KEEPING YOU INFORMED - Negotiations Update By Ruben Mancillas
The ABCFT executive board met earlier this week and some of our discussions gave me the idea of structuring this week’s update in the form of a Q & A.
Where are we at with negotiations?
We do not currently have any negotiations sessions scheduled with the district. We presented the district with our most recent proposal during our last formal session and are awaiting their response. Dr. Fraser and I do have a PAL meeting scheduled for next week so we can discuss our progress and plan next steps at that time.
When can we expect to see the raise in our checks?
I have outlined the process of ratifying a tentative agreement in previous updates. The negotiating team would first need to come to a tentative agreement at the bargaining table before we could take the next step of having it approved by the ABCFT executive board. Until that happens, there is no timeline for when a potential raise would first appear on our checks.
How much will it be? What are we asking for?
In terms of how much a potential raise may be, that is what is being negotiated right now. Our practice is to not publish our proposals in the hopes that this confidentiality on the part of both sides can lead to a more favorable outcome. In previous updates I have noted that our goal is to maintain our competitiveness with other districts so that we can continue to attract and retain the best education professional talent in ABCUSD. The state provided the district with a COLA of 8.22% to cover all expenses for this year. Our proposal takes this number into consideration as well as the significant negative impact of declining enrollment and any increase to the cost of benefits.
If COLA stands for Cost of Living Adjustment then why isn’t our raise a straightforward 8.22%? What is there to negotiate?
The COLA is a percentage that the state provides for ongoing expenses but as salaries are not the only expense there is not a one-to-one correlation in terms of COLA to a potential raise. Step and column and benefits increases are typical ongoing costs but declining enrollment is a huge factor when determining the amount of ongoing dollars available to negotiate for raises. If a 1% raise costs the district between 1.7 and 1.8 million dollars in ongoing dollars, then the loss of students and accompanying ADA is a cost that could otherwise go towards salaries.
What about other things that are being negotiated? Can we bargain for new stipends?
Stipends would typically be negotiated during our next round of master contract bargaining, which would take place during next year before our current contract expires in June of 2025. But sometimes changes in working conditions and new expectations warrant changes in our stipend schedule, so a MOU could be used to address this. If you have such a situation, please reach out to your respective executive board member or to me directly with a detailed description of what the new position is, how much time it takes to perform these duties, and what precedent, if any, has been established in the past. For example, I recently received information about the responsibilities involved with a middle school journalism/TV broadcast.
Do you have any movie recommendations for the month of December?
OK, full disclosure, no one asked this! But please consider an incredible upcoming double bill at the New Beverly Cinema on December 5 and 6; Three Days of the Condor and The Parallax View. This pairs two of the very best Watergate-era paranoid thrillers. For this English major, there was an obvious appeal to Robert Redford’s exasperated cry, “I am not a field agent. I just read books!”, as he portrays an everyman using his wits and the help of Faye Dunaway to try and survive a government conspiracy. Three Days of the Condor could also be added to the list of “is it actually a holiday movie of sorts?” discussion that includes Die Hard and others. The Parallax View is darker and more cynical fare, with the journalist, played by Warren Beatty, uncovering an assassination network. It’s as if All of the President’s Men didn’t have a positive ending. Both of these movies are widely available; no need to make the actual trek to the theater but watching them back to back on film would be quite a treat…in a bleak kind of 70’s way.
In Unity,
MEMBER-ONLY RESOURCES
Winter Holiday Activities
Welcome to our Winter Holidays Collection, a selection of educational materials designed to highlight the rich cultural and social dimensions of winter celebrations for students across preK-12 levels. As educators, we understand the importance of embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment where students can feel represented. This collection features free winter holiday activities that provide ways to learn about the traditions and meanings of Christmas,
Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the universal transition and renewal symbolized by New Year's celebrations.
Click here for the free Winter Holiday Lesson Plans and Resources
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.
“Relaxation is a right, not a reward. - Mel Robbins (talk show host/podcast/author) As I was walking around Carbon Canyon Regional Park last week listening to a podcast, I heard this statement, and it summed up the social shift that is happening around us. I’m shifting my own perspective.
I hope that you had a good Thanksgiving break and that you’ve had a decent week. The past month has clustered around assessments, report cards, the end of the trimester for elementary, and the end of the semester for secondary in the coming weeks. As I stated last week, ABCFT is listening and monitoring how teachers are doing throughout November and December because of the changes in our school calendar and the end of the first semester in December. As a famous strategist once said, once a plan is implemented, it never goes as planned. We anticipate there will be some constructive thoughts about how we can support these changes in the coming years to make it a natural way we do business in ABC. Give it a little time, and we can make it work.
