Archived News
AEA President Election Results
(posted 1/17/08)
The results of the election were Jim Lepley 443 and Beth Lynch 284.
Thank you to those members who were able to cast their ballot.
Remember to Vote for AEA President
(posted 1/15/08)
January 17, 2008 |
AEA President Election |
6 a.m. - 6 p.m. |
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AEA Office |
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Service High |
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Aquarian |
Inlet View |
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Abbott Loop |
Polaris |
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ASD Continuation |
Lake Hood |
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Hanshew |
Service High |
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AVAIL |
North Star |
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Jesse Lee |
Spring Hill |
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Central |
Northwood |
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Kasuun |
Trailside |
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Chugach Opt |
Romig |
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Northern Lts |
Tudor |
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Denali |
SAVE |
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O'Malley |
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Early Intervention |
Steller |
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Fairview |
Turnagain |
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Dimond High |
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Family Partnership |
West High |
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Bayshore |
Mears |
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Frontier |
Willow Crest |
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Campbell |
Rilke Schule |
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Government Hill |
Winterberry |
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Chinook |
Sand Lake |
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Dimond High |
Taku |
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Kincaid |
Wood, Gladys |
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East High |
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Klatt |
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Airport Heights |
Mt. View |
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Boniface Mall Offices |
Rogers Park |
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Begich Middle |
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College Gate |
Russian Jack |
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Aurora |
Music |
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Crossroads |
Special Schools* |
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Bartlett High |
Nunaka Valley |
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East High |
Tyson |
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Baxter |
Orion |
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Highland Tech |
Wendler |
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Begich Middle |
Ptarmigan |
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King Career Ctr/ACE |
Whaley |
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Benson |
Scenic Park |
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Lake Otis |
Williwaw |
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Chester Valley |
Susitna |
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McLaughlin |
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Creekside Park |
Ursa Major |
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*(Spec Schools include North Star Hosp,North Star RTC, Debarr RTC, Booth, Providence Hts) |
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Mt. Iliamna |
Ursa Minor |
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Mt. Spurr |
Wonder Park |
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Muldoon |
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South High |
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Bear Valley |
Ocean View |
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Eagle River High |
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Bowman |
Rabbit Creek |
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Alpenglow |
Gruening |
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Goldenview |
South High |
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Eagle Academy |
Homestead |
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Huffman |
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Eagle River Elem |
McKinley Hts |
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Eagle River High |
Ravenwood |
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Girdwood |
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Chugiak High |
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Girdwood |
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Birchwood |
Fire Lake |
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Chugiak Elementary |
Mirror Lake |
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Chugiak High |
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Voting will occur in the main entrance of these sites from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. January 17, 2008. |
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Members MUST SHOW PHOTO ID and should vote at the designated school listed at the top of each group. |
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Members may vote a questioned ballot at a different site. |
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For absentee ballots, come by the AEA office, before the end of the day January 15 to sign and |
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pick up ballot. Absentee ballots need to be postmarked and received before 6 p.m. January 17. |
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Monitors from the Municipality of Anchorage will be at each site and deliver the ballots to the AEA |
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office at the end of the day for tallying. Agency Fee payers are not eligible to vote. If a fee payer |
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wishes to become a member and have voting privileges, they may contact the AEA office 274-0536. |
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Response to Survey Questions
(posted 1/15/08)
Click on the links below to read the candidates for AEA President respond to the AEA survey questions:
Did you see AEA's Holiday Ad?
(posted 1/15/08)
Restoring a defined benefit system: My concern?
(posted 11/30)
If you’re an AEA member hired before July 1, 2006—Congratulations! You’re in either Tier I or Tier II TRS (Teacher Retirement System), and this means that when you retire, you’re eligible to receive a monthly pension check and access to health insurance. This is called a defined benefit system.
If you were hired after 7/1/06, by contrast, you are in TRS Tier III, a defined contribution system. While you’re working, you’ll contribute to a 401(k)-type account. And when you retire, that account will be what you’ll have to live on for the rest of your life. (Remember, Alaska teachers aren’t eligible to receive Social Security.) Most Tier III members also won’t get access to affordable health insurance.
So, if you’re Tier I or II, you don’t have anything to worry about, right? Wrong. The kicker is that you’re now in a closed pension system. Members hired since 7/1/06 aren’t making contributions to the system. This means the system is bound to run out of money—maybe after you retire, but maybe before.
NEA-Alaska and other public sector labor organizations are working together to get
Alaska ’s defined benefit system reinstated. This month we will be working with pension experts from our national organizations, preparing for a full-court press campaign after Winter Break.
