ABCFT YOUnionews for April 29, 2022
TEACHER LEADERS SHOWCASE
ABCFT Teacher Leaders Showcase on Tuesday, May 10th from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m.
Please join us for the virtual showcase and support your amazing and resilient colleagues, Linda Baas, LaMonica Bryson, and Izabela Lewis as they share the results of their action research and recommendations.
A Zoom link for the virtual showcase will be sent to your district email address next week.
MEMBER VOICES - REQUESTING YOUR INPUT
ABCFT 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION INTEREST SURVEY
In 1972, ABCFT became the representative for ABC teachers and nurses. It has been 50 years since that landmark date and the ABCFT leadership is seeking member input and guidance to determine how to best recognize and honor this significant milestone. See the brief survey below.
Click here for the ABCFT 50th Anniversary survey
SST SURVEY FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS
Teacher Leader, Izabela Lewis is conducting a survey for elementary teachers about the SST process within ABCUSD. She is asking elementary teachers please complete this anonymous survey for those who haven’t already done so.
Please click the SST Survey link to take the survey.
WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL AWARDED TOP SLOT
US News publishes 2022 Best High School rankings
U.S. New has published its annual 2022 Best High School rankings. Working with RTI International, a global nonprofit social science research firm, the publication evaluated nearly 24,000 public high schools and ranked nearly 17,840 in this year's edition. While the six ranking indicators and their weights were the same as those used in the three prior years, calculations were adjusted to account for the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on schools in the 2019-20 school year. With most states closing schools for in-person instruction beginning in March 2020 – just before states typically conduct assessments – the U.S. Department of Education granted waivers allowing all states to forego state testing for the 2019-20 school year. Without such data available, U.S. News relied on historic assessment data from the three prior ranking years while also incorporating for the first time state science assessment data from the 2018-19 school year to capture a broader measure of student learning. First place was taken by the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, followed by the Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston, South Carolina, and the Signature School in Evansville, Indiana. In California, the top three positions were taken by the Whitney High School in Cerritos, the California Academy of Mathematics and Science in Carson, and the Oxford Academy in Cypress.
CERRITOS COLLEGE FACULTY UPDATE
Cerritos College currently has a 36% unrestricted reserve — $41.8 million — last year; $36 million more than is required by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
Norwalk, CA — April 20, 2022 — We had faculty, staff, students, organizers, and the community standing together in the admin quad to fight for a fair contract and equitable compensation for faculty. We have gathered over 2,600 action network petitions, over 30 public comments from faculty, and a letter of support from Assemblymember Cristina Garcia.
Our student leaders from the Associated Students of Cerritos College also shared a resolution in support of faculty bargaining and COLA+ with the trustees. (SR-2122-01, Resolution of Support for CCFF for Equitable Raises and COLA+)
As a community, we showed the District that we are disappointed, frustrated, and angry with the administration and board of trustees.
However, based on the reaction from the Board of Trustees, watch the recorded Board meeting agenda item 1.04- this fight is far from over. Trustees Birkey and Perez shared concerns about providing raises due to declining enrollment. But at the bargaining table, the District shared that declining enrollment would amount only to a loss of $1M in revenue. This means the District would still have a $4M surplus this year AT LEAST. The money is still there. The District can afford CCFF’s economic package.
We appreciate the support we have received from our other local union leaders, shoutout to Ray (ABCFT), thank you for the solidarity you have shown us, and thanks for coming out and joining us at our rally.
Lynn Wang, Ed.D.
CCFF President
Cell 562-412-5094
Click on the link below to see a 30-second video https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ggt8W3TA2M5RvhbDmXdap30s8R_5zzQz/view?usp=sharing
KEEPING YOU INFORMED -
COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT CHANGES
Statement on Timeline for COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements in Schools
Upon full approval by the FDA, CDPH will consider the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians prior to implementing a school vaccine requirement.The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today issued the following statement regarding a new implementation timeline for adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of vaccinations required to attend school.
