Judge Hits ‘Pause’ Button

KANSAS After the state legislature adjourned without acting on his order to fix the school funding system, District Judge Terry Bullock ordered Kansas to stop financing all public schools as of June 30, “effectively putting our school system on ‘pause’ until the unconstitutional funding defects are remedied.”

This approach “reflects how seriously Judge Bullock takes this matter that public schools aren’t properly funded,” says Kansas NEA President Christy Levings. “Nothing creates more shock and awe.” A shocked state high court has blocked the ruling—for now.

Step Aside, Step Aside

OHIO The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled four times that the state school funding system is unconstitutional, while a survey revealed that 72 percent of Ohio voters believe that the legislature is paying “too little attention” to education finance. To reinforce the point, educators, parents, students, and community folks from nearly 100 school districts rallied at the State House on May 5.

Said speaker Gary Allen, president of the 131,000-member Ohio Education Association, “Our bottom line is this: Fix school funding or step aside and make room for legislators who want to make a difference in public education.”

A Brighter Funding Story

VIRGINIA The Virginia Education Association’s innovative “Brighter Futures” campaign—focusing research, coalition work, political action, and media/community outreach on school funding needs—is bearing fruit. In May, the state legislature approved a budget that, among other things, boosts school funding by some $1.5 billion over the next biennium, fully funds most state standards, and pays for elementary resource teachers and for middle and secondary school planning time.

For more on the Brighter Futures campaign, go to www.nea.org/neatoday/0201/news12.html.

OK—Feeling Better

OKLAHOMA Beginning this school year, the State of Oklahoma will pay 100 percent of teachers’ individual health insurance premiums. Governor Brad Henry signed this right into law in April, marking the end of a journey for Oklahoma Education Association members, who lobbied long and hard for the benefit.

C’mon, Stick Around!

HAWAII Salaries have been so low that 10 percent of Hawaii’s teachers leave the profession each year. Now Hawaii State Teachers Association members, who work for a single, state-run school district, have ratified a contract that will increase pay—depending on salary schedule placement—from 4 percent to 11 percent, with the majority of teachers receiving 7 percent over the next year.

The pact also provides gains in step increases, increases starting pay to $36,486, and boosts the top teacher salary to $66,203.

We’re 6,400 ESPs Stronger

UTAH By a 97 percent affirmative vote of its Council of Delegates, the 6,400-member Utah School Employees Association (USEA)—the state’s largest organization of education support professionals—has voted to become a “statewide local affiliate” of NEA. USEA leaders say the move was made to improve representation at the national level and to expand benefits and services to members.

Resolved: ‘End the Offset’

ALASKA Following unanimous votes of approval in the Alaska House and Senate, Governor Frank Murkowski has signed House Joint Resolution 30, which urges Congress to repeal the Social Security Act’s Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. The resolution, introduced by NEA-Alaska/Retired members, states that these federal rules, which slash the earned Social Security benefits of certain wage earners, “discourage individuals with private sector or military service from seeking teaching and other public employment positions in Alaska.”

Bad Sign for School Board

NEW YORK For more than 1,000 days, 54 special education aides at the Steuben-Allegany Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) have fought for a new contract. Now the Steuben-Allegany BOCES Employees Support Staff Association has rolled out its newest weapon: an illuminated sign mounted on a flatbed truck.

Recently the truck circled a building where the BOCES board was meeting.  Side A of the flatbed sign read: “We Deserve a Fair Shake.” Side B: “1,000 Days, No Contract.” And NEA-New York drove it all home by telling a fascinated media, “It’s time for the BOCES board to step up and get this contract settled!”

No More Leftovers

NEBRASKA ESPs at three Metropolitan Technical Community College campuses in Omaha have voted for bargaining representation by the Nebraska State Education Association. “The big thing I see in this organization,” says ESP activist Laura England, “is that we now have a right to say to the board, ‘that’s not good enough.’ We want more than the leftovers. We deserve more.”