Tea Stops Payroll Bill

PROTECT YOUR TEA TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP WITH EZPAY. SEE PAGE 3 FOR DETAILS. IT TAKES PUBLIC SCHOOL 5 MIN. ADVOCATE TEA LEGISLATIVE REPORT | MARCH 31, 2016 | VOL. 2, ISSUE 5 TEA STOPS PAYROLL BILL Critical committee vote shoots down Hold harmless passes House attack on TEA, will reconsider April 5 and Senate unanimously When you win the big fights in the legislature, your enemies start looking for your Achilles’ Hold harmless is a legal term and Senate, and a compromise heel. meaning to shield liability from loss was adopted at the end of the 2015 or damages. Who knew Tennessee session reducing the impact of the The deep-pocketed privatizers TEA defeats would ever be talking about new test in evaluations. year after year on the private school voucher hold harmless when it came to When the launch of TNReady failed fight believe they have found ours with TEA standardized tests? on February 8, Gov. Bill Haslam members’ ability to pay association dues via Last year, TEA pushed for a bill to and Education Commissioner payroll dues deduction. These groups believe keep teachers, students and schools Candice McQueen announced that if they can eliminate payroll deductions from being harmed by the untested support for legislation to hold they can eliminate TEA and silence your voice TNReady assessment. TEA called teachers completely harmless from in the General Assembly. for a two year moratorium on the any negative impacts of TNReady The bill to end payroll deduction was defeated use of test scores for any high-stakes scores. handily in the House Education Administration decisions in Tennessee schools, This month, legislation addressing and Planning Committee on March 22. Despite citing growing questions about the the hold harmless provisions greatest changes in assessment in the 4-6-2 vote, proponents have revived the bill received unanimous support in state history. The administration and placed it on a special calendar for April 5, Chairman Mark White expresses disappointment that a bill like both the House and the Senate. The fought the hold harmless idea until to be reconsidered. the payroll deduction ban had been brought. He and Rep. Eddie Smith (right) did not vote for the bill, while Rep. Kevin Brooks TEA gained traction in the House HOLD HARMLESS PAYROLL BILL go to page 5 go to page 5 (left) voted for the bill. The bill failed in the committee. BEP reforms to Proposed Constitutional push state funds amendment has long way to go into paychecks For years TEA has showed the Rep. Bill Dunn’s bill would limit state Supreme administration how teacher pay has stagnated and proposed solutions. Governor Court’s ability to rule on General Assembly’s Bill Haslam has now proposed changes to the BEP law that could result in significant performance in funding schools increases in teacher pay in most districts across the state. Imagine Tennessee’s public schools Our state constitution requires adequate without the billions of dollars invested and equitable funding of schools. That Following a year of meetings, Haslam’s in them as a result of the Small Schools requirement is critical to ensuring the BEP Task Force provided him with lawsuits. Imagine gross disparities among legislature does its job and invests in recommendations for improving the state’s the wealthiest and poorest districts that schools. Three times since 1992, school funding formula for schools, last updated in persist year after year. Imagine no way to systems have sought relief from the address these inequities, and no way to courts in the way of a more equitable IMPROVING BEP push for adequate funding for schools. school funding formula. Each time, the go to page 6 That’s the potential threat of Rep. Supreme Court has found that more Bill Dunn’s proposed constitutional funding was needed and its distribution amendment. Our public schools would should be more equitable. Each time, the be forced to simply make do with General Assembly was forced to improve whatever funding the General Assembly funding mechanisms. And each time, allocates without any recourse to correct Tennessee schools saw more investment inadequacies. Rep. Dunn of Knoxville and more opportunities for students from even told a House committee that he all districts. wasn’t convinced that the $1 billion Dunn’s amendment seeks to prevent invested in Tennessee schools from 1992- future lawsuits over school funding 1998 after the BEP was first implemented while limiting the ability of the state actually improved education in our state. Supreme Court to rule that the Dunn continues to push his amendment General Assembly is not doing its to the Tennessee Constitution that would constitutional job to support public allow the General Assembly to determine schools. Dunn’s amendment passed what adequate and equitable school the Administration and Planning funding means. