1865 ~ 2015 TEA celebrates
Published by the TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION January-February 2015 Vol. 46, No. 3 www.teateachers.org
The important milestone of 150 years is called a sesquicentennial. As Tennessee pulled itself out of the ashes of the Civil War, far-thinking Tennesseans decided that education was the future of our state and founded the Tennessee Education
TEA files lawsuit on invalidity of TVAAS for teacher evaluation TEA, with support from NEA, has filed its third lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s use of TVAAS estimates in teacher evaluation.
The suit TEA filed on behalf of an Anderson County educator, a Metro Nashville educator, Anderson Co. EA, Metropolitan Nashville EA and all Tennessee teachers states that the evaluation of several thousand public school teachers in Tennessee based substantially on the test scores of students in the subjects that they do not instruct is arbitrary, irrational, unfair and unlawful.
“TEA has been pushing back against the inappropriate use of standardized test scores in teacher evaluation since the new system was first implemented in 2011,” said Barbara Gray, Arlington Community Schools administrator and TEA president. “The state has refused to reverse course, leaving TEA with no other option than to file a lawsuit to end this practice. The association will do whatever is necessary to protect Tennessee educators.” Gov. Bill Haslam, Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen, State Board of Education members, the
Association. For 15 decades, TEA has fought to improve public schools in our state, something we will be celebrating throughout 2015. Here’s to the next 150 years! You’ll notice a special TEA logo dedicated to our anniversary in this and other publications.
Increase seen in conferencing participation across state There has been a significant increase in Collaborative Conferencing activity across the state, a sign that the law is starting to reinvigorate the local conversation about salaries and benefits that took place under collective bargaining.
The Professional Educators Collaborative Conferencing Act (PECCA) was passed in 2011 after the Education Professional Negotiation Act (collective bargaining) was banned by the legislature. While there were early questions on PECCA’s
Alexander may end No Child Left Behind Get ready to HOWL TVAAS LAWSUIT go to page 4
Every educator came to loathe the name No Child Left Behind. Under the landmark federal legislation students became test scores, teachers became testers, and Washington began to overrule states and local communities on key education decision.
Now with Tennessee’s own Senator Lamar Alexander heading the Senate Education Committee, there is a real chance that the federal testing and other mandates of No Child Left Behind could be eliminated. The 2002 reauthorization of the omnibus federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), came to be seen as the path toward
15
COLLABORATIVE CONFERENCING go to page 3
with Read Across Tennessee
TEA is expanding the popular Read Across America celebration and bringing a Tennessee twist to it.
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander
REAUTHORIZATION OF ESEA go to page 4
years !
15
THE LARGEST AND STRONGEST
VOICE FOR EDUCATION
The theme for Read Across Tennessee is “Let’s HOWL about READING,” featuring Ruffy the Reading Dog. The annual celebration falls on March 2, Dr. Seuss’ birthday. TEA drew a picture of a Tennessee dog as Seuss would have, complete with a state-shaped dog tag. TEA has created coloring sheets, bookmarks and other classroom materials to make the celebration a special one. READ ACROSS TENNESSEE go to page 4
Speaking out with you Barbara Gray, President
Carolyn Crowder, Executive Director
TEA members are a force to be reckoned with Six months. A lot can happen in that short period of time. It wasn’t that long ago that one six month period saw the loss of many friends in the legislature, the loss of collective bargaining and the start of the current war against public education and the teaching profession. But let me tell you about what I have seen in the past six months – my first months serving as your TEA president. In six months I have seen educators in increasing numbers coming together to stand up against those that seek to destroy our public schools and our profession. In six months I have seen TEA members turn the tide in elections to elect true friends of public education to positions from the state house to the local school board. In six months I have seen parents and students join our fight against the misuse of testing. In six months I have seen this association get stronger and stronger as more and more educators become TEA members. This is our time. Educators and public education advocates are taking control of the education policy debate. Elected officials are realizing the value of our input and the strength of our voice. We must continue this momentum as the 2015 legislative session gets underway. I want to see hundreds of educators flooding the halls of the General Assembly during TEA’s Civication days. Legislators need to see educators packing every education committee meeting as they consider legislation on testing, teacher salary, school “This is our time. funding and more.
Educators and public education advocates are taking control of the education policy debate. ”
You will notice the words “The strongest voice for schools and educators” on a lot of things you receive from TEA. Those are not just words to us. It is a way of life for our members, our leaders and our staff. When we all stand together and fight for the common good of our students, our schools and our profession, no one can stop us.
I challenge you to bring a colleague, a friend or a family member and join me for a Civication in Nashville on your spring break. As part of Civication this year, we are offering an extended stay plan this year to learn how to continue building the movement when you return home. Let’s remind legislators and the movers and shakers in your community that TEA is a force to be reckoned with and that they may do no harm to the students or profession that we love without going through us first.
