I recently came across an interesting opinion piece in the New York Times about the real value of good teachers. I know we have great teachers in Madison, but it’s sometimes easy to wonder what kind of a difference one teacher really makes in a child’s life. This article puts these doubts to rest and inspires.
January 16, 2012
December 22, 2011
Help Take Back Your Profession through CEA’s “Education Reforums”
Every day in newspapers, online and on radio and TV, we read and hear about attacks across the country against public education and teachers’ rights. While we know this is a busy time of year, we all need to stand up for public education and our profession.
CEA is holding eight important meetings across Connecticut in January. The subject is a powerful mix of “reform in a forum setting”—thus our title, “Reforums.” The reforums will focus on the issues that are important to you—from evaluation to tenure and everything in between.
You are invited to attend one of these free reforums. Come, share your ideas, and voice your concerns. Hear what we can do—collectively—to make positive changes. Together, we can move our ideas on education reform forward and stand up for our students and ourselves.
Attend one of these free upcoming reforums and find out how you can help Take Back Your Profession. Registration begins at 3:30 pm and the program runs from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.
- Wednesday, January 18 — The Spa at the Norwich Inn, Norwich
- Thursday, January 19 — Georgina’s, Bolton
- Monday, January 23 — The Inn at Middletown, Middletown *
- Tuesday, January 24 — Inn at Woodstock Hill, Woodstock
- Wednesday, January 25 — Rocky Hill Marriott, Rocky Hill
- Thursday, January 26 — Crystal Peak, Winsted
- Monday, January 30 — Trumbull Marriott, Trumbull
- Tuesday, January 31 — Park Central Tavern, Hamden
Notice that January 23rd’s meeting has seen a change in venue. It was originally scheduled to be at The Brushmill in Chester. To register for one of these reforums, click here.
Download the PDF flyer and share it with your colleagues.
May 26, 2011
West Hartford Teacher Speaks Out on Attacks on Veteran Teachers
Check out this fantastic op-ed piece that appeared in the Hartford Courant this past Tuesday. Then forward it to any of your friends who believe in the myth that tenured teachers cannot get dismissed from their jobs for poor performance. Better yet, if you’re a Facebook user, share it there.
MEA Election Results
The slate of MEA officers remains unchanged after last Wednesday’s elections. Only one of the incumbents’ posts was challenged, that of Vice-president, but Mary Ellen Babik held onto her position. Here is the full list of officers:
President – Mary Helen Leitze
Vice-president – Mary Ellen Babik
Treasurer – Steve Isleib
Secretary – Michelle Reinfleisch
March 29, 2011
Education Bill Dies in Committee
From CEA yesterday afternoon…
Education Committee Takes No Action On
H.B. No. 6324 (RAISED) EDUCATION. ‘AN ACT CONCERNING TEACHER EMPLOYMENT CRITERIA’
Teacher Seniority and Layoff Procedures Under Fire, Bill Dies in Committee
On Friday, March 25, the Education Committee had its last meeting to report out favorably on various education issues that it had public hearings on including Raised Bill 6324 An Act Concerning Teacher Employment Criteria. CEA Legal Counsel Ronald Cordilico, who testified against the bill at the hearing on February 23, said if the bill became law it would be “a swift, surprising, and draconian act in view of a system that has provided stability of expectations over the years.” On Friday, the committee took no action on the bill and thereby killed the bill.
You Were Heard
As the committee and its leadership was considering this bill, they were hearing from the public school teachers of Connecticut. Repeatedly, as members of CEA’s lobbying team had one on one meetings with the members of the Education Committee, legislators stated that they were hearing from their teachers on this issue. Clearly, your involvement was critical to helping defeat this legislation.
Thank You!
March 23, 2011
Watch this Video and Contact Your Lawmakers
Take about 60 seconds to watch this video, and see why teachers are worried about seniority rights (House Bill No. 6324) and evaluation fairness (Senate Bill No. 1160). If teachers’ political advocacy does not convince lawmakers on the Education Committee to oppose these bills this week, then these bills will head to the full House and Senate, where these significant changes to our profession – and far worse – could be enacted diluting teachers’ rights.
