Overview of the 2017 TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION legislative wins and losses for public education PUBLIC SCHOOL Pg. 4-5 ADVOCATE LEGISLATIVE REPORT | May 15, 2017 | VOLUME 3, ISSUE 8 TN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADJOURNS TEA extends winning streak, 2017 protects public education Private school vouchers defeated for fifth straight year 2016 Private school voucher bills have said TEA President Barbara Gray. “We vouchers, there is a strong appetite for become synonymous with the have seen in other states how quickly accountability. Tennessee General Assembly. ‘pilot programs’ can become statewide “Legislators and constituents made programs. If vouchers were allowed in 2015 For five straight years, bills to strip it very clear to the bill sponsors that public funding from our local public any district, it could ultimately cripple if these private schools want public schools to fund private school tuition the budgets of school districts all across money, they must also take the public have been filed. For five straight years, the state.” test,” Gray said. TEA and other public school advocates Bill sponsors Sen. Brian Kelsey The insistence that private schools have fought back and won. and Rep. Harry Brooks tried a new 2014 accepting voucher students administer “The voucher fight has serious approach this year by targeting only the state TNReady assessment was implications for all school districts Shelby County Schools. They quickly a key to the bill’s downfall this year. statewide, even if they are not learned that while there is little Private school operators, like the appetite for any form of private school specifically targeted in the legislation,” Vouchers defeated 2013 cont. page 4 Legislative leaders demand TNReady questions action on teacher pay raises to be released this TEA made the 2017 session about Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) fall under new “Test getting state raise funds into and House Finance Ways and teacher paychecks. We testified in Means Chairman Charles Sargent Transparency” law committees, lobbied legislators and (R-Franklin) sent a letter to As schools across the state conclude this leaders, and pushed across the state Commissioner Candice McQueen year’s testing season, teachers and parents for change. and the State Board of Education, alike anticipate the release of test questions Legislative leaders are responding. outlining the case to drive state funds thanks to the new testing transparency law, On the last session day, House into teacher salaries. which went into effect this year as a result of “We are writing about growing a TEA proposal in the 2015 session. Speaker concerns in the General Assembly “In order to make state tests as transparent Harwell regarding teacher compensation in as possible and to get a handle on the role Tennessee. Many of our colleagues of testing in education, we had to take the have found that while the General mystery out of assessments,” said TEA Assembly has appropriated record Executive Director Carolyn Crowder. ‘This increases in state funds for teacher year is the first time the state Department of compensation over the past several Education will begin releasing test questions years, teachers in their district have and answers.” Raise for all teachers According to the department, only a small cont. page 6 amount of test items from 2016-17 ELA and math tests will be released in the fall. More questions will be released from science tests. The state plans to increase the number of items released in future years. After 2017-18, the department anticipates releasing 60-70 percent of questions for all tests. Test transparency cont. page 6 THE STRONGEST VOICE FOR SCHOOLS AND EDUCATORS 2018 and beyond, we must Legislative wins prove stand united for public ed YOU are our best advocate By TEA President Barbara Gray By TEA Executive Director Carolyn Crowder At the 2017 TEA Representative Assembly It would be easy to feel overwhelmed at the we had the opportunity to celebrate the start of a legislative session looking at the list 50th anniversary of TEA’s merger with the of fights we expect to encounter in any given Tennessee Education Congress, formerly the year. professional association for black educators. I, however, am increasingly confident at the The celebration got me thinking about all start of each session because of what I have that we have been able to accomplish as a witnessed in the previous years. Looking back strong, united association advocating for at the 2017 session that just wrapped up last students, public schools and the teaching week is no different. profession - and more importantly, all of the You see, TEA not only has one the best opportunities that lie ahead of us. lobbying teams in the state, we also have a The spirit of the merger lives on in secret weapon - YOU! our membership today. We recognize all that we have already Our lobbying team does a great job laying the ground work with accomplished together, the common goals we share as public legislators on the issues that matter most to our members, but the educators and now our power as we stand as one united front most effective advocate at changing a legislator’s vote is the educator fighting for public education in Tennessee. from his or her district back home. Nothing rivals the value of hearing We had many legislative wins this year, as you will read about in this from the real experts on what students and teachers need to succeed. issue, but there is still much work to be done. TEA has won legislative battles in recent years that no one expected As we continue the us to win - except for us, of course. While outside interest groups and Equitable funding and fight for great public anti-public education legislators might underestimate the power of schools for every tens of thousands of public school educators, we never have. equitable resources are vital Tennessee student, We regularly go up to student achievement and an important part of against opponents with that fight is for racial seemingly unlimited Educators are a unique group. educator empowerment. and social justice so funding, with the We are passionate about that every student will assumption in politics our profession and deeply have access to a quality is that money is power. education at their local public school and every educator will have While that is true protective of our students in a the resources needed to provide for their students. in many ways, that way other people cannot fully Equitable funding and equitable resources are vital to student assumption has not understand. achievement and educator empowerment. We must not overlook the held up in Tennessee schools and districts struggling to provide the learning environment when it comes to our children deserve. public education legislation. Advocacy at the state and local levels can make all the difference in Educators are a unique group. We are passionate about our profession how funds are allocated and how raises are passed down to teachers. and deeply protective of our students in a way other people cannot fully understand. We put our whole hearts into ensuring our students I encourage you to stay engaged over the summer. Even though the have what they need to learn and grow into strong, successful adults. legislature has adjourned, important work will still be happening at the state level. This is how we end up grading papers and creating lesson plans at all hours of the night and weekend. This is how we end up spending The State Board of Education will meet next month and take up another $100 on classroom supplies. This is how we end up spending the issue of how to implement some of the laws passed this session, our spring break driving to Nashville to tell our legislators, “We are including teacher pay raises. Ensuring teacher raises passed by the watching you.” General Assembly actually end up in your paychecks is an issue TEA has been pushing since the State Minimum Salary Schedule was We give our hearts and our time, where others just give money. Its gutted several years ago. hard to compete with that. As we enter the next 50 years as a strong, united association, let’s I want to thank each of you who came to Civication to meet with fight for the public education our students deserve to ensure they legislators, who called and emailed elected officials and somehow reach their full potential. Let’s fight for the profession we love. Let’s found the time to be an advocate in addition to all of the other hats fight for the next generation of educators and students who will you wear. benefit from our tireless advocacy, just as we benefit from those who In 2017, you were once again the most effective advocate in the have come before us. statehouse. We must continue to ASK, ENGAGE, and LEAD our profession so I am so proud to be your executive director and stand beside you in these dreams will come true. advocating for Tennessee’s students and public schools. You are truly a force to be reckoned with. TENNESSEE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MANAGING EDITOR: Amanda Chaney DISTRICT 2 Michele Bowman (865) 679-6523 BLACK CLASSROOM TEACHER EAST Pam Thompson BUILDING OPERATIONS MANAGER: Galen Riggs; (USPS 17201) PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCATE [email protected] DISTRICT 3 Michael Carvella (865) 212-9774 (615) 948-7378 COMPTROLLER: David Shipley; UNISERV FIELD is published nine times, biweekly, mid-January through DISTRICT 4 Connie Mitchell (865) 609-1702 BLACK CLASSROOM TEACHER MIDDLE MANAGERS: Karla Carpenter; Leigh Phillips; STAFF mid-May, by the Tennessee Education Association, ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Jim Wrye DISTRICT 5 Jeanette Omarkhail (423) 413-9114 VACANT 801 Second Avenue North, Nashville TN 37201-1099.