What can YOU do to help restore a secure pension for teachers?
Contact your legislators get their commitment to a vote in the House and Senate on restoring a defined benefit system. It’s critical that the vote is taken, so we’ll know which candidates to support in November’s legislative races.
Contacting your legislator is one click away: http://www.neaalaska.org/acaf/email.htm
National Board Certification Candidate Support Sessions
<(posted 11/30)
These free sessions are designed to offer support to current National Board Certification and Take One candidates:
>Collaborate with other NBC candidates
Learn about available resources
…Get answers to your NBC questions
…Connect with local National Board Certified Teachers
Sessions are offered in Anchorage and Eagle River.
Polaris K-12, Library
Facilitated by Tara Bivins and Derry Ruyle
Tuesday 12/11/07 4:30 – 6:00 PM
Tuesday 1/8/08 4:30 – 6:00 PM
Tuesday 2/12/08 4:30 – 6:00 PM
Tuesday 4/8/08 4:30 – 6:00 PM
Ravenwood Elementary, Rm. 166
Facilitated by Teri Stover and Lisa Weight
Tuesday 12/11/07 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Tuesday 1/8/08 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Tuesday 2/12/08 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Tuesday 4/8/08 4:00 – 5:30 PM
For more information about National Board Certification, visit http://www.nbpts.org/.
(posted 11/30)
Do you enjoy seeing shows at the Center for the Performing Arts? Would you enjoy a wine tasting at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art? Is a train ride to
Whittier
more your idea of fun, or would you prefer First Friday gallery tour? Are you interested in watching Bear Tooth movies? Would you enjoy having a progressive dinner or maybe visit a brew pub for a first tap party? Would you be interested in other activities like taking a cooking class, a dancing class, hiking and skiing or watching an Aces hockey game? Would you like to join a training group to participate in a charity run?
We are seeking members who would like to organize fun, social events with your AEA colleagues. Some of the activities might be just for fun, while others could be focused around worthy causes.
A few years ago, the Communications Committee asked you to list exciting activities you’d enjoy participating in with AEA colleagues. The list of activities is too tempting to let go by the wayside. This is a fantastic way to get to know the teachers that make up your union, and perhaps meet some new friends while you’re at it.
Perhaps you’re already organizing fun things to do with your colleagues and would like to expand your invite list.
The Communications Committee would like to help you host these activities for AEA members. If you’re interested in helping plan just one event or a few, let us know and we will start the party! For ideas, questions and more information, email barber_ilona@asdk12.org
Last chance to speak up about new reading requirement
(posted 10/29)
November 9 at 4 p.m. is the deadline for sending in written comments about a controversial new reading requirement proposed for all certificated members across
Alaska
. The proposal was put forward by the state Board of Education and Early Development and is a one-size-fits-all program called Alaska Reading. The three-credit course would simply add another barrier to attracting quality teachers to
Anchorage
—and keeping the ones we’ve got.
Questions? Contact UniServ Director Mark Jones at mark.jones@neaalaska.org
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Commissioner’s Office, Department of Education & Early Development, ATTN: Regulations Review,
801 West Tenth Street, Suite 200, PO Box 110500
,
Juneau
,
Alaska
99811-0500
. Comments may also be submitted via fax, (907) 465-4156, or via the Internet, at http://www.eed.state.ak.us. Comments must be received no later than 4 p.m., November 9, 2007.
(posted 10/29)
Not only are teachers new to the profession facing bleak retirement benefits because of Tier III, teachers who have previously worked in a different state or profession where they contributed to Social Security may see substantial cuts to the Social Security benefit they were counting on receiving. If teachers just take into consideration their own social security benefit, they could see a reduction in that benefit of up to one half of the pension they would receive from non-covered (time spent working and not contributing to social security) employment or a maximum of $340.00 if teachers retire in 2007.
(For more information see http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/wep-chart.htm)
If a teacher was also counting on spousal benefits in the event that his/her spouse passed away, these too can be severely cut. The formula for this is more complicated, but spousal benefits can be reduced to almost nothing. For more information see http://www.aarp.org/research/socialsecurity/benefits/aresearch-import-369-FS63.html#GOP3
The impact of the WEP and GPO is even greater for teachers in Tier III, as they will receive no defined benefit that they can count on and face receiving a reduced social security benefits if they leave
Alaska
and/or contribute to social security in the future.
Teachers who wish to avoid the WEP must have 30 or more years of substantial earnings under Social Security.
