes all other work possible," said Mara Bolis, associate director of women's economic rights for Oxfam America.
----- TECHNOLOGY -----
School tech leaders advised to educate students on data privacy
After having devices in their possession for a year, students returning to classrooms are, in many cases, handing over their school-issued tech for the first time. Because districts went into emergency mode when the pandemic began, many IT leaders have not seen these laptops or tablets. Now, they’re dealing with the next chapter of one-to-one initiatives: cleaning students’ devices, both literally, in terms of sanitization, and figuratively, by ensuring private student data is erased. There are major consequences for technology missteps, and teaching students how to manage their digital privacy sooner rather than later provides skills that will remain critical throughout their adult lives. Digital citizenship lesson plans are available, from providers such as Common Sense Media, as well as Google, with its Applied Digital Skills and Interland initiatives.
----- HIGHER EDUCATION -----
Amazon employees to receive expanded college education benefits
Amazon is offering to pay college tuition for more than 750,000 U.S. employees, as the battle for hourly workers escalates beyond minimum wages. The Career Choice programme will cover the cost of tuition and books for staff pursuing bachelor’s degrees at various, as yet undisclosed, universities nationwide. Hourly employees will be eligible for the new perk after 90 days on the job. It is also expanding other upskilling training programs offered to employees, including adding three education programs to give employees the opportunity "to learn skills within data centre maintenance and technology, IT, and user experience and research design". Many of America’s biggest companies, including Walmart, Target and Chipotle, strengthened educational initiatives this year, or rolled out programs essentially matching the benefits offered by their competitors. As more companies offer such benefits, they can become an expectation among hourly workers, which pressures more employers to offer similar perks, economists say. For companies that are willing to go only so far on pay, training and educational opportunities can represent another form of compensation, said Chris O’Leary, a senior economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, a nonprofit research center.
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UC Irvine working to help at-risk Afghan scholars
As Afghans flee their native country in search of safe harbor, following the recent takeover of capital city Kabul by Taliban forces, universities are engaging in a rescue mission to bring scholars and their families to California college campuses. A local effort is underway at UC Irvine, where administrators led by comparative literature professor Jane O. Newman have committed $250,000 to help academics, lawyers, artists and journalists continue their work in places of refuge. “There are many Afghan scholars, particularly women scholars, who’ve been getting PhDs for the past 20 years, and they’ve grown up with this possibility, but now it’s shutting down on them,” she said. “If we just abandon these people, what do we think is going to happen to the U.S. in the world?” Aside from simply seeking refuge, Newman said, participants are afforded a chance to continue their work, while enriching the campuses that host them and, more broadly, higher education itself. The estimated cost of hosting a single scholar, including salary, benefits, housing and, in some cases travel and visa assistance, is around $100,000. If UCI’s crowdfunding goal is met, the Irvine campus could host at least three individuals in the coming years.
NTA Life Insurance - An ABCFT Sponsor
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.
To All Members of the ABC Federation of Teachers,
National Teacher Associates (NTA) is committed in our efforts to helping educators through tough times. It’s what we do. After all…in our eyes, you are the heart and soul of our communities.
Protecting you and your families has been our goal for over 45 years. Despite the current global pandemic, we are not about to slow down now. We know that many of you have had our programs for years and sometimes forget the intricacies of how they work. NTA wants to help facilitate any possible claims for now and in the future. Fortunately, all claims and reviews can be done by phone and online. I personally want to offer my services to guide you in the right direction with your NTA benefits.
We also apologize for not being able to finish the open enrollment for those of you who wanted to get our protection. We are still able to help by extending our enrollment window for the near future. Again, this can be done over the phone, email, or online.
Please contact Leann Blaisdell at any time either by phone or email.
562-822-5004
Leann.Blaisdell@horacemann.
Click here to schedule an appointment
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