Perspectives

Summer 2010

RORY REID RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR OF NEVADA, ELECTION 2010

Inside: Member Benefits & Programs . . . . . . . . 2 Commentary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Legal Link. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Around the State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Inside Politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11 Delegate Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Learning Link. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Health Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 NSEA-Retired. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Horace Mann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 NEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Calendar of Events/ NSEA ACCESS Savings. . . . . . . . . . . 20 Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 1

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Message from the President

Quality You Can Count On

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t a time when there is so much uncertainty in the economy I wonder what would be happening to us— members of the NSEA—if we didn’t have our tri-level organization to rely upon. Just as we have car insurance, homeowners’ insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, etc., it is extremely important we have job/employment insurance— and that’s what we do for you.

Membership in NSEA guarantees you a voice at all levels of education decision-making. You are represented at national, state, and local levels in matters that impact your day-to-day lives as education professionals. Our professional, experienced staff advises and represents employees in grievances, dismissals, and job-related disputes, as well as assist in negotiating contracts which dictate working conditions, salaries, and benefits.

The National Education Association employs trained professionals who work directly with federal lawmakers to ensure the creation and

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implementation of education policy which provides our students with a quality education while enhancing our profession.

Lynn Warne President

Recently, budget cuts have made for interesting negotiating sessions around the state, yet with the help of our association staff and leaders, we have been able to preserve funding through the process and avoid mass layoffs.

Additionally, we provide benefits and member services on a wide range of services including the Attorney Referral Program, insurance programs, investment opportunities, and a variety of resources that help you do your job.

When you sit and ask yourself… what exactly does belonging to the union get me? Think of how important it is to insure your family and home, as well as your job, salary, and benefits.

Sit back and relax knowing your membership is quality you can count on! ••

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Message from the Executive Director

Busy Summer Ahead

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here is a feeling of change emerging across Nevada. Uncertainty can be a part of change, but so is opportunity.

Summer can be a quiet time, but it will not be for your NSEA team.

The 2010 campaign activities, summer organizing conferences, preparing for the 2011 legislative session, and supporting member rights through each local affiliate will fill the summer calendar. Our job is to always advocate for your contract, salary, and benefits, and this will be our focus this summer.

There have been few times where the advantage of membership has been so clearly

evident. Local contract bargaining has been completed in several of the locals, and some still need to be concluded. The financial strains of the economy have been felt during bargaining, yet there is no doubt that, collectively, we make a difference in negotiations and in lobbying.

Terry Hickman Executive Director

NSEA is preparing for a challenging financial year, and your financial security is our #1 concern. We know that members deserve the best from their association, and we strive to support and advocate for you and your collective bargaining agreements.

Thank you for your membership. •• Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 3

The

Legal Link

Information and Advocacy for Educators in Nevada

W eingarten

Rights — Your Rights…

Use Them!

In 1975, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in NLRB v. Weingarten, Inc. The court held that an employee had a right to assistance from a union representative during an “investigatory interview” by the employer, and the employer’s denial of that right was an unfair labor practice. The rights recognized in that case and in later court cases are now known as “Weingarten Rights.”

There is still some question about the extent to which the full range of Weingarten Rights, as developed in the federal courts, applies to teachers and education support professionals working for local school districts. The ruling on Weingarten itself, however, has been followed and enforced by the Nevada Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board (EMRB).

The EMRB has most recently held that local government employees, such as teachers and education support professionals, have the right to request an association representative to be present at an investigatory meeting that he or she believes may lead to discipline or during a meeting when the employer begins to seek information to enable it to impose discipline.

Any waiver of an employee’s Weingarten Rights must be clearly expressed and voluntary. Once an employee has requested that a representative be present, the employer must not ask the employee any questions or attempt to elicit information regarding the subject matter of the interview until a representative is present.

Furthermore, the employer cannot threaten with discipline or otherwise attempt to force the employee to participate in the absence of association representation once the employee has invoked his or her Weingarten Rights.

The Importance of Representation

Your association representative is not your

“mouthpiece” in the interview; he or she is not there to do your talking for you. But your representative can still give you critical assistance. For example: n You and your representative can meet privately before the interview begins. If nothing else, such a meeting may alert the representative to the existence of facts, or the names of potential witnesses, that you might otherwise overlook or forget during the interview. n You and your representative are entitled to be informed of the subject matter of the interview. What kind of misconduct is being alleged? When did it allegedly occur? n Your representative cannot obstruct the interview, but he or she can interrupt to ask for clarification, ask a question, or to object to any questions that are misleading or abusive. n Your representative can protect you from yourself. Any suggestion of misconduct is stressful, and it is important that you maintain your composure during the interview. Your representative can help keep you and your interviewer focused on the issue at hand. n When the questioning has ended, your representative can provide the interviewer with (or remind you of ) information that is helpful to you and that may avoid disciplinary action or reduce the severity of that action.

Asserting your rights as an employee can help you protect your reputation, your job, and your career. If you become involved in a situation in which your Weingarten Rights are implicated, it is particularly important to speak up and request representation.