SACRAMENTO – The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet fully approved COVID-19 vaccines for individuals of all ages within the 7–12 grade span. The State of California announced last October that full approval by the FDA was a precondition to initiating the rulemaking process to add the COVID-19 vaccine to other vaccinations required for in-person school attendance—such as measles, mumps, and rubella—pursuant to California’s Health and Safety Code. To ensure sufficient time for successful implementation of new vaccine requirements, California will not initiate the regulatory process for a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for the 2022-2023 school year and as such, any vaccine requirements would not take effect until after full FDA approval and no sooner than July 1, 2023.
Vaccines are the most powerful weapon against hospitalization and serious illness due to COVID-19. California’s response to conditions in schools has adapted to the dynamic challenges of the pandemic, based on science. As outlined in Governor Newsom’s SMARTER Plan, the State has maintained vaccine supply, operational readiness, and access to education and resources about COVID-19 and vaccines with focused engagement to ensure younger Californians are taking opportunities to get vaccinated.
“CDPH strongly encourages all eligible Californians, including children, to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” said California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás J. Aragón. “We continue to ensure that our response to the COVID-19 pandemic is driven by the best science and data available. Under the Governor’s SMARTER plan, California is making informed decisions on how to further protect students and staff, to keep children safely in classrooms.”
CDPH continues to emphasize and conduct outreach regarding the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine; supports youth vaccination campaigns and school-located vaccination programs; and strongly encourages all eligible Californians, including eligible children, to get vaccinated.
Please visit myturn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255 to make your vaccine or booster appointment today. www.cdph.ca.gov
MEMBER-ONLY RESOURCES
Social Media & Our Kids: What's Happening?
AFT’s Share My Lesson is inviting you to join the discussion on the impact social media is having on kids and how we can mitigate its impact on children and teens.
Many educators, healthcare professionals, and parents have shared their personal experiences of the negative impact social media are having on their kids. From issues of self-worth to stories of radicalization, it's critical that we understand how social media platforms operate and encourage users to make informed decisions about the content they are receiving. We also must look for ways to increase accountability and responsibility for the sites’ algorithms to ensure even our youngest kids stay safe online.
Join us on Tuesday, May 3, at 7 p.m. EDT for an important public online town hall and discussion with AFT President Randi Weingarten, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and special guests.
This session is open to everyone, so please pass this invitation along to colleagues, friends, and family who want to learn more.
What's Happening to Our Kids?
The Impact Social Media Is Having on Children and Teens—and What We Can Do About It
Tuesday, May 3, at 7 p.m. EDT
Register here
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 well-being 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.
“What have you done for your members today?” - From a sign that has been over my door for 10 years.
Sometimes we forget to pat ourselves on the back for all the work we do each day. In your classrooms each day, you do countless actions that will positively impact those students you engage. Thinking about what you do for your students or what I do for members is not so we can gain brownie points and be all high and mighty about what we deserve for our efforts. No, on the contrary, I think that taking an account of all the things you do throughout the day and through the week is a good way to gain perspective on your actions (works) and how your actions have impacted others. So pause for a moment right now and think of all the things that stood out this week or today where you think you made a difference in your classroom or with your colleagues. If you can think of at least one action then give yourself a needed pat on the back and remind yourself to check in tomorrow or next week (your preference) to see how you’re doing.
Thanks to those site reps and members of the EDP and SLP site reps for meeting with me this week in preparation for our first formal negotiations with the district for the Master Contract next week. A thank you to all of those members over the past couple of years that have given the ABCFT negotiating team insights into how to make your classrooms and programs better working spaces which in the end positively impacts the achievements and wellbeing of our students. I’m sure that Ruben will keep you updated as things progress at the table.
Next week, I will be in Washington DC on behalf of the ABC Federation of Teachers as a representative for the Policy and Programs Committee which I have been a part of at the national level for the last ten years. The PPC is comprised of about 50 union presidents and representatives at the local and state level. In this committee, I communicate the challenges that teachers and students face in our California classrooms by highlighting what I experience with the ABCFT members and your constant feedback on what is impacting you in your classrooms. I’ve never been afraid to speak the ground truth about what we are experiencing in ABC and I am often able to refer to individual situations and conversations with members to make my points clear among national leaders. In this way, ABC teachers and nurses are helping to shape the face of education by informing the leaders of the American Federation of Teachers about OUR reality. Your voices are heard!
