Rep Council Meeting Minutes

Blondies Bar and Grill

2/5/13 – 3:30-5:15

Members present – Katherine Epstein, Bob Blaine, Joy Holleran, Tom Buck, Miranda Merino, Cathy Valdez, Sylvia!, Tricia Cowen, Sylvia Shephard, Aja Cook, Kathleen Steiert, Carolyn Thomas, Alyson Brauning, Debbie Cavanaugh, Ginny Miller, JULIE TIMMERMAN,  Chris Fickes, Larry Baker, Mark Richardson, Linda Phelan, Samantha Mauder, Lili Fisher, Sofia Felix, Julie McGee, Russ Tucker, Gary Eisenberg, Marsha Rucker, Stephanie Munzinger, Linda Covey, Sharon Riehl, Christine Williams, Brenda Hensley, Moira McSweeney, Corey Penrose, Suzi Morgan, Helen Blood

Members absent – Todd Blanset, Diane Dahl, Lenore Hubal, Dawn Waid, Tracy Begley, Tom Kutz, Jenny Brown

1) – Approval of the minutes – the minutes were approved.

2) – Approval of the agenda – the agenda was approved after state council was moved up in the agenda.

3) – State council – Jerry Eaton, Julie Timmerman and Corey Penrose reported on the last state council meeting.  For the specifics, and the action items, please click here.

4) – Health care reform act – Brenda reported how the AHCA will likely affect health care costs for our district as the act is implemented in upcoming years.  The report finished with a discussion of the ramifications of the AHCA.  For more information, please click here.

5) – Presidents report – Moira reported on the following:

Leave update – Moira reviewed some of the district’s upcoming leave verification procedures including the bereavement leave requirements.

Budget – some of the specifics of the governor’s proposal were discussed.  The specifics for this handout can be found here.

NEA-RA delegates – The election for delegates will be held in March and the deadline for declaration of candidacy is March 8th.  Election packets will be given out at the March 12th rep council meeting.  There will also be an increased focus on improving our voting percentages and representation, especially with unit members who travel to multiple sites or work at the ESC.

Early college high school – will be starting with the 13-14 school year.  After reviewing the specifics of the program, Moira reported that we’ll meet with Mark Fraizer to discuss plans for staffing and address concerns about the effect this may have on members’ jobs in the future.  If you have some additional questions or concerns, please contact Moira.

Redwood Conference – it’s free and more information is available here.

Site Visits – have been going really well.  Feb 13th is the next opening for a visit, and there are more opportunities available in March either at lunchtime or after school..

Special Ed –reported steps to follow if you are injured or threatened by a student.

-Report the incident to the North Bay Company nurse.

-Complete a BER form for more serious occurrences.

-Email a brief account of the incident to your principal. Cc Jodi Pham, Shereen Wilkerson and Tammy  Parker. Keep documentation.

-Request an IEP.

-Request replacement of any personal item(s) damaged through Kari Sousa in Business Services and complete a request for reimbursement form if approved.

6) – Treasurers report – After reviewing the specifics, the report was approved.

          – Committee reports –

Action – Corey reported on the following:

A VTA resolution supporting our Garfield High School’s teachers – was approved unanimously.  This resolution will be distributed via a press release and can be read here.

The new vacateachers.org – was unveiled and some questions were answered

Chamber Mixer – will happen this Thursday.

NCUEA – despite an error in the cost from the Chair, our introductory membership was approved.

Bargaining – Brenda reported that bargaining is continuing to meet determine what articles they’ll recommend to E-board for sunshining.  Once E-board has approved/revised the recommendations, we’ll give official notification at the next school board meeting and rep council meeting.

The final version of the 12-13 contract is now available here.

Grievance –Sylvia reported on the following:

Class transfers– the official board language (which can be found here) was reviewed and a proposed revision (which can be found here) was amended.

MOTION – direct Sylvia to pursue a revision of AR 6152, as amended – seconded and approved.

Non-reelects – three unit members will not be re-elected.

Human rights –Alyson reported on the following:

Professional Development – will be offered on Bullying Interventions on February 7th.  A workshop focusing on GLBT issues will be offered March 21st as well and site reps are urged to be sure to promote these workshops with membership.

Equity and Human rights conference – is coming, please click here for more information.

Women’s Issues – none

VTA-PAC – our next mixer is happening right after the rep council meeting.

Special ed – none

Leave bank – none

– Conference reports – Brenda summarized the content of the Issues conference.

          – Others

Issues with unit members leaving early on when going on recess – was discussed. Moira will address this with John Niederkorn tomorrow and report back on the conversation at the next rep council meeting.

J&S performing arts center – needs to be promoted.

Raffle – Mark Richardson won a ten dollar subway card, and Cathy Valdez won a ten dollar starbucks card.