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@tnea.org ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Jim Wrye EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER: Carolyn Crowder
2 January-February 2015
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)2428392 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 DISTRICT 7 Regina Harvey (615)765-3168
Legislature must know we do more with less You’ve known this for a long time: the majority of our students in Tennessee come from low-income families and their parents aren’t getting any richer. According to recent research by the Southern Education Foundation, 58 percent of students attending Tennessee public schools come from low-income families. At the same time, Tennessee ranks 8th in the nation for on-time graduation rates, and has the country’s second highest academic standards for graduation. It’s no secret that our schools achieve this remarkable outcome with diminishing resources. Tennessee ranks 43rd for investment per child—far behind Arkansas, Kentucky and the rest of the nation, and barely ahead of Mississippi. That means Tennessee taxpayers are getting the country’s best value for every education dollar. We could do so much more with Kentucky-style investment! Instead, the war on public education has us fighting unproven and dangerous privatization schemes every year in our state legislature. Highly paid lobbyists descend upon Nashville on Research shows 58 behalf of out-of-state privatization groups percent of students to push private school vouchers and charter attending Tennessee expansion, all aimed at taking more funds out of our public schools to put them into public schools come from private hands under the guise of so-called low-income families. “reform.” Two years in a row, we were successful in defeating vouchers and we’re now entering the third round of this battle. We were able to accomplish this by showing our elected officials that teachers, not policy wonks, are the true education experts. Our local, state and national lawmakers must know that you spend your own hardearned salary on your students, continuing to do more with less to achieve our stellar graduation rate while fighting poverty every day, in and out of the classroom. We need more of your stories to turn the legislature’s attention from deep-pocketed privateers to doing what’s right for you and the students of our state. Please help us focus the state and national debate over public education to a serious conversation about poverty and its impact on student achievement. Growing up in poverty is one of the greatest impediments to a child’s cognitive development and his ability to learn. When coupled with declining school funding and constant attacks from clueless reformers, poverty can be fatal to the future of our state and nation. Please send your stories to asmirnov@tnea.org. In addition, ask your colleagues to join us in the fight for our profession.
DISTRICT 8 Kevin King (615)504-0425 DISTRICT 9 Theresa L. Wagner (270)776-1467 DISTRICT 10 Becky Jackman (931)980-0206 DISTRICT 11 Wendy R. Bowers (731)645-8595 DISTRICT 12 Suzie May (731)779-9329 DISTRICT 13 Nellie Keeton (901)840-9700 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 Carrie Allison (812)205-7689 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 AT LARGE RETIRED DIRECTOR ON NEA BOARD JoAnn Smith (423)283-9037
TEA HEADQUARTERS STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Carolyn Crowder; ASST. EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS: Terrance Gibson; Steve McCloud; Jim Wrye; TECHNOLOGY & BUILDING OPERATIONS MANAGER: Galen Riggs; COMPTROLLER: David Shipley; UNISERV FIELD MANAGER: Karla Carpenter; STAFF ATTORNEYS: John Allen, Virginia A. McCoy; GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COORDINATOR: Drew Sutton; WEB MASTER & COMMUNICATIONS
COORDINATOR: Amanda Chaney; MANAGING EDITOR & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR: Alexei Smirnov; INSTRUCTIONAL ADVOCACY & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATORS: Rhonda Thompson; William O’Donnell; COORDINATOR OF ORGANIZING SUPPORT & AFFILIATE RELATIONS: Shannon Bain; ADVOCACY HOTLINE COORDINATOR: Forestine Cole, Gera Summerford & Cynthia Wood.
UniServ Staff contact information can be found on page 10.
Speaking for your profession is your right The power of TEA comes from the voices of our tens of thousands of members all across the state. It is crucial that the momentum building at the state level translate to the local level as well. As a professional educator, you have the right to speak up for your students and your profession from county commission and local school board meetings, all the way to the Tennessee General Assembly and United States Congress. You are the expert. You are the professional in the classroom every day with Tennessee students. Elected officials at every level need to hear from you when making important policy decisions. If you haven’t yet, now is the time to attend a local county commission or school board meeting to make your voice heard!
COLLABORATIVE CONFERENCING from page 1
ability to be an effective means of negotiation, as more teachers and systems engage in conferencing, the utility of conferencing is becoming apparent. In order for a system to engage in conferencing, teachers need to vote to begin the process and then vote who shall represent them at the conferencing table, choosing organizations or unaffiliated representatives. This fall, teachers in more than a dozen systems voted for conferencing for the first time, and all but a few teachers voted to have the local association be representatives of the conferencing team. In fact, most PECCA teams are made entirely of TEA members who are seen as strong advocates for teachers in their system. The second highest vote getter is “unaffiliated,” a slam to so-called other education organizations. “It is a remarkable show of strength that association members are chosen by their peers to represent them in conferencing,” said TEA Executive
Director Carolyn Crowder. “It is critical that we have a vigorous discussion at the local level about salaries and benefits, similar to the one we have at the state level with the administration and General Assembly.” Dozens of systems now have Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), which are binding to the system and employees. By law, MOUs can be very extensive, covering salaries, grievance procedures, insurance, fringe benefits, working conditions, and leave. The terms of an MOU last three years. Several systems are already engaged in conferencing about their second MOU. “It’s important to note that the law states a memorandum of understanding shall be binding on the parties from the date of its approval by the board of education. MOUs are important agreements that have the weight of law,” said Steve McCloud, head of TEA Legal Services.
conferencing, and for school boards to reject MOUs. It happens occasionally, but the repercussions can be profound. Overton County teachers voted overwhelmingly in 2012 to engage in conferencing, but in a sign of bad faith, the board refused to vote on an MOU. Five of ten school board members were up for re-election in 2014. OCEA organized a slate of candidates for the school board, and swept all seats in August. An MOU was signed and the director was forced out. “Conferencing is about fairness and respect,” said Josh Trent, former president of OCEA and now TEA UniServ director for the district. “The power of dialogue, talking about what takes place in our classrooms and schools, and the economic future of teaching, can be a real force for change. “
There is a provision in the law that allows systems to refuse to come to the table if teachers vote for
TEA program to help in local elections backs great work and drive of local associations The saying “all politics is local” has taken on new meaning for TEA. The 2013 TEA Representative Assembly unanimously passed a new business item directing TEA Government Relations to set up a program to help in local elections. TEA had already been working hard to elect proeducation state legislators, and to bring to bear its resources at a local level made sense. For state and local elections, 2014 was going to be a pivotal year. “TEA has the best voter data in the state, and the people with skills and experience in campaigns. It only makes sense to use those resources to help local associations win important elections at the local level,” said Jim Wrye, TEA Government Relations manager. “Using targeting data and proven campaign methods, we can really be an asset to local associations looking to elect pro-education candidates for school board, county commission, and municipal elections.” In Blount County, BCEA-backed candidates swept all county commission and county school board seats they were active in. Grady Caskey, BCEA president, was himself elected to the commission. Caskey and his
FOR BETTE GOVERNME R NT
NOW!