Lastly, while in DC I will also be taking part in a special Teacher Shortage Task Force that the American Federation of Teachers has put together to look at the dwindling number of individuals interested in becoming teachers and what we can do as a nation to recruit and retain teachers. I hope to have a full report that will summarize the final white paper that we are working on in this committee. This white paper will be used as a framework that will guide the legislative changes, union changes, university changes, and state and national changes that need to be made to ensure that public schools have enough highly qualified teachers to meet the needs of our nation's students. These are challenging times and it is our responsibility to shape the future of education in the United State. I am honored to be a part of this committee…..but it’s not about me…..it’s about YOU, the member!
Thank you for all you do each day and don’t forget to pause and ask yourself “what did I do today that made a difference.” Don’t forget to reward yourself for a good job.
In YOUnity,
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
CFT President Jeff Freitas appointed to the statewide task force on declining K-12 enrollment
This week State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced the creation of a new statewide task force to address declining K-12 student enrollment in California. Along with other statewide education leaders, CFT President Jeff Freitas was named co-chair of the task force.
Nationwide data show that declining enrollment plagues public schools across the country and recent figures released by the California Department of Education (CDE) show that California is no exception.
The task force will take up the issue of declining enrollment and offer recommendations and technical assistance to districts to help offset the challenges it poses. Under the leadership of Superintendent Thurmond and the co-chairs, the task force will focus on data analysis to understand trends related to the decline, including from which districts students are leaving and to where they are going.
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 Cheers Department of Education’s Reforms to Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Backs Urgently Needed Changes to Broken System, Calls for Broad-Based Debt Relief
WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s reforms to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
“The Department of Education is taking real and meaningful steps to help the thousands of borrowers who, through no fault of their own, were for years cruelly denied the relief that they were owed. Instead of helping, loan servicers deliberately forced borrowers into forbearance to line their own pockets, defrauding a generation who’ve dedicated their lives to serving the public and who were on the frontlines of our pandemic response. These changes will allow them to regain their footing and start to heal the broken bipartisan promise of PSLF.
“Still, these reforms don’t help everyone—including the millions still suffering under a $1.7 trillion student debt sentence that’s stopping them from buying a house, starting a family or launching a business. That’s why the administration must also enact widespread student debt relief for all Americans at the earliest opportunity.”
Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten
----- NEWS STORY HIGHLIGHT-----
California student vaccine mandate delayed
California will not require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for at least another school year, health officials have announced, "to ensure sufficient time for successful implementation of new vaccine requirements." California became the first state in the country to move forward on mandating COVID-19 vaccines for school children in October, when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state will require the vaccine for all school children ages 12-17 once the FDA grants full approval. Since then, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy, only Louisiana has announced a vaccine mandate for school children. The earliest the requirement would go into effect is now July 1, 2023, pending full approval by the Food and Drug Administration of a COVID-19 vaccine for children under 16 years old.
Kindergarten vaccination rates drop across the U.S
Vaccination coverage for kindergartners dropped across the country in the 2020-2021 school year, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the most recent school year, kindergartners had a 93.9% vaccination rate for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), 93.6% for diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis, and 93.6% for varicella. The rate of children with a vaccine exemption remained similar to the rate in 2019-20: 2.5%. "Although 2.2% of kindergartners had an exemption from at least one vaccine, an additional 3.9% who did not have a vaccine exemption were not up to date for MMR," the researchers said. Dr. Shannon Stokley, deputy director of the CDC's Immunization Services Division, said: "Today's findings support previous data showing a concerning decline in childhood immunizations that began in March 2020. We are concerned that missed routine vaccinations could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, which are extremely contagious and can be very serious, especially for babies and young children."
