Updates from US Dept of ED, Office of Safe & Healthy Students

Source: American School Counselor Association

 

U.S. ED/HHS Awards Nine States Race to The Top-Early Learning Challenge Grants to Help Build Statewide Systems of High Quality Early Education Programs

On December 16, 2011, the White House announced that nine states - California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington - will receive grant awards from the $500 million Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge fund, a competitive grant program jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.  

Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius made the announcement of state grantees at a White House event with over 100 early learning and development experts, educators, policymakers, and researchers.

"In a matter of months, early education and child development experts throughout the country, together with state and local leaders, worked to build comprehensive plans for expanding access to high-quality early learning," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "All applicants showed tremendous dedication and drive to build stronger foundations and create greater opportunities for more children. Their work will help lead the way in ensuring excellent early learning and support for every child." "A strong educational system is critical not just for our children but also for our nation's economic future," said U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. "The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge takes a holistic approach to early education, promotes innovation, and focuses on what it takes to help put young children on the path of learning, opportunity, and success."

Through the competition, 35 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico have created plans to increase access to high-quality programs for children from low-income families, providing more children from birth to age 5 with a strong foundation they need for success in school and beyond.  The number and list of winners was determined both by the quality of the applications and the funds available. 

The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge will support the work of the nine state grantees to develop new approaches to raising the bar across early learning centers and to close the school readiness gap. Awards will invest in grantees' work to build statewide systems of high-quality early learning and development programs. These investments will impact all early learning programs, including Head Start, public pre-K, childcare, and private preschools. Key reforms will include: aligning and raising standards for existing early learning and development programs; improving training and support for the early learning workforce through evidence-based practices; and building robust evaluation systems that promote effective practices and programs to help parents make informed decisions.

The fiscal year 2011 budget provided an additional $700 million to invest in early learning and elementary and post secondary education reform. In addition to the $500 million awarded today to Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grantees, seven states - Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania - have applied for a share of the $200 million to invest in K-12 education reform. Awards will be announced later this month.

State data relevant to the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge along with peer reviewers' scores and comments were recently posted online. Grant awards will range from around $50 million up to $100 million, depending on State population and proposed plans. Budgets will be finalized after discussions between the grantees and the Departments, and states will draw down funds in accordance with their plans.

To learn more about the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge .

U.S. Justice's OJP's OJJDP Announces a new Bulletin-"Bullying in Schools: An Overview"

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs' Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has released Bullying in Schools: An Overview.

This bulletin examines the connection between different types and frequencies of bullying, truancy, and student achievement, and whether students' engagement in school mediates these factors. It discusses the results of three studies conducted in 2007 at the National Center for School Engagement, and compares these results with those from a Swedish study.

The authors conclude that victimization in the form of bullying can distance students from learning. Schools can overcome this negative effect if they adopt strategies that engage students in their work, creating positive learning environments that produce academic achievement.

Resources:

Bullying in Schools: An Overview (NCJ 234205) is available online at:www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/234205.pdf.

The Center for School Mental Health and the IDEA Partnership (U.S. ED Funded) Announces Request for Proposals for the 18th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, October 25-27, 2012 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Proposals are now being accepted for the 18th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health to be held October 25-27, 2012 at the Marriott Hotel (75 S. West Temple) in Salt Lake City, Utah.  The Conference is sponsored by the Center for School Mental Health (CSMH) and the IDEA Partnership (funded by the Office of Special Education Programs [OSEP], sponsored by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education).

The theme of this year's conference is School Mental Health: Promoting Positive Outcomes for Students, Families, Schools, and Communities.

The conference features twelve specialty tracks and offers speakers and participants numerous opportunities to advance knowledge and skills and to network related to school mental health practice, research, training, and policy. The deadline for submissions is January 23, 2012.

To read the Request for Proposalshttp://csmh.umaryland.edu/docs/annual/FINALRFP%20for%2017th%20Annual.pdf.

All proposals must be submitted online athttp://cf.umaryland.edu/csmha/abstract_conference.cfm .

HHS' HRSA Offers Support for School-Based Health Centers will Increase access to Care for Many Children under the Affordable Care Act Through School-Based Health Center Construction Grants

As a result of the Affordable Care Act, more than $14 million was awarded on December 8, 2011 to 45 school-based health centers across the country allowing the number of children served to increase by nearly 50 percent, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced.

Clinics receiving the awards, made possible by the health reform law, are already providing much-needed health care services to 112,000 children.  Today's infusion of new money will enable them to expand their capacity and modernize their facilities, which will allow them to treat an estimated additional 53,000 children in 29 States.