For more on your Weingarten Rights, contact your local affiliate or your UniServ Director. ••

NSEA UniServ Program Get to Know it…

Are you familiar with all the NSEA UniServ Program has to offer and how you benefit from this program? Beginning this Fall, NSEA will be featuring the ins and outs of the program so stay tuned…we’ll lay it out for you in the Back to School issue of Perspectives.

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Around the State

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Clark County Education Association (CCEA) CCEA Ratifies Contract By a 3 to 1 margin, CCEA members vote YES The Clark County Education Association (CCEA), the union representing 18,000 teachers in Clark County’s public schools, has ratified the tentative agreement with the Clark County School District (CCSD).

The agreement, which covers the 2010-2011 school year, includes a one (1) year freeze on the salary step for experience only; it does NOT include any reduction in salary, furlough days, or a freeze on educational increments. This agreement averts teacher layoffs and allows for medical and PERS benefits to remain intact. It also incorporates additional protections such as compensation for district-directed preparation periods taken beyond 4, a block of 3.5 hours designated to setup work area, and removal of the two-year requirement to remain in a school before seeking transfer.

Arriving at a proposal for membership ratification was possible thanks to the feedback provided by more than 4,600 members. The CCEA Negotiations Team gathered feedback through a members-only online survey (where 81% of the participants supported the option brought forth in the proposal), an informational meeting on April 20, school visits throughout the school district, and many phone calls and e-mails.

The contract will now be presented to the School Board of Trustees for their ratification. Once completed, the official document will be posted on the CCEA website for viewing and download. ••

Education Support Employees Association (ESEA)

Washoe Education Association (WEA) WEA Celebrates Twice in May The WEA held it’s annual Recognition Day and Award’s Banquet in May. Recognition Day honors outstanding graduates from every high school and they in-turn honor their most influential teacher. Four scholarships were presented to members’ children and this year five schorlaships were presented to active teachers for continuing education. The Awards Banquet honored more than 60 dedicated and distinguished educators along with more than 70 retirees. The President’s Award, Service to WEA, Improvement to Education—both individual and group—rounded out the evening. ••

Congratulations to the Horace Mann Fellowship Recipient Roberta Estrada Garehime Elementary School, Las Vegas

ESEA Ratifies Tentative Agreement for 2009-2012 On May 19, 2010, ESEA members voted and ratified the agreement between ESEA and CCSD. The following details the agreement: 1. The salary schedule will remain unharmed (salary schedule remains “status quo”), goes back to 2008-09 salary schedule.

Horace Mann Award Sarah Flynn

2. The freeze for step increments is for one year (2010-2011).

3. PERS will be paid with no additional salary adjustment or cost to the employee for 2009, 2010.

4. The amount of money each employee has previously paid for the PERS increase for the 2009-2010 year will be reimbursed in a retroactive check to the employees.

5. The 10% insurance increase for 2010-2011 will be paid with no employee contribution increase.

6. The three (3) year agreement is for 2009-2010 / 2010-2011 / 2011-2012 (there is a reopener for the 2011-2012 year in case there is any possibility of salary benefit changes due to the 2011 legislative session).

7. The conclusion of the remaining bargaining regarding the Surplus Reassignment/ Reduction in Force “Article 25” will take place.

8. Additional language: Two (2) non-money items will be brought to the bargaining table. ••

Sarah Flynn, Spanish Springs Elementary School teacher and NSEA member, and Jody Gertson, her Horace Mann Agent. Sarah received $10,000 from the Horace Mann Companies as the grand prize winner in its “Educators Run Away With $65k” sweepstakes. Another $10,000 will be donated to Spanish Springs Elementary & Double Diamond Elementary schools as part of her winnings. •• Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 5

Inside Politics: Interview with Rory Reid …ON RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR I think this is a tremendous opportunity to do things we’ve never done in the state. You can’t make light of the economic travail that everyone is going through, but it’s an opportunity. We can do things we haven’t done; we can fundamentally reform our schools. We can diversify our economy and build a new economy that will prosper. And I think that’s possible because people are worried about Nevada’s future. When we were growing and progressing, people were just going about their day, not worried about the future, but I think now people have taken a step back and they are thinking about what we are going to do to achieve our potential as a state and I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of that.

…ON FUNDING EDUCATION I’ve been thinking about this a lot. My wife is an educator, I have three children in public school, and I realize that we are never going to have a stronger economy in Nevada unless we have a better education system. They are inextricably linked.

Companies will not come here if they don’t think we have a workforce that’s educated and ready to do the jobs that need to be done, and the executives of those companies won’t come here because they want their children to be in a place where they think the education system is healthy.

So we have some work to do, and that’s why I work together with members of NSEA. I talk to your members, I talk to parents, principals, administrators, and so-called education experts. I’ve worked on it for over a year and I put forward a plan I think will make Nevada the center of education reform in the country. I am proposing things that have been done effectively in other places. And if people believe that we are reforming the system and that it’s improving, we are going to be able to invest in it and, obviously, education is so foundational to our future, if we are going to invest in anything in Nevada, it should be education.

