NCAE
NEWS BULLETIN August
2015
NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS
Volume 46, No. 1
Members Continue to Lift Their Voices
in Support of Students and Public Education
As the General Assembly works to finalize a budget, NCAE members are continuing to make their voices heard on issues that would further dismantle public education. Over the summer, members participated in a variety of activities in their local affiliates and districts, as well as the June 23 NCAE Lobby Day in Raleigh. Since the release of the Senate’s budget, they have ramped up efforts to speak out on issues that will help our students be more successful – issues such as more textbook funding, adequate funding for per-pupil
expenditures, keeping teacher assistant positions intact, and providing professional salaries and benefits Ashley to attract the best Johnson educators, just to and Janis name a few. HendersonBrooksetta Davis of Hunsucker Charlottemeet with Mecklenburg decided Rep. Bryan it was time to step Holloway. outside of her comfort zone to express her feelings. People don’t seem to value education anymore, she commented. Also, her niece is studying to become an educator; a career choice that Davis unfortunately does not support. “When she talked to me about becoming a teacher, I honestly was not excited and have tried to talk her out of the decision,” Davis said. “I never thought I’d feel this way because my mother taught for 42 years, my grandmother taught for more than 30 years, and I have been a teacher for 33 years. The job of being an educator is so difficult now!”
One of the most contentious items in the Senate’s budget is the possible elimination of 8,500 teacher assistant positions. For Lakisha Mills, the reality of this occurring hits home because her sister is a TA. “Contrary to what lawmakers may think, our teacher assistants are a large component of the classroom setting,” said Mills, also of CharlotteMecklenburg. “They are a vital asset, providing small group and one-on-one instruction to students.” [See Page 4 for more on TAs.] Some of the other unfavorable elements in the Senate’s budget include eliminating funding for driver’s education, providing additional funding for vouchers each year of the biennium, not providing salary increases for education support professionals or central office personnel, no cost-of-living adjustment for retirees, and eliminating free health coverage during retirement for new state employees. To see a sideby-side comparison of the House and Senate budgets, visit the Members’ Only section of the NCAE Web site.
FROM LEFT: Ronda Gordon of Forsyth Co. and Karen Green of New Hanover Co. speak at press events about proposed budget items that will hurt education; Guilford Co. members Paula Harrison, Amy Harrison and Deb Green talk with Rep. Jon Hardister; A group of members from Charlotte-Mecklenburg had an opportunity to meet and express their concerns with several legislators during the June 23 Lobby Day.
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News Bulletin
August 2015
Disappointed, Yes...Defeated, No! Our Fight for Public Ed Continues The State Supreme Court has made its decision – private school vouchers in North Carolina are constitutional. Although this is not the outcome that NCAE was hoping for, we can’t let this be the end of our work to ensure that EVERY child in this state receives a quality public education. Continuing to drain money from our Rodney Ellis public schools will further damage a NCAE President system that is severely underfunded. Our children already have no textbooks, technology in our schools is not up to par, class sizes are steadily increasing, teacher assistants may be eliminated, teachers are leaving the classroom, and our state is ranked 47th in per-pupil spending. What type of message are we sending? Let me just say we are sending the WRONG message! Despite the ruling, NCAE believes that the Constitution is clear; public funds for education should be used exclusively for public schools. Investing in our children, our educators, and our public schools must become a reality. Two years ago, when NCAE and the N.C. Justice Center filed the voucher lawsuit, we knew it was the right thing to do. We knew that the voucher bill passed by the General Assembly would be detrimental to our public schools. Wake County Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood ruled in our favor, declaring that what lawmakers tried to do was unconstitutional. We are grateful for that victory and for his insight into how that law would have failed North Carolina’s children. It may feel like we are back at square one. But instead of feeling defeated, let’s turn this into an opportunity. Because budget negotiations are still occurring, this is a prime opportunity to
continue to hone in on our student-centered legislative agenda. We must move forward, now more than ever, with sharing the stories of the great things that are happening in our public schools but also the extreme challenges. We must continue to visit, call, text, e-mail, write letters to, etc., lawmakers inviting them to our schools to see for themselves why public schools are important and vital to our communities. We cannot let up! Too much is riding on this! Whereas private schools have the option of whom they let walk through their doors, public schools welcome ALL children, regardless of their zip code, economic status, or physical abilities. Let lawmakers know that as an educator, you are a highly qualified professional who works to educate the whole child; that you are a respected member of the community who parents trust with their most prized possessions; and that your primary focus is ensuring students receive the best possible education and every opportunity to become productive citizens. Also, let lawmakers know additional dollars they have budgeted for private school vouchers can be better used to strengthen public schools. Those funds would be better served to make sure students have the resources needed to be successful, to attract and retain quality educators, and to guarantee that students have a better chance of receiving one-on-one instruction as needed. Education is the key that unlocks the door of possibilities. We must keep that door from closing with the loud thud of despair that could forever keep our state at the bottom. With your help and dedication, NCAE will continue the fight to give every child what he/she rightfully deserves – a quality public education. They are counting on us and we owe them our best efforts! Contrary to what has taken place over the past few years, North Carolina is better than this! I know it, you know it, and so do those who say they have the state’s best interest at heart.
