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Standing Strong for Our Students, Schools and America
The 2011 convention underscored NEA’s readiness to increase our advocacy on behalf of students, public schools and our outstanding members.
» Read MoreEduction Cuts Could Shorten School Year
The budget Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed is based on optimistic revenue projections and contained a last-minute education bill that grants protections for teachers. But if the anticipated revenue doesn't come in, school districts face up to $1.75 billion in cuts at the end of the year. The budget deal allows districts to shorten their school years by seven days to cut costs, but they would need union approval to reduce teacher salaries accordingly.
» Read MoreBUSD Shines Bright!
The Benicia High School Panther Band brought home the first-place trophy and $10,000 for their band program on Monday at the second annual High School Band Challenge, part of Fleet Week. Congratulations to Patrick Martin and the awesome Benicia High School Panther Band!
CTA Adopts Principles to Improve Teacher Evaluation
Yvonne Tran wants constructive criticism on her teaching, but hasn’t had a thorough evaluation in four years — despite her contract requiring one every two years.
“I haven’t been given feedback, guidance or mentoring,” Tran says. “It’s easy to point the finger at teachers, but it’s difficult to become a better teacher if there isn’t follow-through by administrators.”
Tran is part of CTA’s Teacher Evaluation Workgroup, a 40-member committee of classroom teachers and staff who spent the past year researching best practices to create a leading-edge evaluation system that will raise the quality of teaching in California.
The workgroup drew up a set of “Teacher Development and Evaluation Principles” that were adopted by CTA’s State Council of Education at its June meeting. The four-page document succinctly and eloquently lays forth the principles on which future guidelines for teacher evaluation will be generated.
» Read More
State Budget 2011-2012
While this new State Budget plan is far from what our schools and colleges need to provide all students a quality education, it protects them from much worse cuts and will help local school districts and colleges plan for the coming year. The proposal defers nearly $3 billion in funding to K-14 schools and cuts $300 million from higher education. This year as thousands of educators were laid off, class sizes pushed higher, the school year shortened, student programs eliminated, and college tuition fees increased, Republican lawmakers simply watched and offered no honest solutions that would even maintain California’s current level of funding to public education.
Educating the children of this state and building a better future for all of us should not be a partisan issue. But Republicans hijacked the state budget process and refused to put the needs of our children above their own special interests. Our students deserve a better example and a better chance at a well-rounded and adequately-funded education.
» Read statements from the Education Coalition
» Learn ways you can advocate for stable funding
» State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson declares schools in state of financial emergency
» Read the signing message from Governor Brown on the Education Trailer Bill (AB 114)