THE MAGAZINE of the TEXAS CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION Spring 2020 | Volume 39 | Number 4
Remodeling the school year:
Commissioner says HB 3 provides funds to rethink traditional calendars
ALSO INSIDE • Science teacher David Walker applies Arctic research to his Austin classroom through hands-on learning • TRS-Care, Active-Care changing plan administrators
• What you need to know about contracts as year ends • 2020 TCTA Annual Meeting wrap-up
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Mentorship matters
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lmost every profession has a special way to prepare workers for the job or task they will be required to perform. A surgeon spends years in medical school and internships training and studying before performing a solo surgical procedure. Similarly, a trial lawyer spends years in law school honing his craft to defend a client in court. Teaching is no different. The profession requires years of training beyond what is accomplished in the few weeks of student teaching. But often for that training to happen, young teachers need a mentor to guide them through their first few years in the classroom. Frustrations and hardships plague the teaching profession. A good mentor will help a new teacher get through those obstacles, aid them in understanding that teaching is their livelihood, and help them comprehend that they have a vested interest in shaping our country’s future. When a young teacher is matched with an experienced mentor, that teacher’s chances for a successful year and career increase tremendously. Mountains of paperwork, irate parents and unruly students are some of the obstacles that all teachers face in the classroom on a weekly basis. Dealing with these obstacles can swallow up time and energy. An exceptional mentor will share tips on how to avoid the paperwork pile up, how to have a productive parent conference, and how to address classroom management challenges. A proficient mentor also will help a new teacher understand that this profession comes with a vast amount of responsibility. A veteran teacher once told a young, wide-eyed new teacher to “protect your check.” I did not know what that veteran teacher meant until I became a dad with two young daughters, balancing a mortgage and all the bills that come with the responsibilities of adulthood. Teachers are held to a higher standard as role models for students, so a good mentor also will encourage new teachers to follow the code of conduct and review protocols and make sure they understand the ins and outs of the profession. With their mentors’ help, new teachers will understand and comprehend the major responsibilities that come with stepping in a classroom. Along with helping new teachers succeed in the profession, it is important for veteran TCTA members to recruit, encourage and mentor new TCTA members. There is a lot of information about how our association works to better the educational system, how it operates to focus on the needs of teachers in the classroom and what great benefits membership offers to Texas teachers. Just like learning how to be successful in the classroom, learning the importance of our association helps members gain knowledge, and knowledge is power. TCTA veterans can help newer members understand how to be a voice for the classroom and the profession. Because we are the front line of learning, it is our responsibility to lead the fight for the rights of every child in our educational system. Because we are teachers, we should be on the front lines of educational reforms. When legislators consider funding cuts, increase classroom sizes and talk about local control, we, the teachers, must stay abreast of what’s happening at our state Capitol where these reforms originate. Because we care about our students, our profession and our livelihood, veteran TCTA members should help our next wave of leaders understand and embrace our cause to protect our profession and be the voice for our students to ensure they have the best opportunities to succeed. Along with sharing the cause of fighting for the rights of our students and Continued on page 23 2
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Texas Classroom Teachers Association PO Box 1489, Austin, TX 78767-1489 Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weekdays Phone: 888-879-8282 Fax: 512-469-9527 Website: tcta.org
2019-20 Executive Board President
Albert Mosqueda, San Benito President-Elect
Twila Read, Grand Prairie Immediate Past-President
Cherie Barrera, Kermit Budget
Melody Young, Sherman Curriculum & Instruction
Sherry Miller, Killeen Governance
Eleanore Malone, Tyler Legislation
Cristal Isaacks, Levelland Membership
Ann Martinez, Calhoun County Professional Rights & Responsibilities
Joyce McCurdy, Wichita Falls Teacher Personal Services
Teresa Koehler, Clear Creek
Staff Contacts Executive Director
Jeri Stone
General Counsel
Lonnie F. Hollingsworth Jr. Associate Executive Director
Ann Fickel Attorneys
Jeri Stone Lonnie F. Hollingsworth Jr. Dohn Larson Holly Eaton Michael Currie Gerald Francisco Julie Leahy Paige Bruton Williams Business Office
Park Brigtsen
Communications
M. Clare Haefner Legislation
Paige Bruton Williams Lonnie F. Hollingsworth Jr. Ann Fickel Pamela McPeters Membership
Persie Ngo-Hatchie Professional Development and Advocacy
Holly Eaton
Services Corporation
Jan Lanfear
About TCTA The Texas Classroom Teachers Association is an independent association for Texas teaching professionals that was founded in 1927. TCTA is based in Austin and is the only statewide teachers association that limits active-level membership to those directly involved in classroom teaching or teaching support.
CONTENTS
Spring 2020 | Volume 39 | Number 4
DEPARTMENTS
2
President’s Message
4
TCTA News & Notes
9 Legal Notes
10
Washington Watch
11
Planning Ahead
A NOTE ABOUT COVID-19
This issue went to press in mid-March when Texas and U.S. officials were still working on initiatives to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. For the latest updates on how this outbreak may affect public schools, your students and you, please check our website, Facebook and Twitter feeds, and the eUpdate newsletter. We will continue to provide information and guidance to help you through this crisis, and the TCTA staff will remain available to assist our members.
FEATURES
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David Walker embraces project-based learning. As a science teacher at Austin ISD’s LASA magnet high school for the past 10 years, he encourages his students to engage in the world around them, organizing field trips and yearlong field research projects at area parks. The experiences help him teach organism identification, geologic and topographic mapping, field geology and biology, along with the geobiological history of Central Texas. LASA’s rigorous academic expectations give Walker an incentive to enrich the classroom experience for students in his geobiology and organic chemistry classes.
Education Commissioner Mike Morath discussed some of the Texas Education Agency’s policy initiatives during his address at TCTA’s 2020 Annual Meeting in February, including an initiative in House Bill 3 that would provide districts and charter schools with funding to add up to 30 days to the school year in grades pre-K through 5.
Arctic adventure
Remodeling the school year
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2020 TCTA Annual Meeting wrap-up See election results and photos from the Austin meeting.
THE CLASSROOM TEACHER (ISSN-0279-2494) is the official publication of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA), providing news and opinions in the interest of education excellence. All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the publisher’s permission. The views and opinions contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright © 2020. Publication schedule is quarterly. Annual membership dues for TCTA are $175, $5 of which is allocated to a one-year subscription to THE CLASSROOM TEACHER. Subscriptions for nonmembers are available for $10 per year. POSTMASTER: Please send changes of address, articles and/or photographs to: Editor, THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, PO Box 1489, Austin, Texas 78767-1489. TCTA is located at 700 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas 78701. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.
Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
SBOE seeks applicants for TEKS science work groups The State Board of Education is reviewing the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for science and is accepting applications from educators, parents, and business and industry representatives to serve on several work groups. Individuals selected for the science TEKS review work groups will convene in Austin for a minimum of one faceto-face meeting. Additional meetings may be conducted via webinar. Members of Work Group A were named in January. The panel includes TCTA member Ashlee Castro of San FelipeDel Rio CISD. Go to tcta.org/node/15330 to find a link to the science work group application.
Adoption of African American Studies course stays on track During a February meeting in Austin, State Board of Education members approved standards for an African American Studies course, keeping the new elective on track for implementation in the 2020-21 school year. The board approved the one-credit social studies course for first reading and filing authorization. A formal public comment period is open through April 10 for those interested in offering feedback about the course, which is based on an innovative curriculum created by the Dallas Independent School District. The course, implemented for the first time this school year, is currently being taught at 16 Dallas ISD schools. After gathering feedback and making
any adjustments, the course will be considered for final approval at the board’s April 17 meeting. “I’m proud of what this board has done for ethnic studies both in the past for Mexican American Studies and what we are currently doing for African American Studies,” SBOE Chair Keven Ellis said in a statement. In approving the course, Texas will become the fifth state to offer an elective that covers the history and culture of African Americans and includes topics such as history, citizenship, culture, economics, science, technology, geography and politics. The board approved a Mexican American Studies course in 2018.
Need some CPE? We’ve got you covered. Explore TCTA’s newest CPE videos filmed during the 2020 Annual Meeting • 2020 Texas Education Policy Initiatives • 2020 Keynote Address • 2020 Legal & Policy Issues NOW PLAYING AT MEMBERS.TCTA.ORG
Log in with your email and password to view and save certificates. Have trouble logging in? Call 888-879-8282 or email membership@tcta.org 4
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
TRS responds to concerns, backs off of new downtown Austin lease The TRS Board of Trustees responded to concerns that had been expressed by members and legislators about a highly publicized downtown Austin lease agreement, voting Feb. 20 to begin alternative negotiations to remain in the building that currently houses the TRS investment division. TRS came under fire for entering into a lease agreement to move its investment division to three stories of a new downtown office building (the Indeed Tower). Though the agency had negotiated lower-than-market-rate rental costs, the price tag of more than $326,000 per month was shocking to active and retired educators concerned about their retirement security when the Austin AmericanStatesman disclosed the amount in an article published in January. Trustees were informed during the board’s February meeting that new space had recently become available in the 816 Congress Avenue building that currently offices the investment staff, enough to accommodate the planned expansion of the division. TRS expects to be able to negotiate a per-square-foot rate at 816 Congress lower than the Indeed Tower lease, and will attempt to sublease the Indeed space rather than moving into the new building in 2021. If successful, staff estimates savings of at least $9 million over a 7-year period. Despite the change in plans, TRS Executive Director Brian Guthrie was grilled by the Senate Finance Committee in a Feb. 25 hearing that included discussion of the lease agreement. Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) said he believed that “somebody’s head ought to roll” for what he considers “one of the more dumb decisions I’ve seen….” Committee Chair Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) echoed Whitmire’s concerns, asking “What were you thinking?!” Committee members were unhappy in part because they felt that the goodwill generated by approving a bonus check for retirees last session had been eroded through the actions of the TRS staff and board. Whitmire subsequently requested a state audit of TRS’s real estate investments, as well as an attorney general’s opinion regarding the constitutionality/legality of such investments. TRS is prohibited by law from investing directly in real estate, but has been able to invest indirectly through the creation of limited partnerships. Guthrie has cited this arrangement in explaining why TRS has been unable to release more information about the Indeed Tower lease agreement and other related details. The lease agreement also was a topic at the March 9 meeting of the House Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee. Guthrie apologized for a perceived
During the Feb. 20 meeting, TRS Board Chair Jarvis Hollingsworth honored Dolores Ramirez with a resolution for her board service. Ramirez served from 2013-2019 and was unanimously selected as vice chair in 2016. Ramirez, a former TCTA state president from San Benito, taught for over 40 years before retiring last year. (Photo courtesy of TRS) lack of transparency in TRS discussions and decisions, and acknowledged that the agency has appeared to be “tone-deaf” to member concerns. He pledged to work with legislators and stakeholders to ensure that in future endeavors, all of the facts surrounding such decisions can be shared. TRS has maintained that current law does not allow the agency to make certain information public. In his presentation to the House committee, Guthrie disclosed that the current TRS building that houses most TRS employees (those not in the investment division) is estimated to be worth up to $100 million, and future plans may involve selling or leasing out that building and moving all staff to a single location outside the downtown area. In recent testimony, TCTA reminded the TRS Board that TRS members are becoming wary of how the agency is spending pension funds at a time when retirees are struggling to make ends meet. We also communicated concerns about the agency’s planning for future office restructuring to the Sunset Advisory Commission staff, who are conducting a review of TRS efficiency and effectiveness. Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
Interested in becoming a National Board Certified Teacher? National Board Certified Teachers will automatically earn a “Recognized” designation for purposes of the new teacher incentive allotment created in House Bill 3. The TIA provides between $3,000 and $9,000 per each “Recognized” teacher, depending on the type of district (a higher level of funding for rural districts) and the number of educationally disadvantaged students at the teacher’s campus, regardless of whether the district has an approved local teacher designation system in place. Although the law requires that 90% of the allotment be spent on teacher compensation for teachers at the designated teacher’s campus, the full amount of the allotment will follow the teacher if he/she moves to a different campus or district, potentially giving those designated teachers some salary enhancement. For teachers interested in National Board Teacher Certification, we have compiled a handout summarizing key information about the program at tcta.org/node/15322.
Are you a National Board Certified Teacher?
If you would be interested in sharing your views on professional learning with an interim legislative teacher workforce workgroup in which TCTA participates, please send your name and contact information to webmaster@ tcta.org. We’d also like to talk with members holding this certification for an article in an upcoming edition of The Classroom Teacher.
USDE approves teacher shortage areas for 2020-21 in Texas The U.S. Department of Education approved the Texas Education Agency’s list of teacher shortage areas for the 2020-21 school year. Teachers in the following subject areas may qualify for federal, state and public service loan forgiveness programs:
• Bilingual/ESL — elementary and secondary levels • Special education — elementary and secondary levels • Career and technical education — secondary levels • Technology applications and computer science — elementary and secondary levels
• Mathematics — secondary levels Approval of the shortage areas gives administrators the ability to recruit and retain qualified teachers and to help reward teachers for their hard work using the loan forgiveness opportunities. School principals can certify that a teacher has met the minimum qualifications required for certain loan forgiveness programs. While science is not a shortage area in 2020-21, some loan forgiveness programs include science teachers. Read more at tcta.org/node/14790.
