KEEPING YOU INFORMED - Negotiations Update By Ruben Mancillas
“If you’ve got a boss, join a union”
from Tom Morello’s Rock and Roll HOF induction speech for Rage Against The Machine
The negotiating team met with the district on December 19 where we presented our most recent offer. The district indicated that they would likely want to wait until the Governor’s budget for 2024-2025 is released this January before responding with a counteroffer.
Members of the ABCFT negotiating team will be attending a School Services conference on January 19 to review next year’s proposed budget.
I hope you all had a good winter break. I had the opportunity to do some reading and want to recommend American Dialogue by Joseph J. Ellis. I had read his earlier history, Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation, but this most recent book does an excellent job of placing the arguments of the founders in the context of contemporary issues. Ellis notes, “the erosion of the middle class is unacceptable and inexplicable because it destroys the functional faith that any hardworking citizen can expect to enjoy a fair share of the American pie…since 1980, this implicit bargain has broken down…over two centuries ago John Adams predicted this would happen, and it did during the late-nineteenth and-and-early-twentieth century era called The Gilded Age. Now it is happening again.” Elsewhere Ellis points out that “the top ten hedge fund managers make more than all of the kindergarten teachers in the United States…the industrial moguls of old made steel, ships, and railroads. The super-rich in the Second Gilded Age mostly manage and make only money, and this is happening throughout the developed world.”
Lastly, let me suggest something inspirational, look up the Hall of Fame speech I quoted above by Tom Morello. I am a big fan of the band Rage Against The Machine. A number of years ago I was fortunate to go with fellow negotiating team members Daren Ham and David Hind to see Morello play a free show down the street from our CFT convention here in Los Angeles. But even if the band isn’t your favorite genre of music please take the opportunity to listen to his eloquent words. Besides being a talented musician, Morello is an articulate public figure who is a passionate advocate for social justice. He thanked his now 100-year-old mother, a retired public school teacher who told him that “history, like music, is not something that happens, it’s something you make.”
Wow. I’m fired up. Let’s make it a great new year!
In Unity,
UNDERSTANDING THE MASTER CONTRACT:
JURY DUTY By Tanya Golden
Have you received a jury duty summons and not sure if you receive your regular teacher’s salary while you fulfill your civic duty? Here’s some good news, ABCFT has contractual language protecting your income while serving on a jury.
You can find this language on page 79 of the master contract under letter D of
Judicial - Leave of Absence:
“A unit member shall receive his/her regular salary while on judicial leave. Any jury duty or witness fees received by the unit member shall be endorsed and remitted to the District other than mileage reimbursement. A court attendance report shall also be submitted at the end of each calendar month.”
If you would rather serve during the summertime, you may be able to receive compensation. However, there are some criteria you need to comply with to be eligible. First, your original court summons has to fall during our 184 contractual days. Second, you must postpone the summons to non-duty days (summer). Third, you do not work in summer school. And lastly, complete some paperwork! If you meet these requirements, you can receive the daily substitute teacher pay while serving your jury duty.
Here’s the contract language for non-duty days jury compensation:
“A unit member who receives court permission to defer jury duty to non-contract days shall be compensated a stipend equal to the daily substitute rate of pay for those days or portion of days served. Unit members shall complete the District “Request for Leave of Absence” Form, attaching a copy of the original summons as well as the court time sheet documenting actual time service. The “Jury Duty – Non Work” Form should be submitted to the Payroll Office within sixty (60) days of the employee’s return to work. Unit members whose original summons was for jury duty during non-work time shall not be eligible for this provision. Unit members employed during
summer school are not eligible for this program during summer school duty days.”
Here is the complete jury duty contractual language:
Judicial - Leave of Absence (pages 79-80)
A. Definition
A judicial duty leave is a leave granted to a unit member to serve as a juror or answer a subpoena as a witness in a major criminal or civil proceeding when an official
notification requiring such duty has been received.
B. Eligibility
This leave shall not be applicable to non-status Adult School teachers.
C. Length of Leave
Leave shall be granted for the period of time directed by the court.
D. Compensation
A unit member shall receive his/her regular salary while on judicial leave. Any jury
duty or witness fees received by the unit member other than mileage reimbursement shall be endorsed and remitted to the District. A court attendance report shall also be submitted at the end of each calendar month.