On Monday, the ABCFT Executive board put in a full day in a follow-up board retreat at the new office space that is located across the street from Gahr High School (When we’ve settled in, we hope to have an open house for everyone to have an opportunity to visit). This second day of our Eboard Retreat focused on the importance and power of the teacher's voice in the PAL system we have developed in ABC. PAL stands for Partnership of Administration and Labor, which means that we have an informal agreement that says we will solve problems together when possible. This type of engagement with the administration doesn’t mean ABCFT representatives stop representing ABCFT members. Still, it does provide a vehicle for teacher/nurse voice in most decisions that impact your classrooms and school sites.
In most districts, the problem-solving mechanisms are legal and are fostered on an adversarial relationship of threats, distrust, and positions of power to gain control over a situation. In most districts, the filing of grievances is the main method of communication and problem-solving. There are no mutually respected positions. For example, I was at an in-service for the Executive Council for the California Federation of Teachers EC-TK/12 Division Council. We were roleplaying how to solve an issue that dealt with the administration. After the roleplaying, the presenter asked us to present our thoughts on how we addressed the situation. A few people spoke up about pounding the table, filing unfair labor practices, and screaming at their administrative counterparts before much discussion. These are all very typical answers in the union world of practices, and in the culture of most school districts, this is the only way to get the results you need for members.
I think these tactics have their place, but there are more tools in the toolbox. I also raised my hand at this CFT training and gave an alternative way of doing the union's work on behalf of members. First, you ask the person on the other side of the table for clarification. You find out why they made their decision, and you find out what is driving their decision-making. Is it their supervisor demanding a change, is it budget related, is it personality-related, or is it a lack of communication with members? There are always reasons why decisions are made, but a tactical union representative uses their position to get clarification to see if there is common ground, a lack of teacher voice or understanding, and ultimately if there are solutions that can preserve the dignity of all parties involved while still providing solutions that achieve the desired outcomes. A byproduct of this inquiry is that you can build trust and a stronger working relationship with the administrators.
What if the other side of the equation doesn’t want these types of conversations or solutions? Then, yes, we behave legally as a union and do what we need to do to get the job done. If there is no desire for compromise and reasonable collaboration, then a union uses its power of membership as leverage to force change. Do we do this a lot in ABC? No, not really, because within ABCFT, we train all of your union representatives to build relationships with site/program administrators and have thoughtful discussions to find solutions that address the needs of teachers in the classroom. Pounding the table and destroying working relationships is a short-term solution, but it can be less effective over time if used as the only tool in the toolbox.
I hope this peek into the ABCFT culture of doing business helps you understand the concept of PAL and how we use it as a vehicle to drive solutions that help you because YOU are the union.
A special thanks to all the TK teachers we spoke to this week, the Black Family Circle members, and those of you who attended the ABCUSD Tech symposium. Have a great weekend
In YOUnity and Power!
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
CFT Endorsements
At the last CFT Executive Council meeting we took up many of the incumbent legislators and congressional candidates. You can find the full list of CFT endorsed candidates here.
The CFT Executive Council also had a discussion on the US Senate race and decided to leave the recommendation in this seat “open.” This was a careful decision based on a CFT member poll as well as the quantitative and qualitative data that we collected at our US Senate Candidate Forum in October.
There is no clear consensus amongst our members when it comes to supporting a single candidate, and many comments from members and leaders echoed the sentiment that we have three good candidates to choose from, all of whom would represent CFT’s values when it comes to public education and labor issues.
A fact sheet highlighting each candidate’s accomplishments and key positions will be made available to CFT members in the coming weeks.
This open endorsement at CFT means that we encourage your local to endorse any one of these candidates, if your local chooses to make an endorsement. Also, anyone representing CFT at any endorsing event (such as the Dem Party or Labor Fed Conventions) would support an open endorsement, as opposed to a particular candidate.
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-----
Teachers concerned over 'gag orders' in education
Free speech advocates warn that backers of limiting educator speech are using polls to sharpen their tactics. They predict that in 2024, bills will target students as well. Pen America, a free speech advocacy organization, has expressed concern over the potential limitations on both educators and students. The organization believes that these tactics are being used to suppress free speech and hinder open dialogue in educational institutions. The advocates argue that the use of polls to justify these limitations is a strategic move to gain public support. They fear that if these tactics are successful, it will have a chilling effect on free expression within the education system. The advocates urge for a robust defense of free speech rights and emphasize the importance of protecting the voices of both educators and students.
