BACK TO SCHOOL 2014 Published by the TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION August 2014 Vol. 46, No. 1 www.teateachers.org
WHAT TEA
LEGISLATIVE
VICTORIES MEAN TO YOU
Teacher licenses no longer based on TVAAS
Our teaching license is our most valuable possession. It is worth more than our car—even our house. We spent years in college and many thousands of dollars to become qualified. Most importantly, it allows us to do the job we want to do, and provide for our family. Destroying or removing a teaching license not only threatens a career, but could threaten a family’s well-being. If only Kevin Huffman, state education commissioner, thought as
much about our licenses and our lives. In August of 2013, the State Board of Education, at the prompting of Huffman, changed Tennessee teacher licensure from credentials to outcomes, making it possible to lose a teaching license on low TVAAS scores. If a teacher received several TEACHER LICENSURE go to page 6
TEA PROTECTED
Teacher Salary Schedule Restored, Pay Equity Funds Protected Teacher pay is front and center for TEA. In order for teaching to be a rewarding career and a solid profession, Tennessee teaching salaries must improve, and the fight for improvement pay never stops. TEA was able to protect $8.5 million in the state education budget for pay equity funds going to systems with the lowest resources and salaries. These funds are earmarked only for compensation, and are targeted to those systems that have struggled to increase salaries in light of shortfalls at the state level (to see if your system received these funds turn to page 4). SALARIES go to page 4
TEA saves tenure, benefits Earlier this year, TEA altered a flexibility bill that could have destroyed the rights currently enjoyed by teachers. The bill would have allowed local school boards to request overrides of any education law that exists, including tenure rules preventing LEAs from firing most veteran teachers, the requirement to participate in the state retirement system or to provide health benefits. Concerned legislators helped TEA to amend the bill to protect teachers’ rights, salaries and benefits.
It’s one of many fights we fought and won on the hill this year. Still, efforts by some to take away teacher tenure and benefits are far from over. As most public school employees were enjoying their short summer break, Senate Education Committee Chairman Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville) asked for an attorney general’s TENURE go to page 4
Speaking out with you Barbara Gray, President
Carolyn Crowder, Executive Director
Pay Raises, Respect Among Top Priorities
Everything I Need to Know I Learned From My Dog
As we move into the new school year and prepare for the 2015 legislative session, TEA’s number one priority will be pay raises for teachers. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam promised to make Tennessee the fastest improving state in teacher salary and we plan to hold him to it. To recruit and retain the best teachers, we must make sure that promise becomes a reality and our teachers receive a well-deserved raise. Another priority for the association will be to increase per-student funding from the state. It is unacceptable to be below Mississippi in what the state invests per child. Tennessee educators are performing miracles in their classrooms every day. In order to sustain and improve on that success, the state must properly fund our schools. The third legislative priority will be to continue the fight against privatization. Vouchers, for-profit charters and less restrictive parent trigger laws are all schemes that threaten the livelihood of public education in Tennessee. Out-of-state organizations are funneling millions of dollars into Tennessee because they mistakenly believe there is an opportunity to make a profit off of our students. TEA, along with the help of some new parent and teacher grassroots groups, had great success last year in defeating these bills and will continue the fight in the upcoming session. The education landscape in Tennessee is constantly changing. There are a lot of things going right in Tennessee schools. Our students are graduating in record numbers. Our classrooms are filled with qualified, committed educators who work tirelessly for their students. Parents and teachers are uniting in the fight against overtesting and privatization. We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel after years of negative changes. This legislative session we saw groups of angry, engaged educators, parents, students and even legislators standing together to say, “Enough!” Enough with the unproven reform initiatives, enough with placing the weight of the world on our students and teachers, and enough with making a one-time test the center of the public education universe. We pushed back together and we won on numerous issues. Part of the landscape that I would love to see change is the public perception of Tennessee schools and teachers. TEA research has shown that people think their local public schools are doing great. However, when asked about the performance of public schools statewide, the response is often negative. I want to change that perception. Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman is so often in the news saying negative things about our students, teachers and schools. I want to do everything in my power to combat the image he paints of public education in our state by educating Tennesseans about the many great things happening inside our schools. Thank you for trusting me to be your president. Have a great school year!