E. A leave of absence without pay may be granted to a certificated unit member who is officially called for jury duty. If the jury duty is served, s/he may keep all juror fees and mileage. However, a unit member may choose to serve during his/her off-duty or vacation days.
F. A unit member who receives court permission to defer jury duty to non-contract days shall be compensated a stipend equal to the daily substitute rate of pay for those days or portion of days served. Unit members shall complete the District “Request for Leave of Absence” Form, attaching a copy of the original summons as well as the court timesheet documenting actual time service. The “Jury Duty – Non-Work” Form should be submitted to the Payroll Office within sixty (60) days of the employee’s return to work. Unit members whose original summons was for jury duty during non-work time shall not be eligible for this provision. Unit members employed during summer school are not eligible for this program during summer school duty days.
If you have any questions about your particular jury duty situation, please contact, ABCFT’s Membership Coordinator, Tanya Golden at ABCFT@abcusd.us or ext 21500.
MEMBER-ONLY RESOURCES: AFT Student Debt Clinic
Student Loan Forgiveness Consolidation Deadline Bumped To April 2024
The Biden administration is giving borrowers another few months to apply to the student loan forgiveness credit under the Income-Driven Repayment Account Adjustment.
The majority of borrowers will receive the benefits of the account adjustment automatically, but those who hold FFEL-program federal student loans or those with multiple student loans that have a mixed repayment history may need to consolidate into the Direct loan program in order to maximize the benefits. The Direct loan consolidation deadline was supposed to be December 31 and is now being extended to April 30, 2024.
AFT holds regular student debt clinics to walk members through pursuing loan forgiveness and other repayment options. Click here to sign up for the AFT Student Debt Clinic on January 24th.
To learn more about the kind of student loans you have and other important deadlines for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, click here.
CalSTRS RETIREMENT WORKSHOP
Are you trying to decide when to retire?
If you’re comfortable with technology and want to better understand your retirement options and calculate your own retirement estimates, this Retire Now or Later online workshop is perfect for you.
With the guidance of a CalSTRS benefits specialist, you’ll learn how to:
Access CalSTRS online resources.
Log into your myCalSTRS account and access your Retirement Progress Report.
Use the CalSTRS Retirement Benefits Calculator to generate multiple retirement estimates.
Determine if you can retire now or later.
Here are the Retire Now or Later webinars currently available:
KEEPING YOU INFORMED-
School Facilities and Declining Enrollment Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Dates
The School Facilities and Declining Enrollment Ad Hoc Committee meets monthly and is open to the public. The meetings are held at the district school board room on the third Wednesday of each month, starting at 6:00 p.m. on January 17, February 21, March 20, April 17, and May 15, 2024. ABCFT encourages you to attend the meetings so you can learn more about the committee’s work and if you choose to do so, voice your concerns during the public comment times.
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.
“ Negativity, self-pity or a dramatic display of exhaustion and busyness does not inspire anyone.” Educational speaker Peter Glahn is the principal of American Fork High School in American Fork, Utah.
https://www.nassp.org/2023/10/12/for-principals-attitude-is-everything/
This quote made me think about things for a minute. Do you know that moment when people you’ve not seen for a while ask you how you’re doing? How do I want to portray myself? One of the things that came up in the ABCFT Representative Council yesterday was that we ARE ALL busy, and for the most part, I don’t think any group of people has the title of busiest and most exhausted person. It goes back to the question from a couple of weeks ago - how can I simplify my life to have more time for my own life and mental health? Are there issues that block that happiness, and do I have some or no control over those issues?
As teachers, we have limited influence on the factors that impact our classrooms. Some things we collectively advocate for through your voice in the union or with your administration, such as materials, a schedule that works for you, planning time, trainings, etc. But there are factors that we cannot control, such as what impacts our students outside of the classroom. Those outside influences can be positive or negative, but they create the variables in our students that make our instruction both challenging and rewarding. We can attempt to guide parents with tools, strategies, and informative information, but ultimately, our influence is limited. Is your influence limited with students? Absolutely not. Your behaviors, modeling, patience and understanding, care and professionalism, and who you are as an individual are the bright spots in the lives of many students. We all remember a teacher who made us feel special, uniquely guided us, or opened doors of opportunity that we never dreamed about.
