RedforEd

EDUCATORS SPEAK UP FOR THE SCHOOLS THEIR STUDENTS DESERVE

On Wednesday, April 17, Maine educators rallied at the State House to support having a greater voice in their work and greater ability to advocate for their students. Teachers, support staff, retired educators, parents and community members were in Augusta, on what the Maine Education Association called #RedforEd Day at the Maine State House to ask lawmakers to support several key bills that would give educators a greater voice in their work, including bills that support educators and the profession, a bill to allow educators to strike, if and when needed, a bill to increase teacher pay, and a bill to improve the evaluation process. The effort paid off, and MEA members’ voices have been heard on many of these key issues.

“What we are witnessing is not a moment but a movement of and by educators who are advocating for the public schools our students deserve. Educators are empowered and have found their voice in advocating for their students and their profession. Educators are the experts in the classroom and deserve to have an equal seat at the table when key decisions that impact their students are made,” said Grace Leavitt, president of the Maine Education Association.

BIG WINS FOR THE PROFESSIONS MEA Successful in Removing Test Scores, Effectiveness Rating Mandate from Evaluation Process

For years, MEA has been educating lawmakers at the State House about the need to remove the test score mandate in the teacher evaluation process. Finally, the effort has paid off. A new law, LD 92, signed by Governor Janet Mills brings a major change to the teacher evaluation process, eliminating the mandate that standardized test scores and student growth measures be a component of the process. Research shows the results of standardized tests don’t reflect the quality of teaching. Teachers’ evaluations, under the new law, can now be based entirely on standards of professional practice. In addition, the law requires school districts to construct a steering committee that regularly reviews and refines the performance evaluation process to ensure it is fair and beneficial to the teacher. Several stakeholders will be on that committee, but the majority of members, according to law, must be teachers appointed by the local MEA association. Any decisions made by the committee must be reached by consensus. This provision allows educators to have a much greater voice in the evaluation process. Additionally, a separate bill removes the mandate that an effectiveness rating be required as part of the teacher evaluation process.

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Collective Bargaining Improvements

While not yet signed by the Governor, MEA was successful in moving a bill out of committee that gives educators a much greater voice at the bargaining table. LD 240 allows teachers the ability to negotiate over planning and prep periods. Rep. Mike Sylvester and Rep. Scott Cuddy were crucial in helping amend this bill and speak in its favor to allow for final passage out of the Labor Committee. There are still several steps in the process before this bill becomes law. MEA has also worked to advocate for a bill that changes labor law by mandating an arbitrator’s decision on contract negotiations be final on all matters, including salary and health insurance costs. If passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor, this bill would dramatically change our ability to negotiate. Currently, salaries and health insurance costs are not subject to binding arbitration. At the time of press, this bill was awaiting final votes.

Pay Averaging for ESP

MEA worked to support a bill titled: An Act To Provide School Personnel Paid Hourly a Wage Pay Option. The bill requires a school administrative unit to provide school personnel, who are paid on an hourly basis, with the option of receiving pay averaged over a period of 12 months or shorter. At the time of press, the bill passed the House and was awaiting a vote by the Senate. 24 Maine Educator • June 2019

MEA Successful In Working To End Food Shaming In Schools

Governor Mills signed into law a measure that requires schools to feed students school lunch whether or not they are able to pay. The Maine Education Association began advocating for this measure during the last legislative session and continued working with legislators during this session to ensure the bill would pass. In particular, MEA member and Representative Jan Dodge worked hard with other lawmakers to explain the importance of ensuring kids are not hungry so they can learn. The law now specifically prohibits punishing students who cannot pay or have a lunch balance by requiring them to wear a wristband, hand stamp or other identifying mark. The law also now requires communication about payments occur with parents or guardians and not with students. MEA is pleased to see this measure finally pass as the Association continues to work on eliminating barriers to learning.

Increase in Teacher Pay to $40,000 Starting Salary

MEA’s bill to raise the minimum teacher salary to $40K is making its way through the Legislature and at the time of press is still awaiting votes for passage. MEA and its members have testified at the State House multiple times in support of increasing teacher pay. Senator Rebecca Millett has been a champion on this issue. If an increase in the minimum teacher pay is achieved it will have a major impact on teacher recruitment. MEA’s Director of Collective Bargaining is working with MEA UniServ Directors (Field Staff) to help locals prepare to adjust scales in preparation for this anticipated change.

Two Year Teacher Probationary Period

MEA was successful in rolling back the length of the teacher probationary period to two years. The three-year period was established under Governor LePage. The new law, signed by the Governor, brings the probationary period back to two years. The law is effective for new hires beginning in the ‘20-’21 school year.

Right to Strike

Around the country, teachers and other educators have gone on strike to raise awareness and make improvements for their students. Strikes are always a measure of last resort, but as educators have seen, strikes have proven to be an effective way to fix problems for students and schools. LD 900 will create a manageable framework for educators and other public sector workers to strike, if they ever need to. This bill has been heard in the Labor Committee, and at the time of press, is awaiting several votes before it moves forward.