(posted 10/29)
It has come to AEA’s attention that some members are unsure when teachers can resign their teaching position without incurring any negative consequences. Regardless, of whether a teacher is resigning for personal reasons or retirement, the teacher must give the district notice 30 days prior to the first working day of school.
If a teacher wishes to resign any time after that, the district has to agree and accept the resignation. If the district does not support the teacher’s resignation and the teacher resigns anyway, the district can report the teacher to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission.
Should PTPC feel there are no extenuating circumstances surrounding the teacher’s resignation, the commission could suspend the teacher’s license for a period of one year.
In addition, under the new AEA-ASD Negotiated Agreement, those teachers who wish to retire at the end of this school year must give the district notice by the last working day in March. If a teacher notifies the district after this date, the teacher will have to pay for his/her June health insurance premium or be without coverage for at least the month of June or longer, until the teacher is picked by the state’s health plan.
The bottom line is that teachers need to plan their resignations and retirements very carefully and notify the district by the appropriate deadlines.
CURRENT INITIAL AND RECERTIFICATION FACTS
(posted 10/8/07)
Prior to September 2005 the requirements for an initial teaching certificate (good for 5 years) were:
- hold at least a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited
Institution of higher education
- completed or enrolled in an approved teacher preparation program
- passed a background/fingerprinting check
COSTS
- teacher preparation program
- certification fee
- background/fingerprinting check
September 29, 2005 the following additional requirements were added:
- passed a basic competency exam in reading, writing and math
(Praxis I, CBEST, or West-B) for a 3 year nonrenewable certificate
During the 3 year initial certification the following additional requirements must be met to obtain a Professional Certificate (good for 5 years):
- completion of an approved teacher preparation program from which
Either an Institutional or State Recommendation can be obtained
- completion of the required
Alaska
studies coursework
- completion of the required
Alaska
multicultural coursework
- pass a content area examination
- pass 2 performance video reviews (for certificates issued after
September 1, 2006)
COSTS
- certification fees
- competency test
- teacher preparation program (if not done prior to initial certification)
-
Alaska
studies coursework
-
Alaska
multicultural coursework
- content area examination
- performance video reviews
Current recertification renewal requirements for the Professional Certificate are:
- completion of six semester hours or nine quarter hours of credit (three
of which must be upper division or graduate credit)
COSTS
- recertification fees
- 6 semester/9 quarter hours of credit
(posted 10/8/07)
Faced with the need to expand their current health curriculum and to provide additional planning time for teachers, the
Anchorage
School District
created new positions: Health/Social Emotional Learning Specialists.
These specialists teach the Great Body Shop, usually at multiple sites. As Megan Larson, one of the new specialists, pointed out, “We all took a risk leaving our familiar classrooms and schools to accept a job that we had never done before.”
Prior to the start of school, all the specialists met at
Lake
Otis
Elementary School
on August 15, 16, and 17 to learn about what their new jobs would entail. “I have a passion for teaching health, so I was really excited at the prospect of teaching The Great Body Shop as well as the anti-bullying curriculum,” stated Larson.
“I was assigned three different schools and was eager to meet the new teachers I would be working with. I now coordinate with the school nurses, the physical education teachers, and the classroom teachers to best serve the needs of my students. I was also pleased to learn that I would affect far more students than I had in the past. I have 800 students!”
The new position satisfies the requirement of an additional half-hour of planning time per week for Elementary Classroom Teachers that AEA bargained for last year. “Classroom Teachers at my schools have responded positively about being able to count on an hour of Health or Art every week,” commented Larson. While schedules vary from building to building, some teachers can now count on having an hour block every single week.
“I am lucky to be a part of this pioneering group,” said Larson, “to be able to positively influence the health of students and staff at three different schools.”
To Improve Retirement Benefits, We Must Act
(posted 10/10/07)
Effective July 1, 2006, both TRS and PERS created a new tier for all new employees. This new tier is a defined contribution plan as opposed to defined benefit plan.
The new defined contribution plan, available to Tier III, is similar to a 401 K account. Employees know what is contributed, but they have no guarantee as to what it will be worth when its time to rely upon it for retirement – plus – there are NO health benefits.
The former defined benefit plan, sadly only available to Tier I and II employees, has a formula that guarantees a certain monthly payment one can count on for the rest of his/her life– plus – there are health benefits as well.
Senate Bill 183, filed at the end of the last legislative session, is designed to fix this inequity that is yet another impediment to attracting and retaining quality, career employees.
It is imperative that we speak with one voice in support of reversing this decision so that teachers can retire with dignity and benefits.