Watch webinar on restraint, seclusion policies The U.S. Department of Education recently announced an initiative to examine the possible inappropriate use of restraint and seclusion in public schools. As part of 6
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this initiative, the department created a free webinar to help educators understand how Section 504, Title II and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act inform the development and implementation of policies governing the use of restraint and seclusion. Go to https://youtu.be/ EZ9Yx0LC8TI to watch the 45-minute video.
Find resources at new schoolsafety.gov website
The U.S. Department of Education has launched a new website to provide educators, students, parents and law enforcement with resources to prepare for and address threats to safety and security in schools. Explore the resources at schoolsafety.gov.
TCTA NEWS & NOTES
TCTA secures extra time for new CPE requirements TCTA thanked the State Board for Educator Certification in public testimony at its Feb. 21 meeting for approving proposed rule language initiated by TCTA giving educators more time to complete new CPE requirements added by the 86th Legislature, effective this year. (Read the full statement at tcta.org/node/15327.) House Bill 18, passed in 2019, added four required topics to the list of mandatory CPE topics for teachers and three topics to the mandatory list for counselors. The bill requires SBEC to implement the new requirements by May 2020. Many of the added topics relate to mental health conditions, grief and trauma in reaction to rising teen suicide rates and school shootings that happened prior to the 2019 legislative session. TCTA was concerned about the ability of educators who were within one year of their certificate renewal deadline to meet the new requirements in time. Accordingly, TCTA worked with TEA staff to develop rule language providing that satisfaction of CPE requirements is not required by the renewal date if such requirements are implemented within one year prior to the renewal date. SBEC members voted to approve the proposed language, and is scheduled to finally adopt the CPE rule revisions at its May 1 meeting. Also included in the proposed rule revisions is language that TCTA was successful in adding to HB 18 that allows for two or more of the required topics to be included in a single training. Additionally, at TCTA’s request, the proposed rule revisions provide that despite compliance with the list of mandatory CPE topics, the emphasis of an educator’s CPE activities should be related to the educator’s certificate and the standards on which it is based. TCTA’s efforts in this regard are part of a long-standing commitment by TCTA to limit the amount of mandatory teacher training. TCTA is keenly aware of the increasing
number of training demands being placed on educators, and is widely known among legislators and policymakers as an advocate for minimizing the addition of any new, frequently required training for teachers, counselors and librarians. TCTA is committed to enhancing the value of existing training and making sure that educators have time to pursue self-selected professional development based on their own identified needs. HB 18 also lifted the cap for mandatory educator CPE topics from a ceiling of no more than 25% to a floor of at least 25%, and this change was reflected in the proposed SBEC rule revisions. TCTA was greatly concerned about this change and worked diligently with the bill author’s office to come up with a different way of allowing educators who wanted to get more than 25% of their CPE in a mandatory topic to be able to count those for purposes of meeting their total CPE hours requirement. However, given the prominence of the school safety issue last session, there was little pushback from anyone aside from TCTA about the change in the cap, and the bill’s author was insistent that the language remain.
UTSA latest college to waive tuition, fees for low-income students The University of Texas at San Antonio is the latest state college to announce plans to waive tuition for low-income students. Beginning this fall, UTSA will cover tuition and fees for eight semesters for students whose families have an income below $50,500. UTSA says 4,100 freshmen could qualify. UTSA joins UT-Austin, UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Edinburg and Brownsville campuses and Texas A&M in College Station in an effort to make college more affordable. Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
Member Accolades Sissney to serve on national retirement council TCTA congratulates former TCTA state president Nanette Sissney of Whitesboro, who will serve on the Legislative Committee of the National Council on Teacher Retirement. NCTR is an independent association dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of U.S. public retirement systems. Sissney is in her second term as a TRS trustee and currently serves as vice chair of the TRS Board.
“At a time when the retirement system has grown to more than 1.6 million members, Nanette continues to provide valuable leadership on our board and for our members,” TRS Executive Director Brian Guthrie said in a statement. “I have no doubt she will use her knowledge to best serve our members as well as the NCTR.” Sissney, a counselor at Whitesboro Intermediate, has been a TCTA member since 1992. She served as state president in the 2012-13 school year.
Young to serve on TEA advisory committee
TCTA congratulates Budget Committee Chairwoman Melody Young of Sherman for her appointment to the Texas Education Agency’s HB 3906 assessment advisory committee, which will advise the commissioner and TEA on the development of academically appropriate state assessment instruments. Young will serve on the committee for the next five years. Young, a TCTA member since 1998, is a math teacher at Sherman High School. She begins her second two-year term on TCTA’s Executive Board in June.
Bradley logs 26 years of perfect attendance
TCTA congratulates member Sharon Bradley who was honored by Garland ISD earlier this year for 26 years of perfect attendance. The 85-year-old teaches health science at Naaman Forest High School.
Share your success with us! Were you chosen as your campus Teacher of the Year? Did you win an award or receive grant funding? Email communications@tcta.org and tell us about your recognition so we can share it in The Classroom Teacher.
Do you know a
superstar?
Our statewide awards honor those who have made outstanding contributions to public education, the teaching profession or TCTA during the past year. The program provides an opportunity for TCTA local affiliates and members-at-large to publicly recognize members and others who impact their schools and profession. It’s also a great way for CTAs to attract positive attention from the media, peers and administrators. Nominate TCTA members for: • Leader of the Year • Faculty Representative of the Year • Paraprofessional of the Year • Retiree of the Year
Nominate other public education supporters for: • Administrator of the Year • Friend of Education (Public Official) • Silver Apple Media Award
Nomination materials are due by April 3, 2020!
Criteria and nomination instructions are available at tcta.org/awards. 8
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LEGAL NOTES
Springtime and contracts: What you need to know
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ome districts have already notified teachers about their 2020-21 employment prospects. Some teachers will get notices in the next few weeks. Some districts will wait until the middle of May to tell educators about their future employment status. This article covers, generally, the laws related to notice and hearing for end-of-year release of term contract educators (nonrenewal), end-of-year release of probationary contract educators (termination), the evidence districts need to take action, and some cautions and strategies. This article does not address continuing contract termination, term or probationary contract termination during the school year, or charter school contracts and at-will agreements.
Timely notice
Previous contract law (Chapter 21 of the Education Code) required districts to give notice of proposed nonrenewal or termination no later than the 45th calendar day before the last day of student instruction. Current law requires districts to give notice no later than the 10th calendar day before the last day of instruction. Many districts now wait until May to give notice, because events occurring in March, April and May could justify nonrenewal or termination. Notices must be handdelivered, unless the educator is not in attendance at school when the district attempts to give notice.
