Hard Times

Hard Times honors one of my personal heroes, Studs Terkel, who passed away earlier in the month.

Robley Jones sent out another Budget-gram today...For those who follow the budget, the news is rather ominous. Folks, the budget shortfall in Virginia keeps growing. Back in the summer, it was predicted to be $1 billion. Then it eeked-up to $2.5 billion. Now..$3.2 billion. I've even heard whispers of more earth-shattering deficits. Times remain serious and uneasy.

Here's the full text of Rob's letter today:

The two day Senate Finance Committee Annual Retreat immediately followed the House retreat. This time the setting is the Fredericksburg Hospitality House Conference Center.

Four straight days of reports of doom and gloom have me paring my Christmas list.

Chairman Colgan’s opening remarks were shocking and courteous. Shocking in that the size of the budget hole has grown to $3.2256 billion. The Chairman was courteous in his emphasis on a desire for a bipartisan approach to the crisis. In my time as your lobbyist, exceptional individuals have chaired this most powerful committee in the Virginia General Assembly. Colgan maintains the high standard set by Andrews and Chichester.

Staff analyst, Becky Covey, said we have been in a “slow motion recession – probably since the beginning of 2008.” She asserted that, “A deeper recession lasting several quarters in now the likely scenario.”

When the discussion shifted to education, Education Committee Chairman Edd Houck pointed out that, “There really has not been a percentage change for K-12 since 1998. It has remained basically constant.”

What was most interesting is that staff presented the Compound Annual Average Growth from FY1998 to FY2010. Listed were the state programs that increased more than the 5.85% annual growth in revenue. What follows in a list of the programs and their growth:

Car Tax 14.7%
Child Support Enforcement 13.9%
Debt Service 11.0%
Comprehensive Services Act 10.2%
Aid to Localities – Police Dept. 9.8%
Indigent Defense 9.2%
Medicaid 7.5%
MHMR Grants to Localities 7.0%
Student Financial Aid 6.6%
Total General Fund Budget 6.0%

Why isn’t education on the list? The compound annual average growth of public education’s share of the budget was less than that of the growth of the budget – despite enrollment growth, expansion of pre-school programs, and new burdens on public schools such as NCLB. The growth for public education was slightly less than 5.85%. This refutes the claims of our enemies that education spending is out of control.

Given the size of the budget hole, there appeared to be consensus among those present to cut public school funding. VEA will fight cuts, but if they must be made, we will fight to make them temporary rather than permanent, with an eye on restoration of funding as we come out of the recession. We will also work to ensure attention to pupil equity.

Cuts presented to the committee included increasing class size, decreasing state support for school employee health care insurance costs and reducing the state share of SOQ funding from the current 55%.

In contrast with the House, the Senate seems willing to look at the revenue side, possibly revisiting recent tax cuts, to lessen the severity of the cuts to public education. While support for permanently reducing state support for public education seems broad in the House, the Senate leadership is resistant to that method of addressing the current budget shortfall. Hopefully, the Governor will align himself with the Senate in this regard.

Please encourage any non-members at your school join us. it's not too late. While we can't guarantee a future job, we can guarantee support and strength during these difficult times.

Thom

More Than A Bubble

More Than a Bubble

Well, here we are approaching another American Education Week, the annual week devoted to our profession where honors are bestowed, expressions of appreciation are extended, and reflection is encouraged. Such reflection, as you might expect, is inevitable. How do we feel about the state of our professional lives? In the current environment in which we are asked to do increasingly more with less and for less as inflation eats away at our modest compensation and as funding for our retirement seems vulnerable to negative economic realities, it is often hard to focus on the realities of what we are charged to do. The pressures that we sometimes feel to perform tasks often at odds with our professional experience and personal philosophies can be depressing and demoralizing.

I say take a few moments to ponder the real good that we do in spite of the shifting currents in which we are caught. We are, happily and reverently, in the position of shaping the future of the world. Our responsibility for influencing the lives, personalities and values of future generations is peerless. Think of each time you have witnessed a light bulb suddenly illuminating above a child’s head, each time a child has confided something deeply moving- filling you with the knowledge of your influence, and the ponderous sense of responsibility that you share with your peers in the world of education. How often have parents expressed their gratitude for what you have done with your life? These are the benefits of our profession. Yes, it’s great to have health benefits and, potentially, a pension waiting for us as well as a steady paycheck and a restful summer layoff. But we all know, those of us who remain in education, that we’re not in it for the money. There is no compensation like the feeling of proudly being called teacher. It isn’t just the teachers who wield influence and express a caring function in the lives of young people. Support personnel, administrators, kitchen staff, bus drivers, custodians, and all other school employees alike have equal opportunities to make a difference in the lives of children, thereby shaping the future.