Contact your legislators and encourage them to support returning the retirement system to a defined contribution system. http://www.neaalaska.org/acaf/email.htm
(posted 10/8/07)
If so, now’s the time to act—tell your legislators to return
Alaska
to a secure pension system with health care for public employees.
Whether you just started your career this fall, or you’re a 25-year veteran, this warning applies to you. EVERYONE in the education family stands to lose under the state’s new retirement plan for public employees. Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions about the complex retirement issue—and what you can do to make sure your retirement benefits are there when you need them.
Q. “Defined benefit” or “defined contribution”—what’s the difference?
A. Under a defined benefit pension system, you and your school district pay into the system over the years, and when you retire you’ll have a stable and predictable monthly pension and health care benefits for the rest of your life. Teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) who were hired prior to July 1, 2006 were enrolled under this former retirement system.
Alaska
’s retirement system was widely recognized as one of the best in the country.
Starting July 1, 2006, new teachers and ESPs have been enrolled in the defined contribution plan. This is like a 401(k) plan, and when you retire, whatever you’ve accumulated in your account will be what you have to live on for the rest of your life. The experts predict that under the present contribution rates, and at anticipated salaries, you’ll long outlive your retirement saving.
Q. What about health insurance under the new defined contribution plan?
A. You must retire directly from the system to gain access to health benefits. This means if you start a career at 23, you would need to be on the job until you’re 61 (within five year of Medicare eligible age)—38 years. The new system, a Health Reimbursement Account, would likely bankrupt you with medical costs just as you’re needing good coverage more than ever.
Q. But won’t I have a Social Security check every month?
A. No teachers in
Alaska
earn Social Security benefits through their job. If you qualify for Social Security through a second job or a summer job, you won’t receive most of those Social Security benefits because of the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision (GPO/WEP) federal law. Many ESPs are in the same boat.
Q. I’m a long-time teacher, and I’m in TRS (Teacher Retirement System) Tier 1. Why should I be concerned?
A. Because when the state dismantled the defined benefit pension system and moved new hires into the 401(k)-type defined contribution plan, that closed the former system to new contributions by younger teachers and ESPs. As more of our veteran members retire, the draw-downs won’t be replenished by new money coming in. That puts a huge question mark around how secure your hard-earned retirement benefits actually are. [This answer also applied to TRS Tier 2 and PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) Tiers 1, 2, 3.]
Q. What impact does the loss of a secure retirement pension have on our schools?
A. It’s already damaging
Alaska
’s ability to attract—and keep—quality teachers and support staff. And we all know that the #1 factor in student achievement is a quality teacher in every classroom, aided by quality education support professionals.
Q. What can I do to help turn this around?
A. Contact your legislators & other elected officials—tell them how the defined contribution system hurts schools & children. Urge them to restore
Alaska
’s defined benefit pension and health care. Talk with your colleagues in school and the public to help raise awareness about this critical issue for our schools and children and our own future.
Website Redesign Request for Proposals
(posted 9/21/07)
The Anchorage Education Association is seeking a web design and web maintenance firm or practitioner to design, implement, and maintain a website to serve its membership and general public.
Open Request (PDF)
Memorandum of Agreement Reached for Teachers of Online Courses
(posted 9/4/07)
The
Anchorage
School District
and AEA have reached an agreement concerning ASD teachers teaching online courses offered to ASD students. Read the MOA here.
(posted 8/24/2007)
I hope each of you had an invigorating summer with time for yourself and your family, whether it was a vacation Outside or here in
Alaska
.
August has been a month of educational announcements, activities and changes, beginning with the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and Performance Incentive Program (PIP) results, to the departure of Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner Roger Sampson and the beginning of a new school year.
New this year for AEA members:
- 3% salary increase
- decrease in monthly health co-pay deduction
- increase in elementary planning time
- increase in emergency coverage compensation
- increase in Supplemental Education Service (SES) compensation
As a member-driven organization, we are always searching for members to serve on our committees. Please consider this an open invitation to get involved by working on one or more of the following committees:
Assault Support Budget Review
Bylaws Communications
Educational Excellence Elections
Evaluation Health Benefits
Membership Membership Engagement
Negotiations Political Action
Rights Special Education
One of AEA’s primary goals this year is to engage, communicate, and appreciate our members. The first major activity is the new-member picnic on Thursday, September 27th at
Kincaid
Park
. During this event, new members will have an opportunity to socialize with others new to the district as well as meet AEA leaders. There will be an opportunity for new members to ask questions and receive information crucial to new teachers. We will be sending out invitations soon, requesting RSVPs.
