OEA Lobby Day

More than 200 OEA teachers and support professionals spent the day at the Capitol for the 2007 OEA Lobby Day. Our members discussed the importance of continuing to move us to the regional average in salaries, retirement and insurance issues, and a number of teaching and learning issues. Meeting with Senator Richard Lerblanc are Shelly Beck, Stephanie Walker and Cattrina Gragg.

In the next photo, I'm pictured with Anson Shuman and Mary Mangham of Ardmore and Glenda Puett from Tulsa Union.

In the above photo with Senate Pro Tempore Mike Morgan are Linda Ogle, McCloud; Rosemarie Bushong, Shawnee; and Joyce Flowers, Kristy Jones and Jana Richardson from Meeker.

Some of our members attended Governor Henry's press conference to see what he was going to do with the GA Bill that was sent to him. The rumors around the Capitol were that he would veto everything except the supplemental funding for education and corrections, and before a packed "Blue Room" he announced his veto.

Governor Henry is committed to career teacher salaries and addressing the teacher's retirement shortfall. Both of these issues have been long time OEA goals for more than a decade. OEA has continued to lobby for these issues, but they've fallen on deaf ears in the past.

Last year, we lobbied against a bill that would take money from the school land fund because it was illegal. The 2006 Legislature ignored proposals by the Oklahoma Education Coalition and the Governor and were upset when we were able to defeat the bill. The Association is extremely proud of the effort and will continue to address the OTRS with proposals that won't take money from our schools through the school land trust.

Governor Henry Vetos General Appropriations Bill

Earlier this afternoon, Governor Henry held a press conference where he announced that he had signed the supplemental appropriations for education and corrections, but would veto nearly $7B in general appropriations funds. Standing behind him were the Democrats from the House of Representatives who will work to sustain his veto.

Governor Henry said that it was necessary for all parties to be involved in the budget making process. We will continue to work with the Governor and the members of both parties in the House and Senate to adequately fund education.

We Need You

OEA Lobby Day will be held on Wednesday, March 28. Members will meet at the OEA Headquarters (323 E. Madison Ave, OKC 73105) at 9:00 am for a briefing before heading to the Capitol. The main issues for the Lobby Day will be the education budget and the possible inclusion of additional teacher salary increases to help fulfill the Governor's plan to get us to the regional average.

Questions about the Budget Agreement

The Senate and House have come to a budget agreement, but there are a number of unanswered questions.

From the Alliance for Oklahoma's Future:

1. Did the unusual process allow for meaningful input from legislators and constituents?

2. Does the agreement provide adequate resources for essential government functions this year?

3. Does the agreement allow Oklahoma to meet its obligations in future years?

4. Do we choose to follow the path of deeper, accelerated tax cuts at the expense of investments in areas where Oklahoma still lags behind?

For recent news, information, and analysis on State budget and tax issues, go to www.OKBUDGETALLIANCE.org To download the Alliance fact sheets into one document, simply Click Here.

Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader? -Quiz 2

Get a break from the hoops this weekend by taking the quiz at http://reference.aol.com/smarter-than-fifth-grader.

Changes for "No Child Left Behind"

It appears the President is losing key Republican support in the effort to reauthorize NCLB.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/14/AR2007031402741.html.

Supplemental Funding Bill-Contact your Legislator

There is still no supplemental funding for our schools. Read the latest on the issue at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state.aspx.

Below are just a few school districts that are already considering which certified teachers and support employees will be reduced if a supplemental appropriation for common education is not immediately received:

Henryetta
Gore
Coalgate
Chisholm
Chickasha
Catoosa – have already dismissed 6 certified and more than 20 support employees!
Tulsa Tech Center
Liberty Schools in the Tulsa area
Tahlequah
Claremore – will not renew contracts for 20 of the 40 new teachers
Deer Creek/Lamont


CONTACT OUR LAWMAKERS
Last year the State Legislature approved teacher pay raises but failed to fund the fixed costs attached to those raises, leaving individual school districts on the hook for millions of dollars. With fixed incomes and a projected deficit totaling more than $56 million, school districts like ours will be forced to make very tough choices about balancing their budgets. (See details of the fixed costs.)

Take Action Now! In less than 60 seconds, you can tell our lawmakers to support public education and support funding for educator pay raises that the Legislature has already mandated.

THE $56 MILLION QUESTION
If the State Legislature does not approve additional funding, our school district will face budget deficits that could cripple us financially and throw our schools — and teachers like us — into disarray. School districts will likely cope with this shortfall by cutting education programs and jobs. The real question is which ones?