TEA local campaign assistance program helps memberbacked candidates win at the county and city level.
membership team were able to target likely voters using the web-based Voter Action Network, a data service provided by NEA and TEA. TEA also helped with graphic design, robo-calls and other campaign materials. In Overton County, OCEA-backed candidates swept the school board and county mayor elections. TEA set up direct mail, voter files and robo-calls to back that effort. “TEA GR is ready to work in any local election. Let us help you,” said Wrye.
Grady
CASKEY Republican
n
Blount Commominee is District 8, Se sioner at B Paid for by Co mmittee to Ele
ct Grady Caske
At left are examples of printed campaign materials created by TEA staff to help local associations. TEA set up direct mail for Overton County, and printed campaign brochures for BCEA President Grady Caskey.
y
3 www.teateachers.org
Let’s HOWL About READING ready to be celebrated across Tennessee continued from page 1
“The country focuses on the cat, but here in Tennessee we’re more dog people,” said TEA Executive Director Carolyn Crowder, tongue firmly in cheek. “It’s great to make this event Tennessee’s own, we certainly have a lot to be celebrating when it comes to early literacy.” Read Across Tennessee materials include a poster in this issue of TEACH (page 6 and 7), and other materials easily downloaded from teateachers.org. Additional posters, bookmarks and classroom supplies can be ordered from TEA, just contact your local UniServ director.
Read Across
Tennessee March 2, 2015
Let’s
about
Let’s
about
15
years !
Read Across Tennessee Education Association, 2015
Tennessee
Above - coloring sheets and bookmarks can be downloaded for easy printing by going to teateachers.org
FOR MORE CLASSROOM MATERIALS, GO TO TEATEACHERS.ORG
TEA files TVAAS lawsuit TVAAS LAWSUIT from page 1
Anderson County Board of Education and the Metro Nashville Board of Education are all named as defendants in TEA’s lawsuit. TEA’s claims against the listed defendants include the violation of Tennessee educators’ due process and equal protection rights granted under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit asks for an injunction against the continued use of TVAAS in the evaluation of teachers who do not teach in tested subjects. Both teachers included as named plaintiffs in the case teach in non-tested subjects and saw their overall evaluation scores drop as a result of schoolwide TVAAS estimates being used to calculate their scores. As a result, the Metro Nashville educator was denied a bonus and the Anderson County educator lost her eligibility to be 4 January-February 2015
recommended for tenure.
“This lawsuit is one more piece of TEA’s fight against the use of TVAAS in any highstakes decisions for Tennessee educators,” Gray said. “TEA will proceed with all three TVAAS lawsuits in addition to our legislative efforts to put an end to the unfair and unlawful use of flawed TVAAS estimates.” Part of TEA’s 2015 legislative agenda includes a proposal to hold teachers harmless for two years from all use of TVAAS estimates as the state transitions to a new standardized test. “Educators are not opposed to being evaluated. We just want it to be done in a way that actually reflects the quality of our individual work and contributions to student success,” said Gray. Look for updates on the progress of TEA’s three pending TVAAS lawsuits and proposed legislation in future TEA publications.
Overturning No Child Left Behind a real possibility if Lamar has his way REAUTHORIZATION OF ESEA from page 1
high-stakes testing and Washington’s intrusion into what had been known as a state and local issue: public schools. Now it is time for another reauthorization of ESEA, and Sen. Alexander will be the critical leader in that effort. With Republicans taking control of the upper chamber of Congress, Alexander now becomes chair of the Senate Education Committee charged with rewriting ESEA. “It is an exciting possibility that we could see the end of the federal government push into testing and standards. Most educators would agree that No Child Left Behind was a flawed policy, and it is time for a change,” said TEA President Barbara Gray. Alexander is known to be a federalist, a recognition that there are limits to the national government and that states should take the lead on many important issues, including education. The idea of getting the federal government out of the mandated testing business is also gaining bipartisan support, a critical factor in a Senate that needs at least 60 votes to pass anything. “We are hopeful that ESEA reauthorization can happen in the next few months, the stars are aligning,” said TEA Government Relations Manager
Jim Wrye. “The new Republican Congress needs to show it can pass major legislation, and there is widespread unhappiness on how the Secretary of Education has weighed in on everything from what tests states use to what standards. It would be quite an achievement to roll back No Child Left Behind.” Wrye is confident in the NEA lobbying team on Capitol Hill. In December, staff from Alexander’s office came to Nashville and talked with TEA leaders at the association headquarters about reauthorization. While TEA disagrees with the senator on issues like charter schools, there is common ground that decisions on testing, teacher evaluation and academic standards should not be made in Washington. “It is time for the federal mandates to be removed from over our heads so we can make decisions here in Tennessee for Tennessee students,” said Gray. Alexander recently said he still anticipates complete markup of the ESEA reauthorization bill by March, but he was less confident about finding time for it on the floor. “We have to go to the floor for an extended period of debate and discussion,” Alexander said. “Then we have to go to conference, and then we have to discuss it with the president. So this isn’t the final word. This is step one.”
5 www.teateachers.org
Let’ about Read Across
Tennessee March 2, 2015
6 January-February 2015 Read Across Tennessee, a celebration of TEA in conjunction with NEA’s Read Across America. “Ruffy the Re
’s
ruffy
15
years !
eading Dog.” Copyright, Tennessee Education Association.