My dog, Fred, has a great life! I’m not sure he ever gets stressed out. And the good thing is, just being around him after a hard day relieves a lot of my stress. Did you know it has been clinically proven that petting a dog can lower your blood pressure? As we start a new school year, it will be good for us individually and as an organization to learn a few things from our four-legged friends. Take your job as a greeter seriously: Each night when I come home, Fred greets me with unsurpassed enthusiasm. As we see new educators arrive in our school buildings, we need to greet them, welcome them and share with them the benefits and reasons to become a member of TEA – the most powerful professional education organization in Tennessee. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride - and when you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body: Okay, I am not saying you have to model the “happy dance” that Fred does every night when he sees me, but we need to let everyone know the amazing victories we had this past year as an organization, such as stopping dangerous bills like vouchers and passing legislation to make it against the law to tie TVAAS to licensure. This issue of teach gives you all the information you need to spread the joy and celebrate! Take a stand – bite – growl – do whatever necessary to protect your territory: No matter how big or mean another dog may be, Fred stands his ground to protect his territory and his family. We made it clear this year that if anyone wants to mess with public education, they are going to have to take on the Tennessee Education Association. But even though we made great progress – we cannot give up the fight. We cannot continue to tolerate Tennessee being 47th in the nation in school funding. We cannot keep asking teachers and other education employees to work without the promise of a true career salary or adequate health insurance benefits. We cannot continue to allow precious teaching time to be swallowed up in test preparation and test taking. And we must keep fighting against those who want to take money from public education in order to benefit exclusive private school ventures. I believe we will have a great year because, like my dog Fred, we know how to be loyal, to each other, our organization and this great experiment called public education.
teach (USPS 742-450, ISSN 15382907) is published in August, October, Jan/Feb, and March/April by the Tennessee Education Association, 801 Second Avenue North, Nashville TN 37201-1099. Periodical postage paid at Nashville, TN. The subscription price of $3.65 is allocated from annual membership dues of $258.00 for active members; $129.00 for associate, education support and staff members; $16.00 for retired members; and $10.00 for student members. Member of State Education Editors (SEE). Postmaster: Send address changes to teach, 801 Second Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37201-1099. MANAGING EDITOR: Alexei Smirnov asmirnov@tea.nea.org ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Jim Wrye EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER: Carolyn Crowder
2
Tennessee Education Association 801 Second Avenue North Nashville, TN 37201-1099 Telephone: (615)242-8392, Toll Free: (800)342-8367, (800)342-8262 Fax: (615)259-4581 Website: www.teateachers.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT: Barbara Gray* (800)342-8367 VICE PRESIDENT: Beth Brown* (931)779.8016 SECRETARY-TREASURER: Carolyn Crowder (615)242-8392 DISTRICT 1 Joe Crabtree (423)794.9357 DISTRICT 2 Lauren McCarty (865)385-5220 DISTRICT 3 Michael Carvella (865)212-9774 DISTRICT 4 Anthony Hancock (865)293-9232 DISTRICT 5 Shawanda Perkins (423)385-9569 DISTRICT 6 Scott Price (931)455-7198
August 2014 Special Membership Edition
DISTRICT 7 VACANT DISTRICT 8 Kevin King (615)504.0425 DISTRICT 9 Theresa L. Wagner (270)776-1467 DISTRICT 10 Larry Proffitt (423)608-7855 DISTRICT 11 Wendy R. Bowers (731)645-8595 DISTRICT 12 Suzie May (731)779-9329 DISTRICT 13 VACANT DISTRICT 14 Tiffany Reed (901)412-2759 DISTRICT 15 Tom Emens (901)277-0578 ADMINISTRATOR EAST Jessica Holman (865)591.4981 ADMINISTRATOR MIDDLE Julie Hopkins (615)822-5742 ADMINISTRATOR WEST Dennis Kimbrough (901)494.0105 HIGHER EDUCATION Clinton Smith (901)230-4914 BLACK CLASSROOM TEACHER EAST Pam Thompson (615)948.7378 BLACK CLASSROOM TEACHER MIDDLE Kenneth Martin
(615)876-1948 BLACK CLASSROOM TEACHER WEST Sarah Kennedy-Harper (901)416-4582 STATE SPECIAL SCHOOLS Debi Ponder (615)969.4362 NEW TEACHER VACANT ESP Stephanie Bea (901)265-4540 TN NEA DIRECTOR Melanie Buchanan (615)305-2214 TN NEA DIRECTOR Diccie Smith (901)482-0627 STEA MEMBER David Johnson (865)828-5324 TN RETIRED Linda McCrary (423)473-9400 * Executive Committee
TEA HEADQUARTERS STAFF EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR:CarolynCrowder;ASST.EXECUTIVEDIRECTORS: TerranceGibson;SteveMcCloud;DuranWilliams;JimWrye; COMPTROLLER:Vacant;TECHNOLOGY&BUILDINGOPERATIONS MANAGER,Galen Riggs;STAFFATTORNEYS:JohnAllen,VirginiaA.
McCoy,MaryCampbell;GOVERNMENTRELATIONSCOORDINATOR: Vacant;WEBMASTER&COMMUNICATIONSCOORDINATOR:Amanda Chaney;MANAGINGEDITOR&COMMUNICATIONSCOORDINATOR: AlexeiSmirnov; INSTRUCTION&PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT COORDINATORS:SusanDalton;RhondaThompson;COORDINATOR OFORGANIZINGSUPPORT&AFFILIATERELATIONS:ShannonBain; ADVOCACYHOTLINECOORDINATOR:ForestineCole,GeraSummerford &CynthiaWood.