…ON HIS EDGE PLAN The fundamental principle is that nobody knows better what a child needs than the teacher sitting in front of him. What we need to do is give teachers the freedom to provide for their students. We need to get the bureaucrats in Carson City and Washington, D.C. out of the way and let teachers teach and let them be the professionals they are. And if we are going to give that freedom, we need to demand more responsibility and there needs to be accountability. I believe if we empower teachers, then it will improve education and that’s what my plan talks about.

…ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING Collective bargaining isn’t the problem. The problem is that we need to fundamentally reform our schools. We need to let principals lead, teachers teach, and other educators do their jobs. We need to fairly measure their success so that our students can achieve and so those who are doing their jobs well can be rewarded. I think what we need in Nevada is somebody who believes in public education, and I am proud that I am the only candidate for Governor who is talking like this. All the 6 | Perspectives | Summer 2010

other candidates are talking about what we should cut–how we should reduce teachers’ salaries, do away with class-size reduction, and they don’t like early childhood education. They want to divert local school money to the state general fund to solve the state’s budget problem. I just think that’s the wrong approach and I am happy to stand up and say what I think is right.

…ON MERIT PAY I think teachers need to be fairly evaluated and rewarded if they do their job. The problem with merit pay is that it creates a competitive environment within a school community. If you have an experienced teacher sitting in the break-room one afternoon and a new young teacher walks in from the same department and says, “Hey, what can I do to reach my students better? I am trying to teach them this, and it’s not going so well. What can I do?” You don’t want an education community where that experienced teacher is incentivized to not help the younger teacher. You want them to be collaborative and work together so that the students in that community have the best experience possible.

So I think merit pay is wrong but I think there are ways to evaluate teacher performance that are fair and, if a teacher does a good job, they ought to get paid more. That’s kind of what we do in America.

…ON PUBLIC EDUCATION I think the other thing that is critical when you talk about public education is when you are dealing with children, you want to make sure that everybody that deals with a child is properly trained to do that job and that they’ve gone through the rigor that educators in Nevada go through. I think we need the right people who are trained to do the jobs.

Well, nothing is going to change. I’ve been connected to educators in Nevada over the last years and developed my plan. I had focus groups with teachers and support personnel. I met with the leadership of NSEA to talk about my plan, and I am going to continue to have a conversation.

I think we have so much to do in education and it’s so fundamentally important to our future. I think it needs to be a collaborative thing, and I don’t have a sensitivity problem. And I hope to continue to hear constructive criticism as we move forward and I am going to tell you the truth about what I believe needs to be done and then together we are going to decide on what it is that we need to do and we are going to do it.

I think that the members of NSEA need to understand that they have a very clear choice. They can either pick a candidate who believes that teachers’ salaries should be cut, that class-size reduction should be eliminated, that early childhood education isn’t important and that we should take public education dollars and divert them to the private sector through vouchers. If that’s what you want in your next Governor, then I am not your guy. But if you want somebody who truly believes in public education, who has collaborated with teachers throughout his adult life, and fundamentally believes that the only way Nevada’s economy will improve is if we improve our school system, then I am your guy. ••

Race to the Top — Nevada On June 1st, Nevada submitted its application to the U.S. Department of Education for Phase II of the federal Race to the Top competition.

With $4.35 billion allocated toward spurring education reform at the state level, the Race to the Top competition awarded a total of $600 million to two recipients during Phase I – Delaware and Tennessee. For Phase II, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has stated that he expects to award the remaining $3.7 billion to 10-12 states in September.

If Nevada is one of the several expected winners in Phase II, then it stands to receive up to $175 million over a four-year period.

Under the federal guidelines, 50% of the potential award, $87.5 million, would be allocated among the 17 school districts in the

Nevada also has one of the lowest high school graduation rates and has the worst record in the nation of students enrolling for post-secondary education. To address these problems, Nevada’s application will concentrate on several areas of reform.

Inside Politics:

Overview

Proposed Reforms Addressed by Nevada Application:  Standards and Assessments

 Data System to Support Instruction  Great Teachers and Leaders

 Turning Around the Lowest-Achieving Schools

What the Application Means to You

Nevada will not know if it will receive Race

state on the basis of a formula that is also used to

to the Top money until September 1, 2010.

allocate funds under Title I of the Elementary and

Regardless of the outcome, be assured that each

Secondary Education Act.

of the reforms that may come with Race to the

Application The Nevada application suggests that students in the state have not achieved at the level of students in other states. It is also very clear that the state is in a near crisis situation as jobs have disappeared and the economy is simply unable to generate the revenue needed to support expected public services, especially in the education of children ranging from pre-school to graduate education.

The application makes a link between the state of education in Nevada and the economic distress that it faces and makes clear that education is the key to moving the state forward. Currently, a child born in Nevada has the least chance for success than a child born in any other state.

Top must be made in conjunction with your collectively bargained agreements. To secure

your rights in your contract, the Nevada State

Education Association only agreed to the reforms under the condition that the collective bargain

agreement supersedes all other regulations that may come from Race to the Top Reform.