I guess my message this week is for us to focus on what we can control or, better yet, what we know will impact our classrooms and our students under our wings. Life is too short, and our energy is finite. Your precision time, and energy are your most precious assets; burning extra energy on decisions out of your control or outside factors that frustrate you is detrimental to your well-being. Focus your energy on what brings you joy. I hope that joy is teaching the students you love, the colleagues you trust and admire, and the support network that allows you to be successful in life.
So when someone asks me how I’m doing, I try to reflect back to them that I am working hard just like everyone else, but I will focus on what inspires me and gives me the energy to thrive. I also want them to know that I give myself a high five every morning because I believe what we do here at ABC is worth it. We all mean something to someone, so give yourself a high five too. You deserve it.
I wish you the best in 2024!
In YOUnity,
Ray Gaer
President, ABCFT
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
On Wednesday January 10, the California Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation will hear CFT's Assembly Bill 259, The California Tax on Extreme Wealth.
Please urge members of the committee to VOTE YES on AB 259
There were 618 billionaires in the United States in 2020 worth $2.9 trillion dollars. While our families and our communities suffered gut-wrenching pain and loss, our schools continue to be underfunded and households struggle with inflationary prices, billionaires in our country have increased in numbers to 741 and their total wealth to $5.2 trillion.
The California Tax on Extreme Wealth would implement a 1% tax on net-worth in excess of $50 million per household in our state, with an additional 0.5% on wealth in excess of a billion dollars, to raise critical funds for education, infrastructure, and much more.
It asks those who have made so much to contribute a small percentage of their extreme wealth so that California families can thrive.
Are you ready to stand with other Californians in support of the the Extreme Wealth Tax? Please sign the CFT petition today.
In Unity,
Jeff Freitas
CFT President
The latest CFT articles and news stories can be found here on the PreK12 news feed on the CFT.org website.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten
----- NEWS STORY HIGHLIGHT - California Budget-----
Rainy day fund would bail out schools, community colleges in Newsom’s 2024-25 state budget
Gov. Gavin Newsom would protect schools and community colleges from the brunt of an $11.3 billion projected drop in state revenue for education, under a proposed 2024-25 state budget he released on Wednesday. The budget calls for covering all current levels of funding and existing commitments for new and expanded programs, plus a less than 1% cost-of-living increase for next year.
The three-year decline in revenue, both for schools and the overall $38.7 billion in the state general fund, is $30 billion less than the Legislative Analyst’s Office had projected a month ago, easing the burden of balancing the budget and avoiding the possibility of drastic budget cuts or late payments — at least for community colleges and TK-12.
However, Newsom is proposing to defer the promised 5% increases in revenue to both the University of California and California State University systems. UC and CSU would borrow that funding this year and get reimbursed in next year’s budget.
“We are deferring but not delaying, and there’s a distinction in the law that will allow UC and CSU just for one year to be able to borrow against that commitment,” Newsom said.
----- CFT Response to Governor’s Budget -----
CFT Comments on Governor Newsom’s January Budget Proposal
SACRAMENTO, CA – CFT released the following statement from President Jeff Freitas in response to Governor Newsom’s January 2024-25 budget proposal:
“With the state facing a $37.9 billion budget deficit, Governor Gavin Newsom has once again demonstrated his strong support for public education by putting forward a budget proposal that avoids steep cuts to our public schools. Investing in the future means investing in the children of this state, and public education from early childhood through university must always be our top priority, especially when difficult budget decisions need to be made.
“While steep cuts are not being proposed to education, we still need our leaders in Sacramento to take bold action to tackle the critical issues facing our public schools, including addressing ongoing staffing shortages and ensuring that our students receive the services and support they deserve.
“California is the 5th largest economy in the world, and our students and their families deserve a public school system that is fully and equitably funded and equal to the economic stature of the state. In order to fully fund our schools and meet the growing needs of our students and our state, all options should be considered, including raising new revenue through progressive taxation.”