7 www.teateachers.org
NEA Representative A TEA members run for NEA RA state delegate positions Biographical information and photographs submitted by candidates for state delegate positions to the National Education Association’s Representative Assembly in Orlando, Fla., July 1-6, 2015, are published in this three-page section. All candidates will be listed on ballots which local association presidents will receive by March 1. Members are encouraged to vote in the locally conducted election to determine who will represent them at the NEA RA. For Category 1, NEA members will vote for two district delegates based on the district in which they teach. Category 1 includes candidates who are classroom teachers, education support professionals or persons who serve in other non-supervisory positions. In Category 2, NEA members may vote for any three of the candidates. This category includes members who are supervisors, administrators or retired NEA life members. Any NEA-retired life, education support or active member not affiliated with a local association who wishes to vote in the election may receive a ballot by writing or calling
TEA, 801 Second Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37201-1099, (615) 242-8392 or (800) 3428367. The NEA RA is NEA’s highest decision-making body. With over 9,000 delegates, it is also the world’s largest democratic, deliberative body. The RA convenes every July during the Annual Meeting. While the first two days are devoted to discussions, conferences, and exhibits, the highlight is the Representative Assembly itself. During this important event, delegates debate issues that impact American public education, elect NEA officers, and set policy for the 3.2 million-member association. In conjunction with the Annual Meeting, NEA also hosts several pre-RA events, including the Joint Conference on the Concerns of Minorities and Women. Participants explore societal trends, the latest education research, current reform, best practices, and other critical issues affecting students and employees. We invite you to come and lend your voice to the conversation.
CATEGORY I
pastoral staff of Calvary Church in Johnson City. Member of Black Caucus, married 33 years.
Joe Crabtree — Sixth-grade science and social studies teacher at Indian Trail Intermediate School in Johnson City. Currently serving as the president of the Johnson City Education Association, chair of the TEA Instruction and Professional Development Commission, member of the TEA Fund for Children Executive Council, and member of the JCEA Collaborative Conference Teacher Team. TEA and NEA RA delegate since 2008. “I love being a voice for the teachers of Johnson City and Tennessee. I am honored to serve as a delegate for our wonderful state!”
Kappa Alpha Sorority. Member: Children of God Ministries. “I would like to serve as your 2014 NEA RA State Delegate.”
Vicky Jones - Third-grade classroom teacher, 36 years at Fall Branch Elementary/Middle School. Active in association work since 1978: in NEA/ TEA/WCEA, WCEA president for 2 terms, WCEA vice president, WCEA W-PACE treasurer, WCEA AR, WCEA Bargaining Team (25+ years), TEA RA (numerous), TEA Advocacy Conferences, TEA Summer Leadership Academies, NEA RA (since 1992). Presently WCEA Association representative and member of WCEA Collaborative Conferencing team.
association representative. TEA: Board of Directors, district 4, co-chair of 2015 and 2014 Minority Affairs committee, TEA Resolutions, Southeast Regional Minority Leadership Training Committee, Minority Affairs Leadership committee, New Teachers Training committee, state delegate – RA; NEA Resolutions committee. Tanya Coats — President (KCEA), IPD Commission chair, Bearden Elementaryinstructional coach; KCEA Executive Board member, 2011-2013 TEA Board of Directors District 4; committee member of KCEA’s Minority Affairs, Public Relations, Elections, Human Relations, Bearden Elementary SWS Leadership Team, Knox County Schools Coaches’ Network; I serve currently as a treasurer for several organizations that include my churchClinton Chapel AME Zion Church, Top Ladies of Distinction, Alpha Kappa Alpha–Psi Zeta Omega as well as a couple of others.
Joe Sumter *
District 1
Karen Anderson — Elementary teacher at Lake Ridge School in Johnson City. Currently serving on NEA Women’s Issues Comm., NEA Resolutions Comm., and TEA NEA Concerns Committee. Previously served on TEA board and several state and local committees. Membership Chair and PACE Comm. member for JCEA. Taught early childhood education courses at East Tennessee State University and Middle Tennessee State University; directed 3 early childhood programs in middle Tennessee and served on several boards and committees for early childhood. Clara Faye Rutledge * LaDawn Hudgins — President, Washington County Education Association, served as President-Elect (2 years), member of Washington Co. School Calendar committee (6 years), TEA Minority Affairs committee (3 years), delegate for TEA/RA (more than 10 years), delegate for NEA/ RA (3 years), state delegate for NEA MLT/WLT (Oct. 2014), attended Organizing Summit and Leadership Conference, TEA Rally Days in 2014), appointed to the IPD Committee (2014-2015), 28 years as a school speech/language pathologist, masters degree in theology (June 2009), on
8 January-February 2015
District 2
Lauren McCarty * Melinda Shelton Reese — Past Hamblen Co. EA president; currently teaching kindergarten at Union Heights Elementary in Morristown HCEA’s PECCA chief spokesperson; active member of HCEA’s Executive Board. Served on the following HCEA committees: Membership, Newsletter, Grievance and Legislative. Serving as TEA state board contact. Served on the TEA Board of Directors for District 2. Chairperson of TEA‘s 2009-2010 Professional Negotiations‘ Committee & participant of many TEA sponsored events, such as Summer Leadership School, Bargaining Conferences, Area Cluster Meetings, TUEAC & Spring Symposium. Susan O’Donoghue *
District 3
Michael Carvella * Melanie Lamberson *
District 4
Anthony Hancock —Special education teacher, Comprehensive Development Classroom (CDC), Bearden Middle School. Knox Co. EA: KCEA Executive Board, parliamentarian, Legislative Contact TEAM (LCT), Membership committee, Minority Affairs Leadership committee,
Karen Peterman — Knox County classroom teacher with 31 years of experience. BS, BA, MS (+45 hrs). KCEA Executive Board, 2005 TEA Distinguished Classroom Teacher. Former local president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, newsletter editor, chief negotiator and TUEAC president. Served on TEA’s IPD Commission, Resolutions, Status of Women, and NEA Concerns Committees. 17 TEA & 18 NEA Representative Assemblies. “I hope that you will allow me to represent you at this important national meeting.” Joan Washington — Behavior coach at Beaumont Magnet Honors Academy. Knox County—26 years of service at the end of 2013. Member: KCEA Executive Board, Minority Affairs, TEA, NEA. Committees: Teacher Evaluation Advisory and TUEAC. Served on Mentoring Team, Project Grad Cooperative Management Consistency Discipline coach, treasurer of Oak Ridge Chapter of Alpha
Connie Mitchell * Ashley Anthony *
Paula Hancock — Sixthgrade mathematics teacher, Karns Middle School; TEA Board of Directors, East Tennessee Black Classroom Teacher; TEA Legislative Editing Committee; TEA Communications Committee; TEA Resolutions Committee; TEA Representative Assembly; PAC Captain, NEA Fund for Children and Public Education; NEA Minority Leadership Training; NEA Representative Assembly; KCEA Executive Board, Minority-atLarge; KCEA Collaborative Conference Team; KCEA Membership Committee; KCEA Association Representative; KCEA Minority Affairs Committee.