Be assured that your Association is working hard on your behalf to make sure all parties

involved are held responsible for their decisions

to improve public education in Nevada. Having a seat at the table is just the first step of many to ensure that rights of educators across the

state are not only held intact but strengthened during this flurry of education reform. To

view the application online, go to: http://www.

nevadaracetothetop.org/pdfs/nevada-promise.pdf. ••

Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 7

Inside Politics: Endorsed Candidates ASSEMBLY AD 1 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 2 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 3 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 4 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 5 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 6 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 7 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 8 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 9 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 10 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 11 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 12 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 13 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 14 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 15 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 16 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 17 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 18 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 19 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 20 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 21 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 22 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 23 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 24 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marilyn Kirkpatrick. . . . . . . . . . . (D) David Lerner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Peggy Pierce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Marilyn Dondero-Loop. . . . . . . . (D) Harvey Munford. . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jason Frierson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Richard “Tick” Segerblom. . . . . . (D) Joe Hogan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Olivia Diaz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) James Ohrenschall. . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Louis De Salvio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Maggie Carlton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

John Oceguera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Richard Carrillo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lynn Goya. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Ellen Spiegel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

David Bobzien. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D)

SENATE SD 1 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 2 Clark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 2 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 4 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 5B Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 7B Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 8 Clark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 9 Clark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 10 Clark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD 12 Clark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SD Capital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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AD 25 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 26 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 27 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa Benitez-Thompson. . . . . . (D) AD 28 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lucy Flores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 29 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April Mastroluca. . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 30 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . Debbie Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 31 Washoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard “Skip” Daly . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 32 Humboldt,. . . . . . . . . . No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lander, Washoe AD 33 Elko, Humboldt. . . . . . No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 34 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Horne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 35 Churchill, . . . . . . . . . . No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Pershing,

Washoe, White Pine AD 36 Churchill,. . . . . . . . . . . Harry Schiffman. . . . . . . . . . . . . (D)

Esmeralda, Lincoln, Mineral, Nye AD 37 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marcus Conklin . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 38 Carson City, . . . . . . . . No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Churchill, Lyon, Storey AD 39 Douglas, . . . . . . . . . . . Joetta Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D)

Carson City, Washoe AD 40 Carson City, Washoe . . . No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

AD 41 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Aizley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) AD 42 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irene Bustamante. . . . . . . . . . . . . (D)

STATE RACES Sheila Leslie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Mo Denis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Allison Edwards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Joyce Woodhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tamara Peterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Benjamin Yerushalmi. . . . . . . . . . (D) Ruben Kihuen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Aaron Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Kevin Ranft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D)

Governor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lieutenant Governor . . . . . . . .

State Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . .

State Controller. . . . . . . . . . . .

State Attorney General. . . . . . .

Secretary of State . . . . . . . . . . .

Rory Reid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Brian Krolicki. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (R) Kate Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Kim Wallin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Catherine Cortez-Masto . . . . . . . (D) Ross Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D)

FEDERAL RACES U.S. Senate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CD 1 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CD 2 (All other counties, part Clark) .

CD 3 Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Harry Reid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) Shelley Berkley . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D) No Endorsement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dina Titus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D)

Steps to Candidate Endorsement

Continuing Support Endorsements Only previously endorsed incumbents are eligible to be considered for a continuing support endorsement. This type of endorsement can be given to eligible candidates fairly early in the campaign year, which means contributions can be given earlier. This helps our friends who are running for re-election.

How does it work?

• Early in the campaign year the NSEA Lobby Team reviews the performance of previously endorsed incumbents.

• The Lobby Team can: • Send candidates a questionnaire • Bring candidates in for an interview • All of the above • None of the above • Based on all available information, the Lobby Team decides which candidates to recommend for continuing support endorsements.

• Those recommendations are sent to the appropriate locals for their concurrence.

• Local boards concur (or not) with those recommendations.

• Recommendations on which there is concurrence then go to the NSEA Board for final approval.

• Candidates are informed about the endorsement.

• If a candidate who is eligible for a continuing support endorsement does not receive the endorsement, the race is then considered to be an “open seat.”

Open Seat Endorsements For NSEA, “open seat races” are those in which there is no previously endorsed incumbent, or the previously endorsed incumbent did not receive a continuing support endorsement.

The big difference between the two types of endorsements is that, when doing continuing support endorsements, we do not deal with any opponents of our previously endorsed incumbents. In open seat races, we invite all candidates who have filed to run to go through our endorsement process.

How does it work?

Inside Politics:

The question is not should we participate in the political arena, but how do we do that? Members of NSEA long ago embraced the fact that politics affects every facet of their professional lives, and lobbying and endorsing candidates has become a regular part of our participation in the overall process.

• At the close of candidate filing in May of each campaign year, we compile the list of all candidates who should be invited to participate in our endorsement process.

• The official NSEA Candidate Questionnaire is mailed to each eligible candidate with a deadline for return of the questionnaire to NSEA.

• NSEA notifies the appropriate local affiliate(s) about which candidates have completed and returned the questionnaire.

• The local affiliate(s) appoint an interview team, and candidate interviews are conducted.

• The interview team makes recommendations about which candidates to endorse to the local board(s).

• The local board(s) acts on those recommendations and sends those they have approved on to the NSEA Board, which finalizes the endorsements.