----- TEACHER SALARIES -----
Teacher salaries on the wane, when adjusted for inflation
Soaring inflation is chipping away at any progress made to teacher salaries in recent years, according to a new report by the nation’s largest teachers’ union. The National Education Association (NEA)'s annual report analyzing teacher salaries and education spending by state estimates that the national average teacher salary for the 2021-22 school year is $66,397, a 1.7% increase from the previous year, but down by an estimated 3.9% over the last decade when adjusted for inflation. The NEA also found that starting teacher salaries have declined significantly in real dollars. The average starting teacher salary for this school year was $41,770, a 4% decrease, when adjusted for inflation, from two years ago. "[This] decrease in inflation-adjusted pay could not have come at a worse time,” the NEA said in its report. “Though multiple factors are driving what has been a years-long teacher shortage, insufficient pay is certainly one of the primary reasons that fewer people are entering the profession, and more are leaving.” The NEA primarily collected data from state departments of education to rank teacher salaries across the nation. The 2021-22 numbers are all estimates, and are typically revised slightly the following year. The states where teachers make the most—and the least—remained unchanged from the previous year: New York, Massachusetts, and California topped the list with the highest salaries, while West Virginia, South Dakota, and Mississippi remained at the bottom. The rankings do not account for regional cost-of-living differences. Many states in the South and Midwest, where the cost of living is often cheaper, rank near the bottom of the list.
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
White House seeks to expand early intervention for young children
Increased access to early intervention services for infants and toddlers at-risk of developing delays and disabilities would help the Part C program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act better serve underrepresented populations, according to a full-year 2023 budget proposal justification from the White House. The federal fiscal 2023 budget request allows for a new use of funding under the Part C State Incentive Grant that gives states the option to expand Part C services for at-risk children. The $200m proposal to serve at-risk children under Part C represents almost a fifth of that program's $932m full-year 2023 budget proposal. The total request represents an increase of $435.7m, or 87.8%, for Part C over the current-year spending plan. Katherine Neas, deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, said six states already extend Part C services to children at risk of developing delays. States have flexibility to set different eligibility criteria for their Part C enrollments. States also have the option to participate in Part C, which all now exercise, Ms. Neas said.
Florida rejects dozens of math textbooks over 'inappropriate' content
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has formally rejected more than 50 mathematics textbooks, about 40% of those submitted, for failing to meet new learning standards or because they “contained prohibited topics.” In its press release issued late Friday, the FDOE announced it had disapproved what they said was 54 of 134 math textbooks submitted by publishers. More than half the textbooks being disallowed incorporated “prohibited topics or unsolicited strategies, including CRT,” while others were not allowed because publishers “rebranded” Common Core Standards.
U.S. forgives 40,000 student loans, provides aid to 3.6m more
The U.S. Department of Education has canceled student loan debt for 40,000 people and offered credits to help another 3.6m pay off their loans under a plan announced on Tuesday designed to aid low-income borrowers and public servants. Some 43.4m borrowers are carrying about $1.6tn in outstanding student loans from the Federal Loan Portfolio, an average of more than $37,000 each, according to the Education Data Initiative. The measures add to other steps taken by the administration of President Joe Biden, including a pause on nearly all student loan collection, but they stop short of demands from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party for comprehensive student loan forgiveness. At least 40,000 borrowers will receive immediate debt cancellation under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Several thousand borrowers with older loans will also receive forgiveness through income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness, plus another 3.6m borrowers will receive at least three years of additional credit toward IDR forgiveness, the Education Department said in a statement.
Absenteeism remains problem in 50% of classes
Nearly half of public school teachers in the U.S. reported at least one student during the 2020-21 school year who was enrolled but never showed up for class, according to an updated report first published in March by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The data was pulled from a national representative survey of public school teachers that the GAO contracted Gallup to conduct about their experiences during the 2020-21 school year. High school teachers were the most affected, with roughly two-thirds, or 65%, having at least one student who never showed up, compared to less than half of teachers in kindergarten to grade eight. In addition, teachers in urban schools were significantly more likely to report having students who never showed up compared to those in rural and suburban schools – 65% compared to 45% and 44%, respectively. “The high levels of chronic absences means positive conditions for learning are being eroded at a systemic level,” says Hedy Nai-Lin Chang, executive director and vice president of Attendance Works, a nonprofit organization that tracks absenteeism and its effects. “And the challenges of ensuring school is a healthy and safe place in light of the last two variants is a huge issue – making sure kids and families have access to health care, making sure that when they get to school that school is a place where they feel a sense of belonging and support. Those are all things that have had real challenges to put in place. These are things that are more than attendance, but when they don’t exist, attendance is affected.”