I hope each of you had an excellent beginning to the new school year. Words alone cannot express the importance of the role you play in the lives of the students, parents, and community.
(posted 8/24/2007)
Due to the Department of Retirement and Benefits latest interpretation of
2 AAC 36.890 (Alaska Administrative Code), teachers who let their teaching certificates expire or send in their renewal applications at the last minute may face new consequences that have serious financial implications.
Teachers who let their certificates lapse no longer have a grace period in which to re-certify. Once a teacher’s certificate expires, all school districts must immediately stop paying teachers their regular salary and must stop paying TRS (retirement) contributions.
What this means for
Anchorage
teachers is that they will be placed on sub pay immediately when their certificate expires. They will begin to lose days that count toward retirement credit (172 are needed for a full year of retirement credit) as well as days that count toward a year of experience (140 days are need for one year of experience).
Teachers will continue to lose days until DEED receives their complete application.
Teachers who mail their applications at the last minute may find themselves in the same boat because DEED takes five days or longer to post receipt of a completed application and issue a yellow card. Teachers whose complete applications arrive at DEED by their expiration date will be eligible for retroactive pay and TRS credit if they have been put on sub pay due to the time DEED took to process their application. In the meantime, however, they will be inconvenienced by receiving far less pay than they anticipated.
The bottom line is renew early! The Anchorage School District plans to start notifying teachers more frequently than they have in the past, beginning 90 days prior to certificate expiration dates, with follow-up notices every 30 days. However, the ultimate responsibility for having a current certificate rests with the teacher.
(Posted 8/18/2007)
Are you new to the
Anchorage
School District
? Or are you teaching a new subject or grade level? Would you like a mentor?
AEA and ASD jointly host the mentoring program for AEA members. If you are a first, second, or third year teacher, or you are new to ASD, your program or grade level, then you are eligible to request a mentor. Mentors volunteer to meet with you regularly to help you learn your program or grade level, and also support you in the day-to-day challenges that we all cope with as educators. For more information, contact Kay Bennett, 742- 3861,in the district’s TPD office.
Are you an experienced teacher who would like to mentor others?
Becoming a mentor is a great way to give back to the profession and help your peers. We need mentors from a variety of grade levels and subjects. Mentors receive training and a stipend for their service each year. If you are interested in being a mentor, contact Kay Bennett, 742-3861, in the district’s TPD office.
Are you on a plan for professional support or plan for improvement? Could you use some assistance with the process?
If so, you are eligible to request instructional coaching. Our coaching program is also sponsored by AEA and the ASD. Contact AEA member Erin Donohue by district e-mail, donohue_erin@asdk12.org, to request a coach, or find out how to become a coach.
AEA Statement on Incentive Program
(Posted 8/17/2007)
The Anchorage Education Association would like to congratulate the educators and schools that were recognized by the Department of Education for a performance incentive award.
However, the Association feels that many schools and employees are devalued by this program. Many schools make great strides with students and families, yet this form of reward does nothing to acknowledge that progress. Additionally, many schools and families struggle with far heavier social and economic constraints that are disregarded by this "performance incentive program."
For these and other reasons, the Association feels this program will be a disincentive to many schools and their hardworking staffs.
This program seems unfair to many schools who worked hard and achieved so much against amazing odds.
Ron Fuhrer
President: Anchorage Education Association
THREE (3) checks on April 13 +
no health insurance co-pay
for April/May/June
(Posted April 3, 2007)
You will receive three checks on April 13:
- Bonus of $1,100, pro rated for FTE
- Retroactive 3% salary increase from Aug 17
- April check that reflects 3% raise—with no $391 deduction for health co-pay
In addition, the AEA Board has voted to use waiver money to pay down your co-pays for May and June, so the $391 will not be deducted from those checks.
TA approved!
Congratulations, members, you did it! In a strong turnout at polling places throughout the district, you voted to approve the Tentative Agreement.
While we didn’t get everything we would have liked—nobody ever does in bargaining—we made real progress forward. This contract will make a start in getting Anchorage back up into the competitive marketplace for quality teachers.
In addition to the financial gains, we also achieved
- added planning time for elementary teachers each week, a change that will improve instruction and correct a long standing inequity between elementary and secondary teachers
- increased payment when a teacher has to give up planning time to cover a class
- removal of one step from the salary schedule, which will increase lifetime earnings
Heartfelt thanks to our excellent Bargaining Team for their dedication and perseverance.
But the real credit for achieving this TA goes to you, our members. It was your activism and involvement over the past weeks and months that really made the difference.
The last step in the bargaining process is the school board’s vote on the TA, scheduled for April 9.