UniServ Staff contact information can be found on page 11 or by scanning the Quick Response code below.
ELECTION TIME IS HERE AGAIN With early voting underway and Election Day on August 7, educators need to get to the polls and vote!
School board. County commission. General Assembly. Congress. There is a lot on the ballot for many communities across the state, and a lot at stake for educators in this election. We work in public education, and that means those who are elected get to decide the future of our careers and what we hold dear. That is why every educator needs to go out and vote! In many local races there is a clear choice between candidates. If you have questions about who is best on education issues contact your local association leadership.
For many members across Tennessee, TEA has been sending automated calls and mail pieces encouraging members to vote in the primary for legislators. As we saw in the past legislative session, the General Assembly has the final say on so many of the issues affecting educators. Getting pro-education lawmakers elected is critical to fixing what’s wrong in education today. Wherever you live, make sure you go out and vote. Those that are elected determine our future.
It’s not about R. It’s not about D.
A privatization advocate recently asked why our state still doesn’t have vouchers when Tennessee has a Republican Supermajority in the General Assembly and a Republican governor with his own voucher bill. The answer is because political stereotypes often don’t work when it comes to public schools. Jim Wrye, chief lobbyist for TEA, noted at the May association Representative Assembly that the worst legislator for public education
IT’S ABOUT
in the Tennessee legislature is a Democrat, sponsoring all sorts of anti-education bills and railing against public schools.
Wrye also said the best legislator for public schools is a Republican and a life long public school educator who fights on TEA’s side. Party labels don’t necessarily indicate where a candidate lands on public schools and the people who work in them. Most legislators came from public schools and respect them.
E!
Yet for most Tennesseans, party identification does mean a great deal, so much so that the winner of a party primary is the defacto winner of the office they run for. That goes for Memphis or up on the Cumberland Plateau—whoever is the party nominee is the winner and the general election means little.
Tennessee has a system known as an open primary, where any registered voter can participate in a party primary. Voting in a party primary is a legal right for any Tennessee voter, and educators need to exercise this right!
In important races across the state, TEA members are being asked to participate in party primaries, even if they have never voted in one before.
Party primaries have a much lower voter turnout, meaning that every educator voting in those primaries has a huge impact.
3
SALARIES continued from page 1
In the summer of 2013, after a recommendation from state education commissioner Kevin Huffman and strong opposition from TEA, the State Board of Education gutted the state minimum salary schedule for teachers, eliminating pay categories for advanced degrees and experience beyond 11 years.
administration did not know why corporate taxes had fallen so much. TEA had asked the Revenue Department in December for data to help pinpoint corporate tax dodgers. The data was not provided. A hard fight for a one-time bonus and a conditional raise was defeated when the administration and other state officials weighed in. TEA is determined to hold the administration accountable for its promise of making Tennessee the number one state in teacher salary increases – an empty promise thus far.
At the end of the recent legislative session, the administration pushed to eliminate the 2 percent raise because of falling corporate tax revenue. It was disappointing that the
TENURE continued from page 1
opinion on whether Tennessee’s teacher employment laws are constitutional. Gresham’s request comes after a California Superior Court struck down various teacher tenure and seniority statutes under that state’s constitution and the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause in the Vergara v. California case. Gresham said Tennessee, like California, has a constitutional provision regarding student’s education rights in addition to the Equal Protection Clause afforded by the U.S. Constitution. She wanted “to make sure that we are on sound constitutional footing.”
Gresham asked Attorney General Robert Cooper whether the current statutes or state law in effect prior to July 1, 2011, governing permanent employment violate students’ rights to a free education under the equal protection provisions of the Tennessee or U.S. Constitution. Gresham also asked the Attorney General if Tennessee law or the statutes in effect prior to July 1, 2014, governing layoffs or the dismissal and suspension of teachers violate student’s rights to a free education under the federal and state constitutions. As always, we’ll continue to monitor these efforts and will stand vigilant in protecting your hard-won rights as educators.
