feb-mar

ADVOCATING

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2018 CEA ADVISOR 5

CEA PRIORITIES: REPEAL TEACHER TAX, PROTECT TEACHER PENSIONS, RESTORE

CEA, Other Labor Unions Spearhead Bold Reforms for a Stronger Connecticut

In a strong showing at the State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting on February 14, CEA leaders, staff, and teachers successfully persuaded the SBOE to reject the expansion of charter schools that drain funds from neighborhood public schools. At issue were three charter schools that deliberately exceeded their statutory enrollment caps—at a cost to taxpayers of half a million dollars—and came back to ask for 57 additional seats at their schools. The request came at a time of regressive funding for traditional public schools already struggling under ECS cuts, as well as the elimination of state funding for Connecticut’s Teacher Education And Mentoring (TEAM) program— one of the most highly regarded new teacher induction and support programs in the country. “It would be unconscionable for the state to continue diverting precious education funds to expand charter schools at the expense of traditional public schools—and to the detriment of all students, but especially minority students in the state’s poorest school districts,” said CEA President Sheila Cohen. “We must strengthen laws on charter school accountability and transparency for the millions in management fees being pocketed by charter management organizations,” said CEA Executive Director Donald Williams. In this time of fiscal challenge, he noted, there are four reasons it makes no sense to spend $627,000 to reward charter schools for ignoring their enrollment limits. “First,” he said, “there are much greater needs. ECS dollars have been slashed. Schools have cut programs and services for students. The TEAM program—which is critical for new teacher training and retention—lost SCHOOL FUNDING Though his opening address to the 2018 General Assembly emphasized Connecticut’s tradition of fairness and the state’s future generations, the governor’s new budget proposal delivered mixed news for Connecticut students, teachers, and schools. On the plus side, his plan includes a proposal to restructure state payments to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund in a way that promotes the long-term solvency of the fund. “We support this initiative,” said CEA President Sheila Cohen, “but the plan must go further.” CEA is calling on the state to not only reamortize the teacher pension debt but also repeal the recent one-percent increase in the teacher payroll tax. “The state must keep its promise to teachers and fulfill its obligation to fund the Teachers’ Retirement Fund so that it will be financially solvent over the long term,” said Cohen. In a break from the bipartisan budget legislators passed last fall, and in spite of his repeated calls for a better, fairer Connecticut, the governor proposed a budget that denies

While a newly created group of wealthy Connecticut business leaders looks to attack collective bargaining and teacher pensions, CEA is calling for bold tax reforms that grow the state’s economy, create a stable revenue stream, and ensure that Connecticut remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The group, known as the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth, was created by the legislature to recommend changes to state revenue and tax structures. Commission members are primarily CEOs of private- sector companies, and their recommendations are due March 1. In testimony before the commission, CEA Executive Director Donald Williams argued, “Connecticut has one of the best school systems in the country, but there are still pockets of significant need and inequality. We need the resources to support all of our

schools and students.” Williams called on the group to ensure that the state honors its commitment to keeping the Connecticut Teachers’ Retirement Fund solvent. “Teachers have always paid more than their fair share into their retirement,” he said. “They do not receive Social Security, which has saved cities and towns billions of dollars over the years.” Sal Luciano, executive director of Council 4 AFSCME, urged the commission not to recommend the elimination of collective bargaining. Highlighting the importance of workers’ rights in a robust and growing economy, he noted that states making the greatest progress today are those where the freedom to bargain is protected. “Business and labor are not enemies,” added Lori Pelletier, president of the Connecticut AFL- CIO. “We all share a common interest in a strong economy and safe, stable, livable communities.”

all funding. “Second, there is no legislative requirement to fund slots that break the enrollment cap. “Third, the three charter schools making this request broke the rules, ignored their enrollment limits, and expect the SBOE to be an ATM machine. “Fourth, there has been no examination of the finances of these schools, which carry over funds from prior years and spend them on exorbitant management fees rather than on students. “Our traditional public schools struggle with budget cuts and have accepted thousands of students in need from Puerto Rico without a dime in additional state education funding. The $627,000 requested for the unapproved expansion should be redirected toward TEAM and critical programs that affect many thousands of students across Connecticut.” Also testifying among a packed room of educators and parents were Ledyard science teachers Jim Wisniewski and Ted Allen, who is vice president of the Ledyard Education Association; Bridgeport teacher Michael Brosnan; seventh- grade math teacher and Plainfield Education Association President Janet Piezzo; and physics teacher Kristen Record, who is the Stratford Education Association’s vice president for secondary schools and the 2011 Connecticut Teacher of the Year. Said Record, “In his State of the State address, Governor Malloy spoke about Connecticut fairness—a theme that struck me as an ironic as I reflected on the devastation inflicted on Stratford schools. Imagine your elementary school no longer has a librarian, and you no longer have a school counselor. Imagine your school-to-career adequate and equitable funding for education—a move that threatens to cripple cities and towns scrambling to meet students’ needs in an environment of already reduced state aid and diminished resources. Earlier ECS cuts have prompted midyear furloughs, layoffs, and cuts to educational programs and services, creating major disruptions in schools throughout the state. “Connecticut must stop underfunding and endangering our students’ futures,” Cohen warned. “We must develop a new ECS plan that provides a fair, reliable, sustainable, and equitable funding source for all students, regardless of where they live. We are hopeful that legislators will work with the newly created Connecticut Achievement and Resource Equity in Schools (CARES) Commission to that end. We cannot fail our students.” CEA’s top legislative priorities are repealing the teacher tax, reamortizing the teacher pension debt, and restoring ECS and TEAM funding. Stay connected with the issues at cea.org and blogcea.org .

CEA HELPS BLOCK EXPANSION OF CMO-RUN CHARTERS Powerful testimony by CEA teachers, leaders sways State Board of Education

Stratford teacher Kristen Record was among many teachers urging the State Board of Education to reject charter school expansion.

pathway program in automotive technology gets completely eliminated. Imagine getting told you have to take a study hall instead of an academic class. Imagine getting six extra students added to your first- grade class. That was the reality in Stratford after we lost nearly $2.9 million in ECS funds. Is that fair? “At a time when such pain is being inflicted upon town school systems, sending more money to charter schools is absolutely not fair. By expanding a parallel system of schools that does not provide equal opportunity to all students, the children of my school district have become victims of a system that is neither fair nor equitable.” Brosnan recounted similar challenges. “ECS funding to Bridgeport was essentially frozen, adding to years of underfunding. Bridgeport now has no kindergarten paraprofessionals, long-term substitutes in place of certified faculty, and 500 students per guidance counselor—twice the recommended level. Siphoning money away from public schools in

favor of selective charter organizations is a reckless choice.” Allen also hit on the state’s often lopsided commitment to charter schools and the effects of diminished state funding on his own district, which serves a highly transient community with Navy families. “Even before the recent cuts, Ledyard struggled to maintain appropriate programs for our students. These cuts exacerbate an already dire situation. With the elimination of TEAM funding, Ledyard is no longer able to support our new teachers and effectively help them become the best educators they can be.” “Diverting money to charter schools is having a compound effect on my school district, which has a 45percent poverty rate,” Piezzo added, saying that Plainfield has had to eliminate dozens of programs and educator positions. The SBOE overwhelmingly rejected additional seats at the three requesting charter schools. Only one board member, Chairman Allan Taylor, voted in favor.