----- FINANCE -----
Tennessee could reject federal K-12 funding
A legislative task force in Tennessee is exploring the idea of saying no to the hundreds of millions of dollars in education funds it receives each year from Washington under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and other laws. The group of lawmakers is charged with determining whether the state can replace the money it receives from the U.S. Department of Education with state funds so it wouldn’t have to comply with the mandates tied to the federal funds. Such a decision would risk funding streams intended for specific groups of Tennessee students and schools, including Title I funding for schools that serve larger populations of students from low-income families, funding for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, funding for English-learners, and career-technical education programs. If the panel determines the state has a path forward to reject the funding, Tennessee could become the first state in history to reject money from the Education Department.
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
Schools to receive free rapid COVID-19 tests
School districts across the country will soon be able to order free rapid COVID-19 tests from the federal government. The initiative aims to provide millions of tests to schools as COVID cases are expected to peak in the winter months. This is the first time that 19,000 school districts will have direct access to tests from a federal stockpile. Dawn O'Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response within the Department of Health and Human Services, states that the tests can be used by schools as they see fit, including sharing them with students, staff, and family members. The federal government's effort to expand testing in community settings comes as some polling suggests that the public is becoming less likely to test and take precautions against COVID. The school testing initiative is expected to last through the winter months, and schools can request as many tests as they need each week. Rapid antigen tests are still effective in detecting key variants, including the omicron variant. Nate Hafer, a professor of molecular medicine, advises testing multiple times to ensure accurate results.
Ed.gov NPR / National Public Radio
Biden plans to boost salaries for early childhood teachers
A new plan from the Biden administration could significantly increase salaries for thousands of low-paid early childhood teachers caring for the country's poorest children. The Health and Human Services agency's proposed federal rule would require Head Start programs to raise teachers' salaries to put them on par with local public schoolteachers, and to beef up benefits. The requirement could raise wages by as much as $10,000 for Head Start teachers over the next seven years. Head Start teachers, many of whom are required to have a bachelor's degree, make about $39,000 a year on average. Head Start teacher turnover has doubled over the last decade. Waitlists are ballooning and classrooms are closing. The number of kids in classrooms could shrink if teacher salaries are raised and Congress doesn't grant more money for the program. If Head Start programs do raise their wages, their jobs could become coveted in communities where daycare workers and early childhood educators are meagerly paid.
Calls for federal study on cellphone use in schools
Two U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would require a federal study on the effects of cellphone use in schools on students' mental health and academic performance. The proposed Focus on Learning Act would also establish a pilot program to create cellphone-free school environments. The bill aims to eliminate distractions and reduce stress among students. The legislation comes as an increasing number of schools and districts are tightening cellphone restrictions. Participating schools in the pilot program would be given grants to purchase secure containers to store students' phones during school hours. Cellphone use would be prohibited during the school day, with exceptions for students with health conditions or disabilities.
----- STATE NEWS -----
California school districts struggle with inequitable funding
California school districts are facing funding challenges and inequities. In some districts, higher-income students receive more funding for school facilities than lower-income students. The state has a hardship fund for districts that can't cover their share of matching funds, but the process is complicated and burdensome for rural superintendents. A recent report recommends that California survey the condition of school buildings and adopt a system to ensure that the neediest districts receive more funding. However, nearly 40% of school districts in California can't raise enough through local bonds to cover necessary repair costs. Students in schools with good facilities perform better on standardized tests and are more likely to attend regularly. Small districts in areas with lower property values struggle the most and need more assistance from the state. The article highlights the challenges faced by the Keyes Union School District and the Plumas Lake Elementary School District as examples.
California lawmakers negotiate largest school construction bond in decades
As California's fund to fix crumbling schools dwindles, lawmakers are negotiating a ballot measure for the state's largest school construction bond in decades. However, some school superintendents argue that the money will not be enough to address all the maintenance issues and the inequities in the system. Two bills are being considered, one raising $14bn for K-12 schools and community colleges, and the other raising $15.5bn for universities. The bill without the university systems has an advantage, as it has garnered less opposition. The California Taxpayers Association opposes the bill that would increase borrowing limits for school districts, leading to higher property taxes. Experts recommend that any statewide bond should provide significant aid for rural, small, and low-income districts. The condition of school buildings affects student achievement, and students in well-maintained schools perform better on standardized tests. The lack of a permanent funding stream for school facilities in California has resulted in inequities between districts. Superintendents in smaller districts struggle to manage large projects and need more assistance from the state.