Pandemic wipes out a decade of progress for public pre-K programs
Every year the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Education releases data on the state of public preschool programs. According to this year's research, progress made in public preschool programs over the past decade was wiped out during the coronavirus pandemic that began in March 2020. Drastic declines in enrollment were reported during the 2020-21 school year, with 298,000 fewer children enrolled in preschool than in the previous year. In a piece for the Washington Post, W. Steven Barnett, professor and senior co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research, takes a deeper look into the report, noting that there has been no effective change in state funding per child. Two decades ago, it was below $6,000 per child, the same as it is today, adjusted for inflation.
Ed Dept announces millions of dollars to support student recovery
The U.S. Department of Education has announced major actions and investments from government, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations to support student academic and mental health recovery as part of the Department’s broader effort to help students, schools, and communities recover from the pandemic and reemerge stronger. The announcements highlight how the American Rescue Plan has funded efforts to help students recover academically through summer learning and enrichment, and enhanced educational and mental health supports in districts across the country; how philanthropic partners are investing additional resources to help American Rescue Plan dollars stretch even further; and how the Department is leveraging over $160m of its own grant funding to propel academic and mental health recovery for K-12 students across the country. The announcement includes a commitment to expand summer learning and enrichment opportunities for summer 2022, funded by the American Rescue Plan. The American Camp Association (ACA) and the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) are launching a new camp-school partnership program to create 10 new summer learning programs, in collaboration with 10 public school districts, for low-income students as they prepare for the next school year. The camps will receive $25,000 grants and ask schools to match the camp financial contribution using their ARP funds. ACA and NSLA will provide camps and school districts with coaching, training, planning, convening, and assessment support.
US Department of Education K-12 Dive
----- STATE NEWS -----
Schools scale back significantly on quarantines, masking
A little less than a third of public schools, 31%, needed to quarantine one or more students in March because of COVID-19, according to survey results released by the National Center for Education Statistics last week. That’s a 58% decline from February, when 74% of public schools had to quarantine any students, and a 67% decrease since January, when 94% of schools quarantined at least one student due to COVID-19, according to the survey results. Schools reporting quarantines for staff members also fell 74% from February to March, with only 8% of public schools reporting the need to quarantine staff in March, down from 32% the month before. Schools reporting quarantines were higher in the Northeast, Northwest and Southwest regions. The survey results come as 92% of counties in the nation are experiencing low community-level spread of COVID-19.
LA County reports uptick in school COVID infections after Spring Break
Coronavirus cases are continuing to climb in California, but it remains unclear whether hospitalizations will also begin to tick upward, as is already happening nationally. California is now reporting an average of about 5,000 new coronavirus infections a day, up nearly 85% from last month. In Los Angeles County, there were 1,842 positive COVID tests among the 529,000 that were administered during the week ending Friday, translating to a test-positivity rate of 0.35%. School-related outbreaks ticked upward slightly to 13 during the week that ended Saturday. That was up from 11 during the week ending April 9th. “As individuals return from spring break and celebrating spring holidays, the highly infectious BA.2 subvariant is contributing to case and outbreak increases across the county,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. Those who have had a recent exposure to an infected individual should monitor themselves carefully for any signs of illness. If they are asymptomatic, they are not required to quarantine provided they wear a mask when indoors around others for 10 days after their last exposure and they get tested as soon as possible."