Make the iiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiii
Keep the future of NCAE in your hands by switching to e-Dues! The process is easy and simple. Click to hear from three colleagues on why signing up is so important.
News Bulletin
NCAE
August 2015
Here’s To a New Beginning! Ahhh… August… When I was a kid, the start of August signaled a beginning and an end – the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. I loved to buy “school” clothes and new school supplies. To this day, I still get happy over highlighters and pens. It’s the simple things in life some days, and I do miss those days… particularly as the loooong session of the General Assembly grinds on. So, from a former educator to another, I thought it might be appropriate to provide a little pop quiz of my own. 1. How many legislators are in the North Carolina General Assembly? A. 257 B. 52 C. 170 Answer: C. There are 120 Representatives in the House and 50 Senators, for a total of 170. 2. How many of those legislators have been appointed to the budget conference committee? A. 114 B. 10 C. All of them Answer: A. Yes, A. While there are 114 conferees who technically should be debating the final version of the budget, only a handful will be included in the conversation. Lobbying those few will be important to make sure our voices are heard on teacher assistants, educator pay, and textbooks/instructional materials. 3. What is a PCS? Is a bill dead if it does not make crossover? A. Proposed Committee Substitute. Technically, yes. B. Proposed Committee Substitute. No, it can be put in a bill that is still in play after crossover. C. Both A & B. Answer: C. While a bill is technically dead if it does meet crossover, a PCS or Proposed Committee Substitute can be used to gut a bill and change the topic of the original proposed legislation. 4. When is the end of the fiscal year for North Carolina? A. June 30
Thank you for being a member of NCAE. Share the value of your membership with others and take opportunities to recruit new members at back-to-school events.
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B. July 15 C. January 1 Answer: A. The fiscal year in North Carolina is July 1 to June 30. Since there is no final budget, we are functioning under a CR – a continuing resolution, which authorizes the state to continue to operate pending a final budget agreed to by both chambers and signed by the governor. 5. Where does North Carolina rank in Rachelle Johnson per-pupil funding? Teacher pay? Executive Director A. 1, 1 B. 32, 34 C. 47, 46 Answer: C. Unfortunately, nothing in either proposed budget -House or Senate -- will move us substantially in these rankings. Additionally, North Carolina is at or near the bottom in the Southeast. Extra Credit: 6. Does my voice matter? Absolutely! NCAE will continue to send updates about the status of the negotiations with specific asks of our members. Your voice is the most powerful and influential with your elected representative or senator. Please make sure they know how you feel about proposed cuts to TAs, salary proposals, and a failure to invest in public education, even with a surplus in state revenue. Visit the Members Only section of the NCAE Web site for more information and talking points. If you are not getting the Education Insight and would like to, please contact the Communications Department with a personal e-mail address. Who we elect matters. Campaign 2016 is fast approaching. We must hold legislators accountable for the decisions they are making now about public education, and we must elect pro-public education candidates. Stay tuned for more details on how you can get involved in the upcoming campaign. Thanks for all you do, and have a great school year.
WELCOME BACK!
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News Bulletin
August 2015
Teacher Assistants Speak Out About Job Security and an Uncertain Future Vicki Church, a teacher assistant for 36 years, is afforded the opportunity each year to get to know and work with a new group of students. Although excited about the beginning of this new school year, she is also angry at the uncertainty it will bring. That’s because TA positions – hers included – may be on the chopping block. Instead of using a surplus budget to invest in education, members of the Senate are proposing to eliminate more than 8,500 TA jobs over the next two years. It’s a move that will have a negative effect in the state’s classrooms and on students. “If TAs didn’t make a difference in the daily education of our children, I would be the first to say ‘let us go,’ but I know that we make a HUGE difference in the lives of our students,” said Church, who works at Mulberry Elementary School in Wilkes County. “I serve many roles on any given day…I nurture, I comfort, I am a nurse, I supervise students, and I am a teacher. I am a professional that is part of a team that helps educate the students of North Carolina.” Contrary to what lawmakers may think, Church said the role of TAs has evolved over the years. Since the implementation of No Child Left Behind in 2001, TAs are required to have a two-year degree and must be highly qualified. “Gone are the days of ‘aides,’ who were probably homemakers who gave some of their time to make a little extra money,” said Church. “These legislators are making decisions based on what? It surely is not based on visiting our classrooms!” Denise Puett, a TA at Laurel Mill Elementary School in Franklin County, made sure her legislator understood the ramifications of these cuts. She had an honest and frank discussion with Senator Chad Barefoot during the NCAE Lobby Day in June and let him know that her role in the classroom is not to babysit but to educate. “I explained that I provide support to three second-grade classes and I’m also a bus driver. I shared that teachers cannot do the job of educating our students alone.” For five years, Turquoise Parker has worked as a TA and says she loves everything about her job. Her mother, a
ABOVE: Denise Puett, left, talks with Sen. Chad Barefoot. BELOW: From left -- Turquoise Parker, Chapel Hill-Carrboro; Barbara Christmas, New Hanover County; and Sarah Bailey, New Hanover County.