Teacher Pay Equity Funds by School District
4
Benton County
$55,904.14
Milan SSD
$70,026.28
Macon County
$170,848.58
Bledsoe County
$143,195.18
Trenton SSD
$56,761.16
Marion County
$88,117.00
Campbell County
$268,909.87
Bradford SSD
$29,202.14
Richard City SSD
$8,318.76
Cannon County
$65,826.16
Gibson County SSD
$143,821.83
Monroe County
$100,056.72
Carroll County
$5,075.91
Giles County
$150,618.81
Moore County
$20,264.93
H Rock-Bruceton SSD
$43,928.07
Grainger County
$191,380.82
Morgan County
$191,380.82
Huntingdon SSD
$32,650.17
Greene County
$177,876.53
Obion County
$17,253.04
McKenzie SSD
$31,636.04
Grundy County
$122,678.76
Union City
$32,838.92
South Carroll Co SSD
$14,953.96
Hancock County
$83,857.67
Overton County
$200,473.37
West Carroll Co SSD
$66,689.04
Hardeman County
$63,725.80
Perry County
$74,271.54
Carter County
$305,572.58
Hardin County
$157,731.18
Pickett County
$51,470.70
Cheatham County
$12,932.74
Hawkins County
$349,672.40
Rhea County
$113,136.01
Chester County
$133,079.71
Haywood County
$27,418.92
Robertson County
$54,436.29
Claiborne County
$313,954.07
Henderson County
$37,625.25
Scott County
$181,430.66
Clay County
$80,229.09
Lexington City
$45,127.43
Oneida SSD
$86,303.30
Cocke County
$200,955.81
Hickman County
$141,202.68
Sequatchie County
$32,600.93
Newport City
$10,187.57
Houston County
$17,549.66
Smith County
$144,313.06
Coffee County
$4,934.63
Humphreys County
$96,566.48
Stewart County
$16,727.22
Crockett County
$56,916.50
Jackson County
$106,263.41
Sullivan County
$210,101.11
Alamo City
$16,972.83
Jefferson County
$264,040.89
Trousdale County
$102,089.07
Cumberland County
$349,976.64
Johnson County
$125,415.15
Unicoi County
$93,180.59
Decatur County
$45,621.02
Lake County
$47,670.96
Union County
$208,950.99
DeKalb County
$61,044.52
Lauderdale County
$37,974.04
Van Buren County
$40,718.62
Dyer County
$36,650.40
Lawrence County
$251,918.28
Warren County
$54,972.66
Fayette County
$109,584.81
Lewis County
$113,647.77
Wayne County
$177,408.74
Fentress County
$143,223.32
Lincoln County
$25,849.66
Weakley County
$108,040.76
Franklin County
$32,562.82
Loudon County
$34,275.70
White County
$49,845.76
Humboldt City
$38,141.69
McNairy County
$219,143.25
August 2014 Special Membership Edition
PRIVATIZATION continued from page 12
director. “Diverting public money to private schools strips our public schools of much needed funds to provide a quality education to all students.” Out-of-state groups like Students First, the Koch brothers and Americans for Prosperity are pouring buckets and buckets of money into the state in an attempt to get a voucher bill passed in the Tennessee General Assembly. At a recent Nashville event hosted by the Koch brothers, a panelist shared his confusion that the state has a republican governor and a republican-controlled legislature, but still no voucher bill on the books. “The groups pushing vouchers have yet to learn a very important lesson – it is no longer about R or D in Tennessee. Educators and legislators know the only thing that matters is who will stand up and fight for public education,” Wrye said. “Proposed voucher bills have been defeated two years in a row in the General Assembly. To me, this shows that legislators are hearing loud and clear that vouchers are unwanted and unneeded in Tennessee.” “Tennessee public schools have among the top graduation rates in the country and, at the same time, one of the lowest rates of funding per student, thereby demonstrating their efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars,” Wrye continued. “Meanwhile, school voucher programs in other states have wasted taxpayer money by supporting substandard and unaccredited programs due to inadequate oversight.” Even with a seemingly bottomless pit of money at their disposal, these out-of-state organizations are no match for TEA and its tens of thousands of angry, engaged educators. “Educators in Tennessee are fed up with one unproven reform initiative after another being forced upon them and their students. There is no way they are giving what little funding their schools receive without a fight,” said Wrye. Students cannot afford to be guinea pigs for yet another ineffective reform scheme. Tennessee needs to keep its tax dollars where they belong – in our public schools. Help TEA make the third battle of this fight the knock out round by supporting candidates in the 2014 legislative races who will vote against any effort to privatize Tennessee’s public schools.
First time in history, Tennessee falls below Mississippi in investment per student “Thank God for Mississippi” has been the thought for most Southern states because it prevented them from being last in some very troubling categories. When it comes to investment in children, Tennessee can no longer use that phrase. Mississippi now provides more resources to its public schools – $737 more per student. In order to simply meet the Magnolia state’s investment Tennessee would need an additional $700 million! To match Kentucky the state needs $1.1 billion! The administration made the bare minimum required of the state funding formula known as the BEP, an additional $59 million. In most Southern states, the vast majority of education funding comes from the state government. Tennessee relies more on local funds for schools than any of our neighbors except Georgia. The state provides 45 percent
of all K-12 funding, local government adds 39 percent, and the federal government contributes 16 percent. Contrast that with Kentucky, where the state provides 67 percent of K-12 funding. States have more options when it comes to raising revenue than local governments, especially rural counties with limited tax bases. Another reason why Tennessee continues to drop in education investment is faltering state revenues. Corporate excise taxes fell dramatically over the past 18 months, gutting a proposed teacher raise and putting on hold a great deal of K-12 investment. In the coming year, TEA will be making a major effort to increase state revenue by looking to close corporate loopholes, and to make sure that revenue goes to public schools.