Statewide task force convenes to study charter school fraud
A court-ordered statewide task force, aimed at preventing future cases of charter school fraud, will hold its first meeting in San Diego today. The task force was established as part of the A3 charter school case, the largest case of charter school fraud in California. The case involved two operators who ran a network of non-classroom based charter schools, improperly obtaining over $400m in public school funds. The operators have since taken a plea deal and agreed to return the stolen assets. The task force will focus on improving the school auditing process and studying the role of agencies that hold charter schools accountable. The group will be led by State Controller Malia Cohen and William Robert Ayres, the receiver of the A3 case. The task force aims to complete a report with findings and recommendations within a year.
California mandates media literacy courses for public school students
Beginning next year, California's public school students will be required to take media literacy courses that will help them identify fake news and distinguish between legitimate news articles and paid advertising. The new instruction, under Assembly Bill 873, will be integrated into the curriculum from kindergarten through high school. The law aims to address the growing reliance of young people on the internet and social media platforms for news and information. Texas, New Jersey, and Delaware have also passed media literacy laws. Assemblymember Marc Berman, the author of the bill, emphasizes the importance of teaching the next generation to be critical consumers of online content and guard against misinformation.
----- DISTRICTS -----
Portland Schools reaches tentative agreement with teachers union
Oregon's largest school district, Portland Public Schools, has reached a tentative agreement with its teachers' union, ending a strike that lasted over three weeks. The agreement, which still needs to be voted on by the teachers and approved by the school board, will allow approximately 45,000 students to return to school today. The deal includes improvements in areas such as classroom size, teacher salaries, health and safety, and mental health supports for students. It also provides a cost-of-living increase for educators over the next three years, alongside additional classroom planning time. The Portland Association of Teachers, representing over 4,000 educators, called it a "watershed moment" for students, families, and educators. The strike was prompted by concerns over growing class sizes, lack of teacher supports and planning time, and stagnant salaries. The district had previously stated that it did not have enough funding to meet the union's demands. The agreement comes after months of bargaining for a new contract.
Portland teachers approve contract to end strike
Portland Public Schools teachers have voted overwhelmingly to ratify the deal to settle a strike that closed schools for most of November. In an email to members, leaders of the teachers union said that 94.7% of members approved the proposed contract. The school board also voted to approve the new contract Tuesday evening. Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, noted that while some educators were frustrated by what the new contract does not include, it was already yielding dividends. Separately, Gov. Tina Kotek vowed Tuesday to plan for statewide changes to education funding, priorities, and transparency, the need for which she said was laid bare by the protracted teacher strike. “The strike was a reflection of larger challenges that districts across the state are facing. From educator salaries not staying competitive with the market, to backlogs in facility maintenance, to classroom disruptions related to the behavioral health needs of students, we clearly have work to do,” Kotek said in a statement.
Concerns shadow Vancouver special students moving to general education
The Vancouver Education Association has filed a complaint against Vancouver Public Schools in Washington state, alleging that a change in the district's special education policy violates student rights and the union's collective bargaining agreement. The district asked for some middle and high school special education students to be moved to general education classrooms for certain subjects, stating that they are not forms of "specifically designed instruction." The change is intended to fulfill state and federal graduation requirements. The union argues that these unilateral changes to the learning environment violate students' individualized education plans and may set them up for failure. The union estimates that as many as 364 children in the district will be affected by the change. The lack of appropriate special education staff is a concern raised by the union and staff in other local districts.
----- GOVERNANCE -----
Growing debate surrounds school board compensation
Despite some momentum around the country to increase pay for local school board members, at least 13 states explicitly ban the practice, according to an EdWeek analysis of state laws. The debate about whether school board members should receive compensation for their time and expertise has gained traction in recent years as districts contemplate how to develop more diverse slates of candidates for these influential seats. In 2023 alone, two states, Kansas and Mississippi, codified school board compensation into law, allowing members of local boards to receive pay for their work. The Denver school board earlier this month voted 6-1 to approve a salary increase for future board members, from $8,250 to $33,000 per year, the maximum allowed under Colorado law. In doing so, a board member cited a need to “remove barriers that prevent a school board that looks like and reflects” the student body. While the drive to pay school board members has happened in hopes of attracting members who are more representative of the communities they represent, no research has been conducted to test whether compensation is effective in attracting more diverse candidates or in improving board members' ability to manage districts. Still, advocates argue that the amount of time members spend working on board duties is evidence enough that they should be compensated. Many board members even say their duties are equivalent to a full-time job.