retired guidance counselor, served as her inspiration to become an educator. “Her grace under fire was beyond amazing,” said Parker, who works at Estes Hills Elementary School in Chapel HillCarrboro. “Those precious moments helped me develop the passion I have for education.” But, she is saddened at the direction in which lawmakers are going and would like to know their feelings if they were in
the same situation that she and other TAs find themselves. “How would they feel if they needed necessities such as gas and food and couldn’t afford them because they were out of job? I challenge them to spend time in our classrooms with our students and with us to see what we really do. That time spent observing will speak volumes and will be more convincing than anything I could ever say.”
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August 2015
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SLC Provides Leaders with Tools They Will Need for Change, Challenges and Opportunities in their Locals A
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A: President Ellis explains the roles of local presidents. B: Members of the Region 2 Leadership Team engage in planning. C: Treasurers receive a lesson on handling local funds. D: Vice President Mark Jewell answers a member’s question. E: Four local presidents share campaigns, programs and other components that have made their locals successful. F: During a group exercise, Melissa Belk was brought to tears as she talked about the importance of public education to future generations. G: Barbara Davis and Michael Allen work together on an activity. H: A lot of group work took place during the conference. I: Lobbyist Marge Foreman gives members an update on what is happening at the General Assembly.
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News Bulletin
August 2015
Why I Still Wear RED for Public Ed on Wednesdays I still wear red on Wednesdays because students are still being over-tested and instructional time is being squandered in the name of assessment and data. I still wear red on Wednesdays because poverty is being overlooked as a major contributing factor of the ever-widening achievement gap. I still wear red on Wednesdays because schools are being starved financially from being able to provide the services that are crucial to the well-being of their students. Per-pupil spending has dropped to the bottom of the United States rankings. I still wear red on Wednesdays because schools and teachers are being inappropriately evaluated and labeled based on inadequate algorithms that rely mostly on standardized test scores and do not sufficiently account for academic growth. I still wear red on Wednesdays because our state leaders are continuing to redirect millions of dollars of public funds to private schools that have little or no accountability to the public. I still wear red on Wednesdays because charter schools are held to a different criteria of accountability, while they are
inadvertently creating a new brand of segregated "public school.� I still wear red on Wednesdays because N.C. schools have plummeted from being respected and emulated to being strangled by unfunded mandates, manufactured "failure" criteria, and corporate profiteering and privatization efforts. I still wear red on Wednesdays because the work of our profession is being devalued and vilified by people who have little or no experience, credentials or background in education and child development. I still wear red on Wednesdays because teaching professionals are unfairly compensated for the intricate work they do every day, sometimes well into their personal time, and often using their personal money for supplies and necessary training. I still wear red on Wednesdays because teaching assistants are being cut from our classrooms despite the powerful impact they have on differentiating instruction and supporting students in their learning. I still wear red on Wednesdays because legislation is still being presented that would seek to restrict my right to
Uniting, Inspiring, Leading
Members Help Set Education Policy at 94th NEA RA NCAE members were among the more than 7,000 delegates from across the nation who helped chart a course for great public schools at the 2015 NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly in Orlando, FL. They tackled complex issues with far-reaching implications for the profession -- from the future of testing to equity in education. To see a wrap-up of the RA, click here.
ABOVE: The North Carolina delegation. RIGHT TOP: Ronda Gordon and Elisa Rainey show off their convention credentials. RIGHT: Cyndi Hoyt, second from right, with other members of the NEA Resolutions Committee.
advocate for public education, thereby violating my right to free speech. I still wear red on Wednesdays because it is one way to demonstrate my outrage at the mishandling of our children's education through special interests and unqualified interference. I still wear red on Wednesdays because our system of democracy is being undermined when all voices are not heard and all viewpoints are not considered, when one person in a position of power can shut down bipartisan discussion and discourse for the common good. I'm not done yet. And I'm still wearing Red 4 Ed. Are you? Written by Paula Dinga of William Estes Elementary in Buncombe County.