California's charter schools prepare for turbulent year ahead
Charter school enrollment in California declined this year for the first time after three decades of steady, and in some years, staggering growth. Not since the first charter school opened in San Carlos, south of San Francisco, in 1994, has charter school enrollment fallen year over year. This was to have been a year of school recovery, but instead has been turbulent, buffeted by waves of Covid infections. Charter school leaders say they have been consumed with keeping schools open, and have put off thinking about growing again. They and districts face the same headwinds: an immediate teacher and staff shortage, rising chronic absences, huge questions about enrollment next year and long-term projections of a double-digit decline statewide over the next decade. But charter schools say they also face potential legal roadblocks, anti-charter antagonism and financial burdens, including uncertainty over how much funding they’ll receive this year under a state budget that left them vulnerable to funding cuts. All of that gives them pause about expanding. “If I’m a charter management organization, and I’m struggling with 30% turnover in teachers, fluctuating enrollment, and I’m dedicating resources that I don’t even have any idea if I’m going to be reimbursed by the state, why would I be thinking about fighting a political fight to get a charter petition into LAUSD?” said Myra Castrejón, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association.
Parents sought for state advisory council on school equity
California's Department of Education is calling on parents to work with officials in a program that will provide more equitable opportunities for students. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced the department is launching a Parent Advisory Council so that parents can work directly with policymakers and educational partners in “providing equitable change to California's education system.” The council will also advise superintendents on issues concerning public school students. “The effects of COVID-19 have been widespread and have created impacts unlike anything that we have ever seen,” Thurmond said in a letter to school administrators earlier this month . “Families have experienced significant impacts in supporting their students' educational journeys in ways that are unprecedented, including pivoting to virtual learning and foregoing in-person school experiences. As we transition back to in-person learning, it is more important than ever to make sure we are reaching out to our families to make sure they are included in the conversation about what education looks like for children.” Members on the council will be paid while serving a two-year term.
----- DISTRICTS -----
LAUSD redeploys staff to fill teacher vacancies
Faced with hundreds of teacher vacancies with less than two months left in the academic term, Los Angeles USD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has decided to temporarily deploy non-classroom credentialed employees back into teaching assignments to address a staffing crisis that has persisted all school year. As of Tuesday, 186 employees had been redeployed, leaving 234 vacancies, which the superintendent said he expects to have filled by week’s end. He clarified that he will turn first to employees with the most recent classroom teaching experience – in other words, credentialed teachers who were assigned non-teaching responsibilities this year, including many who already work at the schools – and to employees slated for promotions who would have left the classroom, to fill the vacancies. The intent, he explained, is not to tap administrators or other employees who have long stepped away from the classroom if that can be avoided. If there is a need to turn to employees currently working out of local district offices, individuals with the most recent experience working in schools would be deployed first. “Our core function is to teach, and the best way to serve students is by deploying effective, compassionate, credentialed workers,” he added.
Chicago Teachers Union files strike notice
The Chicago Teachers Union filed a 10-day strike notice Wednesday in attempt to pressure on Chicago Public Schools negotiators in ongoing contract talks, raising the possibility for the city's first teachers' strike in 25 years. By filing the required 10-day notice Wednesday with the CPS school board and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, teachers are eligible to strike beginning on September 10, the start of the second week of school for the majority of CPS students. The union's House of Delegates will meet today, where they will review the district's latest contract offer and likely set a strike date. Big issues still to be resolved include teacher raises and a potential "re-hiring pool" for those who've been laid off. Responding to the union's announcement, CPS chief Jean-Claude Brizard issued a statement Wednesday evening, lamenting "everyone knows that a strike would only hurt our kids."
Chicago Tribune
----- CLASSROOM -----
National Poll Shows Little Appetite for Book Bans, General Satisfaction With How Race and Gender Are Taught in Schools
A new survey shows a larger share of Americans support an expansion of classroom discussion on racism and sexuality than those who believe such conversations should be curtailed. A significant share of the respondents to the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research report being happy with the status quo regarding such hot-button subjects: 37% of Americans believe schools focus “about the right amount” on racism and 40% said the same about sex and sexuality. Only 12%, including 18% of Republicans and 8% of Democrats, support policies prohibiting books about divisive topics from being taught in schools. “I would think elected officials already know, but it might be useful to be reminded of the fact that their constituents’ political opinions may not be so easy to know and may not be so clear from what they’re seeing in the press or from who happens to show up at school board meetings,” said Adam Zelizer, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago who helped write the survey.
What Does Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Look Like in Practice?
