Feb-March Advisor 2020 Online

February–March 2020 • Volume 62, Number 4 • Published by the Connecticut Education Association • cea.org CEA Advisor CALLING YOU IS

A new CEA campaign seeks to bring more diversity to the teaching profession to reflect our student population. See pages 8-9.

2 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020

LEADING

Conviction is the path to success; persistence is the vehicle.

This oft-quoted truism has perhaps never been more relevant than now, a time when Connecticut teachers— after months, or even years, of advocacy—are seeing many hard-fought battles won and the work of thousands of their colleagues come to fruition. In 2019, we saw a shoring

between CEA attorneys and members and DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes set these changes in motion and will be instrumental in the progress we make in the future. Teachers’ voices were again amplified when CEA partnered with AFT Connecticut and WFSB Channel 3 on a survey that examines educators’ take on everything from high- stakes testing to kindergarten start age. Our members responded in large numbers, detailing their experiences and concerns, and several spoke to reporters about the toll that increased trauma, intense academic pressure, and other conditions are having on students—in particular, our youngest learners. (See story, page 6.) Those issues are part of CEA’s legislative agenda this year, and we will need the same collective energy and persistence that helped teachers secure so many of our recent

Leading: Our Perspective

Jeff Leake, CEA President

up of teachers’ retirement security—something CEA leaders and members pushed for not only in the last year but over several legislative cycles. In recent weeks, a long-standing plan to levy a 40-percent federal excise tax on teachers’ health care plans, which CEA vigorously challenged for many years, was finally scrapped. The repeal of the so- called “Cadillac tax” on teachers’ health plans—a victory many years in the making—would not have been possible without determined CEA leaders and Congressional ally Joe Courtney, who worked tirelessly to overturn the unfair tax. (See story on page 7.) At press time, Connecticut’s Department of Children and

Tom Nicholas, CEA Vice President

victories in order to take more of our goals across the finish line. 2020 provides a fresh opportunity to keep the momentum going. We ask you to stay informed and engaged, and we have provided the tools and resources that make it possible. (See page 16.) Watch for CEA Action Alerts. Reach out to the lawmakers who represent you, as well as your colleagues. Encourage them to step up and join you. Lawmakers have often said that what turned them in favor of a bill or against it is

Recent victories illustrate what CEA Stronger Together looks like. Let’s carry that strength into this legislative session, the next election cycle, and beyond.

Families is putting into place key changes that CEA’s legal team and members long sought to protect students and teachers. (See page 7.) These and other victories have come about as a result of thousands of conversations, phone calls, rallies, public hearings, forums, emails, social media posts, and more, from teachers in every corner of the state. They have come as a result of educators demanding a place at the table where decisions regarding their profession, their future, and education policy are made.

Donald E. Williams Jr. CEA Executive Director

CEA GOVERNANCE Jeff Leake • President Tom Nicholas • Vice President

hearing from the very teachers who support or oppose it. From personal stories to thousands of emails, it’s teachers’ voices that have made the difference. No time to stop To ensure our voices are heard, we will need to continue electing candidates who listen and share our concerns. In November and in the run-up to Election Day, we must look at who supports public schools and throw our collective weight behind those men and women. NEA’s Strong Public Schools 2020 campaign examines the positions and actions of presidential hopefuls so that teachers can make informed decisions that reshape the political landscape and deliver victories for public education. (See story, page 4.) 2020 is our chance to replace individuals at the highest levels of government who are hostile to public education, such as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whose policies would privatize schools, reduce the number of teachers, expand class size, and erode our nation’s public education system. 2020 also presents an opportunity to revisit and redouble our efforts at the state legislature to enhance classroom safety, provide meaningful interventions for students in crisis, promote social- emotional learning, and ensure that our schools are healthy environments where we can teach and where our students can learn. (See story on page 4.) With Connecticut’s General Assembly in session from now until May 6, CEA leaders and staff are working long hours to advance these and other legislative priorities over the coming months. To succeed, we will need strong member involvement. Recent victories illustrate what CEA Stronger Together looks like. Let’s carry that strength into this legislative session, the next election cycle, and beyond. February 13, 2020

Stephanie Wanzer • Secretary David Jedidian • Treasurer

John Horrigan • NEA Director Tara Flaherty • NEA Director

Importantly, they have also come as a direct result of canvassing, phonebanking, and electing officials who are eager to listen to teachers’ perspectives and represent us in Congress, at the Capitol, and at state agencies. Blazing new trails Some of our newest state officials include Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, who has prioritized recruiting more educators of color—a major CEA initiative—so that all of Connecticut’s students see themselves reflected in their teachers. Teachers have enthusiastically joined CEA’s latest campaign, Teaching Is Calling You, to bring greater diversity to the profession to ensure that it better reflects our student population. (See pages 8-9.) Participants in the campaign include 2020 and 2019 Teachers of the Year Meghan Hatch-Geary and Sheena Graham as well as new and veteran educators representing a range of grade levels, subjects, and school demographics. Diversifying our teaching force will be both a grassroots movement and a top CEA objective at the state legislature and state agencies over the long term. CEA is proud to be the first organization in the state to back that effort with funding, thanks to a grant from NEA. We hope you will keep your eyes and ears open for our public awareness campaign, which will feature messaging and interviews on our website and others in February, air on television and radio in March and April, and generate much-needed conversations and change in the months to come. Open and ongoing dialogue has also been crucial to instituting structural and procedural improvements at DCF. One change makes it easier for teachers, as mandated reporters, to protect students. Another introduces consistency and timeliness in the way that investigations of teachers are handled. Conversations