• The candidates are notified about the endorsements. ••

Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 9

Inside Politics: Education Jobs Emergency NEA Fighting for Members…Your Immediate Help Needed!

More than 80 percent of school districts across the country are being forced to layoff educators, which will lead to crowded classrooms, dramatic cuts to special programs, and even shortening the school day and school week for some students.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has the opportunity to save 300,000 education jobs by including the Keep Our Educators Working Act in the emergency supplemental bill. (see the bill at www.nea.org/home/39203.htm) A call from you will really help encourage Senator Reid to take the lead in providing emergency education funding right now to keep educators working and students learning. You can send an e-mail by going to NEA’s legislative action center at www.nea.org/home/LegislativeActionCenter.html.

Time is short. Urgent Action is needed. We have an ailing economy, and education is the medicine. Our educators are in our schools every day administering the cure.

Remember, despite budget shortfalls, our children deserve a quality education that prepares them to compete and succeed in a global economy.

Please call Majority Leader Harry Reid today and tell him to include the Keep Our Educators Working Act in the emergency supplemental bill so that states get the assistance they need to keep educators in classrooms and schools, not in unemployment lines. This is an emergency! Please call Senator Reid today and speak up for education and America’s public school students.

Senator Reid’s phone numbers: Washington, D.C.: (202) 224-3542 Las Vegas: (702) 388-5020 Reno: (775) 686-5750 Carson City: (775) 882-7343

10 | Perspectives | Summer 2010

Get Involved, Stay Connected, and Make a Difference The NEA is actively mobilizing its membership and education supporters to become involved in the campaign to save education jobs, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA/NCLB), and electing education supporters to federal positions.

Below is a list of ways you can get involved, stay connected, and make a difference.

Education Votes See how NEA is mobilizing its members and other supporters of public education at http://www.

EducationVotes.nea.org. This is a one-stop shop to sign up to volunteer with the campaign, contact your legislator and tell your personal story about topics including layoffs and No Child Left Behind.

Speak Up for Education and Kids Educators nationwide are raising their voices for public education at http://www.facebook. com/#!/speakupforkids. Join the cause and you can participate in the dialogue, learn about the latest attacks on public school educators and the work they do for children, and find news items and video about issues like emergency education jobs funding.

Call 866-608-6355 to hear our message about the importance of education funding, and to urge Congress to include education jobs in the Emergency Funding Bill.

Text Me! Sign up for short, timely texts that keep you up to date on jobs, ESEA, and other fast moving topics. Text 77007 with NEA4KIDS in the message. ••

Without Senate Relief Jobs Picture Grim

by Cynthia McCabe, originally published April 8, 2010 at www.neatoday.org

Photo: California Teachers Association

Teachers and education support professionals around the country are already receiving pink slips for the next school year — just five months away — as state legislatures are preparing to pass 2011 budget plans that are heavy with layoffs and hiring freezes to close budget deficits. Nationwide, the National Education Association estimates that 120,000 education jobs will be cut without Congressional aid. That number includes 115,000 classroom teachers and 5,000 education support professionals, based on tallies from the Association’s state affiliates.

Bonnie Keller, a former full-time science teacher, now must substitute teach at a school four hours from her home in Christiansburg, Va., because of a local lockdown on hiring. The excessive commute forces her away from her infant daughter for much of the week.

“There is only one possible opening local to me for next year, and at this point they are not likely to fill it — they’ll just increase the students per class in the other sections of this course, and not replace the one teacher retiring,” says Keller, whose husband is also a teacher. “So we face the prospects of either me being unemployed again next year and losing our current house, or having a whole year of living apart as a family, which is unbearable for a mom and young child.”

The U.S. House in December passed a jobs package that includes $23 billion to stave off educator layoffs that will roll out across the country like a tsunami in upcoming months. But hundreds of thousands of educator jobs still hang in the

balance unless the Senate does its part and passes the Education Jobs Fund with at least the $23 billion in relief. The Fund’s ability to save and create scores of education jobs – from pre-K to post-secondary professionals – is a key component of stimulating the economy and furthering economic recovery.

Inside Politics:

If parents think their children’s classrooms are already too crowded and their teachers are stretched too thin, they’re going to be horrified by what looms next school year when hundreds of thousands of educators will be laid off if the U.S. Senate fails to pass jobs relief soon.

Since late 2007, the recession has devastated state finances, with an $87 billion drop tax revenue due to lost jobs, reduced wages and lowered economic activity, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The impact on education funding has been particularly corrosive.

Take North Carolina, where a proposed state budget slashes $409 million from school funding, including 4,300 education jobs. Or in Illinois, where 17,000 teachers currently face layoffs.

California’s governor is threatening to cut $2.5 billion from schools and 29,000 pink slips were sent to educators and support professionals, notifying them of potential layoff. More than 16,000 have already lost their jobs.

After announcing a new round of layoffs this Spring, California’s state schools chief Jack O’Connell released a statement that summed up the implications of educator layoffs in his state: “This is leading to fewer beginning teachers staying in the profession and fewer candidates entering teacher preparation programs. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of educators will retire within the next decade. All these factors are contributing to a significant future teacher shortage.”

