June 5, 2009 * Vol. 12 * No. 14
Last Thursday, the Montgomery County Council concluded one of the most difficult budget years in memory with a 7-1 vote on a final budget for 2009-2010. The Council action fully funds the educational program budgets in the Board of Education’s requested budget, so there are no additional cuts in staffing.
However the Council again rejected a proposal from the County Executive to institute a charge to insurance companies for county ambulance services – forgoing an estimated $12.5 million in annual revenue. Such a charge exists in most neighboring counties, with no adverse impact. The leading opponents to the ambulance charge to insurance companies are Council President Phil Andrews (Rockville) and the county’s volunteer fire fighters. County Executive Ike Leggett, the county’s career firefighters, other county unions, and several other members of the County Council support the fee.
At the same time, the Washington Post described the Council’s budget as relying “on one-time fixes and accounting moves that officials say could make it more difficult” to balance the budget in subsequent years.
The budget for the county government represents a 2.2% decrease over their budget for the current fiscal year: the first time the county budget has actually decreased since 1992. Next year’s MCPS budget increases by 1.9% (or $38 million).-up?
The national economic crisis has hit the county and state budgets hard. MCPS has taken extraordinary steps to help the county close that gap. Specifically:
All of the other county unions (fire, police, and general government) also renegotiated their contracts and sacrificed their COLAs. The Council has not fully ratified all of those agreements yet. They have postponed a decision on a provision in the police contract about the ability of officers living outside the county to take their patrol cars home. And they will not be deciding until at least October on proposals to modify the county pension plans.
In recent days, additional contract settlements and budget resolutions have emerged in neighboring counties. In Fairfax County Virginia, school employees not only will not be getting cost-of-living increases next year, but step increases have been lost as well. In Frederick County, the same ‘hard salary freeze’ is pending final approval: no COLA and no steps. In Anne Arundel County, no COLA is anticipated and the loss of steps, and even furloughs, are still possible. In Prince Georges and Howard counties, negotiations are still ongoing and both loss of steps and/or furloughs are still possible as well.
MCEA members, along with SEIU and MCAASP, will receive step increases – and lane change increases, next year. In exchange for sacrificing our cost-of-living increases, the contract language protecting our health insurance premium cost-sharing formulas have been extended until 6/30/14 – protecting our health insurance costs for five years. On average, MCEA members pay just 7% of the cost of our health insurance (10% in the POS medical plans, dental, vision and drug plans, and just 5% in the HMOs). In contrast, all Montgomery County government employees pay 20% of their premiums. And in Prince Georges County, teachers with less than 8 years of service pay a whopping 25% of their health insurance premiums.
MCEA members have consistently said that protecting health insurance is a top priority. With the average cost for family coverage in MCPS now at almost $17,000, the five year guarantee on the premium cost-sharing formulas is worth a great deal at a time when employers across the country are increasingly shifting the cost of health insurance onto their employees.
The decision to recommend sacrifice of our cost-of-living increases was made after careful analysis of the county budget and the economic conditions in the county, state and nation. As anticipated, county and state revenues have continued to fall. By reaching a renegotiated deal early, we were able to prevent the lay-off of any MCEA members, protect our health insurance, and get our step increases funded. Given how events are unfolding in our neighboring counties, MCEA members seem to have fairer better in comparison.
Next fall, MCEA and the Board of Education will be back at the bargaining table on the entirety of the contract, except for health insurance premium formulas. The economic forecasts for FY11 continue to be grim; however it is still far too early to know what county revenues will be in 2011. In addition, for MCEA members, concerns about time and workload are reaching crisis levels and are widely expected to be a primary focus of negotiations. MCEA will be conducting member surveys and focus groups in advance of bargaining to solicit member input.
Bonnie Cullison, MCEA’s president for the last six years, completes her term in a few, short weeks. Bonnie has left her mark on MCEA after serving as a speech pathologist and teacher activist and most recently as release-time president of MCEA.