The first education programs cut will mostly likely be arts, physical education and other non-tested subjects. The first jobs to go will likely be those belonging to support professionals, the good people who drive school buses, clean classrooms, serve school lunches, maintain school buildings, and more.

But in the end it will be our students who suffer the most, when classroom teachers like us will be forced to do more with less.

ACT NOW
Don't let the State Legislature sandbag public education with unfunded mandates. You can make a difference in less than 60 seconds. Tell our lawmakers to stand up for teachers and students. Tell our lawmakers to support full and adequate funding for the pay raises they've already mandated.

NEA President Testifies on NCLB

NEA President Reg Weaver spoke to House and Senate education committees March 13 about NEA's positive agenda of reforms to the No Child Left Behind Act. His recommendations for improving the law included strategies for closing achievement gaps and retaining qualified educators.

This is another example of how NEA works for you and children across Oklahoma and the United States.

Testimony link at http://www.nea.org/lac/esea/031307atesti.html.

To see the written version (different-more detail)http://www.nea.org/lac/esea/031307testi.html.

What are you reading...?

After spending the last few weeks reading Dr. Seuss books, I was asked the other day what I've been reading and the names of my favorite authors.

The last 3 books I've read are "The Freedom Writer's Diary" by Erin Gruwell; "Three weeks with my Brother" by Nicholas Sparks and "The Heart of a Husker-Tom Osborne's Nebraska Legacy" by Mike Babcock.

I know..I know...three totally different books about real life people. I enjoyed Gruwell's book because it's written by her students and gives a real look at what is happening in the lives of our kids.

The Sparks book was an interesting read. I liked it because I've got two brothers I've always been close with and the story line of spending time with them appealed to me.

The book about Osborne was an interesting read and a little repetitive. The author interviewed a number of former players and coaches about their thoughts regarding Tom Osborne. Though he worked with young men from 18-23 years old, he was extremely committed to the youth in our society.

I have a number of authors I enjoy reading--Peter Jenkins, Baldacci, Grisham, Flynn, some Stephen King ("Green Mile", "On Writing", "Shawshank Redemption"), Ludlum, Clancy, just about any baseball author, etc. etc. etc. I was lucky enough to have a 5th grade teacher who made reading interesting, fun, and challenging and I'll share more about her at another time.

Drop me a line and let me know what and who you enjoy reading.

The Oklahoma Education Coalition

The 2007 legislative session will mark the 10th anniversary for the Oklahoma Education Coalition. In honor of those ten years, I’d like to remind you about what we believe in, and work for, not just during the session, but throughout the year.

The OEC is dedicated to excellence in education for all Oklahomans. Education is our top priority. We know that public education gives students of all socioeconomic categories the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. The Coalition supports a comprehensive legislative program that meets the needs of students of all ages advancing education as the great equalizer in our society.

Oklahoma students deserve public schools that provide them with the opportunity to meet their potential and succeed in life. Our communities need parents and leaders who want to invest in their schools. To meet today’s high standards, our students need smaller class sizes, up to date text books, safe and modern classrooms and state of the art technology.

The best indicator for student success is a quality teacher in the classroom. The OEC believes Oklahoma students deserve qualified teachers. The state’s post secondary teacher training programs are recognized as some of the most outstanding in the nation and Oklahoma is in the upper tier in the number for National Board Certified Teachers. Despite success in those areas, we must continue to invest in education to retain and attract people to the education profession. Providing Oklahoma educators with professional compensation will help address these needs.

Investing in education is an investment in Oklahoma’s economic future. Our schools need adequate tools and resources to meet the challenges of the changing workplace. An educated workforce will attract new business to our state and their employees will want to move here because they know Oklahoma has great schools.

Studies confirm education ranks among the top, if not the top, quality of life factor, for relocating and expanding industry. If Oklahoma wants to aggressively attract new companies, the Oklahoma legislature must fund education at a level that allows us to compete in the global market.

The Oklahoma Education Coalition will continue to address these issues and the legislation that governs them as we ensure our students and communities have the best public schools. Adequately funding education provides Oklahoma with a competitive economic edge that will propel us into our second century.

The OEC is made up of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration, Oklahoma Education Association, Oklahoma State School Boards Association, Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools, United Suburban Schools Association, Oklahoma Parents and Teachers Association, Oklahoma Federation of Teachers, Higher Education Alumni Council of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education, Tulsa classroom Teachers Association, Oklahoma City Public Schools and the Tulsa Public Schools.