The grim prospects facing teachers like Keller are echoed in the stories of educators across the country, both from those getting layoff notices and those left to pick up the pieces in crowded classrooms and dwindling resources. Here are just a few of their stories, being shared through NEA’s activism website EducationVotes http://neatodayaction.org/:

Theresa Zeigler, Charlotte, N.C. : Last year 300 teachers and teacher assistants were laid off. My class size is at 26. I am expected to have the same interaction, same detailed records and same level of

continued on page 19

Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 11

Delegate Corner

The 42nd Annual NSEA Delegate Assembly

T

he Nevada State Education Association held its 42nd Annual Delegate Assembly at the Peppermill Resort and Casino in Reno, NV, April 24-25, 2010. More than 350 delegates represented NSEA’s 30 locals to set policies, adopt the new budget, elect officers, and tend to the association's business.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke to the delegates about the challenges facing Washington and how we must continue to fight for public education. NSEA endorsed gubernatorial candidate Rory Reid talked to the delegates about how vital it is to elect an education-friendly governor. NEA President Dennis Van Rockel discussed how public education is under attack and the importance of the upcoming elections.

Lynn Warne ran unopposed as NSEA President.

Doug Bache was re-elected as NSEA Vice President and Natha Anderson will be the new NEA Director.







The NSEA Awards Banquet was held Saturday, April 24 to honor NSEA’s 2010 award recipients.

The following members were recognized for their outstanding service:  Ken

Buhrmann Dedicated Educator Award



 Christena

Fox Isaac Perez Outstanding Educator Award

 Sue

Strand Retired Achievement Award

 Belinda

“Bo” Yealy Outstanding Achievement Award

The NSEA Minority Affairs Committee awarded Jesse Gutierrez () with its 2010 HCR Award for his work with minority students in Nevada. ••

12 | Perspectives | Summer 2010



Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 13

The

Learning Link 2011 Nevada Teacher of the Year Recognition Program Applications are due by October 18, 2010 What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Do you know of an outstanding teacher who deserves the recognition

and nomination to become the 2011 Nevada Teacher of the Year?

This is an exciting opportunity for a teacher to become part of a select group of teachers from every state who will attend a conference in Dallas, Texas with all their

peers. The Nevada Teacher of the Year will automatically be entered for selection of the 2011 National Teacher of the Year program. These teachers will then meet in Washington, D.C. for a dinner and presentation by the President of the United States in a White House ceremony. In addition to the trip to Washington D.C., there are other recognition events including Space Camp, with a chance to attend several functions to represent all the teachers of Nevada.

I touch the future, I teach – Christa McAuliffe

APPLICATIONS AND INFORMATION ARE AVAILABLE AT http://nde.doe.nv.gov/Resources_TeacherOfTheYear.htm or email: nance@doe.nv.gov 14 | Perspectives | Summer 2010

NSEA “Good Idea” Grants Winners NSEA “Good Idea” Grants allow members to make their good ideas a reality. Association members may use the funding to develop a special unit or project for use with students in the classroom, present a workshop or class for educators, or to create materials or lesson plans for individual or widespread use. Listed are the 2010 grant winners.

Suzann Bennett

WEA

Maria Cieslak

CCEA

Regina Ford

OCEA

Mary Goo

WEA

Linda Hurzel

OCEA

Kelly Kirkbride

CCEA

Jan Larson

ECTA

Anne Lenhares

OCEA

Denise McMasters

OCEA

Leo Mendelsohn

WEA

Kristin Messenger

CCEA

Vivian Olds

LCEA

Meghan Plourde

CCEA

Tammy Wilder

CCEA

Congratulations to all the Winners!

Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 15

NSEA is concerned about the welfare of all of its members and of the students which you work with day in and day out. That is why we have created this section called “NSEA Health Watch.” We will be bringing you important information that can help you prepare for and deal with whatever health issues may be surfacing at your work place.

This issue we take a look at NEA HIN.

N EA HIN, Online Courses

NEA HIN educates and empowers school professionals and positively impacts the lives of students.

Online Trainings NEA HIN is proud to announce the development of two online trainings on school indoor environmental quality and asthma. These courses were developed in partnership with the NEA Academy and were developed in accordance with nationally recognized, research-based standards for quality professional development.

The goal of these courses is to educate you on these important health and safety issues and to provide you with opportunities to receive professional development credit. We anticipate the development of additional online courses on health and safety topics that are important to NEA members.

Courses Available:

School Indoor Environmental Quality - What’s Your IEQ? A Roadmap to School Indoor Environmental Quality Apply for a Team Grant - Coming Soon School District and University Partners - Coming Soon Additional Resource Handouts - Coming Soon Interviews - Coming Soon Course Acknowledgements/Biographies Course Library (Handouts and Materials) - Coming Soon Asthma - Managing Asthma in the School Environment - Coming July 2010

How to Access the Courses: To access the courses, go to the NEA Academy at www.neaacademy.org and click on the course you would like to take. Then register for a password by clicking on “Register.” After you submit your registration, you will receive a registration code via email within 24 hours.