----- NATIONAL NEWS -----
Lawsuit progresses against Florida school district over book removal
A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit may move forward against a Florida Panhandle school district over its removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities from library shelves. U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II has granted standing to the writers' group PEN America, publisher Penguin Random House, banned authors, and parents to pursue their claims under the First Amendment's free speech protections. The lawsuit alleges that the Escambia County School District and its board of trustees are violating the First Amendment by removing 10 books which were deemed "educationally suitable" by a district review committee, but were still removed by the school board. The lawsuit also mentions that more than 150 additional books are under review.
Missouri champions four-day school week
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has released a report stating that there has been minimal learning loss after the switch to a four-day school week. The report found that students in Missouri schools have maintained their academic success despite the shorter school week. According to the report: "There is little to no evidence of a negative impact on student achievement." This finding challenges the common belief that a shorter school week would lead to decreased learning outcomes. The report also highlights the positive effects of the four-day week, such as increased teacher retention and improved student attendance. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education hopes that these findings will encourage other school districts to consider implementing a four-day school week as a way to improve student outcomes and address teacher shortages.
----- STATE NEWS -----
Year in review: California schools rebound from COVID, face political fights
California spent billions of dollars in 2023 to help students rebound academically as well as emotionally from the pandemic, with mixed results. While test scores remained stagnant, efforts to lure students back to the classroom appeared to be working.
Despite school districts investing in tutoring, after-school programs and other academic supports, Smarter Balanced standardized test scores changed little from 2022, and lagged well behind pre-pandemic scores. One explanation: an increase in students living in poverty, who are homeless, in foster care or who have disabilities.
Also, a new school dashboard showed improvements in graduation and absenteeism rates, but generally flat performance on other measures of student achievement.
Some advocates have grown impatient with the lack of progress, and said that money alone might not be enough to turn around test scores, particularly for students of color and low-income students.
https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2023/12/california-schools-covid/
Lawmakers to consider ban on tackle football for California kids under 12
SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers will debate on Wednesday whether to ban tackle football for children under 12, a move pushed by advocates seeking to protect kids from brain damage but opposed by coaches who warn it would cut off youths from an important source of physical activity.
The bill, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, is scheduled to have its first public hearing before a legislative committee and is still a long way from passing. Wednesday’s hearing is crucial; the bill must clear the state Assembly by the end of January to have a chance of becoming law this year.
If passed, the bill would not take effect until 2026. Proposed amendments would gradually phase in implementation through 2029. The bill comes as flag football has been gaining popularity nationwide, especially for girls.
California Legislature starts 2024 session with big budget deficit and big protest
California lawmakers gaveled in today for the 2024 legislative session with plenty to do, but scant cash to go around — and protesters supporting a ceasefire in Gaza prompting a quick adjournment.
Health care, housing, schools and environmental programs will jockey for lawmakers’ attention — and state money — as they face the prospect of plugging a $68 billion hole in the budget for 2024-25. Legislative budget analysts have identified $10 billion in cuts in one-time spending and dipping into $24 billion in reserves.
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, an Encino Democrat who just took over as chairperson of the budget committee, said the deficit is likely to impact everything the Legislature does this year.
“It’s going to require us to make some tough choices. But that’s what government is about — making tough choices,” he told CalMatters. “Our top priority is going to be to protect vulnerable communities.”
https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/01/legislature-2024-california/
----- DISTRICTS -----
California AG warns schools against forcing staff to out transgender students
California school districts have been warned by Attorney General Rob Bonta not to force staff to out transgender students to their parents. The legal memo, sent to every school district and charter school board in the state, states that policies mandating the disclosure of a student's gender identity or nonconformity without their consent violate state law. The memo argues that such policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the California Constitution, as well as statutory prohibitions on discrimination based on gender. It also states that the policies infringe on students' constitutional right to privacy. Bonta's office is currently involved in a lawsuit with the Chino Valley Unified School District, which has been barred from enacting a notification policy while the case is ongoing. Bonta stated that these policies endanger the well-being of transgender and gender-nonconforming students and have no place in classrooms.