News Bulletin
NCAE
August 2015
NORTH CAROLINA FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN
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What does a Champion for Children look like? As it turns out, they look just like YOU! Thanks to your generous support, the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children raised more than $130,000 through our annual Holiday Giveaway and the 2015 Champions for Children Gala. All across North Carolina, public school children will have what they need to succeed in the upcoming school year! Sierra will have a new pair of eyeglasses as she begins second grade. Martin can start middle school with confidence because he’ll be wearing a new pair of tennis shoes that actually fit. Vanessa is excited because her new hearing aid will open up a new world as she starts high school. These are not fictitious stories created for a marketing campaign -- they are real North Carolina school children whose lives have been positively impacted due to your generosity. Because of you, more than a thousand high school students will enroll in a Teacher Cadet class to start their journey to become future public school teachers for students like Sierra, Martin, and Vanessa. Literacy and parent involvement projects in struggling school districts will be launched because of this foundation’s grant program. There is no way to fully express what your support and investment means to North Carolina’s public school children. To paraphrase President Abraham Lincoln, “A person is never so tall as when they stoop to help a child.” Thank you for ALWAYS standing tall for North Carolina’s public school children! Gratefully,
Marca Hamm, executive director North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children
NCAE Center, 700 S. Salisbury St. * P.O. Box 27347 * Raleigh, NC 27611 Toll Free (800) 662-7924 * (919) 832-3000 * Fax (919) 829-1626 Marca Hamm, Executive Director * marca.hamm@ncfpsc.org
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News Bulletin
August 2015
This year, back-to-school could mean insurance savings This school year could be your year to save on insurance. With Horace Mann’s multiline discounts you could be eligible for significant savings, and we offer special school-related coverage for educators at no additional cost.
To learn more, contact your local agent or visit horacemann.com
The Communications Department brought home four awards from the 2015 State Education Editors and PR Council of the States Conference in Orlando, FL. The winning entries were: • First Place for “Best Web Site” – www.ncae.org • First Place for “Best Use of Social Media” • First Place for “Public Image Campaign” – We Heart Public Schools Campaign • Award of Distinction for “Best Newsletter” – NCAE News Bulletin The department competes for awards with state affiliates such as Nebraska, Colorado, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Entires were judged by public relations and communications professionals.
Think NEA Member Benefits as you prepare for back to school. You will find everything you need to get the year started off right. Visit www.neamb.com/ backtoschool.
“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” -- Anthony J. D’Angelo
SAVE THE DATE 11 07 15 NCAE Law Conference (more details to come)
News Bulletin
NCAE
August 2015
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DEALS
2015
for NEA Members
Dates to Remember
Click & Save “Buy-Lights” for August NEA Click & Save is an online discount buying service for NEA members. Check out these featured items for August and start saving with these backto-school deals! • Six Flags America – Save up to 40 percent on theme park tickets • SeaWorld – Save 10-15 percent • ShoeMall.com – Get $20 off purchases of $60 or more; free shipping on all orders • Finish Line – End of season sale – save up to 50 percent off • Kmart – Up to 40 percent off outdoor furniture; free shipping on orders of $50 or more • Gap – Up to 40 percent off; free shipping on orders of $50 or more • Old Navy – Summer sale – up to 50 percent off; free shipping on orders of $50 or more • Wilson’s Leather – Take an extra 25 percent off one item or 35 percent off two items, plus free shipping on orders over $99
August 12th 21st 26th 28th
Children’s Vision and Learning Month National Immunization Awareness Month National Truancy Prevention Month REMINDER: NCAE Offices will be closed on Sept. 7 in observance of Labor Day.
Costco Offers Savings for Every Season! Take advantage of money-saving deals at Costco! When you join as a new member, you will receive coupons for free products and other savings valued at more than $55. That could neatly offset the cost of your first year’s Costco Gold Star Membership of $55. To become a new member of Costco, simply login and register at www.neamb.com and find Costco at the Discounts tab under “Everyday Discounts.” Complete and print the special Costco membership invitation and special offers page, and present them at any Costco location.
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International Youth Day Hawaii Becomes the 50th U.S. State Women’s Equality Day 51st Anniversary of the March on Washington
We’re Here to Help! It’s “Back to School” time! If you have any questions or concerns about employment issues, the NCAE Advocacy Center is here to provide expert assistance. Just visit www.askncae.org for more information.
B U L L E T I N
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Positions stated in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official position of NCAE unless so identified. The NCAE News Bulletin, a journal of the Association, is published by the North Carolina Association of Educators, 700 S.Salisbury St., Post Office Box Box 27347, Raleigh, NC 27611, 1-800-662-7924. www.ncae.org
Linda Powell-Jones, Editor/Designer