For more information, go to www.neahin.org

16 | Perspectives | Summer 2010

-R

NSEA presents a new section…NSEA-R. This section is written by retirees for retirees. Look for what NSEA-R has to say in every issue of Perspectives.

Transfer of Wealth National studies have calculated that 75% of the wealth in America is owned or controlled by retirees or baby boomers close to retirement. This stands to reason. After a lifetime of working, saving, and investing the assets of middle class retirees are at their highest just before retirement.

This is especially true of Nevada’s teachers, a subset of middle class Americans fortunate enough to be part of a defined benefits retirement program (NV-PERS).

Just like the proverbial squirrel storing away acorns for the winter, Nevada PERS used the monthly contributions from its members (acorns) as seed stock to grow more oak trees and gather more acorns for the future.

Economists report that most middle class retirees on a defined benefits plan are holding their own during this severe recession. This is not true of all retirees. Retirees who spent a lifetime working at minimum wage jobs did not have enough money during their working years to contribute to 401K retirement plans. These folks are now trying to survive exclusively on Social Security. As a safety net, Social Security does its intended function, but it is definitely not a retirement plan. For many, Social Security barely keeps the retiree above the poverty level.

Yet, this economic downturn presents a very different set of problems for middle class retirees. Many, though financially secure themselves, are trying to help adult children survive monetarily. According to the Pew Research Center, almost two fifths of 18 to 29 year olds are unemployed or out of the labor force. Only 41 percent have a full-time job, down from 50 percent in 2006. About a third say they’re receiving financial help from their families, and 13 percent of 22 to 29 year olds have moved in with parents after living on their own.

What is a retiree to do when a family member is dealing with a financial crisis?

Whether it is an adult child’s loss of a job or pending home foreclosure, retired parents often are asked to financially intervene.

What is a retiree to do when a grandchild

has medical bills not covered by insurance?

Dipping into savings and selling assets to respond to these family crises have become a more common occurrence in retiree households.

Over and above having an adult child move back home, many retirees are feeling the pressure to give either loans or financial gifts. It no longer seems enough for retirees to tell their offspring they must wait for their inheritance, especially in the throws of a financial crisis. Without a doubt, this is a dilemma.

In my family, when my brother’s small business faced declining revenue, he asked my mother for a large loan. He promised to pay her back with monthly payments.

Obviously, this loan was unsecured. It was based on a family relationship and not proper business practice. My mother was torn between holding on to her hard earned financial security and watching my brother’s business fail. I’m not sure if she considered the consequences of what might happen if he either missed some payments or stopped paying entirely.

My mother was a teenager in the 1930s during the Great Depression, being frugal by clipping coupons, walking extra blocks to save pennies, and saving a significant percentage of her income became a core part of her personality. Ultimately, she gave my brother the loan, only to watch his business go under a year later. My mother rationalized by saying, “He was going to inherit the money anyway.” Yet, now a healthy eightyeight year old and living in an assisted care facility, she worries about whether she will out-live her remaining money. The thought of being dependent on her family for her basic needs creates constant anxiety.

Giving gifts to family members is another common way retirees can distribute wealth.

Gifts less than $10,000 in any one year do not have a tax consequence to the receiver.

Yet, when a grandchild needs expensive medical treatment, most retirees do not hesitate to help. Medical expenses for the

uninsured can be outrageously high and is among the most common reason families seek bankruptcy protection. I have known retirees to even consider re-mortgaging their fully paid homes to help pay the health care expenses for children or grandchildren. And a growing number of retirees are returning to work – mostly part time – to deal with budget shortfalls.

Gifts or loans to family members can be tremendously helpful and for the most part included in a retiree’s budget. But what happens when a retiree gives an adult child financial power of attorney or joint control of their assets? This can be a financial disaster. This arrangement is sometimes used as a way to avoid probate, but it is more frequently used when the retiree is no longer able to make essential financial decisions for themselves.

Frankly, joint ownership of a retiree’s assets can create tremendous temptation.

Almost every estate planning attorney can give examples of adult children taking money without permission (stealing) from the accounts of their aged parent.

Some sociologists have predicted that as the baby boomers retire, it will be harder for the younger generation to start and raise a family. Higher federal spending on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will force a squeeze on other government programs, and there is a likelihood those in the workforce will face an increased tax burden.

Obviously, every retiree will have to decide for themselves how to distribute their personal wealth. Traditionally, distribution took place after the funeral was over. Today, a greater percentage of that distribution might take place while the retiree is still alive to help economically distressed family members. It seems to me that it would be a prudent measure for retirees to first keep an adequate reserve to take care of their own needs and then try to respond to the economic misfortunes of others.

Warren Wish, NSEA-R President Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 17

18 | Perspectives | Summer 2010

Jobs Picture Grim continued from page 11

work done as when I had a full-time assistant, 20 students and materials that would meet the needs of the students I had. On top of that, (lawmakers are saying) ‘Let’s get rid of teachers.’ Now stack a classroom with 30 to 40 students, no new materials and if students do not show adequate progress the teacher will lose his or her job. This type of logic is like telling a quarterback, ‘We expect you to have the same record as last year! Except, due to some funding cuts you won’t have a front line. Also, we had to let the halfbacks and wide receivers go. Now go out there and give it all you got. America is counting on you!’