UNLIKE ALMOST ALL SOUTHERN STATES, TENNESSEE GETS LESS THAN HALF OF ALL SCHOOL FUNDING FROM THE STATE, It is a reason why we are behind in investments.
$1,407
$1,218 MORE
MORE
MORE
PER STUDENT
MORE STUDENT PER
PER STUDENT
PER STUDENT
$389
$3,003
47th
$107
IN THE NATION FOR INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN
$345
$737 $139 $864 MORE MORE
PER STUDENT
LESS
PER STUDENT
LESS PER STUDENT
MORE PER STUDENT
PER STUDENT
www.teateachers.org
5
THE TEA FIGHT TO PROT TEACHER LICENSURE continued from page 1
years of low TVAAS scores, the license would be non-renewed and his or her career put in jeopardy. In the following months, making sure that teaching licenses are not based on TVAAS and evaluation outcomes became TEA’s biggest battle. Out of 132 lawmakers in the General Assembly, only six voted against TEA’s bill to ban the use of TVAAS in licensure. While the administration
and governor personally lobbied against the bill, Haslam eventually signed the bill into law. “The idea that a teacher could lose their license based on TVAAS and test scores is an assault on the teaching profession,” said Carolyn Crowder, TEA executive director. “It makes no sense at all. Would you pull the license of a lawyer who loses in court? There are often things that are outside the professional’s control.” TVAAS is a statistical estimate of student standardized test scores. As an estimate it is imprecise, so much so that national experts oppose its use in high stakes decision making for teachers. There is nothing more high stakes than losing a license.
“The state would never pull the license of a dentist whose patients had too many cavities,” said TEA President Barbara Gray. “In fact, of the dozens of professions the state regulates, teaching is the only one that would have been tied to outcomes.” TEA membership played the significant role in overturning the policy by law. TEA raised awareness about the dangers of this policy in presentations across the state and in the General Assembly. “Even though this is something the governor and education commissioner wanted deeply, the power of teachers got it overturned,” said TEA member Bryan Massengale, a middle school band director. “TEA did their homework. It was a great
With Huffman’s position on licensure, It's easy to understand why “no confidence” was the vote of many educators Over the past year, dozens of local education associations and school system directors expressed “no confidence” in Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman after his push to link teacher licenses to TVAAS and student test scores. It is no wonder—the idea was the worst education policy proposal most Tennessee educators had ever heard. It showed a lack of respect for the teaching profession and a fundamental misunderstanding of the challenges facing many teachers. The policy would have driven many good teachers away from struggling schools and forced career decisions not in the best interest of teaching and learning.
6
August 2014 Special Membership Edition
TECT THE PROFESSION campaign to help teachers push it through the Legislature.” TEA members used personal stories during the campaign to raise public awareness of the issue. In a video shown at presentations across the state, Dresden Middle School teacher Cynthia Watson pointed out the inaccuracies of using TVAAS in evaluations. From 2008 to 2012, her score fluctuated every year. She scored a 5 in 2008, a 1 in
2009, a 4 in 2010, a 5 in 2011, and 1 in 2012. Additionally, Watson’s previous TVAAS estimates went down in reports that followed her initial scores. She had a level 4 score in 2010. In the 2011 report, her 2010 score changed to 3. This showed that Watson could have been unfairly fired if the teacher licensure law had been passed. “TVAAS is a statistical estimate with a standard error
that can fluctuate wildly, especially in upper grades,” said TEA chief lobbyist Jim Wrye. “TVAAS scores can change years after a teacher has taught a group of students. The evaluation system itself is becoming more and more reliant on TVAAS by pressure from the state. Treating teachers very differently from all other professions is unacceptable. The General Assembly fixed what the SBE enacted, and we are grateful.”
Some legislators who stood strong on teacher licensure
In the face of strong administration opposition, Sen. Jim Tracy, Rep. Matthew Hill and Sen. Mike Bell stood tall for teachers and were critical in reclaiming professional accreditation. They fought in committees and on the floor of the Senate and House to make sure thousands of teachers’ careers weren’t wrongfully threatened. www.teateachers.org
7
DELL MACY’S AT&T THE HOME DEPOT KMART BEST BUY HP ROSETTA STONE APPLE STORE OMAHA STEAKS LOWE’S
E L A S CRATE & BARREL
It’s like everything’s on
every day.