Probationary contract termination Texas Education Code Section
21.103(a) states that a district can terminate probationary contracts in the best interest of the district by giving the notice described above. The law does not require a district to give reasons for termination. The law does not entitle the educator to a hearing. This decision is not appealable. The notice received by probationary contract teachers will state that the board voted to terminate the educator’s employment at the end of the contract year in the district’s best interest. If a district fails to give timely notice, the district must give the employee a contract for the succeeding school year. To protect the right to a contract, an educator may have to file a grievance within a few days of receiving untimely notice. Districts cannot terminate educators for legally impermissible reasons such as age, but can for reasons that might seem arbitrary, such as a principal deciding that a teacher is not a good fit on campus. An educator can file a grievance seeking to overturn a probationary contract termination, but such grievances rarely succeed.
Employment application questions: termination or resignation Most district employment applications ask whether the applicant has been terminated or resigned in lieu of termination. (Applications include many different questions posed in many different ways; failing to answer truthfully can be grounds for termination.) Avoiding termination and avoiding having to answer “yes”
to questions about resignations in lieu of termination can protect an educator long term. One strategy involves submitting a resignation effective at the end of the school year before termination takes place or before a supervisor meets with an educator and discusses impending termination or resignation. A resignation that takes effect at the end of the school year cuts off termination and conversations regarding the district’s intent not to offer the educator a new contract. Submitting a resignation to the district completes the resignation process. An educator cannot rescind this type of resignation to continue working in the district.
Term contract nonrenewal
While probationary contract law puts an educator in a situation similar to an at-will employee at the end of the contract term, term contract law gives educators protections that most Texas employees will never have: the right to notice of the reasons for nonrenewal, a nonrenewal hearing and an appeal process through the commissioner of education. The process starts with a notice of proposed nonrenewal that must be delivered by the district as described above. The educator has 15 days to request a hearing, which must be held within 15 days of the request. (The parties can agree to extend the hearing deadline.) Unless the school board elects to use the independent hearing examiner process for the hearing, the Continued on page 22 Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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WASHINGTON WATCH
USDE looks to cut budget, Congress unlikely to comply
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ecretary Betsy DeVos presented the Fiscal Year 2021 Department of Education budget request to both the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees in late February. The department’s overall budget request is $66.6 billion, a $5.6 billion reduction from FY2020. The decrease in spending is part of an overall White House budget plan to reduce non-defense discretionary spending and achieve objectives of reducing federal bureaucracy and improving fiscal discipline. Congress is likely to ignore President Donald Trump’s budget proposal to cut nondefense discretionary spending in fiscal 2021, instead sticking to higher levels set in last year’s bipartisan budget caps deal. House Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said “as with his previous budgets, this one is going nowhere.” While the tone of the hearings varied by chamber, there was consensus that Congress would continue to fund department programs at levels higher than the administration requested. Last year, the education budget request provided a 10 percent overall reduction, which Congress ignored. This year the request represents a 7.8 percent reduction from the previous year’s enacted level. The tone of the House hearing was harsh at times, prompting Republican members to rebuke offending colleagues in an attempt to restore civility. The most significant priority in the FY2021 request is a proposal to make structural changes in Title I funding programs. Within the K-12 section, 29 programs were recommended to be clustered together in a single state block grant program, referred to as the Elementary and Secondary Education for the Disadvantaged Block Grant. Consolidation also would include the Teacher Quality Partnership Program that supports projects to improve the preparation of teachers, enhance professional development activities for teachers, and strengthen accountability for teacher preparation programs and the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program that allows pilots
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of performance-based compensation systems to drive increased student outcomes. The administration’s rationale is that in consolidating these programs, states would have more flexibility to determine individual program funding where needed most, which is in parallel with the Every Student Succeeds Act that was signed into law in 2015. State and local officials would gain more control over how to spend federal dollars on public education and take responsibility for the allocation of federal dollars to schools in each district. U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), chairman of the Senate’s Education Appropriations Subcommittee, suggested further conversations could be held on the consolidation of Title I programs, but said for FY2021 they would “write the appropriations bill under current law.” He also voiced concern about the potential impacts the block grant structure would have on programs such as the Charter Schools Program, which he has endorsed for years. Many members would seek to protect budget line items for programs that are significant to their district and home state rather than agree to a redistribution favored by
their own party’s administration. Reducing the federal imprint on education policy has long been a priority for the Trump administration. Democrats are concerned that under this proposal vulnerable and lowincome students would not receive targeted program funds to help close achievement gaps as funding could be reallocated elsewhere in the district. Block grant funds would be allocated by formula, as prescribed by ESSA Title I, to the Local Educational Agencies program. The formula that USDE follows is actually a compilation of four formulas, the most significant of which is based on poverty estimates updated annually by the Census Bureau. Also, some of the 29 Title I programs are competitively awarded. Rolling them into a new formulabased program could potentially provide funding to recipients without demonstrating merit-based need. USDE counters that education agencies would have to continue to submit accountability plans that are consistent with those currently required by ESSA. That includes provisions describing how the education agency will meet the needs of economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, English language learners, homeless children and youth, and neglected and delinquent students, and would require rigorous interventions for the bottom 5% of schools, as well as those schools with the largest subgroup achievement and attainment gaps. Democrats fear that USDE would not apply stringent oversight of state plans and would rubber-stamp approvals. Continued on page 23
PLANNING AHEAD
TRS-Care, ActiveCare changing plan administrators Trustees’ decision to change administrators is separate from upcoming decisions on what the ActiveCare plans will cover and how much they will cost members.
D
uring the February meeting of the TRS Board of Trustees, the board took action to approve new health insurance plan administrators for TRS-ActiveCare and both TRSCare plans (Medicare-eligible and nonMedicare-eligible). TRS negotiates the health plan administrator contracts frequently in an effort to achieve new savings for the plans. Staff members estimate that the changes will save the insurance plans hundreds of millions of dollars in the upcoming year, hopefully mitigating any reductions in benefits or increases in premiums.
What is changing and when?
Administration of TRS-ActiveCare and the plan for retirees not eligible for Medicare (TRS-Care Standard) will switch from Aetna to Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBSTX). For active employees, the change will go into effect Sept. 1, 2020; the retiree change will begin Jan. 1, 2021. TRSCare Medicare Advantage will move to UnitedHealthcare (UHC), from Humana, beginning Jan. 1, 2021.
Participants will continue under their current benefits and providers until these dates.
What about my prescriptions?
The pharmacy benefit administrators (CVS Caremark for ActiveCare and TRS-Care Standard, and SilverScript for TRS-Care Medicare Advantage) will not change.