Funds awarded today will help create jobs for Americans across the country. Funds will support job opportunities as more Americans will be needed to meet the clinics' pressing capital needs - including construction, renovation and new equipment. 

School-based health centers enable children with acute or chronic illnesses to attend school, and improve the overall health and wellness of all children through health screenings, health promotion and disease prevention activities.  Typically, a school-based clinic provides a combination of primary care, mental health care, substance abuse counseling, case management, dental health, nutrition education, health education, and health promotion activities.

"These grants will enable school-based health centers to establish new sites or upgrade their current facilities, which will increase their ability to provide preventive and primary health care services, and help children improve their health and remain healthy," said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. 

The Affordable Care Act provides $200 million in funding from 2010 - 2013 for the School-Based Health Center Capital Program to address significant and pressing capital needs and to improve delivery and support expansion of services at school-based health centers.

These grants are the second in the series of awards that will be made available to school-based health centers under the Affordable Care Act.  The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the School-Based Health Center Capital Program.

A full list of new grantees is available at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/12/20111208a_grantees.html .

To learn more about School-Based Health Centers, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/12/health-centers12082011a.html .

To learn more about the Affordable Care Act, visit: www.healthcare.gov

 

FSCA - Bold Move!

Quick Access: FSCA Forum | Advocacy | Members Only | Magazine | Join | News | Contact

December 1, 2011 Dear Colleagues, The Florida School Counselor Association (FSCA) has taken a BOLD step! The work of counselors in every school needs to be recognized, model school counseling programs need to be supported, assigned tasks need to be relevant to the state frameworks, and the number of students school counselors serve needs to align more with ASCA recommendations. School counselors’ training, experience, and focus on student achievement, preparation for the rigors of lifelong learning and career success needs to be supported in policy at the District and state levels of government. In keeping with the ASCA model and Florida School Counseling Frameworks, FSCA is ramping up its leadership and advocacy role. School counselors’ jobs should be protected and recognized for the success of their efforts in developing responsive programs and increasing student performance and not be easily cut to balance a budget. In its annual accountability evaluation, FSCA’s Governing Board recognized that it has achieved most of its’ mission and key strategic goals: supporting relevant professional development, creating a cost-efficient structure for the organization’s management, and facilitating effective communication mechanisms through the website and quarterly newsletter; but the board has not adequately created a structure for its advocacy efforts. While we have an excellent advocacy platform, the FSCA leadership is eager to "get to the next level." We actively researched advocacy models around the country. We could continue relying on our great website and relevant professional development opportunities, but we feel it is time to enhance our advocacy efforts and move FSCA to be more than a member service organization. We believe that our next step is to make our advocacy role around the state and especially in Tallahassee priority one. The Exciting News... To provide experience and expertise in the area of political advocacy, we have entered into a contract with Capitol Strategies Consulting, Inc. who will be working for Florida school counselors to advocate more effectively and to help write, pass and enact “model legislation” that draws from the ASCA National Model, Florida Frameworks, and successful legislation from around the country. We believe that student success depends upon exposure to effective school counseling programs that require: • Every school should have at least a full time certified, professional school counselor; • Counselors must be expected and allowed to do the job for which they are trained; • Schools and districts must attempt to follow the national model’s ratio of 1:250 for ALL students to benefit from well-planned and accountable school counseling programs; • School Counselor should be the term for what we do in the 21st century, the title guidance counselor detracts from our contemporary knowledge, skills and accomplishments; • Counselors must be evaluated on the work they are trained to do and the measurable differences they make with students. This Will Take Work and Funding... We know this is a long term commitment and may take several years to accomplish. However, we have already identified key legislative champions who are willing to help craft legislation and move it through the process of voting and ratification. We believe that this initiative will benefit students in all educational settings by providing the leadership needed for setting standards for school counseling programs and school counselor roles. In November during Convention, more than 50 of our members/leaders met at the Delegate Assembly and unanimously voted to increase dues by 50%, effective January 1, 2012 to support the advocacy efforts and the mission of the organization. The largest increase is to professional members which will cost $15 more per year. All agreed this will be a critical investment in our own professional future and the success of our students. This is our first increase in over twenty years and all extra dues will be earmarked towards our advocacy efforts. Watch our website as we update and roll-out our new Advocacy page. Please sign-up for legislative alerts, and get to know your local delegation when they are home from Tallahassee. Let them know school counselors support student success every day. Renew your membership, invite a colleague to join, join an existing chapter or create a new chapter of FSCA if none is available in your area. Remember that numbers matter in Tallahassee. Don’t wait for others to lead; step forward, lead and advocate for our students and your professional future. Sincerely, Christopher B. Smith President Florida School Counselor Association

Florida School Counselor Association, © 2006-2011 Proud Division of the American School Counselor Association Contact FSCA

Bright Futures Changes.mpg

Administrators try hand at new Pasco teacher evaluation system - St. Petersburg Times

Administrators try hand at new Pasco teacher evaluation system - St. Petersburg Times:

WESLEY CHAPEL — Veterans Elementary School assistant principal Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd sat in the middle of the classroom, scribbling copious notes as first-grade teacher Heather Cencerik gave her lesson on author's purpose.