PETSMART LENOVO B&H CLINIQUE SOLSTICE SEARS J. CREW SNAPFISH TOYS R US NETFLIX COSTCO NORDSTROM PROFLOWERS That makes today a great day to shop at NEA Click & Save® ! It’s the online mall that connects NEA members with the best deals at thousands of merchants. There’s no fee to join. And it’s easy! Need new clothes, a computer, or a down comforter? Just click … and save. Going to the movies tonight? Click and save. Having dinner first? Click and save. That’s how NEA members like you have already saved a total of $7,500,000.
You’ll click with big savings at neamb.com/clickandsave
NEA, NEA Member Benefits and the NEA Member Benefits logo are registered service marks of NEA’s Member Benefits Corporation. The companies mentioned have provided discounts in the past through NEA Click & Save; discounts at any given time may differ. The names of the companies listed are the property of the respective companies; NEA and NEA’s Member Benefits Corporation claim no rights in these names. CS470914
8
August 2014 Special Membership Edition
NEWS FROM
Keeping Defined Benefit Pension Plans Better for the Long Term
Who is looking out for your future? The Tennessee Retired Teachers Association is the only association of retired educators in Tennessee that is actively monitoring your pension and state insurance benefits to assure you of a continued benefit after retirement. The TRTA continues to carry the torch after retirement. Just as numbers are important in order for TEA to best represent you as an active member, TRTA needs numbers in order to represent you at the state and national levels.
Public Sector Benefits Still On Chopping Block In 2011, twenty-five states passed legislation affecting public employee pension benefits by eliminating or restricting cost-of-living adjustments, increasing the length of service and age requirements for retirement, changing vesting requirements, increasing employee contributions, decreasing benefit formulas, and, in one case, eliminating the traditional pension plan. It is clear there is a push to weaken retirement for those who dedicated their lives to the public good.
The Tennessee Legislature enacted legislation replacing the defined benefit pension plan with a hybrid pension plan. Health care appears to be the next target for change. “Retirees and active public employees can expect to see proposals to shift the cost of health insurance to the employee,” said TRTA Executive Director Donna Cotner. “We need your voice to keep your retirement secure.””
Tennessee Retired Teachers’ Association
Advocates for Retired Educators and Education Since 1957
As early as the turn of the 20th century, American legislators seemed to understand the importance of teacher quality and well-being to students’ education. A 1917 report on public education noted that “a school-teacher’s work is personal, direct and positive. It works for the good or the ill of each pupil.” Defined-benefit pension plans were first introduced for teachers in the United States to help with the recruitment of high-quality educators and as an incentive to keep those educators in the teaching profession. By 1916, some form of retirement plan was made available to public school teachers in 33 states. The idea behind this retirement system was to bring more diverse and highly qualified teachers into the profession, and to create a more productive workforce that actually saved public employers money. One dollar in pension benefits was seen as worth more than a dollar in salary. Today, the vast majority of public school teachers in the United States participate in a traditional defined-benefit pension plan. A recent report by the National Institute on Retirement Security looked at the effectiveness of pensions on teacher retention and overall teacher productivity, and drew policy conclusions about the ideal design of teacher retirement systems. The biggest takeaways of the report are as follows: Teacher effectiveness increases with experience. Education policy literature finds that teacher productivity increases sharply within the first few years of teaching. The more retention that we see among midcareer teachers, the more the average teacher productivity within a school will increase. The cost of teacher turnover is quite high, both in terms of financial cost and loss of productivity to the school district. Additionally, public school teachers turn over less than private school teachers, largely due to their compensation, including pension benefits. Defined benefit pension plans help to recruit high-quality teachers, and to retain highly productive teachers longer, as compared with defined-contribution accounts.
www.teateachers.org
9
Passing of the gavel - Gera Summerford (right) passes the TEA gavel to Barbara Gray, who was elected TEA president during the 2014 TEA Representative Assembly in May.
Fight for your ideas - TEA members protect their dream school from “reformers” in an exercise during the Summer Leadership Academy June 19 in Cool Springs.
Don’t let them silence you! The Legislature is attempting to limit and control Tennessee educators’ exercise to free speech rights if they use payroll deductions for TEA dues. There is a way to protect your rights and benefits through your membership in the Tennessee Education Association!
Sign up for
Safe. Secure. Easy to do! All it takes is a voided check.