District 5
Shawanda Perkins — Hamilton Co. EA first grade teacher for thirteen years. I am a proud TEA and NEA member for 17 years. Currently HCEA treasurer, HCEA National Teacher Day Banquet Committee chairperson, TEA District 5 Board of Directors (2 years) and TEA Executive Committee, one-year term. Other involvement in the association includes HCEA Association representative, HCEA secretary, HCEA treasurer, chair of various committees (TEA ION), TEA Minority Leadership Cadre graduate, TEA Minority Affairs, TEA Legislative Editing, TEA Status of Women, TEA Emerging Leaders graduate, TEA RA delegate for ten years. Alicia “Pam” Thompson * Bryan Massengale — Band director at Rhea Central Elementary School, band director in Rhea County since 1984. Rhea-Dayton EA. B.S. degree in music education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1980; M.S. degree in Administration
Assembly 2015 Delegate Nominees & Supervision, UT-Knoxville, 1993; Ed. S. in Educational Leadership, Tennessee Tech University. RDEA president, past president, newsletter editor, chief negotiator; NEA: past NEA Today local editor advisory board; attended 15 previous NEA Representative Assemblies. Deborah Taylor — Algebra I educator at East Ridge High School, more than 25 years in Hamilton County schools; TEA committees—Minority Affairs and Status of Women; TEA/NEA Representative Assemblies; served as HCEA AR and alternate. Tennessee State University (B.S.), Trevecca (M.Ed.), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Phi Delta Kappa Sorority, DOI, PHA. “Serving as your 2013 NEA Delegate at the RA would be an honor.”
Affairs Committee, ION Committee, Career and Technology Committee. TEA RA and NEA RA since 2002. Fred Riley — Williamson Co. EA member since 2000. Attended TEA 18th Annual Spring Symposium, Minority Affairs Conference in 2014, Summer Leadership training and Advocacy Conference in 2013, Teacher Leader Organizer for WCEA, represented TEA at the Minority and Women’s Leadership Training Conference (EAST) in October 24-26 in Miami, participated in Raise Your Hand: the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as part of the NEA RA July 2014 in Denver, represented TEA at the NEA Minority Leadership Training Conference (EAST) in February 2014. Mark Orman — Maury Co. EA; 28 years of teaching experience, active in association work 25 years (AL, LA, TN). Local officer, district director, committee member: NEA Concerns, TEA membership, professional rights/responsibilities, internal relations, National
District 6
Beth Brown — English teacher, 14 years, Grundy Co. High School. GCEA: association representative, president-elect, president, chief negotiator, grievance chairperson, membership chairperson, collaborative conferencing chairperson. TEA: TEA Board (2009-2012, 2014-president), TEA vice president, board liaison to IPD Commission, Executive Committee, Budget Committee, Educator Advocacy Committee, Dues Task Force, Credentials Committee, Editing Committee. NEA: RA delegate, 2009-2014.
District 7
Regina Harvey * Lucianna Sanson — English IV/British Literature, honors British Literature, and AP Literature at Franklin Co. High School in Winchester. BA in English from Sewanee: The University of the South. Franklin County native, in the Franklin County School district since 2005. A wife, mother, and a teacher, currently serving as president of the Franklin County EA, member of the Delta Kappa Gamma teacher sorority, and a guest co-host on Dr. James Miller’s internet radio show “The War Report on Public Education.”
District 8 Kevin King *
Kawanda Braxton — Special education teacher, Williamson Co. Schools, Brentwood Middle School. Currently serving on TEA Board of Directors, TEA Executive Committee, TEA Resolutions Committee. Locally serving as WCEA minority representative and WPACE treasurer. Previous positions: WCEA president, president-elect, TEA Minority
Education Week.
District 9
Kenneth Martin — Currently serves as the TEA Black Classroom Teacher from Middle Tennessee on the TEA Board of Directors and as a member of the MNEA Executive Board. Martin, an exceptional education teacher at Martin Luther King Magnet School, has served MNEA as treasurer, parliamentarian, association representative, negotiations team member, TEA delegate, NEA delegate, organizer for NEA Target of Opportunities Campaign, and committee chair (Constitution, Bylaws, Standing Rules; Minority Affairs; Budget; and Special Education). Debi Ponder * Theresa L. Wagner — Gra-Mar Middle School, Nashville. Professional: teacher in Louisiana (1986-98); Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools physical education teacher (1998-present). MNEA: Executive Board director (2007-present); delegate to TEA Representative Assembly (2006-14); committee chair (Human Relations, Membership, Nominations/Elections, PACE). TEA Committees: Legislative Editing; Status of Women; Membership (Chair); Communications (Chair); TUEAC President (2010-14); TEA state delegate to NEA Annual Meeting (2008-14); TEA District 9 Board Director (2012-present), Executive Committee (current). NEA: Human and Civil Rights Division/GLBT Cadre trainer (2007-present); GLBT Caucus SE Regional Female Director (2010-present).
