Dear Dedicated Educators, Thank you for your outstanding service to our community and schools! Please know that our community appreciates your time and talent spent teaching our children every single day. We have learned at the legislature that very few officials are willing to show humility when working on policies. As members of the Suburban Solutions Caucus, we know it is important to include the expertise and experience of educators, counselors, paraprofessionals, and more in our work to create good policy. Based on your feedback, below is an update on bills we have put forward to address some of your priorities and provide fixes to bills that created struggles for you in your everyday role. Amplifying Your Voice: Boots On The Ground Bill Several policies passed last year demonstrate the lack of listening to our “Boots On The Ground” educators. We heard that we need a way to increase your voice, experience, and ideas in the work that we do to support you, our children, and our schools. House File 4352 would require any Representative or Senator that sits on an education committee to spend 12 hours inside a classroom observing educators and/or administrators. The purpose of this bill is to ensure legislators are accountable and understand from your perspective what you need to be successful, and the impact policies have in our schools. School Safety: Student Discipline Solutions Bill House File 4238 is a bill that trusts local educators to make decisions to maintain a positive learning and teaching environment. Schools would no longer be limited to non-exclusionary practices which lead to more classroom disruptions. The bill respects that schools need effective tools to safely deal with reinstating students in grades K-3 in instances where a safety risk occurs and work with families on pupil withdrawal agreements. These are common sense steps to further ensure our schools are safe that allow teachers to teach and students to learn. Pension Bill Update: 62/30 We recently had a bill hearing House File 3808 that creates a rule for career educators to retire with full benefits at 62 years of age and 30 years of service. This bill creates a career rule and makes the first step toward recruiting and retaining teachers. Once we pass this, we can then begin to find ways to address the challenges for teachers who may not be able to hit that threshold. Pension funding has not been a priority at the legislature, so this benefit enhancement is funded with a 1% increase in member salary. However, teachers would be able to retire at 62 without penalties. Here is how it may impact you:  Thank you for continuing to trust us. Thank you for sharing what works in your classrooms and what doesn’t. As members of the Suburban Solutions Caucus, we do our best to listen and recognize that one-size does not fit all and that we need to work even harder to provide the flexibility for schools to meet the needs of their teachers and students. We want to amplify your voice at that the Capitol, so please continue to share your thoughts and priorities. Together, we can support our schools and the vital work you do for the next generation. Please reach out by email or by phone/text at 612-615-8444 anytime. |