by Brian
This is the 27th January of my career, and I think all of them were happier than this one. Tomorrow school will begin again, and there are 4 weeks left in the first semester. I was in my classroom today, getting ready for my students, but also preparing for an important meeting. In less than 2 weeks the State Legislature will convene, and begin to negotiate a budget that will surely cause serious problems for educators in our state. So tomorrow my department has invited our Representatives to visit our school and hear our concerns.
Here's a few of them:
- The class of 2013 will be required to take and pass End of Course exams in Algebra, Geometry, and Biology in order to graduate.
- The Algebra and Geometry tests weren't ready last year, so many students will instead take "makeup" tests for classes they took more than a year ago.
- The Biology test will not be ready until 2012.
- Governor Gregoire's budget freezes teachers' placement on the salary schedule; a 3-4% loss.
- The loss of 2 Learning Improvement Days in the past two years is a loss of 1.1%
- The COLA approved by voters has been suspended for the last 4 years.
- The loss of the stipend for National Board Certified Teachers is a salary reduction of 10% for a teacher in the middle of the salary schedule.
- Compare that with a salary reduction of 3% for other state workers.
- The suspension of I-728 to reduce class size, and the loss of funding to reduce class size in grades K-4 will increase class sizes at all levels.
- Funds for highly capable students are eliminated.
We recognize that the budget crisis will impact everything. Like Tom said, we are competing with everyone who has a stake in the state budget, so as teachers we need to speak up. Talk to your legislators.
But instead of begging like Mick and the Stones, maybe we should all go to the window, open it, and channel Howard Beale.
I knew that losing the NB bonus was 10% of my salary, but I’m surprised and a little depressed by how it all adds up.
I remember going on strike with my previous district, years ago, because the COLA had been suspended. We went on strike, the COLA was reinstated, and then it simply disappeared again. Quietly. I seem to remember that same year the legislature voted a small increase in their own wages into effect. Those increases never seem to disappear.
It’s frustrating that teachers are alway fighting for small raises and smaller class sizes. We put the signs in our yards, people vote for it, and then it goes away and the battle begins again.
Does the public know that, just because they vote for a class cap of 28, it doesn’t mean there will be a class cap of 28? Or if they vote for a 1% COLA for teachers, it doesn’t mean there will be a 1% COLA for teachers? It’s like we live in some weird reality where decisions are insubstantial as smoke.
Thanks for being loud about it. I will contact my reps.
Keep us posted.
Hi Brian,
Thanks for the nice summary of issues–it is a handy list for reference!
I did want to clarify something on your first bullet point, however. The Class of 2013 is required to pass the science HSPE (covering the old 2005 standards)in order to graduate. If they don’t pass it by August of this year, then they will need to pass the Biology EOC (covering the new 2009 standards.) Thus, the students who struggle the most with science, and are unable to pass the science HSPE this year, are the ones who will be held responsible for two different sets of science standards.
Good luck with your meeting tomorrow!