This week, the House of Representatives will take up the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The Senate is scheduled to follow suit as soon the House is finished. The reauthorized law, called the Every Student Succeeds Act:

*         eliminates the adequate yearly progress requirement;

*         maintains certification for paraprofessionals;

*         revamps accountability to include other measures of student learning and school indicators, and allows for a pilot program for project based-assessments in lieu of standardized tests;

As the year is quickly coming to a close, and we take the next few days to reflect and give thanks to a higher power for our Blessings, let's take a minute over this break to reflect upon the source that provides us the protections we still enjoy.

Absolute power and lack of transparency are NOT perfect together. Charter school evaluations are not shared with the public, nor are their profit/loss statements.

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/15/11/23/op-ed-hold-charter-schools-to-same-standards-as-district-schools/

RC 23 Chapter members are getting together to celebrate the holidays. Visit the Events page for more information:

December 4 — Retired - United Teachers of Northport Luncheon at Norcello's, Northport

December 8 — Kings Park Retired Teachers Association Luncheon at San Marco Ristorante, Hauppauge

December 8 — Three Village Schools Retirees Luncheono at Lombardi's on the Sound, Port Jefferson

Use this list to contact your local legislators about education issues.

(New Orleans – November 21, 2015) “The right man at the right time for Louisiana.” That is how Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan introduced Representative John Bel Edwards when the Federation announced its endorsement last March.

Voters obviously agreed, and Rep. Edwards will become Governor Edwards on January 11, 2016.

BCFPE members at the 911 Center have voted to APPROVE the recent tentative agreement between the Baltimore County Administration and the Union. This agreement affects ECT Trainee, Tech I, II, Assistant Supervisor, and Supervisor (40 hour) classifications.

Click here to view the full document.

The status of the University of Wisconsin System as one of the world's premier public university systems is under threat.  As the UW System Board of Regents contemplates the end of meaningful academic freedom, AFT-Wisconsin members around the UW System - academic staff, faculty, graduate employees, university staff - are mobilizing to defend the quality of public higher education in Wisconsin.  Take a stand for UW System students - sign the petition today!

The Advocate
November 2015

Helping the Community

One of the goals of WFEA is to not only stand up for members but to also stand up for and support our community. As the holidays approach, it’s a good time to think about how we do that as an organization. Just in the past couple of months, we’ve

• given book donations to elementary students through our community grant money
• collected food for Fill the Dome at our social
• given members the opportunity to donate to the Cathy Jostad fundraising efforts
• rung bells for the Salvation Army