MOVIE NIGHT AT THE LAE-RA

The annual LAE-RA is this weekend (Saturday, April 2nd – Sunday, April 3rd). We are hosting a movie night and will be showing the documentary, Race to Nowhere. The film addresses the issue of high stakes testing and what it’s doing to our students.

Movie night starts at 6:30 PM on Saturday, 4/2. Even if you aren’t a delegate, we invite you to come to the Marriot (5500 Hilton Avenue), sit in the audience and take part in the conversation. Don’t miss your chance to see this powerful film, which serves as the counter argument to Waiting for “Superman.” To get a sneak peek, go to www.racetonowhere.com/trailers-clips.

See you there!

LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2011: WHAT TO EXPECT

The 2011 Legislative Session is right around the corner. We’ve seen what other states are currently facing, but what can we expect here in Louisiana? We’ve broken out the seven biggest issues facing Louisiana educators in the 2011 Legislative Session.

1. Funding: Louisiana ranks 30th out of the 50 states for the overall revenue provided to school districts. The state receives a “D” grade for our regressive funding system (which provides more funding to wealthy districts than to poor districts).

LAE plans to push for ways to broaden the tax base, close loopholes and examine the widespread use of tax credits and exemptions that plague the state’s level of revenue and the overall fairness of the tax system. In order for a wise and prudent investment in K-12 and higher public education to be sustainable, Louisiana policymakers must evaluate and reform the current tax structure.

2. Teacher tenure: There are already aggressive efforts in several other states to eliminate due process rights for teachers. You can expect to see those same efforts surface here in Louisiana. In recent education committee hearings, tenure has been referred to as a barrier and a hindrance to student growth.

At the public K-12 level, tenure does not guarantee a job for life; tenure rewards teachers for being effective in the classroom. LAE will push to maintain and strengthen due process provisions regarding contractual, statutory and constitutional rights for all public school employees.

3. Retirement: LAE anticipates a continued effort to move the current Teacher Retirement System of Louisiana from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan. Research indicates that converting the TRSL retirement plan to a defined contribution plan would be much more costly than maintaining the current defined benefit plan.

LAE will aggressively oppose any attempts to eliminate the current TRSL defined benefit plan. TRSL benefits provide economic security for tens of thousands of retirees and support the economic activity/output of Louisiana. Secured pensions from the TRSL defined benefit plan help the state recruit quality teachers who educate future Louisiana workers.

4. Red Tape Reduction Act: LAE expects Governor Jindal to propose legislation to amend Act 921 which would strike “teacher approval” from the school/district waiver law. This would allow districts to waive laws pertaining to teacher tenure, class size and instructional time, as well as the student discipline curriculum without teacher approval.

LAE will fight any legislation that would reduce a teacher’s participation and input in the school district’s decision making process on a waiver of any state laws under Title 17.

5. Charter schools: Governor Jindal has recently come out in support of a proposal for businesses to team up with charter schools by allowing a business to provide a “facility or land” for the school and fill half the seats in the school with children of the business operators. The proposal would also have a minority percentage of the seats on the governing board filled by the business operator.

Public schools should not be run like a business. LAE strongly opposes any plan that would turn public schools over to for-profit companies. Privatization is a failed approach that provides an inferior education to our students.

6. Student discipline: LAE anticipates proposed legislation that would “dumb down” the current student discipline law, teacher bill of rights and student assault on a teacher.

It is vital to maintain orderly schools and provide programs to eliminate violence, verbal and physical abuse to students and education employees. Any violence directed at staff or students must be dealt with swiftly, and those involved should be immediately removed from the classroom.

7. Student-based budgeting: We anticipate a proposal to overhaul the way Louisiana would finance 1,300 public schools in the state. Proposed financing would require school districts to let the money follow the students, giving school principals sole-authority on how to spend federal, state and local education dollars without a site-based committee/board.

LAE is currently conducting extensive research around the student-based budgeting concept. Even though student-based budgeting is not new to the national scene, it is a relatively new concept to Louisiana.

Be sure to visit our website, http://www.lae.org/  as the session approaches for updates on these and other legislative issues!

LAE Shows Support for Colleagues in Wisconsin

Board members Vickie Jacquet and Rachel Gifford rally for Wisconsin during a trip to Washington D.C.

The NEA family has come out in full force to support our colleagues in Wisconsin, as well as those in Idaho, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio and Tennessee, who are also facing unprecedented threats.

Governor Scott Walker’s proposed legislation strips away worker rights and destroys the collaborative partnerships that have been established between labor and management in Wisconsin – the nation's oldest collective bargaining state. The protest is not about pay and benefits; it’s not about pensions and health care. This protest is about public sector employees retaining a voice in their profession and Wisconsin's future.

The people of Wisconsin are asking the governor and legislature to hear them out - and work with them to find bipartisan solutions that will address Wisconsin's challenges. Silencing the voices of public sector employees by busting up their unions is not a going to help the state move forward; it will only divide its people.