Miami-Dade schools debut merit pay in Florida - Schools - MiamiHerald.com

Miami-Dade schools debut merit pay in Florida - Schools - MiamiHerald.com: "Miami-Dade County Public Schools recently gave thousands of teachers an extra bump in their paychecks and plans to reward the district’s top 120 teachers with bigger bonuses.

Fwd: [ASCA Scene] Help Save Pell!

Amanda Fitzgerald posted the following topic Help Save Pell! ACTION ALERT ISSUE: Federal legislators are considering cuts to the Pell Grant that makes postsecondary education possible for our nation's neediest students and ultimately contributes to improving our nation's economic growth. More than 9 million students count on the Pell Grant to enroll in and complete degree programs each year. ASCA along with the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) are asking all members to take a moment to contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to support funding the Pell Grant maximum at $5,550. ACTION IS NEEDED TODAY! VOTES ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN AS EARLY AS THIS AFTERNOON! Please widely circulate this message and encourage all educators, friends and neighbors to call/e-mail their elected officials. If you have any questions or have difficulty finding your elected official please e-mail Amanda Fitzgerald. Amanda Fitzgerald, Director of Public Policy ASCA

Share your story and help Save Pell

Click here to view in browser

Help Save Pell: Tell Your Story On behalf of the millions of students who depend on Pell Grants to afford higher education, we thank you for asking President Obama to say NO to decreasing the maximum Pell award, or to changing the program’s eligibility requirements. America cannot afford for a deficit reduction agreement to be brokered at the expense of working-class students who are trying to earn their way into the middle class. The Education Trust's goal is to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement that consign far too many young people to life on the margins. We believe Pell Grants are critical to achieving this goal. Keep in mind: Nearly 10 million students rely on Pell to be able to afford higher education — and nearly half of all African-American undergraduates and 40 percent of Latino undergraduates are Pell recipients. Thirty years ago, the maximum Pell award was equivalent to about three-fourths of the cost to attend a public four-year college. Today, it covers only about one-third. Pell has already taken its fair share of hits on behalf of debt reduction. Earlier this year, billions were slashed from the program when the government eliminated summer Pell awards. But these data only tell part of the story. Are you a Pell success story? Were you able to graduate from college because of funding you got from the Pell Grant program? Or do you currently receive Pell support and worry that cuts to the program could force you to drop out? Tell us your story and help us put a face on the fight to Save Pell. P.S. To stay connected with the latest news on efforts to Save Pell, “like” the campaign on Facebook and follow our Twitter feed.

Pell Grant

ASCA is working with the Education Trust, state associations, and a number of other organizations to urge Congress and the President to remove the Pell Grant from all negotiations in the upcoming debt reduction and balanced budget votes.

The Pell Grant is being used as a bargaining chip and is in danger. The Education Trust has developed an electronic petition that will be sent to the President. Please consider singing on and forward to your networks.

Please Act NOW! The votes for these issues are expected as early as tomorrow!
http://www.change.org/petitions/president-obama-tell-gop-pell-grants-arent-welfare

ACTION ALERT

ACTION ALERT

ISSUE: Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-52nd Calif.) has introduced H.R. 1891, which would repeal 43 education programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), including the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP), a federally funded, competitive grant program.

This bill is not deciding whether or not to fund the small competitive grant program; it would be to repeal the various 43 programs, removing them from the appropriations debate altogether. Essentially, the programs would be removed from federal law with the impossibility to ever be funded again without a congressional measure to reinstate them. This bill would remove the definition of "school counselor" in federal law, as the only place it appears is within ESSCP. Read Hunter's press release or view a detailed summary and list of programs that would be affected.

ACTION NEEDED: We are asking you to call or e-mail your House and Senate members today with the following message:

"As a constituent of Representative/Senator ___________, I am calling/writing because I strongly oppose H.R. 1891. I would like to request you, as my elected official, refuse to pass this bill, which would eliminate vital programs affecting student success. Programs such as the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program are not duplicative nor wasteful, as the bill implies, and are necessary for our students especially in time of economic hardship. The elimination of this program will have a negative impact on our students.