CEA ADVISOR STAFF Nancy Andrews • Communications Director Lesia Winiarskyj • Managing Editor Sandra Cassineri • Graphic Designer Laurel Killough • New Media Coordinator Eric Ahrens • Web Designer and Developer Fenruary–March 2020 Volume 62, Number 4 Published by Connecticut Education Association 1-800-842-4316 • 860-525-5641 cea.org CEA Advisor The CEA Advisor is mailed to all CEA members. Annual subscription price is $5.72 (included in membership dues and available only as part of membership). Institutional subscription price: $25.00. Advertising in the CEA Advisor is screened, but the publishing of any advertisement does not imply CEA endorsement of the product, service, or views expressed. CEA Advisor UPS 0129-220 (ISSN 0007-8050) is published in August, October/November, December/ January, February/March, April, May/June, and summer (online) by the Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street, Hartford, CT 06106-8001, 860-525-5641. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, Connecticut. Postmaster: Send address changes to CEA Advisor , Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street,

Hartford, CT 06106-8001. Production date: 2-18-2020

FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020 CEA ADVISOR 3

News Briefs

IN THIS ISSUE

Last Call for Award Entries! Deadline: February 28

4-5 MOBILIZING

With the legislative session underway, CEA leaders are working on numerous issues critical to public education. Find out how you can get involved and make sure your legislators are working for you and your students. Plus, see how one Naugatuck teacher has shown her students the power of their collective voice at the Capitol. SURVEYING CEA once again partnered with AFT Connecticut and WFSB Channel 3 on a survey to get teachers’ perspectives on issues ranging from toxic stress on students to health risks posed by aging buildings. Read what your colleagues are saying. ADVANCING CEA scored major victories for teachers regarding several DCF policies. Read about the positive impact these changes will have on you. Plus, celebrate the long-awaited defeat of an excise tax on teachers’ health care plans. CEA has launched a new multimedia campaign, Teaching Is Calling You, designed to raise interest in teaching careers among young people and to bring more people of color into the profession. BARGAINING Ever wonder what it takes to go into negotiations and how successful teachers’ contracts are bargained? CEA members from around the state are learning new strategies to help them get the salaries, step movement, and classroom conditions they deserve. The NEA RA is in the offing, and the governance structure is shaping up. Meet the candidates and newly elected delegates. If your local has fewer than 76 members, find out how to become county cluster delegates to the 2020 NEA RA. ENGAGING Attend a free book talk with Dr. Marc Brackett, a reknowned expert on emotional intelligence and author of Permission to Feel , which explores how social-emotional learning improves children’s health, well-being, academic outcomes, and long-term success. CONNECTING As the legislative session heats up, count on CEA’s Action Alerts, blog, social media, and more to keep you in the loop on education bills that matter to your profession, your students, and your future. Windsor teacher Marquis Johnson is one of several CEA members featured in a campaign to encourage more young people—and particularly students of color—to enter the teaching profession.

Enter yourself or nominate your local Association, a community member, or a colleague for any of several CEA awards honoring those who advance public education and the teaching profession. Awards recognize individuals, groups, websites, and newsletters that support students, teachers, and schools. Applications and details are online ( cea.org/grants-and-awards ), and entering is easy. All entries must be received on or before February 28, 2020. Let us know who deserves a special shout-out at this year’s CEA Representative Assembly (May 8-9), where awards will be announced and presented.

6

7

MARCH 21 8:30AM - 2:00PM MYSTIC MARRIOTT HOTEL, 625 NORTH ROAD, GROTON Register at cea.org under Events

CONNECTICUT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION EARLY CAREER EDUCATORS CONFERENCE

8-9 DIVERSIFYING

10

13-14 REPRESENTING

Experienced Professionals Fill CEA Positions

15

Maura Albert, Legal Assistant CEA’s Member Legal Services welcomes its newest staff member, certified paralegal Maura Albert.

Gus Melita, Political Engagement Coordinator Gus Melita has been named political engagement coordinator for CEA. Melita, who joined CEA in 2013 as the association’s

Albert’s main responsibilities involve workers’ compensation cases, including gathering and analyzing medical records, compiling teachers’ injury- related expenses, and

political action associate, has provided insight into various local elections and referenda and facilitated grassroots member organizing and outreach. In his expanded role, he will

16

corresponding with insurance companies and attorneys in an effort to get CEA members the medical treatment they need as well as reimbursement for expenses stemming from work- related injuries or illnesses. Albert, who has previously worked for single- and multiple-attorney offices, has extensive experience in personal injury, workers’ compensation, and civil litigation cases from intake through settlement, including drafting and filing pleadings, monitoring the status of files in litigation, scheduling depositions, and preparing files for mediation, arbitration, or trial.

monitor and disseminate information on federal and state legislative issues and political activities, develop networks of political action volunteers, conduct training to increase members’ involvement in local, state, and national political and legislative arenas, and continue to assist with legislative organizing and lobbying activities. Melita’s prior work experience includes serving as a legislative aide, campaign manager, and deputy field director. He is a graduate of the University of Vermont, where he majored in history and political science.