Dan Bernard, Schenectady, N.Y.: Since 2007, there have been extremely few teaching positions available. I have a 3.89 average at the Master’s level and have become a substitute teacher for next to no money, trying to make a name for myself in the futile hope of getting hired somewhere. At schools where I sub, I have been told by principals that they would hire me if there were any money for them to do so. It is a waste of all my training and experience as a teacher. But I also have a family to feed and support. And I cannot wait for someone in Washington to realize that cutting education is no way to balance a budget. That education needs to be fully funded, not scaled back to save a buck. And the children? When teachers are laid off, it is the children who really lose. One classroom with 40 children is not the same thing as two classrooms with 20 children each. Study after study have shown that children cannot learn in large settings like that. But when teachers are cut, this is the inevitable result for the children. As a teacher, I cannot be there for the children because the funding isn’t there to hire me. It is easy to solve the problem. Just fund the schools appropriately. Keep classroom sizes small. Keep qualified teachers working.

Monica Williams, Lugoff, S.C.: I have been teaching for 15 years. I have never seen such rough times. Four school personnel have been moved from our school. I have $116 dollars taken out of my check due to furlough days. I need that money to support myself and my three-year-old daughter. I do the best to keep myself encouraged and my co-workers, but it quite difficult. South Carolina continues to make cuts instead of increasing the cigarette tax or property taxes. We have been told our class sizes will increase next year, we may have more furlough days, and we will have a 1995 budget. Please know teachers cannot function with a 1995 budget, with 30 students in a classroom and money continuously taken out of checks.

Jennifer Owen, Knoxville, Tenn.: Before the cut, each music teacher had 350 students and saw them once every three school days. Now one teacher sees all 700 students and the children only have music class one time every six school days.

The teacher is still required to prepare grade reports for classwork and behavior for all 700 students four times per year, though students may only have music class six times between reports. However, the largest impact is not on the teacher, but on the students, who have had their music curriculum cut in half. With a school population that has more than 85 percent of its students receiving free and reduced lunch, music lessons outside of the school day are not an alternative. Rather than a free and equal education, more and more public school children are finding that and education which includes learning that truly touches them and sparks their creativity (arts education) is only available to the wealthy.

Hope could be on the way, if U.S. lawmakers heed the calls from their constituents—sent through NEA’s Legislative Action Center http://nea.org/ lac—to save education jobs and protect student achievement opportunities. ••

NEA 2010: Turning Hope into Action The theme of the 2010 National Education Association Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly is: Turning Hope into Action.

The 2010 theme builds on last year’s theme (Hope Starts Here). The 2010 convention will underscore NEA’s readiness to increase advocacy, on behalf of students, public schools, and our outstanding members. NEA will focus – more than ever before – on moving forward with action to achieve the vision of Great Public Schools for Every Student by 2020.

We look forward to a successful Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly in New Orleans, July 1-6.

Are you on Facebook?

So Are We! www.facebook.com Search: Nevada State Education Association Perspectives is published Sept. through June by the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), 3511 East Harmon Ave., Las Vegas, Nevada 89121.

NSEA is affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA).

Perspectives is mailed to all NSEA members as a benefit of membership.

Lynn Warne President Terry L. Hickman Executive Director Claudia S. Briggs Editor/Director of Communications & Special Projects Maverick Creative Group Layout/Design

Summer 2010 | Perspectives | 19

NEVADA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

Calendar of Events

3511 E. Harmon Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89121

Paid

J June 2010 20 21

Father’s Day Summer Solstice

1-6

2 4 5

6 7

16-19

16-20 20

NEA Representative Assembly, New Orleans NEA Board of Directors meeting Independence Day Independence Day Observed NSEA Offices Closed WEA Board of Directors Meeting WEA Rep Council Meeting WESP Board of Directors Meeting NSEA Summer Conference, Alexis Park, Las Vegas NEA State Leaders Summer Conference WEA Board of Directors Meeting

3 4

12 16 17 25 26 30 31

WEA Board of Directors Meeting WEA Rep Council WESP Board of Directors Meeting Ramadan - Begins at sunset on 8/11 CCEA Board of Directors Meeting WEA Board of Directors Meeting WEA Membership Meeting Women’s Equality Day CCSD 9-month school starts CCEA Rep Council

1

6 7 9 11

14 15 18 21 22 24 24-25 28 30

WEA Rep Council WESP Board of Directors Meeting Labor Day Holiday (NSEA offices closed) WEA Board of Directors Meeting Rosh Hashanah – begins at sunset on 9/8 WEA Water Park Event Patriot Day CCEA Board of Directors Meeting WESP Membership Meeting Yom Kippur – begins at sunset on 9/17 WEA Board of Directors Meeting WEA Membership Meeting American Indian Day NSEA Board of Directors Meeting, Las Vegas CCEA Rep Council Shemini Alzeret – begins at sunset on 9/29

PRSRT Std U.S. Postage Las Vegas, NV Permit No. 1139

J July 2010

A August 2010

SSeptember 2010

Bring Along a Friend this Summer!

www.nsea-nv.org