This is why teachers and education staff professionals need a new bargaining agent!
“If there is a presently existing certified bargaining agent for any of the job classifications listed for inclusion in the proposed bargaining unit, that bargaining agent shall automatically be designated an intervenor.”
-Public Employees Relations Commission
So why is SRPE, the current bargaining agent, trying to collect cards? If the current bargaining agent is making questionable decisions like this, along with hiding financial records from its members, and voting to disaffiliate from the rest of organized labor in the entire country without notification, imagine the decision-making process going on among the current bargaining team when it comes to your salary, benefits, and job protections!
It’s time for Change, not more of the Same. Join Santa Rosa EA today!
Santa Rosa partners with First Book, FEA, and AFT for book giveaway at Central School
Santa Rosa EA has procured several hundred books for distribution later this week at Central School. Holley-Navarre Intermediate teacher Carol Poterek explained, “Santa Rosa EA believes that a strong connection to the community is essential to helping students succeed, and providing books to Central is great way to get kids involved in reading.” First Book, a non-profit social enterprise that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need along with FEA and one of our national affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers, worked to secure the books for distribution to our deserving students at Central.
State News
Legislative Update from the front lines in Tallahassee
Bills: The House passed:
- HB 5007 the FRS bill that changes the default plan to the 401K like investment plan;
- HB 5105 so-called School Improvement which is a huge give-away to charter school operators cynically dubbed “schools of hope;”
- HB 7069 Best and Brightest Teachers and Principals – awards teachers a bonus for a test they did well on when they were in high school and now expands it to include entrance exams such as the LSAT.
Budget: The key differences between the Senate and the House in the K-12 education budget are divisions over property taxes, teacher bonuses and the so-called “Schools of Hope” charter giveaway. The House slashes higher education funding while giving away $200 million to charter schools. The Senate K-12 funding position increases the per-student spending by almost $210 a student for a 2.91% increase over last year while the House proposal only raises per-student spending by a paltry $19 per student for a 0.27% increase over last year. Last, the House grows the so-called “Best and Brightest” teacher bonus program by $200 million while the Senate zeroes out the bonus programs entirely.
April 25 – the 50th Day of the 2017 Legislative Session – is the last day of Senate committee meetings. Passage of the House and Senate budget bills triggers the conference committee process which will work out the differences between the two chambers.
National News
Let Them Sleep? Later School Start Times Improve Graduation and Attendance Rates
Starting school later may be a challenging undertaking, but researchers say it is an idea that all stakeholders need to get behind.