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The latest from CTA News
Education Coalition Issues Statement of Principles on State Budget Proposal The Education Coalition, a statewide group whose members, including CTA, represent more than one million parents, educators, principals, students, school employees, administrators, and school board members, has released a statement of principles for the 2013-14 state budget proposal. After five years of cuts, the Coalition agrees it's time for the state to begin restoring funds to public education's base budgets so that schools can get "back on the path of providing high quality education services to our students." In regard to the governor's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), the Coalition is strongly urging the governor and lawmakers to consider the following principles as they make decisions about the 2013-14 spending plan: 1. 1. The long-term goal is to move California into the top 10 states in per-pupil funding. 2. 2. No school district or county office of education should experience any cuts. 3. 3. The budget should provide greater-needs students more resources for their education. 4. 4. Numerous logistical and policy challenges, including limited time to reconfigure data and student testing systems, would make it difficult for some school districts to implement fully the LCFF in 2013-14. 5. 5. The LCFF must include sufficient transparency and accountability provisions. 6. 6. Lawmakers should examine closely the allocations local education entities would receive under LCFF and under a scenario with LCFF. The Coalition also urges lawmakers to give proposed policy changes that are part of the governor's LCFF budget plan the full policy hearings that major changes normally receive. Such policy hearings provide an opportunity for all interested parties to express their views and suggest changes where appropriate, the Coalition reports. The LCFF moves toward a system that provides a base grant to all districts tied to average daily attendance and then adjusts allocations to account for differential expenses between grades. It also provides additional money for English learners, low-income students and foster kids. In mid-May, the governor will release his May Revision, an updated spending plan based on newer estimates of state revenues. The state constitution requires lawmakers to send the governor a final budget by June 15. The governor has until June 30 to sign the measure into law. The spending plan takes effect on July 1, the start of the next fiscal year. Assembly Budget Subcommittee Urges Rejection of Governor's Adult Education Proposal Members of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education on March 19 recommended that lawmakers reject the governor's proposal to move Adult Education programs to the community colleges. While the panelists support increasing efficiency, they believe the governor's proposal as presented is "unworkable." Assembly Member Susan Bonilla (D-Concord), who chairs the subcommittee, was among panel members who expressed grave concerns that the proposal could effectively end adult education services. During the hearing, Assembly members said the proposed budget's appropriations for the community colleges to take over the leading role in adult education would not adequately fund the program. It was also noted that the governor's proposal does not provide a solid blueprint for accountability for the community colleges' governance of the program. Among other concerns raised in testimony provided by a long line of opponents is that in coming years, the adult education system will be vital to providing the state's immigrant population with the classes necessary to master English and citizenship skills, as well as vital to training and retraining the state's workforce. Assembly Member Bonilla stressed that eliminating adult education and laying off teachers is not where the governor's proposal should go. Legislature Set to Work to Meet Measure Deadlines When Lawmakers Return on April 1 The Legislature is in recess this week. When lawmakers return on Monday, they will be working against deadlines for moving various kinds of measures. The first deadline is May 3, when policy committees (such as Assembly Education and Senate Labor and Industrial Relations) must approve and send to fiscal committees (such as Assembly Appropriations and its Senate counterpart, Senate Appropriations) bills that have significant costs attached to them. That May 3 deadline has resulted in a large number of bills being considered in policy committees as early as April 3.
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Cali Calmecac would like to show support for all of the amazing teachers who will receive a PINK SLIP (or whatever color they may be) this week. You are very important to us and we support YOU!
FRIDAY, MARCH 15...WEAR SOMETHING, ANYTHING PINK. I didn't have everyone's email so please forward as you see fit! Please join us! Amy Talley If you have not filled out the survey, please use this updated link:
http://www.mywdea.com/survey2.html
http://blog.cta.org/2013/03/05/capitol-news-deadline-for-preliminary-layoff-notices-approaching/
Capitol News: Deadline for Preliminary Layoff Notices Approaching On March 15th every year, districts must give preliminary notice to certificated employees who may be laid off or non-renewed for the following year. If you happened to receive a RIF notice this year, be sure to log in to our Legal section on the CTA website for a packet of valuable resources to combat this affront on your profession. Thanks to CTA legislative action last year and the passage of SB 1291 by Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), educators who are laid off will soon be eligible for unemployment compensation while they seek additional training, education or different credentials. Substitute teachers working enough hours are also eligible for this assistance. Specifically, SB 1291 makes eligible for unemployment payments a person who is a permanent or probationary public school teacher participating in an accredited credential preparation program or training program for additional certification in math, science, or special education, for service in Kindergarten and Grades 1 to 12. The measure’s effective date, according to the state Assembly analysis, is January 2014. |
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