Can I keep my doctor?
TRS maintains that BCBSTX has a broader provider network, and most ActiveCare and TRS-Care Standard enrollees’ current providers are in the new network. It is too early now to check on your specific doctor(s) but BCBSTX will roll out its provider search tool this summer. With regard to the Medicare Advantage plan, TRS says “99% of the providers that TRS-Care participants use the most” will be in the UHC network. Some retirees in the Medicare Advantage plan have been concerned about their ability to stay with Houston Methodist Hospital, since the hospital
recently terminated its relationship with UHC. However, the hospital’s website includes a note that Medicare Advantage plans are not affected by the termination. TRS also points out that its MA plan has the same benefits whether participants are in or outof-network. “Medicare Advantage participants can go to any doctor they choose as long as they accept Medicare and agree to bill UnitedHealthcare.”
Will the benefits or premiums change? ActiveCare plan benefits and
premium rates are adopted annually and will be considered at the board’s April meeting. TCTA will notify our members when these decisions are made. TRS does not intend to increase premiums or decrease benefits for the retiree plans through 2021. Special programs such as “Go365” — a feature of the Medicare Advantage plan — are unique to the current plan administrators, but may be replaced by similar programs offered by BCBSTX and UHC. Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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Arctic Adventure
David Walker gets hands-on experience through PolarTREC research during a month in Alaska, applies lessons to enrich his classes in Austin
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avid Walker, a longtime member of TCTA, embraces project-based learning. As a science teacher at Austin ISD’s Liberal Arts and Science Academy for the past 10 years, he encourages his students to engage in the world around them, organizing field trips and year-long field research projects at area parks. The experiences help him teach organism identification, geologic and topographic mapping, field geology and biology, along with the geobiological history of Central Texas. The rigorous academic expectations at LASA, a magnet high school, give Walker an incentive to enrich the classroom experience for students in his geobiology and organic chemistry classes. “I love the challenge of learning subject matter in the comprehensive, detail-oriented manner required to teach it well,” Walker says. “It’s also exciting to realize that my own learning is constantly driven by the great questions my students ask. “Every year I teach represents a clean slate. I am free to experiment with new teaching methods, classroom management strategies and techniques to explain concepts. I can change the pacing of my course, remap the order of my units, even restructure the units themselves,” Walker adds. CARBON AND CLIMATE SCIENCE
He gains experience and refines his teaching methods through his own hands-on learning. In June 2019, Walker spent a month at Toolik Field Station in Alaska’s North Slope, helping scientists with their research 12
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David Walker, a TCTA member since 2012, works in a permafrost pit on Alaska’s North Slope in June 2019 to collect samples for researchers studying carbon in the Arctic. Photos courtesy of David Walker and PolarTREC
studying carbon in the Arctic. Researchers led by Dr. Rose Cory of the University of Michigan are working to understand how microbes and sunlight interact. As permafrost soils thaw, large amounts of carbon are released from land to water, and they are studying the impact this has on the global carbon cycle and the warming of the planet. Walker helped collect soil samples, which were studied to see how exposure to sunlight affects the rate at which the dissolved organic carbon in microbes converts into carbon dioxide. The PolarTREC project directly aligned with Walker’s research interests and the content of the courses he teaches. “Permafrost science is rooted in geology, and the process by which organic compounds from
thawed permafrost are converted into carbon dioxide by microbes and sunlight directly concerns biology and organic chemistry,” he says. The experience helped Walker improve his understanding of climate science and the effects of climate change. “As a science teacher, I was aware of positive feedback loops in the Arctic prior to this experience. I was not aware of how severe these feedback loops are, nor was I aware of the role of sunlight in the Arctic in exacerbating them,” Walker says. “The summer months in the Arctic are of huge importance when it comes to climate change. Arctic permafrost is melting at an unprecedented rate, unlocking large amounts of organic carbon. As Dr. Rose Cory and her team
scientists in the area will help change these models. ENGAGING EXPERIENCES
Researchers prepare trays that will be used to expose soil samples to sunlight.
discovered, microbes and sunlight work together to break down the organic compounds released by thawing permafrost into carbon dioxide. This contributes directly to global warming.”
Walker says current climate models don’t account for the rate of this large-scale thawing that takes place during Arctic summers. He hopes Cory’s research and the work of other
Spending part of last summer in Alaska was not Walker’s first hands-on learning experience. He actively seeks out summer field study and professional development opportunities for science teachers. In 2015, he participated in a program through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration called Teacher at Sea. “I was able to assist with a SEAMAP groundfish, plankton and hypoxia survey in the Gulf of Mexico,” Walker says. In 2016, he traveled to Antarctica with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions through their Grosvenor Fellowship for teachers. In 2017, he participated in research in Continued Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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Baja California with Ecology Project International as part of a fellowship for teachers. “These experiences have helped me learn a lot more about what I teach, and each of them has led to new ideas, more creative lesson plans and projects, and meaningful connections in the scientific community,” Walker says. During his Arctic adventure last summer, Walker kept in contact with many of his students, posting journal entries and field notes with questions for them to answer and sharing insights from the professional scientists he was working alongside through livestreams and videos. Since returning to Austin, he’s continued to share that experience in his classroom. “The knowledge I obtained through PolarTREC has made it much easier to educate students about the 14
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“Every year that I teach, I will make a concerted effort to continue to develop, learn from feedback, incorporate new professional development experiences, and make my courses more interesting and meaningful for my students.”
— David Walker
anthropogenic climate crisis. This is a large part of the first unit of my Planet Earth course, and I have been able to incorporate so much of the media I collected from the Alaskan Arctic to further engage my students,” Walker says. Students in his organic chemistry course conduct experiments drawn directly from the research at Toolik. In one activity, students are exposed to photooxidation, one of the main pathways by which organic
molecules in Arctic streams are exposed to sunlight and oxidized into carbon dioxide. The amount of photooxidation results in photobleaching, in which streams slowly lose their color, Walker says. “To mimic this process, students expose brewed tea to sunlight and analyze for photobleaching using a spectrophotometer.” In a second activity, students are introduced to Van Krevelen diagrams, which Walker says are used to interpret
FIELD NOTES
results of high-resolution mass spectrometry and characterize the compound classes seen in complex organic structures. His students create Van Krevelen diagrams to analyze a sample of stream water in Central Texas. Their experiences this year and the questions they pose as they learn will help Walker refine how he teaches his next group of students. “This is what teaching is for me: constantly evolving, never perfect, but never stagnant. I relish this process, which is why I plan to remain an educator for the rest of my career. Every year that I teach, I will make a concerted effort to continue to develop, learn from feedback, incorporate new professional development experiences, and make my courses more interesting and meaningful for my students.”