Earl Wiman — NEA Executive Committee, Teacher on special assignment, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools; past TEA president, vice president, executive committee member, TPACE Committee member and board member; holds undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees; has attended numerous NEA RAs and served on the NEA Resolutions Committee; chaired state committees, involved in numerous local association activities, Metropolitan Nashville EA Executive Committee. Jeannine Renfro — Jeannine Renfro has been a teacher in Metro Nashville Public schools for 16 years. She is currently serving as District 4 director, Metro Nashville Education Association Executive Board. She serves at MNEA as association representative, chair of the Scholarship/Communications Committees. Renfro has attended TEA Bargaining Conference, NCUEA Fall Conference, Quality Schools Summit, TEA RA and NEA RA. “I would consider it an honor to serve and represent TEA District 9 at the 2014 NEA Representative Assembly.” Erick Huth — MNEA vice president, Metro Retirement Plan, Metro Insurance Trust, Sick Leave Bank; TEA: Advocacy, Retirement and Insurance. Formerly: National Council of Urban Education Associations: parliamentarian, regional director, Screening, Elections; MNEA: president, chief bargaining spokesperson, parliamentarian; Tennessee Urban Education Associations Council: president, vice president; Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System: trustee, executive committee member; TEA: Board member, TEA Political Action Committee for Education Council, chair (Internal Organizational Needs, Advocacy, Retirement and Insurance), member (Vocational, Communication, Professional Negotiations). Carrol Trusty — Career Ladder Level III English teacher, Antioch High School, credit recovery. 30 years English/Language Arts in Wilson County, Metro. Formerly, Antioch debate program two decades and numerous honors, empowering students, prestigious scholarships. MNEA treasurer; formerly MNEA secretary, MNEA association representative; TEA Professional Negotiations Committee, TEA Advocacy Committee, MNEA Rights Responsibility Committee, MNEA NEA Annual Meeting Review Committee, MNEA Bargaining Team, MNEA delegate Tennessee Education Association Representative Assembly, MNEA delegate National Education Association Annual Meeting. Claudia Davidson — Social studies teacher, Antioch High School, association representative 8+ years, MNEA Executive Board district director 8 + years, former chair MNEA Nominations Elections
Commission, overseeing MNEA’s various elections 3 years, MNEA Professional Rights Responsibilities Committee 5 years, MNEA NEA Annual Meeting Review Committee, TEA Educators Advocacy Committee, delegate Tennessee Education Association Representative Assembly, delegate National Education Association Annual Meeting, TEA Summer Leadership School, Advocacy Conference. Sheila Garcia — Literacy teacher at Isaac Litton Middle School in Metro Nashville Public schools since August 2001. Graduate of Tennessee State University (B.A., M. Ed) in curriculum and instruction. Currently serving as District 10 director, MNEA executive board. She serves at MNEA as association representative, chair of the Minority Affairs Committee. TEA delegate; member TEA Minority Affairs Committee; member TEA Minority Leadership Program. Served as a delegate to the NEA Annual and TEA Representative Assembly. Stephen Henry — MNEA: president, vice-president, treasurer, parliamentarian, Board-district director, Executive Committee, chief negotiator; committee chairBudget & Finance, Public Relations, Bylaws, Human Relations; PACE Council, Martin Human Relations Award, TEA: Board of Directors, TEA-FCPE Council, Committees-NEA Concerns, Executive, Negotiations, Credentials, Human Relations, Communications, Chair-ION & Human Relations; “I Can Do It” trainer, Johnson Human Relations Award, TUEAC, NEA: Board of Directors & Executive Committee-official observer, Committees-SOGI, Equity & Ethnic Harmony; NEA-FCPE Council, HCR DivisionNational Trainer, NCUEA. Rosemary Wade * Jerri Simon * David Gould *
District 10 Carrie Allison *
Rebecca Jackman * Joyce Johnson — Reading specialist at Byrns Darden Elementary in Clarksville. I am a dedicated worker in the Association and would appreciate your vote of confidence so that I can continue to serve you. My association involvement at the state/local levels includes: vice-president, CMCEA, CMC-PACE committee, TEA/NEA RA delegate, TEA negotiations committee, TEA/ CMCEA human relations committee, TEA PR&R, TEA leadership training, CMCEA constitution & bylaws committee, area IV and building representative,
Continued on page 10
9 www.teateachers.org
NEA Rep. Assembly 2015 Delegate Nominees TEA Grievance and Retirement Committees. Attended TEA Advocacy and Minority Affairs conferences. Abraham Wolfe * Becky Adames * Jane Ligon — Administrative assistant/bookkeeper at Bransford Elementary, Robertson County. RCEA – 1st vice president, member of the Education Support Professional Committee; TEA – TUEAC treasurer and member of Membership committee; NEA – Ethnic Minority Affairs and Status of Women Caucus. Former member, TEA and NEA Board of Directors, delegate to the TEA and NEA Representative Assembly for numerous years. Committed advocate for public education.
District 11
Wendy Bowers * Melanie Buchanan — Firstgrade teacher at Ashland City Elementary School in Cheatham County where she also serves as the treasurer and membership chair of the Cheatham County EA. She has served two terms on the TEA Board of Directors and currently represents Tennessee on the NEA Board of Directors. She was named a Distinguished Educator for Middle Tennessee for the 11-12 school year and was Tennessee’s nominee for the NEA Foundation’s Excellence in Education Award in 2012.
District 12 Clinton Smith *
Raeleen Burke — Classroom kindergarten teacher at Huntingdon Primary School.
District 13 Nellie Keeton *
like to continue to bring the rural, suburban, and urban issues to the forefront. I ask for your vote to continue to stand up for our children, our employees, and public education.