Click here to contact your legislators about House Bill 6324.
Click here to contact your legislators about Senate Bill 1160.
March 16, 2011
Hearings on Bills that Impact Teacher Evaluations and Dismissal
Education Committee to Hold Hearing on a Bill That Impacts
Teacher Performance Evaluation & the Teacher Fair Dismissal Law
On Thursday, March 17th, the legislature’s Education Committee will have a public hearing on Raised Bill No. 1160 An Act Concerning School Transportation, The Development of A Model Teacher Performance Evaluation System, And Teacher Tenure Laws And Cooperative Arrangements This bill rewrites laws affecting teacher evaluation and the teacher fair dismissal law. The bill was initiated by the American Federation of Teachers – Connecticut (AFT-CT). It includes some issues of concern:
- It gives principals the power to commence the dismissal process on their own.
- It short-circuits the revision of teacher evaluation guidelines that was set in motion last year by the passage of Public Act 10-111, An Act Concerning Education Reform In Connecticut, with CEA’s active support and involvement. CEA has been working collaboratively with other stakeholders to this end since last June.
- It creates rigid timelines for teacher remediation and termination.
CEA will be testifying about the issues that concern it at Thursday’s hearing. Following the hearing, we will share with you any new developments. We may also seek your assistance in contacting your legislators.
March 14, 2011
Education Committee Members Need to Be Contacted NOW
Your Rights Are At Stake
AT ISSUE
In the next several days, the Education Committee will consider whether or not to amend your collective bargaining rights as contained in the Teacher Negotiation Act. They will be voting on Raised Bill No. 6324. An Act Concerning Teacher Employment Criteria.
Self-styled “reformers” want to use the $3.6 billion budget deficit facing Connecticut to restrict the rights of teachers that are spelled out in the Teacher Negotiations Act and the Fair Dismissal Act. They want administrators be able to lay off experienced teachers and keep less expensive, less experienced teachers.
This is not about teacher quality. It’s about money— and it’s not fair.
These reformers show no understanding that teachers are evaluated every year. They have been suggesting to members of the public that competence has little to do with experience and ignore the fact that processes such as required annual evaluations provide assurance of satisfactory performance.
Tell members of the Committee you do not want your contractual rights changed. You didn’t cause this fiscal crisis and it should in no way be used against you. Ask them to vote against Raised Bill No. 6324.
AT ISSUE
The Committee will also be debating whether to allow the Commissioner of Education to grant certification waivers to administrators and teachers in charter schools. Raised Bill No. 1104. An Act Concerning Charter Schools, seeks to eliminate high-quality educator standards that are the underpinning of our profession for the convenience of some charter school corporations that believe they should set their own standards. If this passes, it would diminish the value of certification for everyone.
There are a great number of traditional schools in Connecticut that outperform charters at similar or greater levels of poverty. They are not asking for waivers. We want highly qualified and certified teachers in all of our state’s classrooms.
Let members of the Education Committee hear from you. Tell them not to relax standards or take away your rights. Let them know you want quality education for all students. Ask them to vote against Raised Bill No. 1104.
Contact Members of The Education Committee by downloading this document containing the state education committee member’s contact information.
Blaming the Teachers
Some humorous and thought-provoking clips from The Daily Show that address the issues that are very much a part of the current national debate about education, including the notion that American students are falling behind because of bad teachers, and that budget deficits are also the fault of teachers’ unions. Click on the links below and enjoy.
December 21, 2010
Certification Updates from CEA
As many of you know, CEA has been working hard on making your voices heard as the State Department of Education has been reshaping certification requirements for Special Education teachers, Teacher Leaders, and Literacy Specialists. On December 1, 2010, the State Board of Education voted to adopt the full set of proposed certification regulations, as submitted by the State Department of Education. These regulations will go into effect on July 1, 2015. Read a full description of all of the changes here.