Steps for Reaching Members of Congress: If you don't know who your members of Congress are, go to http://www.contactingthecongress.org/, enter your ZIP code, and the names of your elected representatives with phone numbers and hyperlinks will appear.

If you know your members of Congress you can call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 225-3121 and ask for your member's office. When you call, make sure to give your name and identify yourself as a constituent; you may need to give your home address (city/town). If you are unable to get through via phone, please go to your member's Web site (which can be found at http://www.contactingthecongress.org/) and opt to send an e-mail. Be sure to let them know that you are an educator and these cuts will have a negative impact on your work and the education of children in his/her district. Personal stories are the most meaningful.

Please widely circulate this message and encourage all educators in your building to call/e-mail their elected officials. This is timely matter; please act today! If you have any questions or have difficulty finding your elected official please e-mail Amanda Fitzgerald.


Amanda Fitzgerald, Director of Public Policy

ASCA

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email: ascaaspects@schoolcounselor.org

web: http://www.schoolcounselor.org

Relating to John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program

Relating to John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program

John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program: Makes scholarships available to students with disabilities who have 504 accommodation plan issued under federal law; allows parent to request & receive scholarship for student to enroll in & attend private school if student has 504 accommodation plan; provides that students with certain temporary 504 accommodation plans are ineligible for scholarship; provides that parent may choose to enroll student in public school in adjacent district under certain conditions; provides for scholarship amounts. Effective Date: July 1, 2011

HB 1255 Relating to Education Accountability

HB 1255	Relating to Education Accountability	Adkins
	Education Accountability: Revises numerous provisions relating to K-12 public education system; revises provisions relating to virtual instruction courses, school board member acceptance of gifts, Opportunity Scholarship Program, McKay Scholarships, Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, special education services, requirements for middle grades promotion & high school graduation, digital curriculum, career & professional academies, use of restraint & seclusion on students with disabilities, assistive technology, statewide assessments, college readiness, school improvement, designation of school grades, education budgets, funding for exceptional student education, & teacher qualifications. Effective Date: July 1, 2011

Relating to Code of Student Conduct

SB 0228	Relating to Code of Student Conduct	Siplin
	Code of Student Conduct; Requires the district school board to include in the code of student conduct adopted by the board an explanation of the responsibilities of each student with regard to appropriate dress and respect for self and others and the role that appropriate dress and respect for self and others has on an orderly learning environment, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2011

Relating to Offense of Sexting

HB 0075	Relating to Offense of Sexting	Abruzzo
	Offense of Sexting:Provides that minor commits offense of sexting if he or she knowingly uses computer, or any other device capable of electronic data transmission or distribution, to transmit or distribute to another minor any photograph or video of any person which depicts nudity & is harmful to minors; provides noncriminal & criminal penalties; provides that transmission, distribution, or possession of multiple photographs or videos is single offense if transmission occurs within 24-hour period, etc. Effective Date: October 1, 2011

School Counselor Blog

One of the best School Counselor blogs/webs sites around! Danielle has developed a relevant, resourceful, and active must-see place to be.

FASA 2011 End of Legislative Session Wrap Up

 

Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser.   Florida Association of School Administrators 2011 Legislative Summary By Jessica Janasiewicz   The 2011 Florida Legislative Session ended at approximately 3:00am Saturday. It was a difficult and often combative Session with major issues such as immigration, Supreme Court restructuring, retirement reform, prescription drug tracking, Medicaid reform, pay for performance and the budget all taking center stage at different times during the 60 day period....   Click here to view full report.   If you have any further questions on the report email Juhan Mixon, Executive Director FASA.       Florida Association of School Administrators 326 Williams Street | Tallahassee, FL 32303

 

AAUW Breaking Through Barriers for Women and Girls

AAUW FL Action Alert - Education underfunded

Vouchers and Mandates

The massive teacher bill passed weeks ago wasn't enough. The legislature now wants to expand vouchers for private schools and to expand virtual instruction. The Senate is poised to take up HB 965 (in lieu of its own SB1388) to allow corporations now to claim tax credits up to the full amount of their state corporate income tax and insurance premium tax and to carry forward an unused credit for up to five years. This bill also allows the large nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations (SFOs with $10 million of approved tax credit allocations the prior year) to obtain from the Department of Revenue the names and addresses of the 100 taxpayers with the greatest tax liability after all tax credits are applied for the sole purpose of raising funds for the FL Tax Credit Scholarship Program. In addition to expected cuts in education funding, this bill would take additional revenue from the state by allowing credits of $175 million for 2011-12. HB 7197 (in lieu of the Senate's own SB 1620) would require 9th grade students, beginning with the 2011-12 school year, to take at least one online virtual course in order to meet high school graduation requirements. Especially worrisome is the inadequate funding for equipment and the problem many students will have in accessing computers to meet the requirement. Please contact your state senator right away and ask him or her to oppose HB 965 and HB 7197.

