Message from Joyce Haynes, LAE President

Dear LAE members,

 
 

Thank you for making Lobby Day a huge success. 

 

LAE has done itself proud this week. Many hundreds of members have telephoned and e-mailed their legislators, and on Thursday, some 200 teachers and education support professionals came in person from every corner of the state to voice their views on important education bills at issue before the legislature.  

 

Members who traveled to attend this week's postponed hearings have, by and large, expressed their resolve to return with more colleagues next week. As of now, the legislative calendar calls for HB 1368 to be heard by the Senate Education Committee on Friday, and for HB 1229 to be heard by the House Retirement Committee on Wednesday afternoon.

 

HB 1229 will be heard in the House Retirement Committee on Wednesday, June 2, 2010, upon adjournment of the House Chambers.   We are requesting LAE members to meet at the Capitol Steps at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon and join us to lobby against HB 1229. 

 

HB 1368 will be heard in the Senate Education Committee on Friday, June 4, 2010, at 9:00 a.m.  We are requesting all LAE members to meet at the Capitol Steps at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, June 4, 2010.  We will then proceed to the Senate Education Committee room.

 

It is very important that LAE members show up in opposition to these bad bills. Please coordinate participation within your locals and let your area UniServ Director know that your local will be represented next week.

 

For more information, please contact the LAE office at 225-343-9243.

 

Thanks to all who have joined this effort!  Your involvement counts!

 

Joyce Haynes, LAE President

LAE LOBBY DAY

LAE Lobby Day

Leading up to the HB1368 hearing on Thursday, May 27th, LAE needs your help to unleash an overflow of educator voices against this anti-public education bill!

Take action NOW and pledge to do these three things:

     (1) Spread the word. Call, e-mail, text your colleagues and encourage them to contact their state senators and vote "no" against HB 1368.

     (2)  Lend your voice. Make calls to your legislators.

     (3)  Be a part of the "pack."  Join your fellow LAE members from all across the state as we "pack" the hearing room.  Get the latest news and talking points beforehand at LAE LOBBY DAY.

 

 WHAT: LOBBY DAY (Theme: "Don't waive our rights")

 WHEN: THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010 – 8:00 A.M.

WHERE: CAPITOL STEPS

       (Important:  Please dress in black) 

 

 If we're going to counter this anti-public education climate, we must wage "LAE power" against Jindal-power.  Stay tuned to CapWiz and your e-mail on how you can help in the fight to protect Louisiana public schools!

YOUR RIGHTS, YOUR RETIREMENT AT ISSUE ON THURSDAY!

YOUR RIGHTS, YOUR RETIREMENT AT ISSUE ON THURSDAY
We expect action on two bad bills, HB 1368 and HB 1229, in the Legislature on Thursday. Lawmakers need to hear from you before they vote.   HB 1368 would allow superintendents to apply for and receive waivers of most Louisiana education laws and state board policies. This includes rules ensuring sick leave, class-size limits, group health insurance coverage, and reduction in force protections. The bill has passed the House, and will be heard Thursday in the Senate Education Committee. Tell the committee members to oppose HB 1368.   Call or email one or more of these Senators today:   Senator Ben Nevers (Chairman) (985) 732-6863 neversb@legis.state.la.us Senator Eric LaFleur (Vice-Chairman) (337) 363-5019 lafleure@legis.state.la.us Senator Conrad Appel (866) 946-3133 appelc@legis.state.la.us Senator Jack Donahue (985) 727-7949 donahuej@legis.state.la.us Senator Yvonne Dorsey (225) 342-9700 dorseyy@legis.state.la.us Senator Ann Duplessis (504) 243-7795 lasen2@legis.state.la.us Senator Gerald Long (318) 628-5799 longg@legis.state.la.us     2.    HB 1229 is scheduled for its first hearing in the House Retirement Committee on Thursday. This bill would replace elected board members of the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) with political appointees who would control the investments of all four state retirement plans. LAE has long opposed any legislation that would dilute membership control of TRSL investments and has opposed consolidation of the assets of TRSL with any other retirement system. TRSL is currently among the most stable pension funds in the nation. Make sure the members of the House Retirement Committee hear from you by phone before Thursday's vote. Ask them to oppose HB 1229.   The Committee members are:     Rep. Kevin Pearson, Chair (985)646-6487 pearsonk@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Jean Doerge, Vice Chair (318)371-3092 larep010@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Patrick Cortez (337)993-7430                                                    cortezp@legis.state.la.us     Rep. George Gregory Cromer (985)645-3592 cromerg@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Hollis Downs (318)251-5039 larep012@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Reed Henderson (504)278-6599 hendersr@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Frank Hoffmann (318)362-4130 hoffmanf@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Juan LaFonta (504)282-0265 larep096@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Jack Montoucet (337)783-2999 montoucj@legis.state.la.us     Rep. J. Rogers Pope (225)667-3588 poper@legis.state.la.us     Rep. Joel Robideaux (337)984-1091 larep045@legis.state.la.us

