NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2013 - Maryland State Education Association

NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2014
NBI 14-01
FY 2015-2016 Dues Increase -- SUPPORT
MSEA will reduce by half the FY 2015-2016 dues increase of $10.
Submitted by: MSEA Board of Directors
Strategic Objective: 2.5 Member Well Being (Effective and Supportive Organization)
Cost: $304,940
Rationale: A commitment was made to delegates at the Spring RA that the dues increase would be
reevaluated after we received a Supreme Court decision in the Harris v. Quinn agency fee case and
completed negotiations on our two staff contracts. While legal threats to agency fee remain (e.g.,
Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association), without a loss of agency we can cover incremental costs
(larger costs of per-member grants for locals, postage, agency fee Hudson notices, etc.) and honor the
commitments to staff made in the negotiations with the increase reduced from $10 to $5.
NBI 14-02
Peace One Day -- SUPPORT
MSEA will take a position of support for the International Day of Peace Campaign sponsored by the
organization Peace One Day starting September 21, 2015 and widely advertise support through
existing publications, websites, social media, and other appropriate means.
Submitted by: Jacob Bauer Zebley, Cecil County Classroom Teachers Association
Seconded by: Lorraine Bell, Cecil County Classroom Teachers Association
Strategic Objective: 2.5 Member Well Being (Effective and Supportive Organization)
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: By promoting the Peace One Day Campaign students will have the opportunity to analyze
peace efforts on local and global scales, examine barriers to international cooperation, and promote
peace in their own lives.
NBI 14-03
FAILED
NBI 14-04
PARCC Assessment as a Graduation Requirement – UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED
MSEA calls upon the Maryland State Board of Education (SBOE) and the Maryland State Department of
Education (MSDE) to remove the new PARCC tests as a graduation requirement for Maryland high
school students until the state demonstrates that the tests can be successfully administered statewide,
there has been sufficient time to assess the validity of the tests, appropriate cut scores have been
established, and alternative methods of meeting the requirement (such as combined scoring and
bridge projects) have been established. MSEA will work with other groups who share this position.
Submitted by: Gary Brennan, Frederick County Teachers Association
Seconded by: Casey Day-Kells, Frederick County Teachers Association
Strategic Objective: 31P (Legislative/Political Relations)
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: The SBOE has decided that this year’s administration of the as yet untested PARCC exams
will count as a graduation requirement for high school students. Last year, MSEA and its allies were
successful in postponing new state exams from counting in teacher evaluations for at least the next
two years. For the same reasons MSEA should also support a delay in using these tests as a graduation
NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2014
requirement for students. Until teachers and students have time to adjust to the new Common Core
State Standards, the PARCC tests have been shown to be valid and reliable measures of student
achievement, appropriate passing scores have been established, and schools have demonstrated they
can successfully administer the tests, PARCC exams should not have high stakes consequences for
students.
NBI 14-05
Cell Tower Investigation -- SUPPORT
I move that the MSEA conduct an immediate review of research and provide a report to local boards
with regard to the construction and operation of cell towers on the grounds of Maryland schools. The
report will include but not be limited to positive and negative effects.
Submitted by: Blair Todd, PGCEA
Seconded by: Richard Benfer, TAAAC
Strategic Objective #1 School Quality
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: There has been a lot of uproar in some counties in our state where attempts to have cell
towers erected on school property. Both Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties have stopped the
initiatives for towers being built at their schools. This makes me wonder whether other counties
should start to prepare for attempts on their school sites, and if initiatives are started, we need facts to
know whether to support or oppose their construction.
NBI 14-06
Posting Progress of NBIs -- SUPPORT
The MSEA will post periodic updates on progress toward fulfilling New Business Items during the
interval between annual MSEA conventions. The updates will be posted on the MSEA website and
available to all members.
Submitted by: Yvonne N. Baicich, PGCEA
Seconded by: Theresa Dudley, PGCEA
Strategic Objective #2 Member Well Being
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: Delegates to the annual MSEA Convention and all other members of MSEA have an
inherent interest and a right to be informed about decisions made at the convention, and the progress
toward fulfilling the will of the delegates who voted for the NBIs. All NBIs, having been adopted by the
highest body of our union, are important and will be fulfilled.