Sometimes when you least expect it and are most in need of it, something will happen that brings you back to life; gives you an opportunity for a kind of mini-apostasy. Something will remind you that what you do has meant something to the life experience of some other person. Recently, I had such an experience. I was contacted by a student whom I taught many years ago near the beginning of my career. The student had been particularly challenging. I feel comfortable in saying this because the student admitted as much in their letter to me. In fact, it was in the form of an apology for engaging in difficult behavior in my classroom. Without going into detail, I learned that I had had a positive influence on this student. There have been other such experiences over the course of my career. Each time I feel a little taken aback as I had not really taken notice of making any significant impact in the day-to-day ordinariness of things.

So, while it is tempting to dwell in the darkness of what makes teaching among the most stressful of jobs, it may be worthwhile to take time to experience the things which make this the most joyful of professions. While these are difficult times, they are also profoundly hopeful times. We are powerful in our ability to make things better. The future will reflect the way in which we weather the storms of our time. Wishing you all well. Happy American Education Week.

~Tim Summers
RCEA Vice President

JLARC Report on VRS

Rob Jones from VEA heard a recent JLARC presentation on VRS and its future. I'm copying the exact email Rob sent out in the hopes that you will have accurate, concise information. Keep in mind that JLARC is an audit and review committee. They do NOT create policy. However, they are listened to and respected in the General Assembly.

October 14, 2008

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission presented their report entitled "Options for Total Compensation" on October 14th. The commission staff was doing what was asked of them, and we should not kill the messengers, but it is what we feared.

Before I summarize the implications of the report for school board employees, let me first expose a major flaw in the report when it is viewed from the public education perspective. For the state employees, the options were developed in the context of their total compensation package (salary, leave policies and health benefits). This was not true for school board employees. I thank Senator Edd Houck for pointing this fact out to his fellow commissioners.

The options contain new target salary goals for state workers, and leave purchase plans. In short, for state workers, there is sugar with the medicine. School board employees only get the medicine.

I'll try to summarize the options which will affect school board employees/VEA members.

First, it is important to understand that none of these options will affect folks who are already retired. The recommendations related to VRS are labeled "R" for retirement.

R1 - Impose an additional 2% employee contribution. This would be in addition to the 5% employee contribution now paid by your employee who also pays the employer contribution. This 2% might be phased-in .5% at a time in years when raises are granted.

R2 - Change the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) on retirement benefits by capping the increase at 4% a year rather than the current 5%. FYI - if, for purposes of illustration, you retroactively applied this change in the COLA to one who retired in 1978, the reduction in benefit would be 6% over the first 10 years and 12% after 30 years in retirement.

R3 - Increase the minimum retirement age for non-vested and new hires from 50 to age 60. Note: One becomes vested in VRS after five years of service.

R4 - For new and non-vested employees replace the Retiree Health Insurance Credit with Integral Part Trust (IPT) Accounts.

R5 - For new hires and non-vested employees combine a defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) plans. The DB plan would have a lesser benefit than the current VRS benefit. Employees would contribute to both. The COLA would only be included in the DB plan. This plan would provide 85% of the benefit in the current plan.

R6 - Require a Cash Balance Retirement Plan for new hires and non-vested employees. This is like a traditional defined contribution plan, except for the fact that a 5% return is guaranteed. Employees contribute with an employee match that increases with years of experience. There is no COLA on benefits. Entire balance can be withdrawn when separating from service.

R7 - Require a Defined Contribution Plan for new hires and non-vested employees. The matching contribution from the employer would increase with years of service. No COLA would be provided and the entire balance could be withdrawn when separating from service. Only two states now have this. The plan would provide 52% of the benefit value of the current VRS plan.

These options are not consistent with VEA's positions. As we await specific legislative proposals we will need your help with educating your colleagues regarding what looks like a battle ahead.

I have done my best to offer a concise and factual summary of the options that will affect school board employees. Additional information will follow.

Thank you,

Robley Jones

VEA GR

Carnival of the Blue

I received an email on September 26 from my friend Doris Boitnott* at VEA. Doris, who used to be a Uniserv Director here in Roanoke and a high school teacher in Roanoke County before that, has taken some flack over that email.

The email was in regard to an OBAMA BLUE DAY which was scheduled for September 30.

When I read this email, I chose not to pass it along to anyone in our organization. Very simply put, I do not believe that the RCEA should have a direct hand in organizing for or against any one political candidate. That is not to say that I believe teachers should surrender their political rights just because they are teachers either.

There has been local, statewide, and national attention given to the contents of the email, which I think is unfortunate. It's obvious to me that there are people and organizations with specific agendas who are trying to twist the meaning of the email content and capitalize on it for their personal gain. I find that deplorable.

Isn't it a bit ironic that with our educational system under stress in an election year, practically the first thing we hear about regarding education is this inflated story? I find that deplorable as well.

To each faithful member of our organization, I encourage you to exercise your right as a citizen of our country to wear whatever color shirt you desire.