– Adjournment – the meeting was adjourned at 5:20 pm

Respectfully submitted, Corey Penrose

Background:

Governor Brown today released his proposed 2013-14 state budget. The proposal includes additional resources for public schools and colleges as approved by voters last year in the passage of Prop 30. According to the budget proposal, funding for K-12 schools and community colleges increases by $2.7 billion next year, while UC and CSU each see an increase of $250 million in funding. The governor is also proposing to change the state’s funding formula for K-12 schools. The Local Control Funding Formula 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. The proposed formula also provides additional money for English learners, low-income students and foster kids. This plan is just a proposal, and the new funding system contains many unknowns-at this time. CTA legislative and bargaining specialists are reviewing and analyzing the budget details.

Talking Points:

As a new report by Education Week shows that California now ranks 49th in per-student funding, it’s good to see a state budget proposal that begins to turn the tide. California educators are pleased that Governor Brown’s proposed state budget reflects the will of voters and includes additional funding for students, public schools and colleges as approved in Proposition 30 last year.

• After years of drastic cuts, it is necessary for the future of our children and the future of California that money owed to students and public education begin to be repaid. Funding for California schools and colleges has been cut by more than $20 billion over the last four years. It’s time our students had a chance to focus on learning instead of facing threats of larger class sizes, fewer classes to choose from, higher tuition and fewer teachers in the classroom.

• CTA is interested to hear more about the proposed new funding formula for K-12 schools and will review all details as they become available. We appreciate the focus on local schools and allocating additional resources to students who need extra help. CTA recognizes there are many unknowns in this proposal.

– CTA is concerned about the overall structure of the new K-12 funding system, the quality of the data and timing of implementation. We are concerned about moving forward with a new funding system before schools have received the money they are owed from years of cuts.

-CTA wants to ensure the state has adequate resources to reduce class sizes and implement the Common Core State Standards. We commend the governor for including the state’s Class Size Reduction program for K-3 in the new funding formula, but the 24:1 ratio is higher than in current law.

-CTA also wants to ensure that the new funding system includes accountability for how dollars are spent. If the state removes the policy requirements that have been the historical basis for program-based funding in the current system, the state must look toward developing strong penalties for those districts that fail to provide basic services to all students.

-The plan must include some type of audit requirement to ensure that the data used in the new formula is accurate and calculated equally in all schools. Currently, districts may use their own method for identifying English learners and reporting students eligible for free and reduced lunch. To ensure equality, the state must arrive at definitions of poverty indexes and student classifications.

• Because all research shows that students learn best with a teacher working directly with them in a classroom setting, CTA also wants to learn more about the governor’s proposal to expand online learning programs to K-12 schools and colleges.

Overall, thanks to the voters of California and Governor Brown, this proposed budget is a good first step toward restoring much-needed funding to our public schools and colleges. We look forward to working with the governor and all lawmakers on behalf of California’s students and educators throughout the year.

(Based on a 1.5 hour training with CTA. I will be getting more training, but here is the ESSENTIAL information right now)

-There is a mathematical definition for what is AFFORDABLE: Employers are only obligated to offer an AFFORDABLE plan for its employees, not for families. Dependents will be able to get affordable coverage through the exchange.

-An Affordable Employer Package is one that costs less than or equal to 9.5% of your wage. Since all VTA members who choose health coverage are covered fully, our district offers affordable care for us.

-This may not be the case for classified. Because classified employees pay 20% of their own health care costs and typically they are lower wage earners, the District may not be offering them “affordable” health care.

-If the District does not offer EVERY employee “affordable” care, then the DISTRICT could incur penalties: $3000 per employee that gets health care through the exchange AND receives a federal subsidy (help with paying their health care costs). If you don’t qualify for a subsidy and decide to get health coverage for yourself under the exchange, the District would not incur a penalty for you.

-To be eligible for a FEDERAL SUBSIDY in the Health Exchange, you must have household income less than 400% of the FEDERAL POVERTY LINE. Most of our members will probably not fit into this category, but some might. If a fairly new teacher with dependents is the only wage earner for his/her household, then his/her family may be eligible for subsidies.

-The Health Exchange should be up and running by October with coverage beginning January 1, 2014.

-Our CalPERS plans (Kaiser and Blue Shield) are really low-copay plans. I went looking on the Kaiser and Blue Shield Websites and couldn’t find copays as low as ours. They also offer plans with deductibles. It is almost like they have set up “mini-exchanges” of plans to get ready for the CA Health Exchange (bronze, silver, gold and platinum choices).

-YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE EXCHANGE TO DO SOME SHOPPING AROUND! My spouse Ron rarely goes to the doctor and doesn’t have any prescriptions. We are currently shopping Kaiser for a plan with larger copays. This may save us money until we can shop in the Health Exchange this fall.

-I CAN DROP MY SPOUSE FROM MEDICAL COVERAGE and HE WILL STILL BE COVERED UNDER DENTAL AND VISION!!!! This is true for any and all dependents and those who choose in lieu instead of medical coverage. Every member and dependent gets dental and vision covered by the District (all that money comes out of our $4.25 million cap).