David Walker’s summer in the Arctic Circle was filled with adventure. Walker is an avid bird watcher, and the trip gave him an opportunity to see several species for the first time. He also had opportunities to help with other research being conducted in the area, spending one day helping build green houses and another trapping ground squirrels. In a place where the sun never sets, it’s very easy to lose track of time, and he says he had to remember to sleep. “Toolik over the summer gets a bit cold at times, but no worse than winter in Austin,” he says. “It’s beautiful and green. The weather can change quite rapidly, though; when preparing for a day in the field, I would bring most everything I had in my closet in a large backpack. On one day on the tundra, we experienced hot sun, followed by rain, followed by sleet, followed by snow, and then sun again. Lots of critical costume changes were required.” Walker kept a journal of his PolarTREC experience, sharing videos and lessons with students. The entries are archived at https://www.polartrec. com/expeditions/carbon-in-the-arctic. He encourages other science teachers to explore his resources and integrate them into their classrooms. The researchers he worked with at Toolik Field Station continue to provide feedback on the lessons and projects he developed, and Walker says he plans to submit one of his lessons for publication to reach a wider audience. PolarTREC connects educators from across the U.S. with scientists conducting research projects in the Arctic or Antarctica. Educators in all science, technology, engineering and math disciplines can apply for the STEM at the Poles program. 2020 project deadlines have passed, but interested teachers can learn more about opportunities in 2021 as well as explore entries and resources from previous trips at polartrec.com. Walker encourages other STEM teachers to apply. “PolarTREC challenged me to learn much more about the subjects I teach, facilitated the development of career relationships with research scientists, and invigorated my teaching practice with new skills and ideas.”
PolarTREC connected David Walker, at left, with researchers at Toolik Field Station in Alaska. Photo courtesy of David Walker and PolarTREC Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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Remodeling the school year Commissioner Morath touts part of HB 3 that provides funds for districts, charters to add days at elementary campuses
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T
exas Education Commissioner Mike Morath discussed some of the Texas Education Agency’s policy initiatives during his address at TCTA’s 2020 Annual Meeting in February (watch the video and earn 1 hour of CPE at members.tcta.org). Morath began by outlining challenges facing the profession — fewer students interested in becoming teachers as well as difficult working conditions and a lower pay scale compared to other professions — that make it hard to recruit and retain teachers. Only about 4% of high schoolers want to be teachers and only about 46% of parents want their children to be teachers. Morath said, “That’s an indicator that the health of the profession is not where we need it to be. “We have significant challenges with retention,” he added, explaining that statewide about 35,000 new teachers are hired each year. “Teaching is a science and an art that has to come with skill and practice.” Working conditions play a major role in the retention challenge. Morath highlighted the typical elementary school schedule, which keeps core content teachers in front of students about six hours per day. He said that without enough support from teaching assistants to do things like escort students to recess, music, art and PE classes, teachers often end up working with students for more than seven hours a day, leaving little time for planning and preparation. In first grade, there are 235 student expectations in English, math, science and social studies that need to be covered in about 180 days. “Is that even mathematically possible?” Morath asked. “We love kids and want them to learn all this stuff, but it eats away at us methodically every year.” Those expectations cause stress for teachers, he added, and they need time to reflect on successes and failures in student learning to make instruction as effective as possible. In other countries with high levels of student performance, such as Japan, Singapore and Finland, teachers are only in front of students three or four hours a day, he said. That equates to about 35% of their employment time. Teachers in those countries also get time each week for group lesson planning and curriculum development. “Their scores are beating the pants off of us,” Morath said. “Their level of teacher retention is massively higher.” Morath would like to see Texas districts and charter schools apply lessons from these countries to improve student outcomes and make working conditions better for teachers. He says this can be accomplished if districts modify daily schedules, add days to the school year and hire more teaching assistants. “(Students get) more enrichment, more broad activity exposure.” Teachers get more free time. House Bill 3, passed during the 2019 session, provides a half-day formula funding incentive for school districts and charter schools to offer up to 30 more days of instruction in grades pre-K through 5. Districts and charters are
“This is a once-in-acentury reform that we can use to completely change how we support teachers and how we support students.” — Commissioner Mike Morath eligible after they reach 180 instructional days and meet the minimum 75,600 minutes requirement, not including waivers, starting Sept. 1, 2020, through the end of the 2020-21 school year. Morath said he expects districts that receive state funding should use it, at least in part, on teacher salaries. “If we all do this it’s an extra $1.8 billion (in state funding) coming into our school systems,” he said. “Your school board adopts a new calendar, the money shows up.” Morath said he hopes districts and charters that take advantage of the Additional Days School Year program are able to improve student achievement by giving schools the opportunity to provide teachers with more planning time and breaks; give students increased time for brain breaks, play and enrichment (music, art, PE); and create additional time to cover required standards and improve productivity. He projects that Texas elementary schools adopting the program could provide teachers with 255 hours of planning time in an expanded 210-day school year and give students 255 hours of brain breaks (recess, snack time). This is an improvement from the estimated 180 hours teachers and students get in a traditional 180-day school year. “The legislature has given us the ability to move (resources and time),” Morath said. “We can increase our resources and we can increase time. This is a once-in-a-century reform that we can use to completely change how we support teachers and how we support students.” TEA’s guidance for districts considering the additional days program lays out three options for how to structure the extra days, although Morath said there is flexibility in how to implement the program. • Plan 1 is Optional Summer Learning. It would keep the traditional school year in effect, then add 30 days in the summer for enrichment to help prevent the summer slide many students, especially those in low-income families, face. • Plan 2 is the Intersessional Calendar. It spaces the traditional 180 days over a full year with intermittent breaks for targeted remediation with a Continued Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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subset of students. • Plan 3 is the Full-Year Redesign. As TEA’s preferred plan, a redesign would require districts and charters to rethink the school day to increase teacher planning and student play. Morath said schools using this plan would likely adopt a 7x6 weeks calendar for year-round schooling. This would create a 42-week school year with 10 weeks of breaks, likely a scenario where classes are held for seven weeks with a week or two off before the next seven-week session starts. “This is a big change,” Morath said, explaining that it will be up to local district officials to decide how, when and if they want to expand the school year. “The legislature has made major investments in teacher pay. The legislature has set up an opportunity for a complete reformation in the teacher workday experience, if we’re smart enough to implement it well.” He acknowledged that there are many obstacles that must be addressed locally to make a revised model work. The first is funding. HB 3 only provides half-day funding for the 30 additional days, leaving districts to find local sources to fund the other half. This could mean higher property taxes or revised staffing models and pay scales, Morath acknowledged, but emphasized those decisions would be made by local leaders. Some districts may also need to modify facilities as they adopt the program. “It may require a bond program, it may require some actual longterm planning,” he said. “This is the reason why I don’t think this change is going to happen quickly.” Local officials also must address the school start date. Districts that have not exempted themselves from the required start date through the District of Innovation process are still required to begin classes on the fourth 18