ON THE COVER

CONNECT WITH CEA

cea.org

facebook.com/ CTEdAssoc

youtube.com/ ceavideo

blogCEA.org

twitter.com/ ceanews

instagram.com/ cea_teachers

flickr.com/ photos/ceapics

MOBILIZING

4 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020

GET INVOLVED THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION Your profession depends on it

Dozens of legislative proposals— including several that are important to teachers—will come before Connecticut’s General Assembly in the coming months. In anticipation of the 2020 legislative session, which runs from February 5 through May 6, CEA members were asked about top priorities for their students, their profession, and their schools. A survey was emailed to all members and posted to CEA’s website. More than 1,200 teachers responded. Based on survey results, which matched input from CEA’s Legislative Commission and the UniServ Representatives who work with teachers in their locals every day, CEA is advocating for several measures this legislative session. These include bills that • Strengthen education funding and prevent the use of state education dollars for non-education purposes • Protect teachers’ right to collectively bargain for fair salaries, benefits, and working conditions • Enhance classroom safety • Provide meaningful help for students whose behavior indicates

social-emotional learning, and interventions for students in need and ensuring teacher input into the necessary supports • Ensure that the ratios of social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors meet national standards • Improve school infrastructure issues by addressing problems with indoor air temperature, mold, and other air quality issues • Safeguard teachers’ hard-earned pensions and health insurance benefits • Develop a plan for implementing universal preschool statewide • Eliminate standardized testing in pre-K through second grade and limit the amount of classroom time required for statewide assessments • Reduce stress on our youngest learners by establishing a minimum kindergarten start age of five years • Revise the Common Core State Standards for the early grades and incorporate strategies to promote social-emotional learning in all grades • Limit special education caseloads for teachers, taking into consideration intensities of

session and work to advance those that have positive outcomes for students, teachers, and public schools as well as defeat those that threaten to erode public education or the teaching profession. “We need every classroom to be a safe, compassionate learning environment, we need to elevate the teaching profession, and we need our members to be actively engaged in this process,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “We know teachers are extremely busy. Finding time to engage with lawmakers can seem daunting, but laws that impact teachers and their classrooms deserve teachers’ attention and input. Legislators may believe they are voting for a bill that is education- friendly without fully understanding the effects that bill might have on educators and students. Talk to them. Let them hear from you firsthand. They welcome your advice, your experience, and your expertise.” To stay current on legislation that impacts you, subscribe to blogcea.org and watch your inbox for important developments at the legislature and the State Department of Education. coast so that teachers can discuss what’s at stake in the election and how they will play a key role in choosing the next president • Launching StrongPublicSchools.org, where teachers can learn more about each of the candidates and how to get involved in the 2020 campaign “It’s very important for Connecticut teachers to be a part of this movement,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “While many of the decisions that affect teachers day to day are made at the state and local level, the federal government also plays a critical role in issues ranging from teacher compensation and retirement benefits to class size, school safety, education funding, teachers’ rights, school privatization, social justice, and so much more. We need to elect officials who will be champions for our students and public schools, who respect educators and value the teaching profession, and who will fully fund our neighborhood public schools to ensure students have the qualified, committed educators they need to succeed.”

various services, the amount of time students’ IEPs indicate as classroom inclusionary time, and other key factors • Ensure that school climate committees include paraprofessionals, mental health or health experts, and the perspectives and information provided by teachers’ unions • Establish pilot programs for educators, and the community in developing solutions to a school’s biggest challenges CEA will monitor various proposals throughout the legislative comprehensive community schools that involve parents, For the past several months, the National Education Association’s Strong Public Schools 2020 campaign has looked at the presidential candidates’ stances on critical issues that must be addressed in order to strengthen public schools across the United States. “Over the last several years, educators have joined with parents and students across the nation as part of the #RedforEd movement, which has forced politicians to better fund our public schools, expanded opportunities for students, and helped educators find their collective voice,” said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “With major wins in governors’ elections as well as legislative races, educators are reshaping the political landscape to deliver victories for students and public schools. Now they’re ready to harness this energy, go door to door, and play a powerful role in electing the next president, as we take this activism and ground game to the 2020 campaign.” NEA’s Strong Public Schools Campaign has provided forums where teachers can hear from presidential hopefuls as well as ask direct questions about how they intend to strengthen public schools. The campaign’s key activities so far include • Compiling tens of thousands of questions that teachers around the country have for their presidential candidates and focusing candidate interviews on the top issues raised • Hosting the #StrongPublicSchools Presidential Forum at the annual NEA Representative Assembly last summer, and co-hosting Public Education Forum 2020: Equity and Justice for All, where presidential candidates answer questions posed by NEA members • Holding house parties from coast to

deeper needs, by advancing trauma-informed instruction,

NEA’S STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2020 Critical for CEA members to get involved in election campaign

