KEEPING YOU INFORMED - Negotiations Update By Ruben Mancillas
Our retro checks were sent to the sites on Tuesday, August 22.
Thank you to the concerted efforts of many, including the payroll department and our own ABCFT executive board, to help expedite the process of getting these checks delivered. I joked with Dr. Fraser that he had set the bar high with the good news in his first district wide communication. Dr. Fraser sends an email one evening and checks are sent out the very next day. What will he do for an encore?!?
To recap: the standalone check that we received in June was the off schedule payment negotiated as part of our salary agreement for the 2022-2023 school year. For most members this one time payment was based on a calculation of 3% of last year’s salary.
The paper check we just received on 8/22 was the retro portion of our 2022-2023 salary agreement. The majority of our members received a 7% pay increase which they first saw in their April 2023 paycheck. The difference in the previous seven months (September-March) is now being paid as a separate retro check.
And, again, for those members who participated in the voluntary professional learning days on August 8 and 9, they will be paid out on September 5.
This feels like an opportunity to thank the members of the negotiating team for their hard work and reinforce that a strong union is what makes these types of salary gains possible. I do, however, want to strike a delicate balance between celebrating a win in the short term while keeping a longer term goal in mind. I love “bread and butter” successes. More money is a tangible positive impact that everyone focuses on with good reason. Keeping score by the percentage of increase or the amount one earns is one way to track the progress we are making to both attract and retain the very best education professionals in ABCUSD.
And yet, I am aware of the dangers of “what have you done for me lately?” type of thinking. A solely transactional relationship is one that is unlikely to be successful in the long term. Expectations should remain high but also realistic. I have written previously about the specifics of state education funding and how that impacts our budget here in ABCUSD. I have discussed what COLA is (and what it isn’t) as well as what terms like “declining enrollment” mean to the amount of ongoing dollars available for salary raises.
To review, the COLA or Cost of Living Adjustment is the funding that the state provides the district to pay for all of the district expenses for that year. This funding is largely based on our ADA or Average Daily Attendance, which is the number of students enrolled and attending in our district. Fewer students equal fewer dollars. An 8.22% COLA, for example, does not mean an automatic raise of that amount because it fails to take into account any other district costs. A COLA does, however, provide a starting point to negotiate what is available for compensation during any given year.
We will be sharing key parts of the district budget in upcoming updates and giving an overview of the kind of numbers the negotiating team will be looking at when we bargain with the district for salary and benefits during the 2023-2024 school year. We have reasons for optimism, like a healthy COLA this year, as well as real concerns, such as the negative impact of the hundreds of students this district has lost over a number of years. We will continue to keep our members informed as we make progress throughout the negotiating process this year.
In Unity,
RESOURCES
Classroom Management Strategies: Free Lesson Plans and Resources
Hone Your Classroom Management Strategies
Whether you're a fresh-faced rookie or a seasoned education all-star, we can all agree: Classroom management is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube—while juggling! You’re on the front lines, preparing to face a whirlwind of students eager to learn (and occasionally cause a little chaos). Armed with lesson plans and a coffee mug filled to the brim, it's time to turn to the often-daunting task of managing your classroom.
This collection of Share My Lesson resources is soon to be your go-to headquarters for classroom management inspiration. Here, we offer an archive of resources to help manage student behavior, from the wiggliest first-grader to the most aloof high schooler. With an array of techniques and strategies at your fingertips, you’ll be prepared to handle any situation with grace and confidence.
Share My Lesson Classroom Management Resources
KEEPING YOU INFORMED By Tanya Golden
We have all experienced, especially in the last few years thanks to the pandemic, the cliche of the “only thing constant is change.” This cliche is holding true for this school year as well. Ray and I are working in a much smaller workspace than we ever anticipated but with some creative problem solving there we are able to get the union work done.
As the Membership Coordinator, I wanted to share some of the changes and updates as we begin the new school year.
Payroll deductions schedule change clarification:
Recently, members were notified that the 10-month voluntary deductions would begin with our September payroll. Usually, the September check is larger than subsequent checks since some deductions are taken for 10 of the 11 months we receive a check. The 10-month withholdings have now shifted from September to June, so the July check will now be the larger check.