TEA Automatic Dues Pay! For more information call TEA at 800.342.8367 ext. 213 or visit www.teateachers.org
10
August 2014 Special Membership Edition
Report Spotlights Stagnant Wage Growth for Career Teachers demand much TENNESSEE TEACHER SALARIES less rigorous Average: $47,563 coursework. For example, State Rank: 40th teachers in Colorado with a graduate degree at the issue and devising ways to better and 10 years of experience make less compensate their teachers, including than a trucker. Similarly, in Oklahoma, Portland, Maine. The Professional While most Americans agree teachers with 15 years of experience Learning Based Salary Schedule that teachers do not receive the and a master’s degree make less than (PLBSS) rewards teachers who professional pay they deserve, the sheet metal workers. In some states, continuously take classes to sharpen conversation has generally been a teacher with a bachelor’s degree and advance their skills. The PLBSS was framed around and 10 years of the result of a collaborative effort by the difficulty of experience makes the Portland Education Association and attracting people “The bottom line is that significantly less the Portland school district to develop to the teaching than the state’s midand late-career an alternative teacher compensation profession. Less median household plan that steers clear of student test attention has been teachers are not earning income. scores as a factor, instead encouraging paid to educators what they deserve, nor teachers to remain career-long learners Even in states who have been in the classroom for are they able to gain the such as California, (and an example to their students). A huge portion of Tennessee teachers have not received a salary increase for the past several years. State funding has remained flat and local revenue is scarce, causing many school systems to give one time bonuses, if anything, for an increase in compensation. The problem of stagnant pay is unique in Tennessee.
where teachers at least ten years salaries that support a with ten years of and the stagnant salaries that are middle-class existence.” experience make more money squeezing them (average salary out of the middle class. The Center for American Progress, in California: $51,400) the climbing high cost of living, particularly in a think tank in Washington D.C., today urban areas, negates any real financial released a issue brief examining this advantage over their colleagues in very issue and what they found was other states. deeply troubling. “The bottom line is that mid- and latecareer teachers are not earning what they deserve, nor are they able to gain the salaries that support a middleclass existence,” write Ulrich Boser and Chelsea Straus, the authors of the report. “It does not have to be—and should not be—this way.” Looking at a variety of databases, Boser and Strauss single out states where the average teacher salary for experienced teachers isn’t especially competitive with other professions that
Boser and Strauss also point out that teachers’ salaries slow to a crawl before they reach mid-career. For example, the average starting salary of $37,595 for an elementary school teacher only increases to $46,130 after 15 years in the classroom. The average salary for mid-career elementary school teachers in countries surveyed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is almost 10 percent higher. Still, some cities are taking a hard look
“This approach has shown results,” according to Boser and Straus. “For one, the next-generation salary schedule has effectively increased staff interest in professional learning. Other survey data suggest that the new salary structure has improved classroom teaching, with more than 75 percent of Portland teachers saying that the system has contributed greatly or somewhat to improvements in their classroom teaching.”
The authors concede that keeping great teachers in the classroom depends on more than higher pay. Most surveys of educators highlight the need for better working conditions and greater support from administrators as key factors in determining whether they stay or leave the classroom. Still, professional pay has to be part of the formula, say Boser and Straus.
Need information, services? Tennessee Education Association 801 Second Avenue N., Nashville, TN 37201-1099 (615) 242-8392, (800) 342-8367, FAX (615) 259-4581
UniServ Coordinators
District 1 — Harry Farthing, P.O. Box 298, Elizabethton, TN 37644; phone: (423)262-8035, fax: (866)379-0949; Assns: Carter, Hancock, Hawkins, Rogersville, Johnson, Sullivan, Bristol, Elizabethton, Kingsport. District 2 — Jennifer Gaby, P.O. Box 70, Afton, TN 37616; (423)234-0700, fax: (423)234.0708; Assns: Cocke, Newport, Greene, Greeneville, Unicoi, Washington, Hamblen, Johnson City. District 3 — Tina Parlier, P.O. Box 74, Corryton, TN 37721, (865)688-1175, fax: (866)518-3104; Assns: Claiborne, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier, Union, Scott, Campbell, Oneida (in Scott Co.). District 4 — Janet Abrams, KCEA, 2411 Magnolia Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917 Assns: Knox,TSD, District 5— Jason White, P.O. Box 5502, Oak Ridge, TN 37831; (615)521-1333, fax: (865)200-5254; Assns: Anderson, Clinton, Oak Ridge, Blount, Alcoa, Maryville, Lenoir City, Loudon. District 6 — Chris Brooks, P.O. Box 