A+PEL endorses teacher evaluation bill

A+PEL endorses teacher evaluation bill
Written by Walter Pierce
Wednesday, 19 May 2010

The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana on Wednesday announced its endorsement of House Bill 1033, a controversial proposal to tie teacher evaluations to student performance. A+PEL’s endorsement breaks rank with the powerful Louisiana Association of Educators, a 3.2 million member affiliate of the National Education Association and the state’s largest teacher union.

“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,” the A+PEL endorsement reads in part. “As educators, we cannot sit idly by while over 200,000 school children — one-third of all Louisiana school children — are performing below grade-level. HB 1033 addresses this disconnect and establishes a more quantitative and less subjective evaluation system for all educators.”

The A+PEL endorsements follows an open letter issued last week by LAE calling on House members to reject HB 1033, saying the legislation would “undermine efforts to recruit and retain the best teachers in Louisiana, especially in our high-needs schools.” The LAE letter goes on the characterize the bill’s mechanism for teacher evaluation as “a complex, vague and unproven system would put teachers in jeopardy of losing their jobs — and even their teaching licenses — without taking into account the many factors affecting student performance that are beyond the control of even the best instructors.”

A+PEL, which says it is not a teacher union, says the aim of the bill is good and its evaluation methodology is legitimate: “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 H.B. 1033 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.”

SB 632 hits your pocketbook, hurts your retirement!

At a time when Governor Jindal is proposing no salary increases for public school employees, SB 632 would require us to contribute at least an additional two percent of our salary (three percent for those belonging to the Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System) towards retirement.

 

That would raise the employee contribution rate to a total of 10 percent.  And what would school employees receive in return?  An average, annual cost-of-living adjustment in retirement of just one percent.

 

SB 632 is bad for school employees now, and devastating to our future!

 

Contact your senator and tell him/her to protect Louisiana public schools and employees, and vote "NO!" on SB632

 

Senator Robert Adley (318) 965-1755 adleyr@legis.state.la.us
Senator John A. Alario (504) 340-2221 alarioj@legis.state.la.us
Senator "Jody" Amedee (225) 644-1526 amedeej@legis.state.la.us
Senator Conrad Appel (866) 946-3133 appelc@legis.state.la.us
Senator Sharon Weston Broome (225) 359-9352 lasen15@legis.state.la.us
Senator Norby Chabert (985) 858-2927 chabertn@legis.state.la.us
Senator Joel T. Chaisson (985) 764-9911 websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Sherri Smith Cheek (318) 687-4820 smithcheek@legis.state.la.us
Senator Dan Claitor (225) 765-0206 claitord@legis.state.la.us
Senator A.G. Crowe (985) 643-3600 crowea@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 Dale M. Erdey (225) 686-2881 erdeyd@legis.state.la.us
Senator "Nick" Gautreaux (337) 740-NICK (6425) 1-866-740-NICK (6425) gautreauxn@legis.state.la.us
Senator D. A. "Butch" Gautreaux (800) 562-3204 lasen21@legis.state.la.us
Senator Elbert L. Guillory (337) 943-2457 guillorye@legis.state.la.us
Senator Troy Hebert (337) 365-8484 hebertt@legis.state.la.us
Senator David Heitmeier (504) 361-6356 heitmeid@legis.state.la.us
Senator Lydia P. Jackson (318) 676-7029 jacksonl@legis.state.la.us
Senator Robert W. "Bob" Kostelka (800) 508-5572 kostelka@legis.state.la.us
Senator Eric LaFleur (337) 363-5019 lafleure@legis.state.la.us
Senator Gerald Long (318) 628-5799 longg@legis.state.la.us
Senator Robert "Rob" Marionneaux (225) 637-3623 lasen17@legis.state.la.us
Senator Daniel "Danny" Martiny (504) 834-7676 martinyd@legis.state.la.us
Senator Joe McPherson (318) 484-2211 lasen29@legis.state.la.us
Senator Michael J. "Mike" Michot (337) 262-1332 lasen23@legis.state.la.us
Senator Jean-Paul J. Morrell (504) 284-4794 morrelljp@legis.state.la.us
Senator Dan "Blade" Morrish (337) 824-3979 morrishd@legis.state.la.us
Senator Willie L. Mount (337) 491-2016 lasen27@legis.state.la.us
Senator Edwin R. Murray (504) 945-0042 murraye@legis.state.la.us
Senator Ben Nevers (985) 732-6863 (800) 881-2749 neversb@legis.state.la.us
Senator Karen Carter Peterson (504) 568-8346 petersonk@legis.state.la.us
Senator Julie Quinn (504) 219-4640 quinnj@legis.state.la.us
Senator Neil Riser (318) 649-0977 risern@legis.state.la.us
Senator B.L. "Buddy" Shaw (318) 861-5941 shawb@legis.state.la.us
Senator John R. Smith (800) 259-2709 smithj@legis.state.la.us
Senator Francis Thompson (318) 878-9408 thompsof@legis.state.la.us
Senator Mike Walsworth (318) 396-5499 walsworthm@legis.state.la.us

Call the LAE Help Desk!