NBI 14-07
WITHDRAWN AFTER BEING SUBMITTED
NBI 14-08
Funding MSEA State Delegates to NEA Convention -- ADOPTED AS AMENDED
MSEA will, for the 2015 NEA Convention, make the following changes to the State Delegate Funding
Guidelines to the NEA RA. MSEA will fund state delegates without allocations for specific amounts for
parking, shuttle to/from the airport, airfare, and hotel. The total amount of the stipend may be spent
by the delegate on all convention items, and after convention. MSEA delegates will submit all receipts
for expenses that are $25 or more.
Submitted by: Yvonne N. Baicich, PGCEA
NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2014
Seconded by: Valerie White-Jones, PGCEA
Strategic Objective #2 Member Well Being
Cost: $6000 - $7000
Rationale: A number of State Delegates chose to serve as local delegates because of the rules which
were applied in 2014. Under those rules, delegates could owe refunds to MSEA if they went beyond
the specified amounts for hotel, travel, etc., instead of being able to add the total spent at the
convention and compare to the total they received from MSEA.
NBI 14-09
Support Legislation to Enhance Human Trafficking State Law – SUPPORT
MSEA will seek and support legislation that allows for civil action by victims of forced labor and sex
trafficking, mandatory restitution for such victims, and the distribution of profits from the sale of
forfeited assets directly to victims and service providers who support victims.
Submitted by: Mona Long, Calvert Education Association
Seconded by: MSEA Human and Civil Rights Committee, Georgianne McNeirney, Co-chair
Strategic Objective #3 Public Agenda
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: Maryland has the eighth highest call rates for incidents of human trafficking. With the
number of reported victims increasing every day, forced slavery is a major threat to the civil rights of
minors. Children who are at greatest risk are 12-14 years old. Victims suffer emotional trauma that
leads to truancy, poor grades, behavioral issues, loss of self-esteem, bullying, and a general inability to
be successful in the learning environment. A stronger law will provide resources for victims to heal and
recover as well as the ability to seek further compensation from the perpetrators of the crime, with the
potential to further deter traffickers.
NBI 14-10
Support for Related Service Providers – SUPPORT
The Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) will support local collective bargaining units’ efforts
to negotiate the provision of appropriately qualified substitutes and/or additional support provided by
qualified professionals for related service providers when they are on leave to ensure the continuity of
services.
Submitted by Stephanie Livesay, HCEA
Seconded by Donna Christy, PGCEA
Strategic Objective #1 School Quality and #2 Member Well Being
Cost: staff time
Rationale: Special education related service providers are usually not provided with substitutes when
they are on leave. This disrupts the continuity of services and becomes problematic when they are out
for multiple days and they are unable to make up service hours and testing that they are bound to
complete within the parameters of federal and state laws and local policies. Often times, other staff
members are asked to cover the duties of a colleague adding to their own workloads without
additional commensurate compensation.
NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2014
NB14-11
Compensation for All National Certifications -- SUPPORT
The Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) will support with letters to local associations, local
collective bargaining units’ efforts to provide additional, equal compensation for all nationally board
certified teachers and any other national certification that the local determines to meet rigorous and
appropriate qualifying standards.
Submitted by: Donna Christy, PGCEA
Seconded by: Stephanie Livesay, HCEA
Strategic Objective #2 Member Well Being
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: Salary stipends for professional national certifications recognize and acknowledge the
importance of recruiting and retaining professionals who meet nationally recognized standards for
training and supervision. National certifications require a significant investment of personal resources
on the part of our members to obtain and maintain. Local compensation packages should treat all
nationally certificated professionals equally with the inclusion of all and exclusion of none.
NB1 14-12
Officer and Board Candidate Filing Deadlines and Speeches – SUPPORT
MSEA will permit pre-filed candidates, who have filed for candidacy by the Monday before the MSEA
Fall RA and running for the positions of NEA Director, MSEA officers, and MSEA Board Members the
opportunity to speak to the assembly for 3 minutes.
Submitted by Theresa Dudley, PGCEA
Seconded by John Reuschlein, ACTA
Strategic objective # 2 Member Well Being
Cost: staff time
Rationale: Smaller locals are disenfranchised in elections as candidates do not visit. All counties are at
the Assembly.
NBI 14-13
Defining and Differentiating Special Education Planning and Special Education Case
Management -- SUPPORT
MSEA will form a task force of members from across the state to:
1. Collect data from locals to determine if any local system:
a. Currently separates special education planning from special education case management
b. Defines special education planning and special education case management as separate
responsibilities
2. Create model contract language that differentiates special education planning from special
education case management.