What is happening right now is historic. Tens of thousands of citizens are gathering in unprecedented numbers and speaking out to show their support for the state's public servants. They are voicing support for the third grade teacher who stays late to help a student with math. They are voicing support for nurses who work every day to care for patients and the firefighters who keep us safe. These public workers are on the front-lines everyday to support us - and they should have a say in their profession.

As all eyes continue to be on Wisconsin, LAE urges you to stay informed. Remember to talk about our collective fights and the attacks on the hard working teachers and public sector employees of our nation.  Lend your voice to help us fight this battle. LAE has sent a letter of support to the WEAC team; we encourage you to do the same. Email President Mary Bell (bellm@weac.org) with any words of encouragement. Sign any petitions in favor of collective bargaining and public sector workers. You can start by logging onto NEA’s Education Votes website educationvotes.nea.org/nationalpetition. Email information about local or state solidarity actions to campaignhub@nea.org. Wear “Red for Ed" every Tuesday this spring. Spread the word in any way you can.

We are leaders in this national fight for working people. We are in this fight together; let's take action together. We need to win this fight for educators and public sector employees across the nation.

Governor’s Plan to Freeze School Aid Is Wrong Approach to Filling State Budget Shortfalls

Louisiana educators are upset with Governor Jindal’s plan to recommend a third consecutive freeze in state aid for public schools.


“We think it’s time the governor dealt with state financing in a responsible way,” says Louisiana Association of Educators President Joyce Haynes. “The three year freeze will cost Louisiana’s public schools close to $200 million in recurring revenues.”

Teachers, parents and community members need Penny Dastugue and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to step up to the plate, too.

“The BESE board has one of two options. They can continue to be instruments of the governor or they can be representatives of the people,” says Haynes.

The BESE board has the authority to do what’s right for the public school students and the communities which depend upon their decision making. BESE, with a mixture of governor appointees and elected members, should have the courage to represent public schools and stand up to the governor.

“Public school students don’t have the luxury to wait on the governor,” says Haynes. “They need action and consideration now!”

This isn’t the first time Governor Jindal has slighted public school funding. In December of 2010, he made a $42 million error in the MFP when he failed to account for increases in student population.
He also shorted the state’s K-12 and higher education systems another $68 million when he redirected the Federal Education Jobs grant. To date, districts still have not received the $79 million residue from the $147 million originally approved for Louisiana K-12 public schools.

“Our state’s budget is hurting and we have a governor who continues to give billions of dollars in tax exemptions to big business; paying little attention to the needs of public school children. Enough is enough,” says Haynes.

Earlier this year, Louisiana House Speaker Jim Tucker implicated that legislators will consider suspending some of the $7 billion in tax exemptions as they search for ways to close the $1.6 billion budget hole. LAE is on board with the notion of requesting tax changes – anything to secure the funding of our valuable public services. LAE will ask the Legislature to go further and reduce exemptions by 3 billion dollars.

“We need to spend half of the money that the state could receive as a result of these exemptions and properly fund such governmental services as public schools, both Pre-K-12 and our public higher education institutions, social services and public safety,” says Haynes.

We look forward to Governor Jindal presenting his proposed operating budget during the 2011 regular legislative session. LAE intends to engage their membership and seek a broader coalition for their proposals.

LAE Endorses Nathan Granger for State Senate District 26

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE THIS SATURDAY!!!

We've endorsed Nathan Granger for the State Senate District 26 seat. The decision was made by a joint screening and recommendation committee who interviewed Granger and opponent Jonathan Perry. The committee recommended Granger for the seat and submitted the recommendation to the LAE Fund for Children and Public Education (FCPE) at the beginning of February.

“We are pleased that the LAE-FCPE approved our recommendation to endorse Nathan Granger,” explains Vermilion Association of Educators President Jason Roy. “We feel extremely confident in our decision to support Mr. Granger for the District 26 seat.”

The State Senate District 26 seat encompassing Acadia, Lafayette, St. Landry and Vermilion parishes was recently vacated by Nick Gautreaux. Local educators from the parishes within District 26 gathered to interview and recommend candidates. Each candidate answered questions from the committee on various topics including school funding, teacher accountability, educator due process rights and retirement.

“Both candidates interviewed well, but the committee ultimately made the decision to recommend Mr. Granger to the LAE-FCPE because we believe he best understands our issues as public educators,” says Roy. “He shows the most support for public education in our area and state.”

Early voting begins on February 5th and ends on February 12th. Election Day for Senate District 26 is Saturday, February 19, 2011.

READ ACROSS LOUISIANA 2011

New Orleans Saints Wide Reciever Devery Henderson joins the LAE family for Read Across America 2010!

 Share your love of reading with kids across Louisiana on Saturday, February 26th, 2011! Mark your calendars and don't forget to join us for Read Across Louisiana 2011.