Governor Pledges Support for Students, Families, and Teachers in New Budget, Legislative Session

On the opening day of the legislative session, Governor Ned Lamont made a series of pledges aimed at increasing support for Connecticut’s students, families, and teachers and continuing to build on the strides the state has made over the last year. “Our budget provided predictability to

those counting on it most,” he said, adding, “I have heard from school principals, city and town leaders, small businesses, and families, all saying, ‘Finally, we can plan for our future.’” The budget, he noted, made Connecticut’s largest-ever investment in K-12 education, reducing some of the burden on cities and towns and providing teachers with more of the resources they need. He added that a priority of his administration is ensuring that teachers, among others, can afford to live in the communities they serve. “I’ve said it before: Connecticut has always had the best-trained, best- educated, most productive workforce in the world, and that starts with the best teachers in the world.” Educators and unions, he pointed out, are providing input to the revamped Governor’s Workforce Council to make sure Connecticut maintains the highest-quality education in the nation. Governor Lamont received a standing ovation when he said, “With half our students being children of color, Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona and I have prioritized recruiting black and Hispanic teachers and developing courses that showcase the important contributions those communities have made to American history.” Noting that educators of color comprise less than ten percent of Connecticut’s teaching force, the governor said his goal was for all children to look up and see themselves reflected in their teachers as well as see a potential future for themselves in the teaching profession. He also noted that the recently established Partnership for Connecticut, formed with the help of local philanthropists, will give more students “their opportunity at the starting line of life,” focusing on providing support for disengaged and disconnected children and young adults and funding for teachers and nonprofits “to turn their best ideas into more hope for their students.” Governor Ned Lamont says Connecticut’s skilled workforce “starts with the best teachers in the world.”

MOBILIZING

FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020 CEA ADVISOR 5

WITH TEACHER’S SUPPORT, STUDENTS’ ENERGY DRINK BILL MAKES A COMEBACK Lessons in legislative process come to life for Naugatuck middle-schoolers

When science teacher Katrina Spina assigned her students an end- of-unit task, her immediate goal was to evaluate their understanding of key concepts learned over a three- month period. They had been looking at ingredients in energy drinks and their potential impact on young people’s health. “What started out as a unit’s summative assessment,” she says, “turned into something bigger than any of us could have imagined.” Spina’s students ultimately worked to pass a bill banning the sale of energy drinks to minors, and their efforts not only garnered the spotlight of the local media— including the Waterbury Republican- American and CT News Junkie —but also put them on the national stage, where they were featured in TIME magazine, The Atlantic , and the online magazine Undark . “I am so very proud of this project and the kids participating,” Spina says. Taking up the cause In December 2018, seventh-grade students at Naugatuck’s City Hill Middle School wrapped up a chemistry, digestion, and nutrition unit by taking a position on the sale of energy drinks to children. Teams of students prepared presentations, and the top two teams were awarded the opportunity to lobby their state representatives. “Representative Liz Linehan— who co-chairs the Children’s Committee—was so impressed by the depth of research and inspired by the quality of students’ presentations that she worked with fellow committee members on drafting a bill that would prohibit the sale of energy drinks to children under the age of 16,” Spina recalls. (According to the National Institutes of Health, a growing body of scientific evidence shows that energy drinks can have serious detrimental health effects, particularly in children and young adults.) In February 2019, House Bill 7007 was awarded a public hearing,

“We reached out to other districts, and another town agreed to help us out and offer their students this survey,” she explains. “We are continuing to gather data.” After seeing their story on social media, parents and others whose loved ones were harmed consuming energy drinks began contacting Spina from as far as South Carolina, California, and Tennessee. Some plan to travel to Connecticut next month to testify in support of the bill. Spina’s students also met with Governor Ned Lamont and Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz last year to discuss their bill and their efforts to educate the public about energy drinks. They lobbied legislators as well, in the hopes of convincing them to pass the bill when it comes up again this legislative session. If the bill passes, Connecticut could be the first state in the country to enact such legislation. “We are gearing up to go back to Hartford and lobby,” Spina says. “We have a hearing scheduled on March 3. It’s super exciting!” Watch for updates at BlogCEA. org .

