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State of Education IV
Teachers go to school for years so that they can understand how to help students learn. Student learning is the bedrock of everything they do in the classroom. The experience of seeing a student work to understand a concept and then finally ‘get it’ is one of the most rewarding experiences a teacher can have, and that is what drives educators to continue to do the work they do.
Unfortunately, over the last decade the teaching profession has changed significantly. Teachers don’t have the autonomy to individualize their lessons in the way their students might need. They don’t have the flexibility to utilize new techniques or materials that can inspire an unengaged student. Instead, they must stick to a strict curriculum designed to help students perform well on a very specific test.
Tell BESE: Teachers & Support Staff Need a More Significant Pay Increase
In their March meeting, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) will determine their Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) proposal to present to the legislature. The MFP makes up the state’s investment in K-12 education including teacher and school employee pay. If teachers and school employees are to receive a statewide pay raise this year, BESE must propose the raise next week.
State of Education III
Why Do Educators in Louisiana Get Paid So Little?
The Minimum Foundation Program is the funding formula for Louisiana public schools. It was established in order to determine the minimum cost of education in all public elementary and secondary schools. However, given the current state of our schools, one must ask: how much does it cost to educate a child in Louisiana?
JFT Update: Feb. 25th
Supporting President Kesler Camese-Jones
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for JFT President Kesler Camese-Jones. This has been a difficult time for our entire JFT family. Kesler is still in the hospital in critical condition and she is not able to receive gifts or cards at this time.
On Wednesday, March 9th we will have a Special Solidarity Day in honor of Kesler. Please wear your JFT union shirt (or any blue shirt, if you don't have a union shirt) and take pictures of you and your colleagues. In the pictures, you can hold up a sign identifying your school and saying "Kesler Strong" -- or hold a sign with a special message to Kesler. Whether you are getting together in a small group to take a picture, or joining up with your whole school – we know that your efforts will mean the world to our president.
Please email your pictures to lmarino@jft.org.
Make sure there aren’t any students featured in your pictures.
House Bill 75
Existing law already requires extensive transparency measures when it comes to text books and other instructional materials: http://la.aft.org/.../files/la._rev._stat._17_ss_351.1.pdf
The State of Education II
Every day, teachers find new and creative ways to keep their students learning. Still, a lot of work goes into preparing an excellent lesson. Teachers need adequate planning time to assess student work, review relevant curriculum, prepare their lesson, draft lesson plans, make copies, find resources for their students to use, and more. For many teachers, their planning time is the only point in the day where they have time to drink some water, eat, or use the restroom.
Given the ongoing teacher shortage, many teachers and support staff are being pulled out of their planning time or lunch to cover classes. Not only does this leave them without any time during the day to attend to their own needs and prepare for their own class, but the unpredictability also makes it impossible to effectively create an instructional plan.