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) was one of the key themes at this year’s CoSN conference in Nashville, where more than 1,500 district administrators and industry partners gathered for the first hybrid CoSN conference – and the association’s largest conference to date. This hybrid event offered dozens of in-person sessions and activities, along with virtual sessions for those who could not attend in person.
----- FINANCE -----
Rising fuel costs could have drastic impact on school budgets
Rising fuel prices show no signs of dropping back to pre-2021 levels anytime soon, leaving school districts to worry about a wide range of impacts to their budgets and operations. More than nine in 10 district leaders who answered an EdWeek Research Center survey between March 30th and April 8th said fuel prices in their district have risen since the start of the school year. Fourteen percent of district leaders said fuel costs have doubled or more than doubled since then, and 56% said they’ve increased between 1% and 50%. For school districts, when an actual cost exceeds what was budgeted at the start of the year, another line item in the budget often has to shrink or disappear altogether. That could mean the loss of staff members, academic programs, or transportation services. Fuel will cost the Anoka-Hennepin district in Michigan $100,000 more than expected this year, said Superintendent David Law. The district’s $550m annual operating budget can absorb that increase. But if the high costs persist through the summer into next school year and beyond, it may be a different story, he said, adding: “Our state increase [for the overall operating budget] this year is 2.5%. When part of our budget sees a 15 percent or 18 percent jump, that pushes a cut somewhere else".
----- WORKFORCE ----
Summer school programs threatened by teacher shortages
Oregon school districts may struggle to make use of millions of dollars set aside to expand summer school and help thousands of students catch up on their education, according to interviews and state records. Schools in the state have access to more money than ever for summer school due to an influx of state and federal dollars; last year, Oregon lawmakers approved $205m for summer programming, with the goal of helping students catch up after a year-and-a-half of online school, with another $200m from the U.S. Department of Education. But district leaders say they may be limited in what they can offer students because of the teacher shortages that have waylaid schools throughout the year. In the North Marion School District, located between Portland and Salem and serving about 340 students, Superintendent Ginger Redlinger wrote over email, “Our challenges are similar to those of other districts: teachers and support staff are burned out as most districts have been short staffed all year.” Redlinger said her district has been suffering shortages of teachers in general, and ones that can teach at different grade levels and subjects. The district will provide programs to help high school seniors get on track to graduate, and have summer school programs for elementary age students paid for through the federal Migrant Education Program. Otherwise, Redlinger can’t use the extra money unless she can find staff. In Klamath County, district officials are “experiencing limited people who are interested in teaching in the summer,” according to Superintendent Glen Szymoniak, who said they are still recruiting. In the Reynolds School District in east Multnomah County, Steve Padilla, assistant director of public relations, said the district will hold a job fair this weekend to recruit summer school staff. He said district leaders also are gauging how many current employees want to teach over the summer.
Geography plays role in gender disparities among superintendents
When it comes to gender representation among superintendents, geography plays a role: While women hold 43% of superintendent positions in the Northeast, only 24% of superintendents are women in the Southeast. By comparison, women hold 31% of spots in the Midwest and 26% in the West, according to a report released by the ILO group, a women-founded national education strategy and policy firm. The report also found a persistent gender pay gap at the state superintendent level. While a majority — 27 out of 51 — of state superintendents are female, they earn on average 12% less than their male counterparts. Elected state superintendents, 73% of whom are female, make 40% less than their appointed counterparts. And even among elected state superintendents, women earn an average 26% less than men. "We continue to see a historically low number of women serving in K-12 leadership positions despite the enormous pool of talented women leaders," said Julia Rafal-Baer, ILO co-founder and managing partner, in a news release. "These latest data make clear that there's still a tremendous amount of work left to do to ensure equity in districts' hiring practices and parity when it comes to superintendents' pay."