A+PEL Backs Teacher Assessment

A+PEL doesn't have a clue!!!! If you are a member of this organization…..think twice.

The Advocate Newspaper; Published: May 25, 2010 - Page: 6B

The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana (A+PEL) has a long history of supporting Louisiana educators who are committed to providing students the best possible education. We support legislation that empowers educators and gives them the appropriate tools to best serve their students. To that end, A+PEL supports HB1033, value-added legislation under consideration by the state Senate, which will spur efforts to have an effective teacher in every classroom.

For more than 30 years, 98 percent of all Louisiana teachers receive "satisfactory" ratings under the current teacher evaluation system, even in schools where students consistently fail to meet basic academic standards. As educators, we cannot sit idly by while over 200,000 schoolchildren — one-third of all Louisiana schoolchildren — are performing below grade level. HB1033 addresses this disconnect and establishes a more quantitative and less subjective evaluation system for all educators.

Despite widespread misinformation, HB1033 does not impact teacher pay nor does it rely solely on student test scores. Instead, the bill requires value-added assessment that levels the playing field by focusing on student growth rather than achievement. Using a complex statistical analysis of test scores, it tracks individual student improvement year to year and uses that progress to estimate the effectiveness of individual teachers, principals, and schools. This model of teacher assessment is growing nationwide, and research has shown that HB1033 is on track with what other states are already doing. Further, the value-added model has been successfully used in 75 schools in Louisiana for the past three years.

For subjects and grades where tests or value-added data are not available, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will determine other measures of student growth that will be just as quantifiable as those in tested grades and subjects. Additionally, the assessment data will be useful for educators, helping to identify and focus on specific professional development activities that will give them meaningful opportunities to improve their instruction and impact student learning.

As a professional educators' organization, A+PEL seeks to strike the delicate balance between the needs of educators and the needs of students. The data clearly show that we need to improve how we are educating children, and Louisiana voters are demanding it. Elected officials are showing the political will to challenge the opposition and make decisions that put children first. We are indeed at a tipping point in education. As educators, we firmly believe that we must be part of the solution.

Kathy Campbell, executive director
Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana Baton Rouge