----- WORKFORCE ----
Greater autonomy could temper teacher burnout
Common issues like burnout and demoralization need to be addressed to repair the teacher pipeline, according to a new report by the Center on Reinventing Public Education. While common and wide-scale solutions to staffing challenges like recruitment strategies, better compensation, professional development, and more accessible pathways may help, they are not enough, the report argues. Unconventional educator roles like mentoring are appealing to teachers because they can have increased autonomy and personal connections. Most of the 32 teachers across nine school systems that CRPE researchers interviewed liked working in unconventional roles but didn’t see themselves in the positions long term. To recruit and maintain more innovative educators, the report recommends that district leaders increase teacher autonomy, customize the support provided, and determine whether reimagined teaching roles can improve student learning.
----- CLASSROOM -----
Poverty fuels chronic absenteeism
While chronic absenteeism has impacted students from all backgrounds during the pandemic years, the greatest effect has been at schools serving more students in poverty. According to an analysis of federal data by Attendance Works, for schools where three-quarters or more of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, extreme chronic absenteeism almost tripled between the 2017-18 and 2021-22 school years, from 25% to 69%. Extreme chronic absenteeism for schools serving up to a quarter of low-income students increased nearly fivefold, from 3% to 14%, but remained at much lower levels. Overall, the report found that poverty influenced the size and scale of the pandemic’s impact on chronic absences. About a third of districts nationwide reported half their schools experiencing extreme levels of chronic absence. The Education Department has already stressed the importance of reaching out to historically underserved families, including students of color, English learners and students with disabilities, as well as those in foster care, in correctional facilities or without a home.
----- LEGAL -----
Chino Valley Unified considers banning books
The Chino Valley Unified School Board has voted to create a panel to review and potentially ban books that parents consider inappropriate. However, opponents argue that the policy is too broad and that the concerned books are not even in the district's school libraries. The board may face opposition from state leaders, as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill in September that allows the state to override school boards censoring books that denigrate LGBTQ+ students and other minority groups. This bill, known as Assembly Bill 1078, empowers parents and others to file a complaint with the state superintendent of public instruction if the removal of a book violates the state FAIR Education Act. The act requires instructional materials to accurately represent the history, viewpoints, and experiences of California's diverse and underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ+ Californians. The superintendent has the authority to order a remedy, such as the purchase of a library book or instructional material.
Laws restricting pronouns for students spark concern
Laws enacted in at least 10 states prohibit or restrict students from using pronouns or names that don't match their sex assigned at birth. These laws have sparked fear and confusion among transgender students and teachers. Supporters argue that parents should have a say in their children's pronoun usage, while opponents believe these laws further marginalize transgender and nonbinary students. Mental health experts and advocates warn that requiring parental consent or notification of pronouns can put trans students at risk. Some teachers are finding ways to defy the restrictions, but many fear the consequences. The lack of guidance on compliance with the new laws adds to the confusion. Teachers' groups express concerns about the administrative burdens and confusion caused by these laws. Lawsuits have been filed in Kentucky and Indiana challenging the constitutionality of these laws.
----- HEALTH & WELLBEING -----
Teen suicide rates hit record levels in Los Angeles County
The median age for teen suicide in Los Angeles County has dropped to 16, the youngest ever. Suicide rates among young people have been rising, with theories including the impact of social media, access to guns, and hormonal contraceptives. The rate among Black and Asian youths is now higher than among white ones. The academic calendar seems to play a role, as suicides are more likely to occur during the school year. However, the systems meant to help children in crisis have been neglected, with a lack of psychiatric beds and pediatric psychiatrists. The surge in eating disorders among girls, fueled by social media, also increases the risk of suicide. It is crucial to have open conversations about suicide and provide adequate support to prevent further tragedies.
Despite its rapid rise in recent years, California’s teen suicide rate is still below the national average, a success experts peg to the state’s strict gun laws. California was also one of the first states to mandate suicide prevention plans in public schools after the passage of Assembly Bill 2246 in 2016.
----- HIGHER EDUCATION -----
More international students choose U.S. for higher education
More international students are choosing the U.S. for higher education, with a record growth in enrollment. The U.S. hosted over a million international college students in the 2022-2023 academic year, marking a 12% increase from the previous year. New international student enrollment surged by 14% in 2022-2023, reaching 298,523. The U.S. government and American colleges and universities are eager to welcome international students, recognizing the country's global leadership in higher education. Indian students make up a significant portion of international students, with a 35% increase in enrollment from India. The U.S. is also attracting more students from sub-Saharan Africa, with Ghana joining the list of top 25 countries sending students. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, international education in the U.S. is rebounding, with 95% of international students physically studying on U.S. campuses. The most popular fields of study for international students in the U.S. are math and computer science, engineering, business and management, social sciences, and physical and life sciences. Experts expect the interest in pursuing higher education in the U.S. to continue.
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