Thom Ryder
RCEA President

* In an earlier version of their story, The Washington Times erroneously called Doris, "Debbie". In the current version, they misspell her name. "Dorris Boitnott, a VEA member and author of the e-mail, said that in hindsight she should not have paired the idea of supporting Mr. Obama with that of registering young voters. Mrs. Boitnott, who said she is not related to Kitty Boitnott, also said she had no intention of encouraging teachers to recruit students into a political campaign."

Electronics electronics Electronics

There is little doubt that the 2008-2009 school year in Roanoke County is filled with new technology and new initiatives. ActivBoards have been placed in each regular elementary school classroom by utilizing a significant monetary investment. Northside High School also received new ActivBoards in every classroom as well. In addition, teachers at the majority of the elementary schools received NEW laptop computers for teacher use. In an ordinary year, that electronic shift alone would be enough. But this year, there's even more to electronic news. New email. New benchmark assessments. And new electronic gradebooks for elementary school teachers.

As you might expect with so much new technology rolling out at the same time, there were bound to be some bugs, despite the technology crews working hard to roll out systems and products. Over the past week or so, members of the RCEA have contacted our office with concerns about the electronic gradebook system. The concerns center around two issues. First, with four weeks past in the school year and the gradebook program only now coming online, teachers were concerned about how it would be possible to get caught up on the system. In fact, several suggested that perhaps the program should be scrapped for this year. The other main issue brought up was that assuming the program does successfully launch, teachers will not be able to access the system from home, forcing teachers to enter all grades at school. This becomes an especially important issue at elementary schools where a teacher may, if lucky, have 30 minutes of unencumbered time during the contract school day. Thus, the data entry aspect of the job will be shifted to after school/after contract hours. Most teachers currently enjoy the flexibility to stay at school to finish grading/planning or taking the work home to work the unofficial day in a more relaxed setting.

These concerns were shared with Dr. Lange, and she was very understanding and responsive. Elementary principals have been given several options for the electronic gradebook. The most basic option is either have the entire faculty use it or have the entire school wait until next year to launch it. If the gradebook is launched this year, there are several options on how to handle the opening of the school year. Perhaps the most attractive option is to continue assigning grades in the usual manner, average the grades as usual, and then just enter the letter grade for this nine weeks on the electronic report card. Then ,beginning next nine weeks, the entire process can be accomplished on the electronic system.

Regarding the ability to work on grades at home with the system. Dr. Lange reported to us that at this time, it is not possible due to system security. to access the system from home in real time. She said that the technology staff is working on that issue.

If you are an elementary teacher, you may wish to work with your building principal to help make the best decision for your school. Please let the RCEA know if you have any further concerns. (ThomRyder:Newt999@gmail.com)

Field Trip

For the past three or four years now, I've had the pleasure of serving on VEA's Fitz Turner Commission for Human Relations and Civil Rights. Our commission, most notably, is the group that sponsors the Fitz Turner Award, The Mary Futrell Award, and the Youth Award for VEA. In my estimation, however, our primary responsibility is to monitor human relations and civil rights issues in our state and nation.

At our fall meeting over the weekend, we had the opportunity to hear from Lacy Ward, Jr. of the Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville, VA. Mr. Ward spoke to our commission along with our guest, VEA President Kitty Boitnott, for about a half hour. Rarely have I been so engaged in a subject. Mr. Ward's presentation was passionate and insightful.

So what's the big deal with the Moton Museum? Well I suspect that many Virginians do not know exactly how pivotal a role one small high school in Central Virginia was in to the civil rights movement. From the website, here's a taste.

The Moton High School is a nationally significant site in the history of the civil rights movement. Here a student-organized strike in April 1951 led to a federal court case on the essential issue of equal education for all Americans. It was heard by the Supreme Court of the United States as part of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education suit.

The Brown decision stands today as one of the Court’s most important actions, ruling that separate educational systems are inherently unequal and that all jurisdictions must cease to permit segregation within their schools.

Mr. Ward is hoping to get support for a new exhibit in the museum that celebrates the "Freedom Schools" that sprang up in response to "Massive Resistance" with the complete shut down of the school system in Prince Edward County.

After our meeting on Saturday, members of the commission took a field trip to the new Civil Rights Memorial at capital Square in Richmond. Below are a series of photographs from the memorial.

New Teacher Day

On August 12, the the crackerjack RCEA membership team met all of the new Roanoke County teachers on the cleverly named "New Teacher Day" at Hidden Valley High School.

Uniserv Director pat wood and RCEA Secretary Tammy Wood discuss last names.

heather Blevins and RCEA Elementary School representative Kenya Huffman talk third grade shop. Heather and Kenya both teach third grade at Herman L. Horn Elementary.

Making contact with a new member, Theresa McGuire, Bud McWhorter, and Kim Bibbs work the table.

It was time to lay back while the new teachers were in meetings.