----- CLASSROOM -----
Suspensions among California's homeless youth 'soaring'
Rates of out-of-school suspensions among California’s homeless youth, particularly those who are Black and Native American, have dramatically increased over the past year. According to an analysis of California Department of Education data conducted by the Civil Rights Project at UCLA and National Center for Youth Law, the number of instructional days homeless Black students lost to suspensions increased by 21 days over the past year, and they are now missing an average of 90 days for each 100 enrolled. Meanwhile, homeless Native American students lost roughly 75 days for each 100 enrolled, marking an increase of 17 days. Suspensions for these groups of students are between seven and 10 times the average for California students overall, the report found. "While some of these students may have access to shelters, in many cases these children are literally being sent to the streets," said Dan Losen, the director of Education at the National Center for Youth Law. "The higher rates likely reflect unjustifiable resource cuts, and/or maintaining unjustifiable discipline policies amidst an increase in the needs of students."
Students with non-college educated parents less likely to meet with counselors
Students with parents who did not have college degrees met with school counselors at a lower rate compared to their peers, according to a study published this week in the National Center for Education Statistics. About 72% of ninth graders whose parents didn’t have a college degree met with school counselors, data shows. The report, authored by Catharine Warner-Griffinand Elise Christopher, uses figures from 2009, which provide the latest available data. School counselor caseloads also play a part in how often students visit, according to the report. Students attending schools with smaller caseloads saw counselors about college more often compared to school counselors with higher caseloads. For most of the 2009 ninth-graders, during the senior year, the average counselor caseload at schools attended by these students was 375 students per counselor. The average caseload at public schools was 388, while the average caseload at private schools was 202.
----- FINANCE -----
California teacher pension fund executive to retire
Christopher Ailman, the top investment executive at California's teacher pension fund, will retire at the end of June after more than 20 years of service. Ailman has agreed to advise the incoming CIO through the end of 2024. Ailman guided the fund through several tumultuous periods and grew the fund to about $318bn. Ailman also committed CalSTRS to advancing diversity in the investment industry. Prior to CalSTRS, Ailman spent more than a decade as CIO of the Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System.
----- LEGAL -----
California new laws for 2024: Employees get protection for using cannabis
Starting in the new year, California employers will be barred from asking workers about their use of cannabis outside of work, and from discriminating against them because of it.
Two bills signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in the past couple of years aim to strengthen the state’s legal cannabis industry by updating outdated laws. Assembly Bill 2188, which Newsom signed in 2022, will prohibit employers from using the results of hair or urine tests for marijuana — which can detect traces of cannabis for days or weeks — in their decisions to hire, fire or penalize workers.
When the governor signed AB 2188 along with other cannabis-related bills in 2022, he said in a press release that “rigid bureaucracy and federal prohibition continue to pose challenges to the industry and consumers.”
SB 700, which Newsom signed this year, clarifies AB 2188 by amending the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act to bar employers from asking job applicants about their prior use of cannabis.
https://calmatters.org/economy/2023/12/cannabis-emplo
----- HEALTH & WELLBEING -----
Positive Teacher-Student Relationships Promote Academic Performance and Life-Long Success
With the rise of digital technology and social media—along with a renewed focus on mental health, behavioral outcomes, and classroom climate—social-emotional learning (SEL) is in the spotlight for K–12 educators. Schools are one of the main sources of SEL in children’s lives. Research suggests that effects of high-quality SEL can last for at least six months and up to 18 years. To get these benefits, students need opportunities to practice SEL skills throughout the school day, in academic work and personal interactions, in and outside of the classroom. It all starts with an understanding of the 5 SEL competencies developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). According to the McKinsey group, people with higher SEL skills and competencies are more likely to gain employment if adaptable, more satisfied with their jobs when they can cope with uncertainty, and able to achieve a higher income and gain higher self-confidence.
Download HMH’s free K-12 social emotional learning guide full of research-backed information and school implementation techniques.
----- HIGHER EDUCATION -----
Cal State faculty union vows to strike over the university’s final pay offer
The faculty union of the California State University is planning a week of strikes across the 23 campuses Jan. 22 – 26 after the system said today that it would provide 5% raises to members, far below what the union is seeking. The California Faculty Association is asking for 12% raises this fiscal year, plus other benefits, like extended parental leave and higher minimum salaries for the lowest-paid workers. But the 5% is an amount other employee unions in the system accepted last year as Cal State fought to stave off an even larger labor walk off. From Cal State’s perspective, its latest and final offer concludes contract negotiations. For the faculty union, it reaffirms its plans, broadcast in December, to strike in late January.
https://calmatters.org/education/2024/01/faculty-pay/
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