CASC/CESCAL School Counselor Advocacy Video

SchoolTube - CASC/CESCAL Advocacy Video

Florida House of Representatives - MyFloridaHouse.gov

Florida House of Representatives Offers Helpful Resources
The Florida House of Representatives has updated its website with enhanced smart phone capabilities that allows access to helpful legislative resources such as Session and Committee schedules, bill tracking, House member searches and more. The site also includes instructions on how to save this resource to your smart phone.

The House is also offering for sale the Clerk's Manual, a guide to the 2010-2012 Florida Legislature, and The Guide to Florida Government. Visit http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/ for more information about these helpful resources.

Education Secretary Duncan to Address Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Forum | U.S. Department of Education

Education Secretary Duncan to Address Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Forum | U.S. Department of Education

Please oppose SB 1656

The Coalition for the Education of Exceptional Students (CEES) Opposes Efforts to Expand the McKay Voucher Program to Students who do not have Recognized Learning Disabilities or to Provide Any Share of ESE Guaranteed Funding to Students who do not Generate Any of that Funding.

Please oppose SB 1656 (Wise) during the Thursday morning Senate Education Committee Meeting

Senate Bill 1656 would provide an entitlement to McKay Vouchers to attend private schools including both a share of basic student funding and a portion of the ESE Guaranteed Allocation to students who have a 504 accommodation plan or who are Tier 3 in Response to Intervention Plan.

Based upon State and Federal Law, students with a 504 accommodation plan or those who are Tier 3 in Response to Intervention are not learning disabled.  They do not receive any extra state funding as a result of the accommodations provided.  They are not included as part of the workload estimates used by budget writers to establish the ESE Guaranteed Allocation.

Providing vouchers to these students and including a share of special funding generally designated for the costs of special services mandated by both state and federal law for students who are disabled will result in systematic underfunding for the services of those students with learning disabilities who remain in the public schools.

Trends nationally toward a Response to Intervention model for serving students who are having difficulties keeping up with academic and social requirements of the classroom but do not have an established learning disabilities was an intentional decision of state and federal policy makers to avoid over-identification of students as having a learning disability simply based upon the fact that they were behind.

CEES Requests Opposition to SB 1656 (Wise).

For more information contact Bob Cerra, CEES Information Specialist, at (850) 222-4428 or bobcerra@comcast.net

HB 289 - Public School Student Participation in Fine Arts Courses

HB 289 - Public School Student Participation in Fine Arts Courses: "Public School Student Participation in Fine Arts Courses: Revises basis for designation of school grades to include participation rates of students in K-12 who are enrolled in fine arts courses."

