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Thursday, September 29, 2011

ISTA on the Job: Relief from NCLB Restrictions 9/26/2011


September 27, 2011

Obama, Duncan to provide relief from many NCLB restrictions

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the National Education Association, supported by thousands and thousands of its members, late last week President Barack Obama announced a plan to provide relief to Indiana and the other states from many of the onerous provisions of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

Yesterday, ISTA delivered a letter to Dr. Tony Bennett from ISTA President Nate Schnellenberger asking the Indiana Department of Education to quickly apply for the waivers available under this program to provide much-needed relief to Hoosier school districts from the undue burdens caused by this law and its regulations, especially the punitive AYP system.

It's important to know that this package, while an important interim step for relief, cannot address all of the problems that remain with NCLB. Comprehensive changes made by Congress during reauthorization remain an ultimate goal for the Association.

Here is the text of President Schnellenberger's letter to Dr. Bennett:

September 26, 2011

Dr. Tony Bennett
Superintendent of Public Instruction
State of Indiana
Room 229, Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2798

Dear Dr. Bennett,

Indiana’s educators are pleased that President Obama has outlined how Indiana and other states can get relief from some of the most onerous ESEA (NCLB) provisions in exchange for serious state-led efforts to close achievement gaps, promote rigorous accountability and ensure that all students are on track to graduate from college and be career ready.

As president of the state’s largest association of professional educators, it is my hope that you, as Indiana’s chief school officer, will quickly apply for the necessary waivers for schools that will unburden them from specific NCLB mandates that are stifling real school reform.

It is my understanding that states can apply by November 14 if their applications are prepared. Indiana’s schools need relief as quickly as possible from the undue burdens caused by this law and its regulations.

This proposal gives more flexibility to local needs and promotes more local efficiency, collaboration and strategic planning.

Sincerely,

Nate Schnellenberger

For additional information on these changes to NCLB, visit:
http://www.ista-in.org/dynamic.aspx?id=5438

ISTA: Working on Behalf of All Hoosier Educators

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Afternoon at Amish Acres - October 6, 2011

ISTA-Retired of Elkhart County has issued an invitation to an Afternoon at Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana, on October 6, 2011. Reserve your spot now. The reservation deadline for this event is September 30, 2011.

The Afternoon at Amish Acres will include lunch and a play, "Smoke on the Mountain."

We'll meet in the lobby of the Restaurant Barn at 11:30 AM for a Senior Thresher's Dinner which includes: Hearth bread, butter and apple butter, chicken, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, vegetables, beverage, and pie.

The play will begin at 2:00 PM

Come early and browse before lunch. Most activities at Amish Acres begin at 10 AM. There may also be time to browse after lunch, before the play begins.

The cost for the afternoon is $26.00 per person. This includes lunch, tax, tip and the play. Guests are welcome.

Payment for the event MUST be received by September 30!

Mail your reservations to:
Sarah Borgman
65347 C.R. 3
Wakarusa, IN 46573
Call Sarah if you have any Questions at: 574-862-2895, 574-849-5580

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

ISTA: Doing Good Work for Indiana Educators


September 14, 2011

ISTA -- the largest association of professional educators in our state -- wants to share some information with you about the important work that we do for all of our members. The bottom line remains, the more you are part of ISTA, the more we can work together to improve your salary, your career and your profession. As a coalition of Indiana educators and public school employees from all 92 counties, ISTA works every single day to support and improve public education.

The following are just a few of the many ways ISTA has and will continue to support and advocate for our members, our profession and our students:

ISTA UniServ and Organizing:

Following the close of the 2011 Legislative Session, ISTA has worked diligently with local Association leaders to help interpret the laws, determine their impact on our members, and assist in implementing the new legislation. In addition, we have been an active participant in conversations with the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board (IEERB), the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), and local law firms regarding the implementation of new legislation. NEA and ISTA have stepped up to challenge several laws that are detrimental to public education and teachers and are currently processing suits against vouchers and the Regular Teacher Contract released by the IDOE. We anticipate filing several challenges in the next week to prevent school corporations throughout the state from withholding incremental raises that our members were to receive this school year.

In a monumental effort to pre-empt the Governor's attempt to restrict collective bargaining rights for teachers, the ISTA UniServ staff promptly settled approximately 200 contracts for the 2011-2012 school year and beyond, protecting those teachers from the immediate impact of new legislation. Public education and your profession are under attack from a very well-funded and organized opposition, and the ISTA is on duty 24/7 to defend you against this effort. There is no middle ground to hide in. Regardless of how "friendly and nice" your local administration may be, the effects of legislation will reach into each and every classroom in the state.

Professional educators throughout the state must work TOGETHER if they hope to have any chance to improve the current situation. We can do COLLECTIVELY far more than what any individual can do alone. We need YOU to join with your colleagues state-wide to help with this effort. Remember that today you may not need your colleagues and the ISTA, but tomorrow that may not be the case. We will to be there when you need us.