Ernestine King — Special education teacher in Shelby County Schools, A.S., B.S., Med, Ed.S, Memphis Shelby County Education Association, PACE Council, TEA ION Committee, TUEAC president, NCUEA (National Council of Urban Education Association) UMID Committee. Other committee work includes: Minority Affairs Committee, IPD Commission, Status of Women in Leadership Committee, Human Relations, TEAC Growth Measures, SCORE Committee panelist, TEA Special Education Ad Hoc, TEA Legislative Editing Committee, TUEAC/NUEAC Conferences, NBCT mentor, NBCT scorer, NEA grant reader. NEA/TEA member since 1997. DeJuan Parker * Erika Sugarmon * Hattie Woodard *
District 15
Stephanie Bea — Special education assistant in Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Currently serving on TEA Board of Directors-ESP at-large; member of Memphis-Shelby Co. EA; building representative; National Council for Educational Support Professionals; TEA ESP Committee chair; Council of Exceptional Children; NEA Peace and Justice Caucus: NEA Women’s Caucus; Caucus for Educators of Exceptional Children; attended TEA Representative Assembly, NEA Representative Assembly; NEA ESP Leaders for Tomorrow 2013; won Heart Person Award 2011-2012.
Connisha Bogard *
Sarah-Kennedy Harper — Proud teacher of Memphis City Schools in West Tennessee. Currently serving on the TEA board of directors. Having taught for 15 years, she has been a delegate to the TEA RA a number of years. “I know now that teaching is what I was born to do and a teacher is who I am. It’s in my blood.”
Rebecca Bryson *
10 January-February January-February2015 2015 10
UniServ Coordinators
CATEGORY 2
Tiffany Reed *
Diccie Smith — M-SCEA, functional skills teacher, 31 years experience. I have been active in the association since I was a student and have represented you on the local, state, and national levels. Now that SCEA and MEA have merged into M-SCEA, I would
Tikeila Rucker *
Tonda Boyland *
Tom Emens *
District 14
Tennessee Education Association 801 Second Avenue N., Nashville, TN 37201-1099 (615) 242-8392, (800) 342-8367, FAX (615) 259-4581
Margaret Williams *
Kembela Hawkins *
Crystal Harper * Sammy Jobe — President of the Shelby County Education Association. Heath/physical education teacher, boys’ basketball coach (17 years) Collierville Middle School. BSEd - University of Memphis, MSEd Administration and Supervision - Trevecca Nazarene University. 45 hours post graduate studies-elementary certification. SCEA Board of Directors-8 years; Nashville Capitol Hill lobbying – 13 years; Building AR-11 years; election committee co-chairman; liaison SCEA newsletter; Educator Benefits; TEA Board of Directors; fifteen TEA RAs; 5 TEA Leadership Academies; TEA membership committee-2 years.
Need information, services?
Tori McNeil-Mans *
Alisa Bledsoe *
Audrey Elion *
TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Barbara Gray — Assistant principal, Arlington Community Schools. TEA President, past TEA vicepresident. BS in Chemistry from LeMoyne-Owen College, earned a graduate degree from the University of Memphis. Past president, vice-president, member of Board of Directors, administrator-at-large Shelby Co EA; M-SCEA director; chaired and served on various state and local committees; represented members at various TEA RAs & NEA RAs and attended numerous TEA and NEA conferences. Jessica Holman * Julie Hopkins * Dennis Kimbrough * Margaret Thompson — I have represented administrators from Middle Tennessee on the TEA Board for the past three years. I have taught school for more than 30 years. I have been an administrator for seven years in Robertson Co., all the while being a member of Robertson Co. EA. Throughout my years of Association membership, I have worked on numerous committees, as well as recruited membership. During my tenure on the Board, I have attended four NEA RAs. Tiffany Watkins — Principal, Fair Garden Family Community Center; KCEA member since 1999. Served as building representative for five years at Hardin Valley Elementary, and on KCEA Executive Board. Member of the Minority Affairs and served as the secretary for many years. TEA and NEA delegate for many years. Fellow in the Knox County School /University of Tennessee Leadership Academy in 2012. Taught elementary school 16 years, served as an assistant principal for two years and currently as a principal. Paula Brown *
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 — Duran Williams, 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)2005254; 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)485-9512; 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 37088-1326; (615)6302605, 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, Susan Dalton, Metro Nashville, 531 Fairground Court, Nashville, TN 37211; (615)347-6578 (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: ClarksvilleMontgomery, 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)9894860, fax: (855)299-4591; Assns: Chester, Hardeman, West TSD, Henderson, Lexington, Jackson-Madison, McNairy, Decatur, Hardin. District 17 — Terri Jones, —Assns: Crockett, Dyer, Dyersburg, Gibson, Humboldt, Milan, Trenton, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion, Union City, Tipton, Weakley. District 18 — Zandra Foster, Ashley Evett, 3897 Homewood Cove, Memphis, TN 38128; (901)377-9472, fax: (855)3208737;—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, Tom Marchand, 126 South Flicker Street, Memphis, TN 38104; (901)454-0966, fax: (901)4549979; Assn: Memphis-Shelby County.
www.teateachers.org www.nea.org
* — no photo or bio at press time.
TEA conferences await members TEA invites members from across the state to register for and attend the Spring Symposium, the Minority Affairs Conference and the Education Support Professionals Conference in the spring. Our 19th Annual Spring Symposium will take place April 10-11, 2015, at the Park Vista Hotel in Gatlinburg. The symposium will focus on delivering compelling instruction, nurturing resilience in students and STEM subjects. Michael Ungar, a family therapist and a Killam Professor of Social Work at Dalhousie University, is this year’s keynote speaker.
Attendees are responsible for making their room reservations. When calling the hotel at 800.421.7275, ask for TEA instructional conference rate of $97 per night.