Naugatuck teacher Katrina Spina (center) joins students testifying before their legislators.

and six City Hill students, along with their parents, traveled to the Connecticut State Capitol to work on getting it passed. “We were given a tour of the Capitol and Legislative Office Building,” says Spina, “and our students then testified and answered legislators’ questions. They received accolades from the Children’s Committee and a round of applause from the packed room. They also got to hear testimony from UConn’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors, whose executive director congratulated them on their efforts to ‘do good for the children of Connecticut.’” The bill was two votes shy of passing, with two committee members expressing that they needed more information. Instead of allowing the bill to die, says Spina, Representative Linehan opted to hold the vote. “She fielded questions from our students on the legislative process and explained that even when bills fail, that doesn’t mean we should give up on our cause,” Spina says. “One student suggested creating an informational pamphlet that could be made available in pediatric offices. Our students’ pamphlets can now be found in schools and pediatricians’

offices throughout the state. Delaying the vote also allowed us to gather more data to support the need for this bill and hopefully get it passed during this year’s legislative session.” The work continues Working with Representative Linehan, Spina and her students created and distributed surveys to middle and high school students and parents in Naugatuck and other towns via social media.

Student Emily Fine shows Representative Russ Morin a flyer that she and her classmates designed to educate others about the health risks of energy drinks.

Naugatuck Students, Teacher Make Headlines Watch students testifying last session ( ctn.state.ct.us/ctnplayer. asp?odID=16004 ), see the news

coverage, and subscribe to blogcea.org for updates! • undark.org/2019/06/26/kids-energy-drink • ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20190208_will_ connecticut_become_the_first_state_to_ban_energy_drinks • time.com/5616059/energy-drinks-teens • theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/06/scientists-say- energy-drinks-ads-shouldnt-target-teens/592657

Representative Liz Linehan (third from right) meets with City Hill students Emily Fine, Amy Morrissey, Sahirah Rivera, Ciana Chirkout, Luke Deitelbaum, and Sean Davino.

SURVEYING

6 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020

ANXIETY AND TRAUMA TOP CHALLENGES FACING STUDENTS, SURVEY FINDS Teachers point to testing, lack of resources, other factors

Connecticut is ranked among the best states in the country for K-12 education; however, findings from a January 2020 CEA/AFT Connecticut/WFSB survey should raise alarms, as Connecticut teachers increasingly find themselves in unsafe work environments, encountering more children impacted by trauma, facing a persistent shortage of school counselors, social workers, and other supports necessary for their students, and more. Nearly 1,500 public school teachers responded to the survey. Increased trauma, insufficient resources “I have seen an increase in the number of traumatized students and the frequency of such incidents in my 20+ years of teaching.” Studies have shown that disruptive or dangerous behavior in the classroom often stems from toxic stress students experience as a result of repeated trauma outside of school. The CEA/AFT Connecticut/WFSB survey bears this out, with half of all respondents saying trauma

insufficient interventions to help students in crisis and mitigate disruptions in their classrooms. Nationally, according to Phi Delta Kappa’s 2019 PDK Poll, more than a third of all teachers (37 percent) fear for their safety in the classroom, citing student fighting and in-person bullying as major culprits. In Connecticut, roughly six out of ten teachers (58 percent) have had to evacuate their classrooms because of disruptions that threatened the safety of their students. The problem is most prevalent in the early grades, where 78 percent of Connecticut elementary teachers report having to evacuate their classrooms because of concerns for the safety of their students. In addition to wanting more resources and interventions for their students, 98 percent of teachers surveyed strongly believe educators should have a say in the resources required to address the needs of disruptive students. Kindergarten start age Contributing to the pressures placed on many young learners and their teachers is the fact that children as young as four are entering the classroom in Connecticut, which has set the youngest kindergarten start age (four years, eight months) in the United States. The vast majority (77 percent) of elementary school teachers surveyed would like to change Connecticut’s minimum start age to five. “Our young learners enter kindergarten sometimes at four years old and are expected to complete tasks that some of us did not learn until first or second grade.” “The academic demands are not always developmentally appropriate, and we overemphasize strategies and skills and spend very little time on meaningful content…” “Providing universal preschool and changing the minimum start age for kindergarten makes sense,” CEA President Jeff Leake told WFSB Channel 3 reporter Courtney Zieller. “It relieves much of the undue stress we put on our youngest learners, some of whom are only four years old and sharing classrooms with children who are six-and-a-half. We need to ensure that children entering kindergarten are developmentally ready.” High-stakes testing “Too much high-pressure testing is hurting students’ mental health.” Connecticut spends millions of dollars on the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC) and other high- stakes testing every year, in spite of teachers’ overwhelming assertions that SBAC has a negative impact on classroom instruction. Of the

CEA President Jeff Leake and Executive Director Donald Williams discuss survey findings with WFSB Channel 3 reporter Courtney Zieller. Watch news stories at cea.org .