Read Across Louisiana is the state affiliate project of the National Education Association’s Read Across America, an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child, in every community to celebrate reading on March 2nd (the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss). The annual initiative provides parents, caregivers and children with the resources they need to keep reading on the calendar 365 days a year. In order to gear up for Read Across America Day on March 2nd, we’ll be hosting celebrations across Louisiana on Saturday, February 26th.

Our Baton Rouge area celebration kicks off at 10 AM at the Mall of Louisiana. Join LAE and LPB for a fun-filled day of reading, educational activities and giveaways. You’ll even have the chance to read alongside some of Baton Rouge’s biggest superstars including WBRZ-TV Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum, EATEL Community Connection host Jenny Heroman, Mayor-President Kip Holden and many more. Also be sure to look into other celebrations happening across the state on 2/26:

Alexandria: Alexandria Mall - 3437 Masonic Drive, Alexandria, LA

Bossier City: The Louisiana Boardwalk - 540 Boardwalk, Bossier City, LA

Lake Charles: Prien Lake Mall - 496 West Prien Lake Road, Lake Charles, LA

Lafayette: Mall of Acadiana - 5725 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA

Monroe: Pecanland Mall - 4700 Milhaven Road #200 - Monroe, LA

Dont' forget to come out to celebrate the wonderful worlds that reading opens up for the children of Louisiana! And remember…

“You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child!”

Visit www.lae.org for more information!

Louisiana Public Education: A Takedown in the Making

Public education has been dealt a serious blow with the ruling from the BESE board on Tuesday. President Haynes testified at the meeting and gave an emotional appeal to BESE not to continue their assault. She appealed to them to rethink their ideas to tie teachers' evaluations to a 50% student score. If the board approves this measure of teacher effectiveness, many great teachers will be threatened with losing their jobs. Teachers' evaluations should be more complex in design and should account for many qualitative measures, not only one simple quantitative measure. There are many social and economic factors that can cause students not to score well, none of which have anything to do with the effectiveness of the teacher. LAE will continue to speak in one voice to endeavor to have our concerns heard and considered. Our voice is loud and strong and represents our members.

Are You Listening and Watching Race to the Top?

On December 17, LAE President Joyce Haynes went on record with our intent to not support Race to the Top as it currently stands.

What concerns LAE?

1. The mandate that 50 percent of a teachers' evaluation will be based upon a single measure of assessment (student test score). The DOE was unwilling to work on concerns around teacher evaluation and the philosophical use of student assessments as at least 50 percent of the teacher evaluation process.

a) This philosophical focus is seriously questioned in much of the research, does both teachers and students a disservice, and provides a stumbling block to serious negotiations around developing an effective teacher evaluation process that can be supported by the entire education community;

b) Placing too much focus on standardized tests can actually harm student instruction and over all student growth by putting too much emphasis on a narrow-based test;

c) Value-added-and to some extent growth models of assessment-are inconsistent and not fully transparent to those being assessed;

d) No decision of what other factors will be present in the teacher evaluation.

2. LAE also has concerns dealing with the state data system coupled with interim benchmark assessments. While we support strong, accessible data that can inform instruction, in the past there has been and continues to be the opportunity for such systems to be misused. LAE has some concerns that the state will reinstate scripted curricular programs with defined instructional practice rather than allow the "great teachers and leaders" at the school to make professional informed decisions at the school and classroom level.

Other LAE concerns

1. The indication that due process as we now know will be adversely affected.

2. The indication that benefits currently enjoyed by school employees will be adversely affected.

3. The lack of financial sustainability.

4. Early Race to the Top draft documents included 3.5 times as many dollars for charter schools as for large districts on a per student count.

5. What state dollars will be re-directed to support Race to the Top? Will the Minimum Foundation Program be reduced? Will programs such as National Accreditation grants be reduced?

6. Will BESE decide to allow the superintendent to gain control of 8g funds?

The aforementioned concerns are only the tip of the iceberg. You may have concerns that may not have been listed, but are equally as important.

January and February of 2010 will be very interesting. As the situation seems to change by the day, LAE urges your vigilance and requests your participation in our Association's democratic process.

For more information, go to www.lae.org.

Teachers Unions & Charter Schools

The Daily Censored, Dec. 15, 2009, by Danny Weil

LAE Wayne Free Comments

Rolfe McCollister writing in Wednesday’s Oct 21^st LA Business Report.com (Accountability, Competition Work in LA), praises the current accountability system in Louisiana, Charter Schools, the federally funded Education Trust, and Paul Pastorek.

In a politically charged article, McCollister praises all things charter and the RSD completely ignoring the lack of success in the RSD compared with other systems in the state. Rather than focusing on results, McCollister provides a marketing piece sophisticated as any used car salesman would do when trying to get you to buy a clunker.

Perhaps his most egregious statement of all was his cry for no more “Government Answers” This from an organization supporting the unconscionable incompetence, greed and bailouts currently found on Wall Street while historically fighting support and resources for public schools.

We are in serious trouble if we ever let Wall Street or the Baton Rouge Business Community run the schools!

Wayne Free

LAE Director of Instructional Advocacy