The registration form is available under the Conferences and Workshops tab at teateachers. org. Registration for the symposium must be received at TEA by March 22. Check your email and teateachers.org for more details about the Minority Affairs Conference, to be held March 27-28 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Memphis, and the ESP Conference on April 18 at the TEA headquarters in Nashville.
TEA MEMBERS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE TUESDAY OF YOUR SPRING BREAK?
a ke
Ta
! l o t i p a C ! e s h r t o t o t a l e s i ! m g n o e o l C our i t a c e u y l l d i o v t e h r s k l a o f N a T d up hts in g i n n a St p to two
u y o Enj
! S E L I M R O F S E S R U B M I ! E Q R H A A TE E T T A T S A F K A E R B ! D E G N A GREAT R R A S G N I T E E M L O ! T L I E V A R CAP T G N O L R O F L E T O H D I A P E ! R S P R E B M E M L L A O T N E OP
FOR MORE INFORMATION, HOTEL REQUESTS, AND HELP ORGANIZING YOUR TRIP, EMAIL TEA AT:
sstinson@tnea.org Email only please
Ask about the EXTENDED STAY plan available this year to help build a public school movement back home! Those who sign up for this option will have two nights and days in Nashville. 11
www.teateachers.org
Family budgets crippled by often unnecessary insurance changes Last year, TEA fought to make sure insurance premiums for school employees did not increase at the state level. This meant that all schools who participate in the State Group Insurance Plan (SGIP), more than 90 percent of all districts in the state, did not see an increase in the cost of providing their employees insurance for the 2015 year. The expectation was that this would work to offset the meager increase in teacher pay last year, when the average Tennessee teacher only saw an additional $198 in her annual pay. Unfortunately, numerous school systems throughout the state decided to implement massive, and in some cases illegal, cost shifts onto the backs of their employees for health insurance. It’s important to note that the majority of systems in Tennessee did the right thing and did not increase employee costs for insurance this year, but there were several that made changes to the structure of their plans. This forced thousands of educators into the agonizing choice of paying hundreds more per month for health insurance for their families, or being driven into cheaper insurance with significantly higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. The families that couldn’t afford the price hike have been forced to roll the dice, effectively betting their financial livelihood that they won’t incur major medical expenses.
years !
Why did systems impose these cost shifts when insurance costs stayed flat? TEA had conversations with district officials in affected systems and was told these officials believed they had to make the changes to be compliant with applicable laws and regulations. In particular, officials cited the need to comply with mandates related to the employer responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act, as well as decades-old regulations regarding
non-discrimination. TEA then began to conduct its own research that included consulting with Tennessee regulators, senior policy analysts from the National Education Association, attorneys from one of the most reputable law firms in the state, and high-level officials from the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Health and Human Services. It is apparent after consulting with leading experts that the changes adopted by some systems are completely unnecessary and, in some cases, could result in liability on the part of the system for breaking minimum contributions mandated by Tennessee law. The results of these cost shifts are painful. The Partnership PPO offered through the SGIP has seen enrollments drop by more than 20 percent, while enrollments in the Limited PPO increased by more than 400 percent. That means more than 8,000 educators dropped from the Partnership plan, most of whom went into the Limited plan. TEA has spent time in districts throughout the state talking with affected teachers, and it is clear most did not want to make the change. Many felt compelled to do so when the LEA announced it had slashed their employer contribution. TEA has been working around the clock for months to find solutions to help affected teachers and their families. TEA’s message to systems is clear and unwavering: there is nothing in the law that mandates these severe changes. TEA will continue to work with local, state, and national officials to ensure educators’ interests are being represented and that any unnecessarily harmful decisions are remedied.
TEA MEMBER TAX DEDUCTION S
TEA DUES:
Active full-time teache
15
$125.52 CLASSROOM SUPPLIES
12 January-February 2015
$251.04 r
Active full-time support pr
ofessional
$250.00
CONTINUING COLL EDUCATION Up to EGE $4,000
Save hundreds with educator tax deductions
TEA knows every dollar counts in your family budget. That is why when tax time rolls around, it is important that you know the many tax deductions you qualify for as a professional educator. First, TEA members can deduct 93.5 percent of your association dues for the 2014 tax year. The nondeductible portion of TEA dues is 6.5 percent related to certain lobbying and political activities, so you can deduct $251.04 for active full-time teachers and $125.52 for full-time education support professionals as miscellaneous itemized deductions. Teachers may also deduct up to $250 for classroom supplies purchased in 2014. This is a particularly advantageous deduction because it is an above-the-line deduction on Schedule A, which means you don’t have to itemize to take it and it reduces your overall adjusted gross income. Other situations faced by educators preparing their taxes include: Income from outside work like a summer job or tutoring If there is no additional withholding on outside work, you want to be sure to avoid a penalty for underwithholding—i.e., when your overall tax liability exceeds the amount of tax you had withheld by certain margins. The outside income should be reported on your federal tax return. Other unreimbursed employment expenses You can deduct expenses for classroom supplies beyond the $250 amount as unreimbursed employment expenses, which are defined as expenses that help you conduct your job even if they are not required. However, these deductions are subject to a 2 percent limit on itemized deductions—this means you can only deduct the amount that exceeds 2 percent of your adjusted gross income on Schedule A. Continuing education If you take courses that you pay for yourself, whether or not they are required for certification, the tax extender bill renewed the deduction for tuition and fees for college education for 2014. This tax benefit allows you to deduct up to $4,000 a year (the amount is lower for higher income brackets), and this again is an above-theline deduction on form 1040. Another option is the Lifetime Learning Credit for 20 percent of education expenses up to $2,000. This is a credit, so it is taken off your tax liability dollar for dollar. However, it is nonrefundable, which means you have to have some tax liability for it to count against. Be sure to work with a tax advisor or reliable tax software that clearly addresses your situation, especially if you are in the higher income brackets. And keeping receipts or a careful log is critical for the classroom supplies deduction and other tax benefits.