Bills of Interest

Bills of Interest

The table provides a summary of education bills and LAE's position. Additional information can be found at: http://www.legis.state.la.us/ Prepared by LAE's Government Relations Department - March 31, 2010 HOUSE and SENATE BILLS 2010 HB 49 HUTTER SUPPORT APPROPRIATIONS: Provides funding to the St. Bernard Parish School Board to assist with the payment of Office of Group Benefits insurance premiums for certain employees HB 177 POPE SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires the state to pay the transportation costs for students attending approved nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. HB 210  LEGER NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Establishes and provides for LA Statewide Education Facilities Authority. HB 216 FOIL OPPOSED EDUCATION: Provides for a school choice pilot program for certain students with exceptionalities. HB 251 SMITH, P SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires the state superintendent of education to possess certain qualifications at the time of appointment by BESE. HB 388 SMITH, P SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides relative to teachers transferring to a charter school from a local school system. HB 399 PEARSON  OPPOSED EDUCATION: Exempts, under specified fiscal conditions, a local school board from complying with the requirement that the board grant certain requests for sabbatical leave. HB 400 PEARSON  OPPOSED EDUCATION: Exempts, under specified fiscal conditions, a local school board from complying with the requirement that the board permit certain employees to take up to 90 days of extended sick leave. HB 405 DIXON NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Requires BESE to adopt rules and regulation for the use of seclusion and physical restraint of students. HB 420 LEGER OPPOSED EDUCATION: Provides relative to charter school funding. HB 421 JACKSON, M NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Provides relative to the authority of a local school board to deny admission or readmission to school of certain students. HB 422 DOWNS NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Provides relative to children exempted from the compulsory school attendance law. HB 433 HARDY OPPOSED EDUCATION: Requires BESE to establish a uniform grading scale for use in public schools. HB 681 HARDY NEUTRAL EDUCATION:Provides that the conduct of extracurricular interscholastic activities in public schools are subject to BESE regulation by rule adopted in accordance with the APA. HB 682 HARDY NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Requires local public school boards to provide transportation to certain students in BESE-approved alternative education programs for suspended or expelled students.  HB 709 BROSSETT   NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Provides relative to the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. (NOCCA)  HB 732 NORTON  MONITOR-OPPOSED  EDUCATION: Prohibits corporal punishment in public elementary and secondary schools.  HB 739   HOFFMAN  NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Provides relative to the employment as a full-time teacher of a member of the Teachers' Retirement System of LA who is retired.  HB 1006 HARRISON   SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides that the state superintendent of education shall be elected rather than appointed.   HB 1016  WILLIAMS  NEUTRAL EDUCATION: Requires proof of annual physical examination and a physician's authorization as a condition of a child's participation in physical activity.   HB 1029 HOFFMAN  SUPPORT  EDUCATION: Provides relative to instruction in Civics and Free Enterprise.  HB 1033 HOFFMAN  OPPOSED  EDUCATION: Provides relative to evaluation and assessment programs for teachers and administrators.  HB 1049 HARRISON  OPPOSED  EDUCATION: Provides relative to public/private partnerships between school boards and the private sector. HB 1128  LEGER   SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides relative to charter schools.  HB 1135 GREENE  NEUTRAL  EDUCATION: Provides school start and end dates for public and approved nonpublic schools.  HB 1154 CARTER  OPPOSED  EDUCATION: Provides for the creation and establishment of the LA Charter Schools Commission and for the transfer of certain BESE powers, duties, and authority to the commission. HB 1170  LANDRY  OPPOSED  EDUCATION: Disqualifies commercial diver's license holders from operating school buses after conviction of DWI offenses.   HB 1180 SMITH, P  MONITOR-SUPPORT  EDUCATION: Authorizes local public school boards to use state funds to purchase instructional technology and related hardware.  HB 1209 JONES, R  OPPOSED  EDUCATION: Creates the LA Educator Professional Practices Commission to investigate complaints and allegations of educators sexual misconduct in schools with authority to suspend or revoke teaching and principal's certificates subject to appeal to BESE.  HB 1225 DIXON  MONITOR-SUPPORT  EDUCATION: Provides relative to BESE standards for approving alternative schools and alternative education programs for students suspended or expelled from public K-12 schools. HB 1239 DIXON  NEUTRAL  EDUCATION: Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt rules and regulations relative to the physical abuse of public school teachers and employees by students.  