Submitted by: Robin Szymanski, CCEA
Seconded by: Emily Cramer, CCEA
Strategic Objective #2 Member Well Being #3 Public Agenda
Cost: $2,500
Rationale: As the role of special educators has evolved over time, special educators are expected to
use their planning time to complete many multifaceted job functions, some of which are not planning
NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2014
for instruction or delivery of services. In many cases, a special educator must also use his/her planning
time to hold IEP meetings, as well as perform all case management duties, such as testing for student
eligibility. Special educators’ are often faced with determining how to provide services, and complete
required paperwork. Special educators need support from MSEA by clarifying the different roles, and
creating contract language that differentiates planning from case management.
NBI 14-14
Military Enlistment is College and Career Ready – SUPPORT
MSEA will make a formal request to the state superintendent and the State Board of Education to
include military enlistment as part of the college and career readiness indicator and to any future state
mandates which measures school progress.
Submitted by: Robin McNair, PGCEA
Seconded by: Rowena Shurn, PGCEA
Strategic Objective #1 School Quality and #3 Public Agenda
Cost: staff time
Rationale: The Maryland School Progress Index is used to measure schools’ progression. Under the
indicator, college and career readiness, enrollment in college is part of the calculations, but military
enlistment is not. Many students make successful careers in our armed forces and this should count
towards college and career readiness.
NBI 14-15
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) -- SUPPORT
MSEA calls upon the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to suspend the administration
of the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) until such time that the state can demonstrate that
the assessment can be done in a manner that will provide the time necessary to assess and record the
information gathered without usurping instructional time. Further, MSDE will provide the validation
for the continuation of the KRA as well as sufficient training and technology resources for future
administration.
Submitted by: Abby Beytin, TABCO
Seconded by: Mary Claggett, FCTA
Strategic objective #3 Public Agenda
Cost: staff time
Rationale: Kindergarten teachers across Maryland are spending so many hours administering and
recording, the KRA they have not had time to teach their students. They’re also having to write lesson
plans for substitutes so they can test and record the information gathered.
NBI 14-16
Withdrawn
NBI 14-17
FAILED
NBI 14-18
Opposed Delay of Student Immunization -- SUPPORT
NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2014
MSEA President Betty Weller will write a letter to MSDE and the Maryland Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene opposing any extensions for state-mandated immunization of students entering our
schools.
Submitted by: Janice Jefferson, PGCEA
Seconded by: Veronica Henderson, ESPBC
Strategic Objective #3 Public Agenda
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: The delay of immunizations creates a potentially unhealthy and unsafe work and learning
environment for both staff and students.
NBI 14-19
SLO Measurements – SUPPORT
MSEA calls upon the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to better educate and inform
local school systems in order to avoid unilateral mandates, at the system or school level, for teachers
to use specific assessments or measurements in Student Learning Objectives (SLO).
An SLO is to be teacher driven with site administrators in order to address the specific needs and
targets of their student population.
Submitted by: Kevin Johnson, WCEA
Seconded by: Andrew J. Burke, TCEA
Strategic Objective #1 School Quality and #3 Public Agenda
Cost: Staff Time
Rationale: While MSEA has been successful in the delay of high stakes testing it relates to teacher
evaluations, some counties are requiring teachers to incorporate standardized and/or county
developed tests as SLO measurements. Teachers and the needs of their students should be the driving
force in the development and measurement of SLOs.
NEW BUSINESS ITEMS 2014
Amendments to the Election Guidelines
A member having been elected to the Board of Directors through an at large vote of the entire
membership may not run as a candidate in that year’s election for state delegate to the NEA RA.
(Passed)
Videotape Candidates 2015
Filed candidates for 2015 elections for NEA Director, MSEA President, MSEA Vice President and MSEA
Board of Directors may have the option to submit recordings to MSEA. These videos shall not exceed 3
minutes. The videos shall be available on the MSEA website 30 days prior to the elections and links
shall be posted on MSEA social media and in the ActionLine. (Passed)
Rationale: This would make it easier for the candidates to present their platform and enable the
membership better access to the candidate messages. The technology exists and is affordable.
Submitted by Mark King, PGCEA
Seconded by David Nicholson, MCEA
Amendment to Legislative Program
MSEA opposes: Add “starting and ending times of the school day” after “school calendar.” (Passed)
Submitted by Jane Stern, MCEA
Seconded by Jeff Wolf, MCEA

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