teachers surveyed whose instruction is impacted by SBAC—which is administered to students in grades three through eight—94 percent report a negative impact. Nationally, 94 percent of teachers and 77 percent of parents agree that there are better alternatives to high- stakes, standardized testing for measuring student achievement. “Teaching at the elementary level, there is no longer room in our curriculum for any emphasis on social skills. Education is no longer about the students; it’s about the scores.” Social development and anxiety “Academic expectations have been raised to unrealistic levels that are developmentally inappropriate, and everyone is wondering why children are struggling.” Seven in ten teachers surveyed said schools are not placing enough emphasis on students’ social growth experienced teachers (70 percent of those who have taught for at least six years—and in most cases, 20 years or longer) and elementary teachers (77 percent) want to place a greater emphasis on children’s social development. Given these findings, it is hardly surprising that 71 percent of teachers overall say anxiety is the greatest challenge facing students. While more than two-thirds of middle and high school teachers reported anxiety as one of the biggest challenges facing their students, anxiety is ranked highest among the challenges facing students in the elementary grades (as reported by 74 percent of their teachers). Classrooms in decline In addition to stressors within their classrooms, teachers responding to the survey described working in buildings that have fallen into disrepair, with classroom conditions that pose health risks to them and versus academic growth. In particular, the state’s most

been cleaned since the school opened, and the air could not get through the dirt that had built up. I documented days when the temperature was 54 degrees and students had to wear their coats and hats in class.” Just under half of teachers surveyed (47 percent) reported that poor air

quality in their classrooms or deteriorating conditions in their school with teaching and learning. Problems reported by at least one-third of teachers included extreme heat or cold in classrooms (cited by 85 percent of buildings interfered

94% of teachers whose

instruction is impacted by the SBAC test say the

impact is negative.

teachers), dirty air vents (49 percent), damaged walls or ceiling tiles (47 percent), leaking roofs (41 percent), mold (36 percent), and rodent droppings (33 percent). A profession in decline? Sounding the alarm on trends in K-12 education in the state, Connecticut teachers are taking a hard look at the status of their profession and their job satisfaction. Forty-four percent would not choose a teaching career if given another chance. Nationwide, more than half of all adults (54 percent) do not want their own children to enter the teaching profession. This declining interest in teaching begs the question: How can Connecticut replace public school teachers who will soon start retiring in large numbers when fewer people see teaching as a desirable profession? “In other countries, the work that teachers do is valued and revered,” says CEA Executive Director Donald Williams. “That is not often the case here. Teachers work to build important connections with their students every day. They are the ones shaping the future of our country. And yet, what they face here is less support than they require and less respect than they deserve. Through our outreach to members, communities, policymakers, and the media, those are the things CEA is working to change.”

experienced by their students is a significant cause of disruptive behaviors in their classroom, and 47 percent pointing to anxiety as a factor as well. “Especially in the younger grades, students struggle to communicate their trauma, and it manifests in violent outbursts.” Although virtually every Connecticut teacher surveyed (99 percent) would like support to deal with the root causes of student misbehavior, nearly three out of four teachers (73 percent) maintain that not enough support is available at their school. Roughly two-thirds (65 percent) assert that not enough is being done to promote trauma- informed instruction and social- emotional learning. This is especially the case among elementary school teachers, 85 percent of whom report

their students. Among other chronic problems, they cited the presence of mold, dirty air vents, rodents, and extreme temperatures. “I did not have heat for three years, because the vents had never

77% of elementary school teachers believe children should not start kindergarten before the age of five.

ADVANCING

FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020 CEA ADVISOR 7

CEA’S LEGAL TEAM, MEMBERS SPARK CHANGE AT DCF Online reporting by teachers now easier; allegations against school employees handled by special unit

Ongoing conversations between CEA’s legal team and Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families, along with a Q&A session where DFC officials heard from CEA members across the state, have resulted in positive changes for teachers. DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes has pledged greater transparency, efficiency, and consistency in reporting and investigations handled by her agency, which has instituted procedural changes that address some of teachers’ top concerns. “These changes are important, and it’s worth noting that they did not happen overnight,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “They resulted from months of honest and positive discussions between our legal team and DCF, as well as the commissioner’s willingness to hear from teachers, teachers’ openness in sharing their stories, and the power of teachers’ voices when we come together.” Mandated reporting made easier When it comes to suspected abuse or neglect of a child, teachers are mandated reporters—required by law to report within 12 hours what they know or reasonably suspect. Failure to do so could result in penalties, including criminal charges against teachers. The problem, however, is that reporting has been historically fraught, often involving long wait times on the phone with the DCF Careline and unclear guidelines about what constitutes an emergency versus a “non-emergent” situation involving a child. A key change at DCF streamlines the process for teachers reporting suspected abuse or neglect and mitigates against the risk that teachers will be hit with a failure to report. Teachers who reasonably suspect that a child has been abused, neglected, or placed at risk of imminent harm in a non-emergent situation will soon be able to file an online report without fear of being

For more information on mandated reporting and other legal issues every teacher needs to understand, schedule a free Teachers and the Law workshop conducted by CEA’s attorneys. Talk to your local association president or email myprofession@cea.org . transparent and standardized way. “Lack of consistency has long been a problem when it comes to representing our members in DCF allegations,” says CEA Attorney Melanie Kolek. CEA Attorney Rebecca Mitchell agrees, stating, “Similar cases handled by DCF investigators in different parts of the state often have very different outcomes. Until now, teachers and those who represent them have had no consistent model to follow. The standard in one geographic area needs to be the same in all areas of the state, and that is what DCF is looking to establish.”