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Monday of August. They also must determine how to accommodate state testing windows, which at least for the next few years are not expected to change. “This is going to be a local deal,” Morath said. “But it could be a breathtakingly big improvement both for students and for teachers.” TCTA member Jennifer Richard of Sherman brought up another issue that could be a deal breaker for many districts. She asked Morath if TEA and legislators had considered how year-round elementary school would impact a district’s middle and high school campuses, both for families with children in different schools and for secondary teachers who have young children. Morath said decisions about schedules must be made at the local level, but he suggested perhaps a district would pass a tax ratification election to raise enough money to extend the school year at middle and high school campuses. Richard asked Morath if he thought lawmakers would expand funding if the program is successful in elementary schools. “One would hope,” Morath responded, “But I can’t predict future legislative action. I think it’s going to be several years though before that conversation is entertained because they’re going to want to see some results,” he added. “This not a small-dollar infusion they have made in us. And so they’re going to want to know that it works before they try to expand it up grade levels.” Despite these issues for local districts to address, TEA is already reviewing applications from districts seeking funding for the 2020-21 school year. The window for the Additional Days School Year planning and execution program opened in March and closed April 1. Through this program, districts and charter schools will participate in a robust planning year and three-year execution process to implement either
a voluntary summer learning program or a fully redesigned academic year. TEA will award grants of up to $400,000 for districts or charter schools implementing a full year redesign and is actively seeking funding from third parties to support those implementing a voluntary summer learning program. TEA will identify two cohorts of districts and charters for the program. Both will receive support from TEA to ensure high-quality planning and execution phases. TEA said the Voluntary Summer Learning Cohort will support approximately 25 districts and charters implementing a summer learning program with funding provided by third parties. More details will be given to districts once they are selected. TEA also will select up to 15 districts and charters for the Full Year Redesign Cohort. These grantees will get $200,000 to create a plan and may receive a second $200,000 grant to implement a full-year redesign based on an evaluation of their strategic plan by TEA. TCTA encourages teachers to get involved in the planning process if your district is considering the Additional Days School Year program. Whether all teachers in the relevant grades will be asked to participate in the new program will depend on how the district structures the additional time. Members with questions or concerns about the process in their district can call TCTA’s Legal Department at 888-879-8282 to speak with a staff attorney.
Reading academies update: authorized providers named HB 3 requires each classroom teacher and principal for grades K-3 to attend literacy achievement academies not later than the 2021-22 school year. (However, TEA recently
indicated that the deadline may be pushed back to 2022-23.) New teachers subsequently must attend an academy prior to their first year of assignment in those grades. TEA has completed one of the first steps required to implement the reading academies — the selection of approved providers. All 20 Educational Service Centers in Texas have been named as authorized providers, as have 18 other entities: Houston ISD, The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at UT Austin, La Vega ISD, El Paso ISD, Literacy San Antonio, Dallas ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Fort Bend ISD, North East ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Uplift Education, Pre-K 4 San Antonio, Corpus Christi ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Conroe ISD, Katy ISD, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD and Humble ISD. TEA hosted training for all authorized providers on March 2-4 in Austin. Although TEA anticipated that the first cohort of teachers and principals could participate this summer, officials recently expressed doubt that the content for the academies would be ready. TEA now estimates that registration for reading academies will open in June. School districts receive several new funding sources in HB 3 that can be used to support reading instruction, including paying for teacher attendance at reading academies. TEA strongly encourages school districts to structure the reading academies within designated campuswide professional development and/or professional learning community days to ensure staff members have an opportunity to complete the required content and to keep costs down. TCTA will continue to provide updates on HB 3 initiatives through our website and the biweekly eUpdate newsletter. Not getting eUpdate? Sign up at tcta.org/eupdate. Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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Delegates elect new statewide leaders Delegates attending TCTA’s 2020 Annual Meeting on Feb. 7 in Austin elected statewide leaders and earned CPE hours. Attendees also heard from Education Commissioner Mike Morath, University of Texas Head Baseball Coach David Pierce and TCTA’s legal and lobby teams. State President Albert Mosqueda of San Benito presided over the Representative Assembly, which heard updates on TCTA business and initiatives during the past year. Delegates voted for four positions on the Executive Board. The following people were elected or re-elected to terms beginning June 1: President-elect: Sherry Miller of Killeen Budget Committee Chair: Melody Young of Sherman Curriculum & Instruction Committee Chair: Amy Collazo of Nederland Teacher Personal Services Committee Chair: Nydia Alvarez-Alonzo of Mission District Coordinating Councils held meetings to elect district directors in even-numbered districts and to discuss regional business.
See more photos from this year’s meeting at tcta.org/node/15329. Three CPE sessions recorded during the meeting are now available at members.tcta.org. Log in to view them and save certificates.
PRESIDENT’S POSSE Newly elected state leaders join the Executive Board on June 1. Meet TCTA’s top
leadership for the 2020-21 school year, from left, Amy Collazo, Curriculum & Instruction Committee chair; Ann Martinez, Membership Committee chair; Joyce McCurdy, Professional Rights & Responsibilities Committee chair; Albert Mosqueda, immediate past president; Twila Read, president; Sherry Miller, president-elect; Eleanore Malone, Governance Committee chair; Melody Young, Budget Committee chair; Cristal Isaacks, Legislation Committee chair; and Nydia Alvarez-Alonzo, Teacher Personal Services Committee chair.
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GOOSE CREEK GANG Members from Baytown CTA (above) take a group photo between sessions to share on social media.
COACH’S COMMENTS UT’s David Pierce addresses delegates (at right).
VILLAGE VOICES Delegates from District 1 vote on a blue plate question. NEWS NUGGETS Education Commissioner Mike Morath (top left) shares some of TEA’s initiatives with members during his CPE session.
ACT AUCTION Cristal Isaacks solicits bids on a colorful quilt (bottom left).