ISTA Legal Counsel:

ISTA's legal counsel is the ONLY attorney in Indiana who primarily practices teacher-related law. ISTA's legal counsel is a member of the National Organization of Lawyers for Education Associations that provides more than 200 lawyers who work for NEA affiliates who share legal opinions with one another and provide a resource for how legal issues are handled in other states.

During the last several years, ISTA's legal counsel has:

  • Handled more than 300 child abuse cases.
  • Handled more than 50 unfair labor practices.
  • Handled more than 100 teacher-related lawsuits.
  • Written more than 300 legal opinions on teacher-related legal issues
  • Handled numerous IDOE teacher license revocation hearings.
  • Participated in drafting education legislation.
  • Represented numerous teachers who have been sued by parents or students.

ISTA Government Relations:

As was the case in many other states throughout the country, the 2011 Indiana General Assembly was characterized by a wave of "reforms" touted as "being about the kids" but manifesting themselves in legislation solely impacting the adults who serve them—most notably, Indiana's teachers.

The following is a listing of significant legislative gains garnered by ISTA in the 2011 Legislative Session—even in the face of very challenging odds. Please know that this is an edited list—narrowing the focus to the most relevant issues affecting your daily lives.

SB 1: Teacher Evaluations; Teacher Salaries; Merit Pay

Carved out an "established teacher" definition that includes all teachers who serve under a teacher contract before July 1, 2012, ensuring that no existing teacher would be subject to the potentially fluctuating "probationary teacher/professional teacher" labeling . Established teachers will benefit by stricter due process protections relative to contract cancellations.

Ensured the enactment of a "grandfather clause" to protect salary levels of teachers at the July 1, 2012 levels and to prohibit decreasing salaries because of the new salary schedule laws.

Ensured that compensation for additional degrees or graduate credits earned before the effective date of the local salary schedule continue and added language permitting advanced degrees and graduate credit hours to count for up to one-third of new salary increases. Additionally, ISTA worked to add language in HEA 1001 to permit those who begin advanced degree courses before July 1, 2011 to receive full salary schedule credit for degrees completed by September 2, 2014.

Restored school board role in hiring and dismissal of staff. There was an effort to rest all of the teacher hiring and firing authority in the hands of principals.

SEA 575: Collective Bargaining

In the wake of our neighboring states (WI, OH, MI—also TN and ID) all losing collective bargaining rights, ISTA successfully retained collective bargaining for salary and wage-related issues.

Clear and formal discussion rights were expanded for a variety of school-based issues, including working hours, staff evaluations, hiring and other human resource decisions, curricular, textbook selection, teaching methods, student discipline, pupil/teacher ratios, class sizes and school safety issues.

There was an attempt to completely open up the authority of administrators to suspend teachers without pay—legally at will. ISTA successfully argued the removal of all of the suspension without pay amendments, guaranteeing that existing laws and protections in this regard continue.

SEA 1003: Vouchers

Would have allowed families of four that earn incomes of more than $100,000 to qualify for vouchers. Instead, that income eligibility was reduced to $62,000.

Successfully capped for 2 years the number of vouchers distributed: 7,500 and 15,000 total in the next 2 years.

Requires the private schools that take advantage of the public voucher money to adhere to many of the statutory requirements with which public schools must comply.

HEA 1001: Budget

From an initial flat-lined funding formula, ended up with a formula that has a 0.5 percent and 1.0 percent statewide average increase. This was especially important because the voucher and charter laws will siphon off dollars from this allotment.

ISTA: Working on Behalf of All Hoosier Educators

Challenge to Indiana's New School Voucher Program to Move Forward


August 20, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS - Despite a ruling from a Marion County Superior Court Judge earlier this week denying a request for a Preliminary Injunction of Indiana's new school voucher bill, plaintiffs in the case, supported by the Indiana State Teachers Association and the National Education Association, have reaffirmed their determination to continue to litigate the constitutionality of the Choice Scholarship Program.

ISTA strongly believes in the merits of the plaintiffs' claims and hopes to get a final decision on those merits as quickly as possible.

"This week's ruling was only the very beginning of the litigation in this case," said Teresa Meredith, a Shelbyville teacher and a plaintiff in the case. "It's important to Indiana and its public schools that we continue to pursue this challenge, and we will pursue it before the trial court and higher levels of the court system."

Although the new voucher program is being phased in, and only 2,800 vouchers have been awarded to date, it's clear that the judge didn't address the fact that 97 percent of the schools participating in the program are religious. As a consequence, for all but a handful of parents, the only real option under this voucher program is the option of using a voucher to attend a religious school.

It's clear that Indiana's new school voucher program is in violation of three separate provisions of the Indiana Constitution: the prohibition against the compelled support by taxpayers of any religious ministry, the prohibition against the use of state treasury funds for the benefit of any religious institution and the provision requiring the state to provide a general and uniform system of common schools.