NTU Update - May 14, 2021
Click here for this week's update
In this Issue:
1) Evaluation Rebuttals
2) Discretionary Fund Update
3) Non Tenured Update
4) NBOE Approved Vendors (Aflac, etc)
5) AFT Update
6) Escrow Update
And much more
This Nurse's Week Is About Building Power
This Nurse’s Week, we want to reflect on what the last year has been like for nurses and health professionals.
What Educators Need Next School Year- From NEA Today
Parting Words From Retiring VP Tier II, Doug Kingsbury
Congratulations to Doug Kingsbury, who, after three decades in lab medicine, is retiring June 1. We'll miss him greatly and of course we wish him the best.
Before saying goodbye, he agreed to a quick exit interview.
2021 Convention, Scholarship Winners
A recap of our 2021 business convention, the first to be held virtually, April 15.
Solutions for Transformative Education Justice in Providence
Providence schools are at a crossroads. We have a choice: We can finally begin the authentic engagement, sustainable solutions and bold investments for students, families and educators—or continue on with failed policies that leave most Providence students and families behind, waiting on promises never fulfilled. We are Together4PVD, and we are fighting for the schools Providence deserves.
1. Community Schools That Value and Support the Whole Child
Community schools as a school transformation intervention requires commitment for sustainable investment and an embracing approach of public schools, in stark contrast with current deficit and austerity narratives. Our schools are communities, and when our communities struggle, we all pitch in to make it better. From Oklahoma to California, and from Cincinnati to New York City to our neighbors in Pawtucket, this model has demonstrated success in closing achievement gaps, increasing attendance and increasing family engagement.
Read more
2. Modern, Safe and Welcoming School Facilities
Providence students and families have seen how little our city and state value education almost every day, based on the terrible condition of Providence school buildings, from literally crumbling physical infrastructure to a lack of basic supplies and resources, such as toilet paper or internet sufficient for a school’s needs. This problem isn’t new, but the pandemic has highlighted the dire need to renovate and build school facilities that are modern, safe and welcoming.
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3. Policies for Anti-Racist Hiring, Professional Development and Curriculum
Per a February 2021 Annenberg Institute report, on average for each teaching position that the Providence Public School District posted externally between the 2017-18 and 2020-21 school years, our district received less than half as many applications as the national average for teaching positions. The district’s track record on retention—after cutting peer mentor and new educator supports—is even worse. To truly change our schools, the city and state must invest to grow our own and collaborate with educators on relevant, anti-racist professional development and curriculum.
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4. Investing in Multilingual Learners
Despite federal orders to do so, PPSD has failed to support and invest in multilingual learners (MLL) for far too long. Providence must make MLL students a priority.
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5. Creating a School Culture of Family Engagement
Successful school communities empower and involve families at every level—not just for bake sales or school celebrations. The shift to a school culture of family engagement requires more shared decision-making, more communication and more resources, including designated staff.
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Illustrations by Victoria Matthews
PFT Issues Report on School Facilities: Scope and Solutions
Week 4 in the Legislature
Senate Bill 117 by Senator Tarver Stopped in Committee
At the Senate Education Committee meeting on Thursday, May 27th, Senate Bill 117 was modified. While we're disappointed that this legislation will no longer serve its intended purpose, the Senate President has agreed to help us pass a resolution to prevent teachers and students from being unfairly held to the usual accountability standards after learning was disrupted by a global pandemic and multiple natural disasters…circumstances outside of anyone’s control....
Pay Raise Proposal Modified in House and Senate
This week the House passed a budget (HB 1) for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget still needs to be approved by the Senate and will likely changed. The good news: The House’s budget does include money for teacher and school employee pay raises. The bad news: it’s not as much as we had hoped. The budget includes a $800 pay raise for teachers/certified employees and $400 for classified personnel. This is more than what was originally proposed by BESE in March ($400 and $200), but less than what had been recommended by the Senate Education Committee last week ($1000 and $500).
Legislators Remove 2.5% State Employee Pay Increase from State Budget
Employees have received only one general raise in over a decade
7 May 2021
Topeka, KS – In response to the Legislature's Budget Conference Committee failure to agree to a 2.5% pay raise for state employees, AFT Kansas President Sarah LaFrenz gave the following statement:
NTU Update - May 7, 2021
Late Breaking News! While we were putting this issue to bed, we had a meeting with NBOE, and there were some additional updates I wanted to get out!
- Salary Guide Advancement: For staff who will be moving to the Earned MA or Earned PhD guides for September, they MUST have their transcripts into the district by July 1, 2021! Send the transcripts to transcripts@nps.k12.nj.us.