ABCFT Master Contract 2020-2025:
The printing of the contracts are complete and will be sent to the sites in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime, here is the online version of the master contract, which can also be found at the top of the YOUnionews under “ABCFT Resources”. If you have already seen some new pink contracts around your site, it is because administrators have received their copies.
With the feedback the negotiating team gathered from surveys, conversations, and meetings with members, the ABCFT team was able to gain a substantial amount of new and updated language in the master contract. To help members have a better understanding of the contractual language that offers worksite protections and rights, we will be featuring “Understanding the Master Contract” here in the YOUnionews. The first installment is below. If you are interested in learning more about a specific area of the contract, please send an email to ABCFT@abcusd.us so we can share the information with all members.
Extreme Heat Guidelines:
The California Department of Public Health guides the district when determining when students should stay indoors during extreme heat. The guidelines for students are based on the age of the children. Ages 7 and younger are to stay indoors during lunch and recess when the temperature reaches 85 degrees. Ages 8 and above should stay indoors during lunch and recess when the temperature reaches 90 degrees. You can find more information on the CDPH website, including secondary sports guidelines.
If you have any work site concerns, contractual issues or questions, your site representative is your first line of contact and is available to help.
UNDERSTANDING THE MASTER CONTRACT
Did you ever wonder who is covered by the ABCUSD/ABCFT Master Contract? Any employee who follows under the following list of categories is included in the contract agreement. ABCFT won the right to be the bargaining agent for ABC teachers and nurses fifty-one years ago on September 1, 1972. The contract is an agreement on working conditions and compensation between both parties, so the enforceability of contract language is the responsibility of both parties (ABCFT and ABC Administrators).
Every three years, the master list of who is part of the “bargaining unit” is realigned to reflect changes in our membership. Just recently, Career Technical Educators (CTE) became members of ABCFT after leaving their affiliation with R.O.P. and had fewer protections, limited benefits, and lower wages. ABCFT fought hard to increase their pay (hourly to salary) and benefits (to include free family coverage) as well as language to protect their classroom conditions for teaching. We also bargained for permanency language so veteran CTE teachers would no longer receive a layoff letter every Spring. That’s just one example of how the Master Contract is what they call a ‘living document” that can adapt and change as needed. Below is the list of those currently represented by the Master Contract:
Article 2: Recognition, A - The Appropriate Unit, page 1
MEMBER-ONLY RESOURCES
For more than 20 years, the AFT has developed resources to help teachers become skilled in reading instruction—from reports by leading researchers and professional development courses to webinars and issues of American Educator.
Now, as we intensify our efforts to ensure all children become confident, joyful readers, we've devoted the fall 2023 issue of American Educator to helping families support their children's reading development. In addition to sending it to all of our members in K-12 and higher education, we've printed an extra 100,000 copies to distribute to families through partner organizations.
You can download a copy of this quarterly newsletter here
ABCFT PRESIDENT’S REPORT - Ray Gaer
Consistent and regular communication is a union’s most important tool for advocating for its members at the bargaining table. Every conversation with members is focused on the end result of negotiating for the future prosperity and well-being of ALL ABCFT members. This weekly report informs members about issues impacting their working/learning conditions and mental well-being. Our work as a Union is a larger conversation and united we make the YOUnion.
“We got paid!” - many ABC teachers and nurses this week
Once upon a time (fifteen years ago) in ABC, teachers received ten checks a year. What this means is that certificated teachers and nurses got a check on July 1 and then didn’t get another check until October 1. For those of you who were teaching/nursing at the time, you can remember all the creative ways of finding enough money to get you through those last few weeks of September. Around the same time there was discussion about moving our start date from Labor Day to some unknown date in August, some say for AP testing but the real driver was that we were losing enrollment to every district around us that was starting school in August. Some parents didn’t have a district preference but there were a number of parents who wanted their kids in school as early as possible.