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LEGAL NOTES Continued from page 9 board conducts the hearing. At the hearing, the educator (or the educator’s attorney) can cross-examine district witnesses, present evidence supporting renewal and make arguments for renewal to the board. The board makes decisions about the credibility of the witnesses, weighs the evidence and decides whether to renew or nonrenew the contract. The board can impose reasonable time limits on the presentation of evidence, limits that can be as short as one or two hours per side. Although the administration must prove its case by a preponderance of the evidence and an educator can appeal a nonrenewal decision to the commissioner, the standard of review on appeal presents the greatest roadblock to success for educators. The law limits the questions the commissioner can ask when an educator appeals the nonrenewal of a contract. The commissioner cannot ask whether the board made the right decision or whether the board could have made a better decision, and the commissioner cannot substitute his/ her judgment for the judgments made by trustees. If a board gave timely notice, included notice of the reason(s) for nonrenewal adopted in district policy, presented evidence (more than a shred or scintilla) in support of
at least one reason for nonrenewal, complied with open government laws, afforded the educator a minimum degree of fairness in the conduct of the proceeding, and made a timely decision, the commissioner must uphold the decision, even if the employee effectively countered the administration’s case and presented more or better evidence supporting renewal. To summarize the reality of nonrenewal hearings, the board judges the credibility of witnesses, weighs the evidence and is presumed to have acted legally in the face of an appeal. Many teachers choose to resign rather than go through nonrenewal. TCTA attorneys represent members in nonrenewal hearings and assist members as they seek to convince boards to renew term contracts.
Evidence
A district does not, by law, have to disclose the evidence it uses to determine its best interest and to justify termination of a probationary contract. A district must disclose the evidence the administration believes supports contract nonrenewal. The evidence can take many forms, including conduct not directly school related that impairs the educator’s effectiveness as a district employee. Most frequently that evidence takes the form of observation
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summaries, walkthroughs, performance memos/reprimands and growth plans. The Education Code directs districts to use appraisal information in hiring and firing decisions. A district shall use a teacher’s consecutive appraisals from more than one year, if available, in making the district’s employment decisions and developing career recommendations for the teacher. Texas Education Code § 21.352(e). Instead of analyzing the types of evidence and the appraisal rules that might impact contract renewal, it should be noted that administrators seeking to document performance that could lead to nonrenewal focus on patterns of performance “deficiencies,” especially patterns of similar deficiencies that appear over the course of a year or multiple years in walkthroughs, observations, improvement plans and documentation related to improvement plan outcomes. It appears that the readiness of districts to terminate or nonrenew teachers has waned recently and more districts are focusing on remediation as they find it harder to attract and retain good teachers. Any TCTA member with questions about contract renewal or termination should call the TCTA Legal Department at 888-879-8282 promptly.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Continued from page 2 ourselves, it is also imperative that veteran TCTA members encourage new members to get involved with our association so they are ready to fill local, regional and state leadership positions when veterans near retirement. Begin by recruiting and mentoring newer TCTA members in how to serve as a faculty representative. Find someone to serve on every campus in your district so we can reach and encourage more colleagues to join. Think about the first time you were approached about TCTA. I remember when a friend asked me a simple question: “We need a faculty representative on your campus, would you be interested?” she asked with a smile. She followed the
request up with a statement that I still use 17 years later as I recruit FRs in my district. “It’s not a lot of work, but it is important to our teachers, and I will help you with anything that needs to be done.” Thank you, Dolores Ramirez, for keeping your promise to help me with anything that needed to be done. One teacher helping another teacher, with the goal of helping all teachers. That’s the message I want all of you to remember and share with colleagues. When we’re united and determined to help each other succeed, we’ll make the profession stronger and help young teachers choose to remain in the classroom throughout their careers, building a brighter future for us all.
WASHINGTON WATCH Continued from page 10 The administration’s budget request again proposes a department priority in establishing Education Freedom Scholarships. This program would establish a federal tax credit for voluntary donations to state-designed scholarship programs for elementary and secondary students, capped at $5 billion per year. Rep. DeLauro contended this proposal, which has been presented each year, “seeks to privatize public education” and would not move forward in the Democratcontrolled House. Secretary DeVos countered that restructuring the programs offers “personalization, it’s not about privatization.” She reflected that since 1980 the department’s K-12 budget has grown from $7 billion to $41 billion in 2020. But she said this increase in spending has not resulted in any real improvement in student achievement. Rather than continuing to dictate how federal dollars are spent, she said giving local districts flexibility they don’t have today would allow districts to target programs “to the kids who need it most.” Democrats pointed out that the proposed consolidation of Title I programs comes with an overall funding cut, resulting in a reduction of services to those most in need. Rural communities could be more harshly impacted as these districts
often struggle with lower student populations, higher transportation costs and a higher concentration of vulnerable students. The budget called for eliminating the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, a recommendation that has appeared in previous budget proposals. “The administration feels that incentivizing one type of work and one type of job over another is not called for,” DeVos said. The proposal sunsets the PSLF for anyone who takes out their first student loan on or after July 1, 2021, and would not impact existing borrowers who are paying off student loans under the loan forgiveness program. The budget request also allocated $900 million in new spending on career and technical education, up $680 million or 53 percent over the 2020 enacted level. The expansion of Pell Grant eligibility for short-term credentials offered by colleges as well as higher education programs in prisons was supported in the budget request. Other higher-education highlights include: • A proposal to simplify the student loan programs by providing one loan option to each type of borrower (undergraduate, graduate and parent). • Reforming the Federal Work-Study
program from a model that provides subsidized employment for campus-based jobs to a program that supports workforce and career-oriented opportunities for low-income undergraduate students. • Eliminating funding for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program that allocates financial aid to students with exceptional financial need. • Transitioning the Federal TRIO Programs from a series of five competitive grant programs to a single Student Supports Block Grant to states. Secretary DeVos was asked about the pending Title IX/campus sexual assault final rule, specifically if the rule would apply to incidents at off-campus housing and at a “covered university program or activity” as the proposed rule stated. DeVos replied that it would not be appropriate for her to comment as the rule was not final, sidestepping another controversial department policy. Lawmakers will begin crafting FY2021 appropriations bills in the coming weeks with hopes of having them approved in committee by the end of July. Given the fall election schedule, it is likely the FY 2021 federal budget won’t be given full approval until after Nov. 3. Spring 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER 23
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Don’t wait until fall to renew your TCTA membership — sign up during our
spring campaign! We are looking for more volunteers to be faculty representatives — people willing to encourage colleagues to make The Educated Choice® to join TCTA. If you’d like to sign up or learn more about how you can take a leadership role on your campus, please call the Membership Department at 888-879-8282 or email membership@tcta.org. We’ll provide information and send you materials to help your colleagues renew or join this spring so they can enjoy summer and keep their focus on the classroom this fall, knowing they already have TCTA’s outstanding legal coverage and member benefits secured for the 2020-21 school year. Current local affiliate leaders and FRs interested in running a spring campaign should let us know by April 24. All TCTA members will be able to renew online at members.tcta.org beginning May 4.