----- HEALTH & WELLBEING -----
Understanding full-range of school-based mental health services
Even before the pandemic, rates of depression and suicide had been climbing among teens, and that mental health crisis continues, even as life returns in many ways to a new normal. What some parents might not know is that their child’s school could be the best place to look for help. “There’s no institution better positioned to engage with students on mental health issues than schools,” says John Crocker, director of school mental health for Methuen Public Schools, north of Boston. “We can look for emerging concerns and provide social and emotional learning about managing stress and strong emotions.” Working as part of school staff, school psychologists, social workers and counselors have access to a child’s history at school, including friendships and discipline. This information is important when assessing a child, since many kids aren’t good at putting their feelings into words. Many districts also use app-based mental health screenings to survey selected parts of the student population with questions about mental well-being. These self-reporting surveys have been surprisingly effective at finding kids who need support, but who might otherwise have slipped under the radar. After sending out the first surveys, the Methuen public schools saw a 63% increase in the number of students eligible for mental health services. Once students have reported that they are struggling, district staff follow up with them for an assessment.
Are Phones Good for Students?
How phones are used in education is a divisive topic. Since the pandemic began there has been an effort to ensure every student has a device capable of accessing the internet, and education apps have become more common. Screen use increased by 17 percent among those 8-18 years old between 2019 and 2021, according to a survey by Common Sense Media.
Meanwhile, some schools have banned the use of phones altogether, often citing the distractions caused and the perceived links to lack of sleep, depression, and other negative mental health outcomes.
However, the extent to which phones impact the mental health of students and help or hinder their education remains unclear.
-----CHARTER SCHOOLS -----
Privatization of public education gaining ground, claims report
The movement to privatize public education is gaining ground in the United States at a time when traditional public school districts are facing some of the most severe challenges ever. According to a report by an advocacy group that supports traditionally funded and democratically governed public school districts, a number of Republican-led legislatures pushed through legislation to expand charter schools and voucher programs during the coronavirus pandemic. The report, by the Network for Public Education, is a follow-up to a 2018 report by the network and the Schott Foundation for Public Education, which gave five states an “A+” or “A” in regard to their commitment to supporting public schools. In the new report, two states — Nebraska and North Dakota — received an overall grade of “A+” while one state, Vermont, got an “A-”. There was a decrease in the number of states earning an overall grade of “B” or “C” — 15, seven fewer than in 2018, the report says. The number of states receiving a “D” doubled from six to 12, and the number of states with "F" grades increased from 17 to 20, with the District of Columbia making 21 systems, according to the report. The states with “F” grades are Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Education Secretary defends charter school proposals
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona defended the Biden administration’s stance on a range of education issues during a House appropriations committee hearing earlier this week, including tightening regulations on federal funding for charter schools, scrutinizing pandemic relief aid spending, and expanding the Title I aid program for high-needs students. The Biden administration last month announced proposals that would require charter schools seeking federal funding to demonstrate widespread community interest in the program with the help of a survey and data showing over enrollment in local public schools. They would also require private charter providers to partner with at least one local public school district on developing curriculum, professional development opportunities, behavioral interventions, or practices to help struggling students. For-profit operators would be barred from the federal grant program, which totals $440m in Biden’s proposed education budget. Mr. Cardona said the department wants to prevent charter schools from opening in places with low demand, only to close a year or two later and leave students in the lurch, adding: “I think the proposals are reasonable, and what they ask for is greater accountability, transparency and fiscal responsibility.” Critics of the proposed regulations say they would give the federal government and districts too much power to veto charter concepts they don’t like; prevent charter schools from opening in high-need areas where districts are facing declining enrollment; and squeeze the ability of private providers to offer families an alternative to public schools.
----- TECHNOLOGY -----
Metaverse and Education: What Do We Need to Know?
Although the metaverse seems like a new concept, it actually has been around for nearly three decades. In 1992, Neal Stephenson, an American science fiction author introduced the concept of the metaverse in his novel, Snow Crash.
In October, Mark Zuckerberg announced the change from Facebook to Meta and released a short video about how the metaverse would work and what his plans were for it. I showed this to my students, which sparked great conversations and many questions.
As educators, how can we keep up with so much information? Where can we learn about the technologies involved in the metaverse? I recommend setting a Google alert through your Gmail. Set the topic to be “metaverse” or other topics of interest, and each day you will receive an email with articles, videos and breaking news stories gathered from all over the Internet.
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.com
Click here to schedule an appointment
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