The ABCFT negotiating team used this opportunity as a time to negotiate a transition to an eleven-check pay schedule that would start on September 1 (On a side note, in case you are wondering, there are no plans to ever go back to a ten-check schedule regardless of the school calendar). I hope that this change in the pay schedule has benefited the employees and families of our members. Personally, I live in a household where the two of us didn’t get paid during the Summer, so this greatly helped our financial situation if emergencies arose. This made the checks we received this week all the sweeter because we knew that our advocacy and discussions with the board and district helped ABC employees get a financial boost at the end of a long Summer. I hope that these monies have helped to take some stress out of your life when we already have so much to think about.
If you’ve read this far into the YOUnionews, I hope that you spotted our new feature on master contract language that we plan to have as a regular column. I think it is important that members find that there are contract language protections that we highlight that impact your working conditions in a positive way. When it is possible we will try to give examples or highlight the history of how our contract has evolved to meet the needs of ABCFT members. There are fifty years of educator experience and wisdom in our contract and the ABCFT/ABCUSD Master Contract is unique to this educational community. Each district in this state has individualized contract language that has evolved locally to meet the needs of the employees. Some of the battles for working conditions have been hard fought with labor union job actions or through legal actions. Your member dues work to uphold what is in the ABCFT/ABCUSD Master Contract so it is important that you are aware of your rights as an employee.
As my meme shows below, I am always shocked by the 35% in taxes that are taken out of “additional checks.” However, I’m thankful to those in payroll who made the retro checks in August possible. For them, I will drink a toast of my Friday beverage of choice. Have a good weekend!
In YOUnity,
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
CFT President Jeff Freitas reminds teacher recruitment summit that wages matter
With severe staffing shortages continuing to impact school districts across the state, this week, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a teacher recruitment summit at the California Department of Education and formally launched a coalition to further engage in direct recruitment of teacher candidates statewide.
CFT President Jeff Freitas took part in the summit and during his remarks, reminded state officials and those tackling the issue from throughout the state that wages matter.
“We have an education staffing crisis. We were seeing it coming like it was a weather pattern, and it is here. We have a lack of staffing—teachers, classified staff, fully certificated counselors, bus drivers, and custodians…,” said Jeff Freitas during his remarks. “Since the 1990s, housing costs in California have gone up 300 percent, but wages for school employees have not matched that even by half.”
“I want to thank Superintendent Thurmond and all the organizations here supporting this and helping us move forward to make sure public education is what we prioritize in the state and to provide an education that students deserve,” he concluded.
We continue to push for the passage of AB 938 in Sacramento, a bill sponsored by CFT and authored by Al Muratsuchi that would increase funding for K-12 salaries by 50% over 7 years – giving our schools the chance to attract and retain the high-quality staff that our students need to be successful.
Take action to support AB 938 – Increase funding for TK-12 salaries by 50% over 7 years
As the new school year gets underway, once again school districts from throughout the state are facing severe staffing shortages, and we must do our part to urge our elected leaders in Sacramento to take action.
CFT-sponsored AB 938 would increase funding for our TK-12 schools over 7 years with the intention of providing salary increases for all TK-12 school workers by 50%.
Sign the petition: Urge CA lawmakers to support AB 938
A survey last spring by CFT found that 56% of teachers and classified employees in TK-12 schools say they think about quitting their job and leaving education. And large majority of students who reject teaching as a career say low pay is the reason they are looking elsewhere.
It’s time for California lawmakers to take the bold action our schools and our students deserve. It’s time to pay educators and classified professionals a wage that enables them to have a long and successful career dedicated to their students.
Please sign the petition today.
In Unity,
Jeff Freitas
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-----
Temecula Valley school board approves transgender notification policy
The Temecula Valley school board has voted to approve a policy that will notify parents if their students are transgender. The 3-2 vote came after a meeting that lasted into the early hours of Wednesday morning. The policy, proposed by board President Joseph Komrosky and Jen Wiersma, requires school staff to inform parents or guardians if their child asks to be treated or identified as a gender different from what is listed on their official records. The policy has sparked debate, with supporters emphasizing parents' rights and opponents expressing concerns about student safety and privacy. The policy is similar to those approved by other Southern California school districts, including Chino Valley and Murrieta Valley. The board's conservative majority faces a recall effort seeking to remove them from office.