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT go to page 4 PUBLIC SCHOOL 1 ADVOCATETHE STRONGEST VOICE FOR SCHOOLS AND EDUCATORS It’s time to eliminate the threat of payroll dues deduction pushed the administration to propose its own My three granddaughters (we could only get By TEA President Barbara Gray testing transparency and hold harmless bills. two to sit still long enough for a picture) were As we continue to turn the tide in our favor, here for Civication last week when a House You’ve seen the ads we are making some powerful enemies who committee voted down this year’s version in our publications want nothing more than to dismantle TEA of the payroll deduction attack. While I was about switching and silence your voice. Their weapon of relieved to see the bill defeated, looking at my your dues payment choice? Ending payroll dues deduction. granddaughters renewed my commitment to to electronic funds put an end to this needless annual battle. transfer, instead of Anti-public education legislators love to We have the means to further weaken our the payroll deduction dangle this threat over our heads every enemy by eliminating one of the weapons in method most of us session. It is a legislative battle that wastes our their arsenal. If every TEA member makes the have used for years time and takes the focus away from where it switch to EFT, we can get back to the business – but let me explain needs to be - on issues that actually impact that matters - protecting our schools and why this switch is so our students and our schools. ensuring every student in Tennessee receives a important. The only way to eliminate this ongoing quality education. Five years ago, out-of- threat is for TEA members to convert their state groups bent on membership to electronic funds transfer privatizing Tennessee public schools declared war on public education in our state. They won the first battle by putting an end to our If every TEA member makes collective bargaining rights, but they fell far the switch to EFT, we can short of their intended goal to weaken TEA get back to the business that and silence Tennessee educators. matters - protecting our TEA is stronger than ever, and we now have thousands of educators involved in the schools and ensuring every political process. We have been in an ongoing student in Tennessee receives war since that collective bargaining vote in a quality education. 2011 - and we have been racking up the big wins. These out-of-state groups have launched every weapon in their arsenal at us – for- profit charter schools, high-stakes decisions (EFT). If you haven’t made the switch, now is tied to test scores, tenure changes, state the time. takeover models, payroll dues deduction and the would-be ultimate win – private school You can quickly and easily convert to EFT vouchers. on the TEA website. You will have the choice of paying your dues via credit card or a bank As the largest and strongest advocate for draft deduction. Choose what works for you. public education in our state, TEA has The important thing is that you make the defeated vouchers for four straight years, kept switch to EFT. test scores out of licensure decisions, and Good for the goose - but not the gander? a system of free public schools.” Tennessee State this rule, Dunn wants the ability to make up By TEA Executive Director Carolyn Crowder Constitution, Article XI, Section 12 what these words mean without having to worry Throughout our state’s history, the only time about being held accountable by another form When my grandmother significant new investment reached our schools of government. Forget about the American saw someone was when the Supreme Court found the state in tradition of checks and balances! demonstrate they violation of providing “a system of free public Representative Dunn is the same person who thought rules applied to schools” – either because funding was not supports accountability measures that can close other folks but not them adequate or equitable across the state. public schools and end teacher’s careers – even – she would repeat the if the system being used doesn’t make sense. But famous saying: “What Representative Dunn continues to push his when it comes to the General Assembly – he is good for the goose is amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that doesn’t want any accountability at all. good for the gander!” would allow the General Assembly to determine In other words, “Don’t what adequate and equitable school funding I don’t know about you, but it was not wise to get insist others follow rules means. So, the General Assemble is charged with on the wrong side of my grandmother. She was when you refuse to hold making sure funding is adequate and equitable, really good about spoiling her grandchildren yourself accountable!” but just in case he doesn’t want to actually follow when we behaved appropriately – but just let someone get out of line and she was willing and The Tennessee State able to hold the errant child accountable.

Load more