When A Problem Arises…….. Call the LAE HELP DESK Immediately!

The LAE Help Desk is here for you!

The LAE Help Desk will provide accurate and timely responses to your questions and concerns about work-related matters.

The LAE Help Desk is managed by an experienced and knowledgeable UniServ Director.

Phone: 1-877-452-3477    

E-mail: helpdesk@lae.org 

Fax: 318-219-3849

 

 
 

Calling All Members!

East Feliciana Association of Educators

All Members Meeting

Clinton High School

May 6, 2010

4:00 pm

Attend this meeting for information about your Association and the concerns of the current RIF in East Feliciana Parish.

    All school employees are welcome to attend!    

Hope To See You There!

You are cordially invited to attend our Regional Legislative Conference. This unique opportunity will allow LAE staff the opportunity to inform you of our legislative efforts. The issues that we are facing this legislative session will be of the utmost significance for all school employees. Your participation in the process is vital to help us ensure that we safeguard our past accomplishments and promote a pro-public education agenda.

    In years past we have held an annual state-wide legislative conference in Marksville. After much feedback from members we have decided to bring such a meeting to you, across the great state of Louisiana. We hope that this conferences will make it easier for more members to attend and get involved in the legislative process. This regional setting will allow you to address your concerns with LAE Staff, Local Association Leaders, and local peers. Please invite your colleagues to come! We hope to see you there…

Association District 4- Regional Legislative Conference

When: Tuesday May 11, 2010

(5:00 PM -8:00 PM: Includes registration, informative program, and dinner)

Where: Baton Rouge Marriott  

5500 Hilton Avenue

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808

 
 

YOU’RE INVITED!

On Thursday, May 6, 2010, the House Education Committee will hear HB 1368 (Jane Smith Bill), beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Louisiana State Capitol, Basement Room #1.

     

We need as many members as we can to fill the room and show our opposition to this detrimental bill.  If you have a personal day, and are able to attend, we need your help.

 

(PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CANNOT ASK FOR A SICK LEAVE DAY; IT MUST BE A PERSONAL DAY).

 

If you are able to attend, please let us know ASAP!!!!!

 

THANK YOU, IN ADVANCE, FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER.

Please contact:

 

Sheryl Almonte

(225) 343-9243, ext. 101 or (800) 256-4523, ext. 101

sheryl.almonte@lae.org     

 

    Or

 

Donna Thibodeaux

(225) 343-9243, ext. 201 or (800) 256-4523, ext. 201

donna.thibodeaux@lae.org

Railroaded in Committee

This message is sent on behalf of LAE President Joyce Haynes - STAY TUNED AND READY FOR ACTION!!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010, was a bad day for public education in Louisiana as HB 1033 was unanimously passed out of the House Committee on Education. It's hard to say which is more disrespectful of teachers and their profession: the content of the bill, (which would base teacher evaluations and certification on student test scores,) or the manner in which proponents are attempting to railroad it through the legislature without meaningful input from educators and parents.

A group of nearly one hundred teachers, support professionals and allies began assembling early in the morning to secure a space in the hearing room or sign up to testify in opposition. Members from across the state who attended on their own time and at their own expense were attempting to exercise their rights as citizens and meet their responsibility as professionals by speaking out against bad education policies. They were treated with contempt.

Though each and everyone of the handful of speakers who had signed up in favor of HB 1033 were allowed to testify without time limits, only three of the many who were there to speak against the bill were recognized. LAE President Joyce Haynes, the chosen representative of some 20,000 Louisiana teachers and support professionals, was not even called on until after many of the committee members had left the room in the closing moments of the hearing,

Those of us who came to Baton Rouge to participate in a hearing but instead witnessed a charade are understandably disappointed and frustrated. But we are also encouraged. We know that the shameless behavior by the Committee is a clear sign that lawmakers are feeling the pressure of our organizing efforts. And we know that old-fashioned, heavy-handed tactics like those employed by the Committee no longer work in the modern age of instant electronic communication, social networking and Internet organizing.

We will be sending you additional information on these critical issues in the days ahead.  To learn more about other important education legislation impacting LAE members, please go to our website at www.lae.org.