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
Parents concerned about children's social media use and mental health, survey finds
The University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health has revealed that parents are most concerned about their children's social media use, the internet, and mental health issues. Pediatrician Dr. Susan Woolford, co-director of the poll, said: "Parents still view problems directly impacting physical health, including unhealthy eating and obesity, as important children's health issues. But these have been overtaken by concerns about mental health, social media, and screen time. Two-thirds of parents polled expressed concern about their children's increased screen time, including overall screen time, and social media use. This year, those were the top two issues on the list. “Children are using digital devices and social media at younger ages, and parents may struggle with how to appropriately monitor use to prevent negative impacts on safety, self-esteem, social connections, and habits that may interfere with sleep and other areas of health,” Woolford said. Mental and emotional health were among the other top concerns. The majority of parents view depression, suicide, stress, anxiety, and related topics like bullying as big problems, the poll showed.
Teachers seek more relevant professional development
Teachers are expressing their frustration with mandatory professional development (PD) that they find unhelpful and not applicable to their needs. However, teachers are actively seeking out informal PD opportunities that they find useful, as evidenced by their engagement on social media platforms like TikTok. Despite the variation in the quality of PD offered to teachers, there is a growing trend towards greater voice and choice in professional learning. Some schools are incorporating professional learning into the daily work schedule, while others are using their own teachers and educational leaders to develop and facilitate PD sessions. However, teacher-led PD is not happening widely. In response to this, two 4th grade teachers launched an online platform called DoubleDutyTeachers, where educators can exchange teaching strategies. They also organized a daylong conference called Teach Out Loud, which focused on topics requested by teachers and featured handpicked presenters. The conference was well-received, and the organizers are planning for a second annual conference. The teachers behind these initiatives aim to inspire fellow teachers and provide them with the relevant PD they need.
----- DISTRICTS -----
New superintendent named for Orange USD
Ernie Gonzalez has been named as Orange USD's permanent superintendent. He has worked in the district since 2012 under multiple roles, with five years as Orange High School principal followed by terms as executive director and assistant superintendent, both in the district’s human resources department. He was appointed as acting superintendent in March, following the departure of interim superintendent Edward Valesquez, who had taken the helm after the firing of Marie Gunn Hansen.
West Contra Costa struggles to fill teacher vacancies
Amid a national teacher shortage, West Contra Costa USD is facing 80 teacher vacancies at the start of the school year. The district has resorted to reassigning teachers and using substitutes and retired educators to temporarily fill the gaps. The president of the United Teachers of Richmond expressed concerns about the impact on teachers and students, calling for legislative changes to address the shortages. The district is actively working to hire and onboard more teachers to ensure that the fill-ins are only temporary. The competition to recruit qualified teachers between districts in the region has intensified, with neighboring districts also facing teacher shortages. The situation may worsen in the coming years due to budget constraints and declining enrollment. Additionally, the district is struggling to staff special education paraprofessionals. Overall, the district is taking proactive measures to address the teacher shortage crisis and ensure quality education for students.
----- WORKFORCE ----
Americans recognize teacher shortage, back higher pay
A survey conducted by PDK International reveals that a majority of Americans support increasing teacher pay and believe that teachers are undervalued. The survey, which has been conducted annually for 55 years, also shows mixed feelings on curriculum control. While 66% of respondents believe that teachers should have more say over what is taught in schools, 51% support state laws regarding what teachers can teach. The survey also found growing support for a four-day school week, with 53% of adults in favor of a shorter schedule. The CEO of PDK International, James Lane, notes that many Americans see the teacher shortage as a serious issue and believe that increasing pay is a solution. The survey did not specifically address recent laws banning certain topics in schools. Overall, the findings highlight the public's support for teachers and the need to uplift the teaching profession.