Contacting the Congress: A Citizen's Congressional Directory

ACTION ALERT ISSUE: As you may know the federal government is currently working under a Continuing Resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11) funding until Friday, April 8. The House Majority has recently passed major cuts to education and is in negotiations with the Senate to make further cuts in order to keep the government running. A new short-term or long-term CR must be passed by April 8 to keep the government functioning. Key congressional offices have made us aware that the elimination of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP), a federally funded, competitive grant program, is a very possible reality in this next round of negotiations. While we certainly don't won't this program eliminated, if it were to be cut it would not be the end of the profession as we know it. In fact, most school counselors out there won't even know that the federal funding has been cut. A majority of school counselors are funded through district/county and state funding. Some school counselors are funded through federal dollars, and you would probably know if you were one of them. (Some people are funded or half of their position is funded through Title 1 dollars, for instance). Even fewer are funded through ESSCP, and you would definitely know if you fall into this category. ESSCP is a competitive grant program that your district would have had to apply for and win. It is a three-year continuation grant (meaning if your district won the grant two years ago then you still need this program to be funded for the third year). NEA estimates, that if the ESSCP were completely eliminated, approximately 675 counseling jobs would be cut, and those aren't all school counselors as school social workers and school psychologists can be hired from that program as well. To put it in perspective there were approximately 105,000 school counselors in the 2008-2009 school year. That said, we don't want to see one school counseling job lost so it is important that we work together to fight the elimination of the ESSCP. ACTION NEEDED: We are asking you to call or e-mail your House and Senate members today with the following message: "As a constituent of Representative/Senator ___________, I am calling/writing because I understand that negotiations are being made to pass a FY 11 budget and that the elimination of several education programs are at stake, including the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP). I would like to request you, as my elected official, preserve the ESSCP and other education programs. Programs such as the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program are vital for our students, especially in time of economic hardship. These cuts will have a negative impact on our students." Steps for Reaching Members of Congress: If you don't know who your members of Congress are, go to http://www.contactingthecongress.org/, enter your ZIP code, and the names of your elected representatives with phone numbers and hyperlinks will appear. If you know your members of Congress you can call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 225-3121 and ask for your member's office. When you call, make sure to give your name and identify yourself as a constituent; you may need to give your home address (city/town). If you are unable to get through via phone, please go to your member's Web site (which can be found at http://www.contactingthecongress.org/) and opt to send an e-mail. Be sure to let them know that you are an educator and these cuts will have a negative impact on your work and the education of children in his/her district. Personal stories are the most meaningful. Please widely circulate this message and encourage all educators in your building to call/e-mail their elected officials. This is timely matter; please act today! If you have any questions or have difficulty finding your elected official please e-mail Amanda Fitzgerald. Amanda Fitzgerald, Director of Public Policy ASCA email: ascaaspects@schoolcounselor.org web: http://www.schoolcounselor.org

Teacher Contracts in Jeopardy

Teachers May Not Receive Contracts

Take Action!

House Vote Likely on Wednesday, March 30

Teacher Contracts in Jeopardy

If you are a current first, second and possibly third year annual contract teacher working to obtain your PSC, Florida Legislators are working to take that right away, too!

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Members of the House are poised to vote on ending Professional Service Contracts (PSC) for all current first, second and possibly third teachers. Take Action - Contact your legislator, Today.

One of the questions FEA has received about SB 736 is whether or not current first and second year teachers will be eligible for Professional Service Contracts (PSC) (See Frequently Asked Questions #28).

CS/HB 7087/7091* aims to end that speculation by eliminating the language which would allow first and second year teachers to be eligible for PSC. These bills have sped through the legislature and are scheduled to be heard on the Floor of the House on Tuesday, March 29 with final vote by the House likely on Wednesday, March 30.

These bills repealed some obsolete language for programs which were no longer funded or under-utilized. As legislators went through the amendment process with these bills it became clear they were trying to ensure that PSC would not be available for current first or second year annual contract teachers. This group of teachers, if these bills pass both House and Senate, will only be eligible for annual contracts. When these teachers were first hired, they were told that after 3 years of successful service they would be eligible for PSC.

Take Action - Contact your House Representative, Today.

Tell them to stop the attacks on teachers. Let them know that you have worked hard to earn your Professional Service Contract. You deserve to obtain it and keep it. This is nothing more than another broken promise.

• Click to see list of Representatives with phone numbers and email.

• Use the Florida House of Representatives' locator to find your legislator.

A Letter to Scott Walker From a Wisconsin Teacher

A Letter to Scott Walker From a Wisconsin Teacher

 

By Adam Weinstein

 

Via one of our Tumblr chums, Positively Persistent Teach, here's an open letter from one high school social studies teacher, Eric Brehm of Endeavor, Wisconsin, to Gov. Scott Walker, asking about the impacts of his "budget repair bill." It's lengthy and worth reading-and passing on-in its entirety. You can also read up on Brehm at his blog, Bang the Bucket. In his own words:

 

On Saturday, February 19, 2011, I sent the following letter to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. It has since been re-posted and blogged a number of times, for which I am grateful.  However, this blog would not be complete unless I included a copy of it here.  And so, here is where it all began:

To the Duly-Elected Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker (and anyone else who gives a hoot):

It has only been a week, and I grow weary of the political struggle that your Budget Repair Bill has caused.  I am tired of watching the news, though I have seen many of the faces of those I hold dear as they march on the Capitol.  I am tired of defending myself to those who disagree with me, and even a bit tired of fist-bumping those who do.  I am tired of having to choose a side in this issue, when both sides make a certain degree of sense.  And so I offer you this desultory (aimless or rambling) philippic (angry long-winded speech), because at the end of the day I find that though this issue has been talked to death, there is more that could be said.  And so, without further ado, here are my points and/or questions, in no particular order.