HB 1250  CARTER   MONITOR- OPPOSED EDUCATION: Provides relative to permanent teachers and procedures for termination. HB 1368  SMITH, J MONITOR- OPPOSED EDUCATION: Authorizes BESE to exempt a school board from certain laws, rules, and regulations pursuant to a request and proposal for increasing quality of instruction and academic achievement from the school board. SB 11 APPEL OPPOSED RETIREMENT: A Constitutional Amendment to provide for forfeiture of retirement benefits by public officials and employees who are convicted of felony acts associated with their positions. SB 12 APPEL OPPOSED RETIREMENT: Requires forfeiture of retirement benefits by any public employee or elected official who is a member of a public retirement system and is convicted of certain state or federal felony acts associated with his office. SB 13 GAUTREAUX SUPPORT RETIREMENT: Allows garnishment of Louisiana public retirement or pension system, plan, or fund benefits of an elected official to pay fines or retitution imposed for a felony associated with his office. SB 66 MORRELL SUPPORT EDUCATION: Created a charter school enrollment perference for neighborhood students. SB 74 MORRELL SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides for the creation of community advisory committees for schools in the Recovery School District. SB 83 APPEL NO POSITION EDUCATION: Expands the test type options used in grades three, fix, six, seven and nine as part of LEAP. SB 100 GAUTREAUX  OPPOSED ORDERS: Provides for a five-year final average compensation period in the Parochial Employees' Retirement System. SB 157 MURRAY SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires binding arbitration for certain disputes between the Recovery School District and a charter school or a local school board. SB 191 GAUTREAUX  MONITOR-SUPPORT RETIREMENT: Provides relative to compliance with applicable federal tax qualification requirements for Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana, Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System, and State Police Pension and Retirement System. SB 240 MURRAY SUPPORT EDUCATION: Allows the Orleans Parish School Board to exclude certain costs from the amount of local funds that it would otherwise be required to transfer to the RSD. SB 258 MURRAY SUPPORT FINANCE: Provides for eligibility of New Orleans School Board retirees to participate, as a group, in insurance sponsored by the Office of Group Benefits. SB 274 HEITMEIER  NEUTRAL RETIREMENT: Requires a charter school teacher who is an active member of the system to remain an active member for the duration of employment at the charter school under certain circumstances. SB 307 GAUTREAUX  NEUTRAL RETIREMENT: Excludes pay to school bus drivers for certain school-related extracurricular activities performed under private contracts from the definition of earnable compensation. SB 315 MORRISH NEUTRAL RETIREMENT: Authorizes certain person who entered the Deferred Retirement Option Plan of the system before July 1, 2001, to have their pre-DROP retirement benefits recalculated at an accrual rate of 3 1/3% per year under certain circumstances. SB 344 DUPPESSIS OPPOSED EDUCATION: Provide relative to submission and review of charter school proposals and charter renewals. SB 353 NEVERS SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires a vote of the people before any local revenues can be transferred or allocated to a charter school. SB 422 NEVERS SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides relative to the functions and duties of the state superintendent of education. SB 485 MORRELL SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides relative to the provision of special education and related services in charter schools. SB 489 NEVERS SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires the Department of Education to reimburse local school boards for salary supplements paid to certain nationally board certified school personnel. SB 490 NEVERS SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides that Career Diploma Curriclum end-of-course exam questions reflect course content and method of instruction. SB 491 NEVERS SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires the state superintendent of education to secure funding to provide an annual increase of at least 2.75% in the MFP. SB 492 NEVERS SUPPORT Brings the governing boards of charter schools under the financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics Code. SB 495 NEVERS SUPPORT EDUCATION: Provides relative to the duties, functions, and responsibilities of BESE. SB 517 WALSWORTH OPPOSED EDUCATION: Recognizes that a diploma issued to a student who has successfully completed an approved home study program carries the same privileges as one issued by a public school or a private school. SB 527 BROOME MONITOR - SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires local school districts to provide certain classroom management training to school personnel. SB 522 533 MICHOT LAFLEUR NO POSITION EDUCATION: (IDENTICAL BILLS) Requires BESE to increase the availability of electronic textbooks and instructional materials. SB 553 LAFLEUR MONITOR - SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires BESE to develop an early high school graduation policy. SB 594 GAUTREAUX MONITOR - SUPPORT RETIREMENT: Relative to public retirement systems, provides to investments. SB 602 GAUTREAUX OPPOSED ORDERS: Relative to Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System, Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana, and Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System, places restrictions on participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan.  SB 628 DUPLESSIS OPPOSED EDUCATION: Provides relative to student suspensions and expulsions.  SB 632 GAUTREAUX  NEUTRAL  RETIREMENT: Provides a regular schedule for permanent benefit increases for retirees of the state retirement system.  SB 658  HEBERT  MONITOR - SUPPORT EDUCATION: Requires the Dept. of Education to ensure that the amount it annually expends for certain salaries does not exceed the amount expended by the department of salaries in such category in effect on January 1, 2007.  SB 694  GAUTREAUX  SUPPORT RETIREMENT: Requires membership in the Teachers' Retirement System for charter school teachers.  SB 695  DUPLESSIS  OPPOSED EDUCATION: Authorizes BESE to exempt a school board from certain laws, rules, and regulations pursuant to a request and proposal for increasing quality of instruction and academic achievement from the school board.