CEA members appreciated the opportunity to speak candidly with DCF’s commissioner last October. Pictured (L-R) are Manchester Education Association President Kate Dias, CEA President Jeff Leake, Southington teacher Maria Lappas, Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes, and Southington building rep Roseanne Lombardi.

subject to a failure-to-report finding—even if it’s later determined that the situation was in fact an emergency. In cases where an emergent situation was incorrectly reported as non-emergent, a teacher may be referred for training regarding the appropriate use of online reporting. “This is a positive change,” says CEA Attorney Adrienne DeLucca, “in that it protects children while also protecting the mandated reporters—our teachers—who are looking out for their students’ best interests.” Consistency in investigations In meetings with Commissioner Dorantes and her staff, CEA attorneys raised concerns about investigations of claims made against teachers. Often similar cases were handled differently by different investigators—with patterns of inconsistency among area offices— putting educators, their students, and their CEA representatives at a serious disadvantage. These concerns were echoed by teachers at a fall forum where CEA members spoke directly with DCF officials. Recognizing these concerns, DCF has announced the creation of two

special units dedicated exclusively to allegations made against school employees. Overseen by two supervisors, these new units are expected to provide statewide uniformity—as the assigned social workers develop expertise with the school setting. Having dedicated units for school-based complaints is anticipated to move investigations more quickly and uniformly. Under the new structure, DCF attorneys will review substantiation determinations with the goal of responding to them in a more

CEA advocacy pays off EXCISE TAX ON TEACHERS’ HEALTH CARE PLANS DEFEATED The U.S. House and Senate overwhelmingly passed a funding bill that advances several CEA priorities. These include the permanent

repeal of a 40 percent federal excise tax on health care plans that would have cut needed benefits for Connecticut’s teachers. Working with a broad coalition of labor, employer, and patient advocate groups, CEA pushed for years to abolish this unfair tax—known widely as the “Cadillac tax” because it applied to insurance plans whose annual costs exceeded certain thresholds. “This tax would have been devastating for educators,” says CEA President Jeff Leake, acknowledging the tireless advocacy of U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney, who worked alongside CEA to repeal the middle-class health benefits tax. To protect teachers against being taxed unfairly, CEA launched legal challenges before the State Board of Labor

IEP Meetings Qualify for Family and Medical Leave New Labor Department opinion opens door to more parents Parents of children with special needs often struggle to balance work with the myriad appointments and school meetings their children require—including Individualized Education Plan meetings—known as Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meetings in Connecticut—which determine educational and other services (such as physician-prescribed occupational, physical, and speech therapy) that a child will receive at school. Parents who are unable to be released from work to attend PPT meetings or who are forced to rely on vacation time to do so often miss out on being involved in their children’s education plan. Thanks to a new opinion released by the U.S. Department of Labor, however, PPT meetings qualify for coverage under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). “Many CEA members are also parents of special education students,” says CEA’s Robyn Kaplan-Cho, whose areas of expertise include special education law. “This opinion opens the door to greater parental involvement in their child’s education, which is a welcome change. In the past, given the demanding nature of their profession, teachers often had to choose between remaining at work or attending their own child’s PPT meetings. By reducing that burden, this opinion recognizes the importance of having parents present at PPT meetings ” Kaplan-Cho conducts free member workshops on issues related to Section 504, teachers’ legal rights and responsibilities in the special education process, special education provisions in teachers’ contracts, and more. To schedule free training for your education association, contact your local president.

The excise tax on teachers’ health care plans was defeated thanks in large part to Rep. Joe Courtney, shown here with the 2016 Thomas P. Mondani Friend of Education Award, one of CEA’s highest honors.

Relations, submitted formal comment to the IRS, developed a defensive bargaining strategy for its UniServ staff and bargaining teams, organized other Connecticut labor groups, led the charge to allow teachers to pool health care with larger groups of employees, and lobbied the state’s Congressional delegation to get the so-called Cadillac tax repealed. “Years of hard work, organizing, and strategizing have paid off,” says Leake.

DIVERSIFYING

8 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020

TEACHING IS CALLING YOU CEA campaign highlights need for more teachers of color

interviewed, photographed, and filmed teachers, students, and parents at Geraldine Johnson School in Bridgeport and the surrounding community, and the campaign includes both English- and Spanish-language components. “CEA has been doing a wonderful job of trying to recruit and retain more teachers of color,” says bilingual talented and gifted teacher Ana Batista, of Bridgeport’s Cesar Batalla School. “It’s important for students to look up and see teachers who resemble them and set high expectations for them, to know that they can achieve more, and to realize, here is someone who has earned two or three degrees—and I can too. As a bilingual teacher, I am always reminding my students that that’s how I became who I am—through education.” “I can’t say enough how excited I am that this initiative is happening,” says 2020 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Meghan Hatch-Geary, who teaches English at Regional District 16’s Woodland High School. “Students can go through an entire K-12 education in America, and never have a teacher of color, and that’s problematic. Teachers are vital to shaping, creating, and reinforcing a functioning and equitable democracy in our society, and if we don’t have people who look like and represent that democracy and that society, that’s extremely problematic. Not only do students of color need to see themselves reflected in their teachers, but white students need to have the experience of being taught by teachers of color as well. I, as a white teacher, would benefit pedagogically