1.  You can have my money, but ...  Ask any number of my students, who have heard me publicly proclaim that a proper solution to this fiscal crisis is to raise taxes.  I will pay them.  I have the great good fortune to live in a nation where opportunity is nearly limitless, and I am willing to pay for the honor of calling myself an American.  Incidentally, Warren Buffett, the second richest man in the nation (and a Democrat) agrees with me.  Your proposed Budget Repair Bill will cost me just under $3000 per year at my current salary, with the stated goal of saving $30 million this year on the state budget.  I say, take it.  You can have it.  It will hurt me financially, but if it will balance the budget of the state that has been my home since birth, take it with my blessing.  But if I may, before you do, I have some questions.

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SIDEBAR:  If you wished to trim $30 million off of the budget, that works out to about $6.91 per Wisconsin taxpayer. So I must ask: Is it fair that you ask $3000 of me, but you fail to ask $6.91 of everyone?

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According to the 2009 estimate for the U.S. Census, 5,654,774 people live in the state of Wisconsin.  Of those, 23.2% are under the age of 18, and presumably are not subject to much in the way of income tax.  That still leaves about 4,342,867 taxpayers in the state of Wisconsin.  If you wished to trim $30 million off of the budget, that works out to about $6.91 per Wisconsin taxpayer.  So I must ask:  Is it fair that you ask $3000 of me, but you fail to ask $6.91 of everyone?  I know that times are tough, but would it not be more equitable to ask that each taxpayer in the state contribute an extra 13 cents a week?

Would you please, kindly, explain exactly how collective bargaining is a fiscal issue?  I fancy myself to be a fairly intelligent person.  I have heard it reported in the news that unless the collective bargaining portion of this bill is passed, severe amounts of layoffs will occur in the state.  I have heard that figure given as 6,000 jobs.  But then again, you've reportedly said it was 10,000 jobs.  But then again, it's been reported to be as high as 12,000 jobs.  Regardless of the figure, one thing that hasn't been explained to my satisfaction is exactly how or why allowing a union to bargain collectively will cost so much money or so many jobs.  Am I missing something?  Isn't collective bargaining essentially sitting in a room and discussing something, collectively?  Is there now a price tag on conversation?  How much does the average conversation cost?  I feel your office has been eager to provide doomsday scenarios regarding lost jobs, but less than willing to provide actual insight as to why that is the case.  I would welcome an explanation.

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SIDEBAR: If I keep going at my current pace, I will work 2,720 hours this school year, 136% to 156% as much as your average hourly worker.

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Why does your concern over collective bargaining, pensions, and healthcare costs only extend to certain unions, but not all?  Why do snow plow drivers and child care providers and teachers and prison guards find themselves in "bad" unions, but firefighters and state police and local police find themselves in unions that do not need to be effected by your bill?  The left wing news organizations, of course, state that this is because these are unions that supported your election bid, while you seek to punish those unions that did not; I would welcome your response to such a charge.  You have stated that the state and local police are too vital to the state to be affected.  Can I ask how child care, or prison guards, or nurses or teachers are not vital?  Again, I would welcome a response.

 

Though you are a state employee, I have seen no provision in your bill to cut your own pension or healthcare costs.  The governor's salary in Wisconsin was about $137,000 per year, last I checked. By contrast, I make about $38,000 per year.  Somewhere in that extra $99,000 that you make, are you sure you couldn't find some money to fund the state recovery which you seem to hold so dear?  As you have been duly elected by the voters of Wisconsin, you will receive that salary as a pension for the rest of your life.  I don't mean to cut too deeply into your lifestyle, but are you sure you couldn't live off $128,000 per year so that you could have the same 7% salary reduction you are asking certain other public employees to take?

2.  Regarding teachers being overpaid and underworked.  I don't really have many questions in this regard, but I do have a couple of statements.  If you haven't already figured it out, I am a teacher, so you may examine my statement for bias as you see fit.  I admit I find it somewhat suspect that teachers are mentioned so prominently in your rhetoric; those protesting at the Capitol are indeed teachers.  But they are also students, and nurses, and prison guards, and plumbers, and firefighters, and a variety of other professions.  If you could go back to "public sector employees," I would appreciate it.  But as far as being overpaid and underworked...I grant you, I have a week's vacation around Christmas.  I have a week off for Spring Break.  I have about 10 weeks off for summer.  With sick days and personal days and national holidays and the like, I work about 8.5 months out of every year.  So perhaps I am underworked.  But before you take that as a given, a couple of points in my own defense.

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SIDEBAR:  As an educator, I understand how difficult it can be to get young people interested in politics. You have managed to do this in the space of one week.