3629, Chattanooga, TN 37404, (615)332-2636; Assns: Bradley, Cleveland, McMinn, Athens, Etowah, Meigs, Monroe, Sweetwater, Polk, Rhea-Dayton, Roane. District 7 — Theresa Turner, HCEA 4655 Shallowford Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37411; (423)485-9535, fax: (423)4859512; Assns: Hamilton. District 8 — Josh Trent; Assns: Clay, Cumberland, Fentress, Jackson, Morgan, Pickett, Putnam, Overton, York Institute, TN Tech. Univ, Bledsoe, Sequatchie,Van Buren, White. District 9 — Jackie Pope, 2326 Valley Grove Dr., Murfreesboro, TN 37128;phone: (615)898-1060, fax: (855) 301-8214, Assns: Bedford, Moore, Cannon, DeKalb, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Manchester, Tullahoma, Marion, Warren. District 10 — Jeff Garrett, P.O. Box 1326, Lebanon, TN 370881326; (615)630-2605, fax (855)320-8755—; Assns: Rutherford, Murfreesboro, Sumner, MTSU, Macon, Smith, Trousdale. District 11 — Antoinette Lee; Assns: FSSD, Williamson. District 12 — Sue Ogg; phone: (615)856-0503 — Assns: Giles, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Fayetteville, Maury, Wayne, Marshall, Perry. District 13 — Mary Campbell, Vacancy, Metro Nashville, 531 Fairground Court, Nashville, TN 37211; (615)3476578 (Campbell), fax: (855)299-4968 (Campbell); Assns: Metro Nashville, TN School For The Blind, Lebanon, Wilson. District 14 — Maria Uffelman, P.O. Box 99, Cumberland City, TN 37050; phone: (931)827-3333, fax: (855)299-4925; Assns: Clarksville-Montgomery, Robertson. District 15 — Cheryl Richardson, P.O. Box 354, Goodlettsville, TN 37070; phone: (615)630-2601, fax: (888)519-4879; Assns: Benton, West Carroll, Central, Clarksburg, Huntingdon, McKenzie, Henry, Paris, Houston, Humphreys, Stewart, Cheatham, Dickson, Hickman. District 16 — Lorrie Butler, P.O. Box 387, Henderson, TN 38340; (731)989-4860, fax: (855)299-4591; Assns: Chester, Hardeman, West TSD, Henderson, Lexington, Jackson-Madison, McNairy, Decatur, Hardin. District 17 — Karla Carpenter, P.O. Box 177, Brunswick, TN 38014; (901)590-2543, fax: (855)299-4892; —Assns: Crockett, Dyer, Dyersburg, Gibson, Humboldt, Milan, Trenton, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion, Union City, Tipton, Weakley. District 18 — Zandra Foster, 3897 Homewood Cove, Memphis, TN 38128; (901)377-9472, fax: (855)320-8737;— Assns: Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland, Millington, Fayette. District 19 — Assns: Memphis-Shelby County Education Association — Ken Foster, Executive Director; Memphis-Shelby County EA UniServ Directors: Glenda Jones, Terri Jones, Tom Marchand, 126 South Flicker Street, Memphis, TN 38104; (901)454-0966, fax: (901)454-9979; Assn: MemphisShelby County.
www.teateachers.org www.nea.org
Scan this Quick Response code for UniServ contact information and photos.
www.teateachers.org
11
BACK TO SCHOOL 2014 WHAT TEA LEGISLATIVE Teacher Planning Period Law Strengthened VICTORIES MEAN TO YOU With some frequency, teachers are being asked to give up their planning period to do more tasks outside of their own classroom.
TVAAS Cannot Alter Observation Scores One of the many growing problems in the teacher evaluation system was the forced correlation between TVAAS scores and observation. That link is now illegal under a bill written and pushed by TEA and sponsored by Rep. David Hawk and Sen. Janice Bowling. State policy has put tremendous pressure on evaluators to change their observation scores to correlate with TVAAS scores,
known as acceptable range. Hundreds of teachers across the state have seen their scores lowered because of this policy, regardless of how hard they work or how prepared their classes were.
TEA knows that TVAAS is fundamentally flawed and imprecise, and is no basis to gauge teachers accurately. Having TVAAS influence other evaluation measures was unacceptable.
Often teachers do not feel comfortable—nor do they believe it is within their rights—to tell their administrators they need to focus on their own classes.
A bill passed by Knoxville’s Sen. Becky Massey and Rep. Bill Dunn changed the planning
period law to ensure individual teachers control their planning periods. The law now reads that teachers shall control their individual planning periods, meaning the teacher has final say on how the time is to be used. All K-12 teachers are allotted at least two and a half hours of planning time each week during which no other duties or responsibilities may be assigned outside of planning for instruction. Some administrators had been assigning mandatory group activities or duties other than instructional planning to teachers, cutting into available time for lesson plans and work in the classroom. TEA was successful in changing the law to shift the final decision to the teacher.
TEA stops vouchers, threats remain
Privatization groups lose major battles on vouchers and charters, gear up for next year
12
Two legislative sessions in a row TEA dealt voucher proponents debilitating blows in their attempts to steal taxpayer money from our public schools. Still, five months out from the start of the next session, TEA is already lacing up the gloves and preparing for the third round of the voucher battle. August 2014 Special Membership Edition
“Tennessee’s children deserve great public schools, Private school vouchers are not the answer,” said Jim Wrye, TEA assistant executive PRIVATIZATION go to page 5