She is currently seeking election to NEA’s Executive Board which will be decided at next month’s national convention. All at MCEA wish to thank Bonnie for her many years of service to both MCEA and the children of Montgomery County. Her leadership will be missed.
Bonnie is succeeded by incoming president Doug Prouty who will take office on July 1.
“What will I teach next year?” “When will I be told?,” and “Do I have any say in the matter?” are frequently asked questions and all addressed in the negotiated agreement. We try to answer these questions below.
Article 18 Sec. A states that, “Principals will notify all school-based members in writing of their projected class and subject assignment and other duties by the end of the school year.” This requirement is straightforward. This is to take place “between June 1 and the end of the school year.”
If, however, changes in schedules, classes or assignments take place after the end of school, any unit member affected must be notified promptly in writing with reasons. If a reassignment takes place after the school year ends, a teacher may request a review “by the appropriate associate superintendent, the unit member, and, at his/her option, a representative of the Association.” This gives all parties, including the teacher to be reassigned, an opportunity to see if any other solutions are available.
In Sections B. and C., Article 18 states that “Principals will strive to assign teachers in the areas in which they are certified and experienced and where they meet highly qualified status as defined by the NCLB requirements.” Later, Article 18 Sec. C states that teachers will be invited to express their preferences (for grade or subject assignment) in writing. Subsequently, the principal will review these preferences with “the appropriate resource teacher, department chairperson, or team leader and/or grade level teachers directly affected.”
Because elementary assignment crosses grade levels, new language has been included in the contract that addresses situations where experienced teachers (with ten consecutive years at a particular grade level) are under consideration for a grade change of more than three levels. In those cases the change must be arrived at in a collaborative manner or else be subject to review by the community Superintendent.
And finally, at the conclusion of Sec. C, the policy states, “To the extent that it is possible, changes in grade assignments in the elementary and in subject assignment in the secondary schools will be voluntary.”
Interested in helping on next year’s contract negotiations? MCEA is now seeking volunteers to serve on the Bargaining Council. Click here for more information.
Come celebrate ‘Teacher Appreciation Night’ as Bethesda Big Train takes on the Maryland Redbirds at Shirley Povich field (10600 Westlake Dr., Bethesda) on Wednesday, June 17. Each county teacher – and their family get free admission and, courtesy of MCEA, receive a free hot dog or pizza & soda. Ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by MCEA President Bonnie Cullison at 7:20 PM. Game starts at 7:30 PM. Come early and hear the Star Spangled Banner performed by our own MCEA member Georgene Fountain. Click here for flyer.
According to the negotiated agreement (Art. 7, Sec. I), unit members wishing to terminate employment must give written notice to the Office of Human on or before July 15. The contract goes on to say that, “Except in cases of emergency, resignations with less than proper notice will be considered a breach of contract.” While no one should resign before they’re absolutely sure of taking such an action, the sooner notification is given, the better it is for your colleagues who may wish to apply for your soon-to-be vacant position.
The end of the school year when students are cleaning out lockers is a good time to create a collection of ‘castoff pens and pencils.’ Keep a few on your desk to lend to students. This collection cuts down on trips to lockers and on items borrowed from classmates. As they clean out their lockers, ask them to give you any unwanted pens or pencils. You’ll be surprised (or maybe not) at the number you collect. Next year, keep a few in a cup on your desk, and as they disappear, replenish them. If a student walks off with one, it won’t have cost you anything, and you’d rather the student takes yours than expropriates someone else's. You may also pick up stray pencils and erasers you find in the hallways. When a student has a pencil without an eraser, you can give him/her one of your erasers and let the student keep it. You will quickly become “the generous one."
Think about this idea for the start of next school year: ask your students to set goals on 3x5 cards at the beginning of the school year. Keep their goal cards and return them at the end of the school year. Many are happily surprised that they made more friends, improved grades, and/or completed personal goals throughout the school year. Reflecting on what was achieved and those goals which were not reached may be food for thought.