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The average full-time worker puts in 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year, with two weeks' vacation time.  That makes for a grand total of 2000 hours per year.  Part of the teachers' arguments regarding their time is that no one sees how many hours they work at home to grade papers, or create lesson plans, or things of that nature.  I am in a rare state, in that I am not one of those teachers.  I work an hour from where I live, and I like to keep my work at work.  I, therefore, do not bring work home with me, but rather stay at school, or come in early, so that I can grade papers or create lesson plans while at school.  So I am more prepared than most to explain the hours it takes to do my job.  I also supervise an extra-curricular activity (as many teachers do), in that I serve as the Drama Coach for my school.  The school year, so far, has lasted for 24 weeks.  I have, in that time, averaged 78 hours per week either going to school, being at school, or coming home from school.  If you remove my commute, of course, I still average 68 hours per week, thus far.  That means I have put in 1,632 hours of work time this year, which works out to over 80% of what your average full time worker does in a calendar year.  If you include my commute, I'm over 90%.  If I keep going at my current pace, I will work 2,720 hours this school year (or 3,120 hours if you include my commute).  That means I work 136% to 156% as much as your average hourly worker.

As to underpaid - I'm not sure I am underpaid in general, though I do believe I am underpaid in terms of the educational level expected to do my job.  I have two Bachelor's Degrees, and will be beginning work toward my Master's this summer.  By comparison, sir, you never completed college, and yet, as previously stated, you outearn me by almost $100,000 per year.  Perhaps that is an argument that I made the wrong career choice.  But it is perhaps an argument that we need to discuss whether you and others like you are overpaid, and not whether teachers are.

 

3.  Regarding the notion that teachers that are protesting, or legislators currently in Illinois, are hurting the state.  Very briefly, if I may:

 

Teachers have been accused of shirking their duties by protesting for what they believe to be their rights instead of being in school.  The argument has been, of course, that no lessons have been taught when classes aren't in session.  I must submit that lessons in protest, in exercise of the First Amendment right to peaceable assembly, in getting involved as a citizen in political affairs, have been taught these past few days.  The fact that they haven't been taught in the classroom is irrelevant.  Ultimately a very strong duty of the school system is to help students become citizens - I think that has clearly happened this week.

As to the legislators, it seems to me as though they feel their constituents deserve to have a length of time to examine the proposed bill on its merits, not vote it straight up or down three days after it was presented.  As the current budget does not expire until June, this seems to me like the only response left them in light of your decision to fast-track the bill without discussion.  Give them another option, and perhaps they will come back.  I can't say that I agree with their decision, but I can say that I understand it.

 

4.  Regarding the notion that protestors at the Capitol are rabble-rousers and/or thugs.  Such name-calling on the part of conservatives in the state and the conservative media could be severely curtailed if you would speak out against it.  True, most of the people protesting, if not all, are liberals.  Historically, liberals have always tended to think that they have far more support than they actually do.  They also (in my opinion) have a tendency to get extremely organized about three months too late, if at all.  So you can fault them for their decision-making, but I would ask you to speak out against the notion of thuggery.

 

Again, very briefly: So far, 12 arrests have been made.  Estimates say there were about 25,000 people at the Capitol today, and about 20,000 yesterday.  Let's be conservative (mathematically) and say that 40,000 people protested over two days.  That would mean that officers arrested .0003% of all protestors.  By almost any definition, that is an extremely peaceful demonstration, and of course you are aware that the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of peaceable assembly for a redress of grievances.  So in the main, these people have done nothing wrong.

 

5.  If I may provide you with a sense of history.  You work in the largest and most magnificently appointed state capitol in the nation, built by Bob LaFollette (a Republican).  You work in the same building where Phil LaFollette (a Republican) helped guide Wisconsin out of the Great Depression.  You work in the same building where Gaylord Nelson (a Democrat) was the first in the nation to offer rights to unions of state employees, rights that you now seek to overturn.  And you work in the same building where Tommy Thompson (a Republican) provided more state funding to education than any other governor before or since.  Are your current actions truly how you would choose to be remembered?

6.  Finally, Governor, a note of thanks.  Whatever the outcome of the next several days, you deserve a certain degree of credit.  As an educator, I understand how difficult it can be to get young people interested in politics.  You have managed to do this in the space of one week.  A number of Wisconsin's youth support you.  A number of them do not.  But whatever else can be said of you, you have them paying attention, and thinking about voting, and walking around the Capitol, and turning out to be involved.  You have taught your own lessons this week, Governor, and that has its own value.

 

Thank you for your time,

Eric Brehm
Endeavor, WI 53930