----- CLASSROOM -----
ChatGPT and beyond: AI enthusiasm grows among teachers
A burgeoning number of teachers plan to use generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT in their classrooms by the end of the coming school year. Nearly 4 in 10 teachers expect to use AI in their classrooms by the end of the 2023-24 school year. Less than half as many say they are prepared to use the tools. The newly released Teacher Confidence Report reveals that the majority of teachers have not yet integrated AI into their classrooms. Only 1 in 10 teachers said they had used AI in the past school year, with fewer than 6 in 10 finding the tools helpful. The report highlights the need for more guidance on effectively and safely using AI tools. Teachers see the most promise for AI in developing worksheets, lesson plans, and writing prompts. The survey also shows that overall educator confidence has risen, but is still below pre-pandemic levels. Two additional reports on teacher well-being and student mental health will be released later this fall.
----- SECURITY -----
Covina-Valley implements CENTEGIX CrisisAlert System for student safety
In time for the 2023-24 school year, Covina-Valley USD has equipped every campus with the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert System to prioritize student safety. The district joins 11,500 schools in California that utilize this comprehensive safety solution. The wearable incident response technology does not require Wi-Fi or mobile cellular connection and has multiple alert levels for different emergencies. Staff members, including teachers and counselors, will be outfitted with a wearable badge that allows them to quickly respond to any situation. The system enables immediate notification to school administration and/or 911 through a panic button. Campus-wide alerts activate flashing strobes and intercom messages, while also providing precise room-level location to first responders.
----- LEGAL -----
Supreme Court asked to review race in school admissions
A legal activist group has asked the Supreme Court to review the role of race in school admissions, specifically at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a magnet school in Virginia often ranked as the best school in the country. The school board's use of race-neutral criteria to achieve a diverse student body is being challenged. Critics argue that the admissions policy discriminates against highly qualified Asian Americans. The Pacific Legal Foundation, which filed the case, claims that the school's admissions overhaul is "proxy discrimination" disguised as race-neutrality. The Supreme Court's recent ruling on race in college admissions is cited as a reason for considering the Thomas Jefferson case. If the court agrees to hear the case, it could lead to narrower rules on using race as a factor in school admissions. The case emerged in response to protests against police brutality and unequal treatment of Black Americans. The Fairfax County School Board made changes to its admissions process, prompting a group of parents to sue. The Supreme Court previously denied an emergency request to halt the new admissions criteria, but conservative justices expressed support for the request.
----- HEALTH & WELLBEING -----
Restorative justice: prioritizing relationships over punishment
Rooted in the belief that everybody has a role to play in addressing harm, restorative justice largely relies on listening carefully to one another. New Mexico's state education department has begun testing a new disciplinary approach called restorative justice, which focuses on rebuilding relationships rather than punishing students. The program promotes communication through respect agreements and mediation, aiming to help students understand the root of their misbehavior and make better choices. Proponents argue that restorative justice is more effective and less harmful than long-term suspensions or expulsions, which are associated with lower graduation rates and a higher risk of incarceration. Native American students in New Mexico are expelled at a much higher rate than any other group, making the implementation of restorative justice particularly important for Indigenous students. While some schools have embraced this approach, there is still a need for education reforms to shift from harsh discipline to restorative justice and peacemaking approaches. Expelling and suspending students often fails to address underlying problems and can increase the risk of dropping out or entering the criminal justice system. Restorative justice offers a circle of healing and a chance to build a stronger community within schools.
-----CHARTER SCHOOLS -----
Homeschool Options For Parents
An explosion of new options has transformed home schooling in America and demand is surging. The new world of home schooling often looks very different from familiar images of parents and children working together at the kitchen table, and features pods, co-ops, microschools and hybrid schools, often outside the home, as well as real-time and recorded virtual instruction. For a growing number of students, education now exists somewhere on a continuum between school and home, in person and online, professional and amateur. Hundreds of thousands of children have begun home schooling in the last three years, an unprecedented spike that generated a huge new market. In New Hampshire, for example, the number of home-schoolers doubled during the pandemic and today remains 40% above pre-covid totals. New firm Prenda, which last year served thousands of students across several states, connects home-school families with "microschool leaders" who host students, often in their homes. "It’s like Airbnb for education," says Prenda’s CEO, because its website allows customers to enter their criteria, search and "make a match."