-Brenda Hensley

This resolution was supported, unanimously, by the Vacaville Teachers Association Representative Council on February 5th, 2013.

THE VACAVILLE TEACHER ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS THE TEACHERS AT GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE HIGH STAKES STANDARDIZED TESTS ARE OVERUSED AND OVERRATED

THE USE OF STANDARDIZED TESTS IS SPREADING

To fulfill the requirements of the No Child Left Behind legislation, schools in all 50 states administer standardized tests to students, often beginning in third grade, in reading and math. Now, in response to the demands of Race to the Top and the trend toward greater “accountability” in education, states are developing even more tests for more subjects. Standardized tests, once used primarily to assess student learning, have now become the main instrument for the high-stakes evaluation of teachers, administrators, and even entire schools and school systems.

TESTS CONSUME A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND MONEY

Standardized testing is consuming an ever-growing proportion of education budgets nationwide. The total price tag may be nearly two billion dollars.  Texas alone spent, last year, $90 million on standardized testing.  These tests are not a one hour or one day affair, but now can swallow up whole weeks of classroom time. In Chicago, some students must complete 13 standardized tests each year.

TESTING HURTS STUDENTS

In the name of “raising standards” the growth of high stakes standardized testing has effectively lowered them. As the stakes for standardized tests are raised higher and higher, administrators and teachers have been forced to spend less time on arts, sciences, social studies, and physical education, and more time on tested subjects. The pressure to prepare students for standardized exams forces teachers to narrow instruction to only that material which will be tested. With the fate of whole schools and school systems at stake, cheating scandals have flourished, exposing many reform “miracles” in the process. Worse, focusing so much energy on testing undermines the intrinsic value of teaching and learning, and makes it more difficult for teachers and students to pursue authentic teaching and learning experiences.

RESEARCH DOES NOT SUPPORT USING TESTS TO EVALUATE TEACHERS 

As a means of assessing student learning, standardized tests are limited. No student’s intellectual process can be reduced to a single number. As a means of assessing teachers, these results are even more problematic. Research suggests that much of the variability in standardized test results is attributable to factors OTHER than the teacher. So-called “value-added” models for teacher evaluation have a large margin of error, and are not reliable measures of teacher performance.

EDUCATORS ARE TAKING A STAND FOR AUTHENTIC TEACHING AND LEARNING

In a nearly unanimous vote, the staff at Garfield High school in Seattle decided to refuse to administer the district’s Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test. Research has shown that this test has no significant impact on reading scores. While serving other low-stakes district purposes in the Seattle Public Schools, it is only used as a high-stakes measure for teachers, even though the test’s developers (the Northwest Evaluation Association) have noted the inappropriateness of using tests for such evaluations. In taking this action, the educators at Garfield High School have struck a blow against the overuse and misuse of standardized tests, and deserve support.

We, the Vacaville Teachers Association, stand with these brave teachers and against the growing standardized testing industrial complex.

By Ernest Kimme/ – TheReporter.Com

I find it so irritating when you know in advance that you will despise a person, yet when you finally meet them, they turn out to be articulate and funny and they make a lot of sense.
Michelle Rhee led the Washington, D.C., schools for three turbulent years. The schools were in bad shape. Only 50 percent of students graduated, most students were at least one grade level behind, and the district was burning through money.
Her job was to turn things around, and she was brutal. She immediately fired 36 poorly performing principals, 120 office staff, and closed 23 schools. She then turned to the teachers: Good teachers (love those standardized tests!) got big bonuses. Poor teachers — 250 of them — were fired.
She got results. Test scores in most subjects improved, graduation rates improved and enrollment increased.
However, people — even if they say they want it — do not like rapid change.
The teachers union was incensed. Parents near the closed schools were frustrated. Community leaders organized protests about her authoritarian style. In 2010, she was fired.
I listened to her as part of the Sacramento Speakers Series (highly recommended). She started by saying that teachers are the most important part of our education system. Then she asked, who speaks for the students in those classes with poor teachers?
She has started StudentsFirst, advocating education reform. She has pushed for weaker tenure laws, to make it easier to get rid of poor teachers. She believes teachers should be evaluated in many ways, including student scores on standardized tests.
Most controversially, she has spoken in favor of vouchers. Why, she asks, should a child be denied a good education, simply because the nearest good school happens to be private? Waiting for poor teachers to improve or mediocre schools to improve simply means, in her view, that those children spend several years getting a sub-par education.
It is hard to disagree with her. She is charming and sensical. She is a mother concerned about her children. She simply wants her children — as do we all — to have the best teachers and the best schools.
The devil is in the details. For example, we know that standardized tests do not paint a complete picture of a student’s learning. Yet Ms. Rhee used those scores to determine good and bad teachers.
So how do you identify good teachers? What are good teaching practices? What do good principals do? How do students really learn? What part do parents have in their student’s education?
There are real, fact-based answers to all of these questions, but we rarely see them. They are too occluded by opinions, half-truths and politics, even from charming and articulate mothers.