CEA’s efforts to diversify Connecticut’s teaching force just got a tremendous boost thanks to a grant from the National Education Association. “This grant allows us to redouble our efforts to bring more teachers of color into the profession,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “All students should have access to diverse educators, to see and hear and learn from teachers who look like them and reflect their cultural experiences.” As it stands, more than 40 percent of Connecticut’s schoolchildren—but only eight percent of their teachers— are people of color, which is a concern because numerous studies show that students of color perform better in school, are more academically engaged, and feel more connected to their teachers when they have educators of color. CEA’s efforts to diversify the teaching profession include awarding scholarships to minority students pursuing teaching careers, building upon the Future Educators of Diversity pilot program (see box, next page) that encourages high school students to examine teaching as a profession, and creating public awareness TV, radio, print, and social media campaigns, with video vignettes that illustrate the positive influence teachers of color have on their students and school communities. CEA’s latest campaign, which will air in March, shines a spotlight on CEA member teachers as role models for their students as well as mentors for young people who may never have considered the positive difference they could make as future educators. CEA’s Communications Department

Aside from the teachers featured on these pages, also participating in CEA’s Teaching Is Calling You campaign are (L-R) 2020 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Meghan Hatch-Geary (Region 16) and Bridgeport teachers Victor Alers, Nalleli Becerra-Garcia, Mike Brosnan, Annee Pham, Carla Lopes, and Wesley Daunis.

Shanteika Bartlett, whose daughter Gianna is featured in CEA’s campaign, says, “It’s important to have teachers who reflect the students in their schools, who know the community and its strengths and needs. When you teach in the community where you grew up, you understand firsthand the environment you’re in and what your students may be facing.” Fellow parent Kimberly Duval-Hall, who appears in the TV ad, adds, “Diversity among teachers is very important. We need to see those faces that match ours in the classroom. We need to be relatable. Children need to be able to look up and realize, I too can be a teacher and have an influence in my community.” Meet some of the teachers featured in our campaign and read their stories.

these conversations at the table, and we’re only getting one perspective, if the people involved in the decision- making are all coming from similar backgrounds, then we’re not solving the problems.” “Students need many, many role models,” says Carla Lopes, a special education teacher at Johnson School. “I never had a teacher of color until I reached middle school. Someone who looks like me, someone who grew up in the same neighborhood—it’s inspiring to see!” “At age 14, I moved from Mexico to the United States,” says Batalla School bilingual teacher Nalleli Becerra-Garcia. “It was hard, but I had a teacher who helped me, and I wanted to be that teacher for someone else.” Bridgeport parent

and personally from working with teachers of color. If we’re having

2019 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Sheena Graham, Music Teacher, Harding High School, Bridgeport This is my 37th year as a music teacher, and I say that with a smile, because I’m still happy. I’m doing

William King, ESL Teacher, Bassick and Central High Schools, Bridgeport Teachers who have grown up with a certain experience are so important. I grew up in Bridgeport, where some of the choices facing young people can be difficult, where their time and resources are allocated to survival, and where they might be pressured to grow up fast. When you’re young and African American and Latino, as I am, growing up in an inner city, there’s a level of pressure you may be faced with to commit crimes, to get involved with the wrong crowd, to skip school. I had to fight all of that, and it wasn’t easy, while at the same time trying to perform well in school, decision-making, because their biggest battles are not necessarily reading a book. My inspiration to become a teacher came from the people who raised me—my mother, who was an educator and was my first teacher, and Ms. Sheena Graham, who taught me in school. Ms. Graham is like my second mother. She exposed me to a certain discipline you need to have—a command and respect for your craft. In her music class, for example, warmups were warmups. There was no, “I don’t feel like doing this,” or, “I’m too cool.” Everyone did warmups, and that showed me that even in a space where you have competing attitudes, the teacher was your model. As an educator, I wanted to be like Ms. Graham. I wanted to have that presence in a room. I encourage young people to go into teaching, where they have the same capacity to make change and to realize their own self-worth. which I didn’t always do. As an educator now, part of my job is to not only teach curriculum but to teach young people about

what I’m most passionate about, and I’m giving students an outlet that makes it easier for them to deal with what they have to the rest of the day. Sometimes when they get to us, they’re a little broken and a little stressed, and this gives them something to do that is new and exciting. To me, the arts are a healing factor. I was the only minority in my senior high school English class, and my teacher was African American. She challenged me in a way that at first I thought she didn’t like me—and I told her so! I said, “You’re singling me out.” Well, what Mrs. Christian noticed was that I hadn’t been pushed as hard as she felt I should be. When I left and graduated from college, I had to come back and thank her, because I think being the only minority in a class, sometimes the expectations weren’t as high for me. She zeroed in on that. She genuinely cared about everyone but wasn’t accepting less than the best from anyone. Years later, she won the Milken Educator Award. Having a teacher who looks like you can make you realize you can achieve more than you had set your eyes on. A former student of Sheena Graham’s, William King is now an educator too, teaching in the same district where he grew up.