2011-12, A Year of Changes

Changes and Expectations for 2011-12

Like each classroom of students, each school year has a distinct set of circumstances, interactions and expectations. There seems to be a distinct feel to it, though it's hard to describe. This year will be different from all others, we just don't know exactly how at this point. It's one of the exciting aspects of this profession, and teachers - if nothing else - are eternal optimists this time of year. There will be new technology, new PD and the latest "new" thing in education, but at the core of it all there will be dedicated teachers building relationships and trust with students, which has always been the key to successful teaching.

What's New?

The district hired 120 new teachers for the 2011-12 school year to take positions made vacant by retirements and resignations, and all are new members of the bargaining unit represented by Springfield NEA. This process is unique to Springfield in our neck of woods, and there are still a lot of misconceptions that will take some time to play out.

What's not so new? SNEA had requested to speak to new teachers for five minutes during orientation about the new bargaining process - the process that determines their salaries and working conditions - but apparently allowing their teacher representative to actually address new teachers about this important aspect of their employment was just too big a leap for administration. Not this year.

Restructuring at KAC

A considerable amount of administrative restructuring took place at KAC since last year, and it was widely broadcast that there would be administrative positions cut. The superintendent's cabinet has a new look, as several key decision-makers chose to retire after lengthy terms at KAC. This is bound to have some effect on daily operations. While it's clear that restructuring has taken place at KAC - and there are new faces in key positions - the actual number of administrators appears to have increased slightly with the addition of four facilitator positions over the summer. From what we understand, the facilitators are primarily focused on providing administrative assistance to principals.

Adequate Yearly Progress

We're not even going to talk about the numbers, except to say that 82% of Missouri schools are now officially classified as not meeting adequate yearly progress. By 2014, that number will increase to 100%. To say AYP is a flawed measures is like saying the Joplin tornado was a wind storm. One area we haven't been able to measure is the amount of lasting devastation NCLB has created for public education and the teaching profession.

A Crazy Time

While we enter the new year with excitement and hope for a great year, we also must recognize that - given the historical context in which we work - this is an absolutely crazy time to be a teacher. Over the years, teachers have witnessed all manner of curriculum, educational strategies, dubious quick fixes, technological advances . . . and a never ending chorus line of presidents, governors and local politicians singing and dancing to the tune of their utter devotion to education. For educators, this message has morphed into the proverbial teacher voice in Charlie Brown . . . "Wah, wah, wah".

Here's what Diane Ravitch (former Dept of Education official during Bush the elder's administration) said during a recent debate on the subject:

“I have been seeing profound demoralization among teachers in America today,” Ravitch said. “It is almost hard to convey. Teachers feel they are being held accountable for social conditions beyond their control. We have to have an ethos in education of encouragement, support, at the same time encourage and respect teachers and stop beating up on them.”

“We are now as a nation investing billions in testing,” Ravitch said. “If we took all the billions and put it into early childhood education, we would make a difference . . . [Teachers are told] if you don’t meet an impossible goal, you’re going to be fired and your school is going to be closed. Punishing people, threatening people never works . . . What people need is an appeal to a sense of purpose, they need autonomy.”

And speaking of increased autonomy . . . with the new process of collective bargaining, Springfield teachers have turned from the stale old 1950's paternalistic approach to district/teacher relations to a legitimate representative process that provides an active, vital partnership with district leadership.

Speaking Up!

A first contract sets the process in motion, but the SNEA bargaining team knew full well that one year of negotiations was not going to solve everything in one swoop. The salary freeze was broken with a step increase, stipends were increased, an across-the-board raise was issued for the first time in years, and there were improvements in personal leave and sick leave. Teachers were guaranteed the right to representation and the presence of their representative during meetings with administrators.

We see these as fundamentals. But the larger gain was made - in this first year - by establishing a contract that upholds the process. Up to now, these kinds of decisions were made by administrative committees with a dash of teacher "input" and a final board budget process that ended with "fitting" in teacher compensation as though it was an afterthought. There is simply no comparison.

And virtually every issue raised at the bargaining table came from our membership. As we move forward, your individual voice as an SNEA member has never been more important. If we do nothing else this year as an association, we should be sure to keep the lines open and freely exchange information and concerns - SNEA seeks to expand our membership and strengthen our collective voice.

Teacher representation in Springfield, both individual and collective, is so much more than providing liability insurance and holding membership drives - and Springfield NEA makes no fictitious claims of "discount" representation on the cheap. SNEA is the teacher representative in Springfield, we do this on a full-time basis, and we take it very seriously.

At the Table, Health Insurance and Compensation

This year, SNEA will focus exclusively on financial issues at the bargaining table. We are currently setting dates in September for negotiations on health insurance benefits. Teachers took a hit in this area last year after rushed negotiations session finished with impasse. We are very hopeful that, given time to negotiate, we will reach an agreement this year that will lighten the load on teachers and restore benefits that were cut or reduced.

Salaries, Revenues, Audits

Increasing teacher salaries will, of course, be the major focus while negotiating the 2012-13 agreement between SNEA and the District. Last year, bargaining took place in the midst of the worst recession in history - not exactly the optimum time to start such an endeavor. In our tax stingy part of the state, revenues will make all the difference . . . and there is that little matter of the state audit report that should be coming out this fall. We have no idea how that will turn out and how it will affect district revenues. One could probably surmise that a negative audit report would shelve any plans for a tax levy anytime soon. Tax votes are tricky enough to maneuver during good times in this town. Statewide, Springfield currently ranks somewhere near 325th in size of tax levy, right down there with Humansville and Couch.

We do know that property and sales tax revenues are at least moving incrementally in the right direction. SNEA is monitoring the district budget and is in regular contact with KAC leadership. Bargaining meetings on teacher compensation will begin in early 2012, and we are reasonably hopeful that the days of step freezes will be a thing of the past. In fact, we will continue to push for a restoration, in some form, of step losses for teachers.

Meetings - First SNEA Member Meeting, September 15

SNEA members discuss these issues in much more detail during our monthly meetings. These are general meetings for all members, and we hope you will come and enjoy some dinner and discussion. The first meeting will be held on Thursday, September 15, beginning at 4:15. We hold these sessions on the third Thursday of each month, and everyone is welcome.

If you've read all this, you should get a door prize at the very least. Hope to see you there.

Ray
snea@aol.com
869-5090