Results tagged “teacher” from EdLabor Journal

The Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, approved by the House during a rare emergency vote in early August, provides critical aid to communities struggling with budget shortfalls by supporting 319,000 American jobs in local communities, including 161,000 teacher jobs. Local news from communities across the country shows that this education funding is allowing school districts to keep teachers in the classroom.


Iowa’s Waterloo Courier reported:

“Iowa school districts will split a pot of $96.5 million in federal funding intended to save or create education jobs.

“Districts will receive monthly payments throughout the 2010-11 fiscal year starting in September or October based on enrollment. In Northeast Iowa, that means a total of $2.35 million for Waterloo Community Schools, $885,245 for Cedar Falls Schools, $386,161 for Waverly-Shell Rock, $300,669 for Independence and $134,235 for Hudson.”

The Salt Lake Tribune has similar good news to share, “The Alpine district already has added more teachers and the Provo district is paying for full-day kindergarten.”

The Austin Daily Herald of Austin, Minn. also reported that many local school teachers are able to keep their jobs due to the Congress’ action:

“More Austin Public School teachers will keep their jobs thanks to an estimated $1 million dollars in federal aid from the Education Jobs Fund.”

…

“The incoming aid helps ease the district’s projected $1 to 1.5 million deficit for next year, acting as an insurance against possible job cuts in the immediate future.”

On Friday, the Department of Education authorized $1.2 billion for California as part of the recently passed Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. That money should help return an estimated 16,500 teachers to their jobs in California.

One school district is already putting that money to good use. With their share, the Vallejo school district has the money to pay the teachers they hired back earlier this month in order to bring K-3 classes back down to 28 students.

District spokeswoman Tish Busselle said:

"The jobs bill has become a great relief because we still don't have a state budget," she said.

In early August, State Administrator Richard Damelio agreed to give 20 laid-off Vallejo teachers their jobs back as a way to prevent K-3 classes from increasing to 31 students.

All told, some 38 teachers were brought back recently, though the unresolved state budget casts uncertainty on school district funding levels.

The teachers were laid off in anticipation of state funding cuts, but were hired back just prior to the start of the new school year.

You can learn more about the emergency teacher jobs bill and see how many estimated teachers will be back in the classroom because of the efforts by Chairman Miller and the rest of the Democratic Caucus.

Last week, the House approved H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. President Obama signed the legislation into law the very same day, sending $10 billion to local school districts to prevent education layoffs and rehire teachers who had already received pink slips. The law is expected to save the jobs of 161,000 American teachers, and is already impacting communities across the county. Today’s Miami Herald reported that the Broward County School Board recently approved plans to rehire nearly 100 teachers due to the influx of federal aid:

“With days to go before classes begin, the Broward County School Board gave the OK Tuesday for its superintendent to start recalling nearly 100 laid-off teachers and other teachers whose work has been curtailed.

“Broward schools will receive about $54 million to rehire teachers and other employees, thanks to a new federal stimulus package with $10 billion earmarked for education jobs.”

Chairman Miller has been a lead congressional advocate for emergency aid to stop teacher layoffs, saying on many occasions, “We can’t allow a child’s education to become a casualty of what is happening in our economy.”

Miller proposed a $23 billion dollar emergency “Education Jobs Fund” in late 2009 and authored the Local Jobs for America Act, which would help save local communities from devastating public sector layoffs. 

Yesterday, President Obama signed H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, legislation that will prevent mass teacher layoffs, keep police and firefighters on the job, and close tax loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas. The new law will save or create 319,000 American jobs in local communities, including 161,000 teacher jobs. These much-needed funds are expected to reach the states in 45 days. Communities across the country are already celebrating the passage of this legislation:

The News-Leader of Springfield, Mo. reported:

“The bill would send Missouri $292 million for Medicaid and $189.7 million to help cash-strapped schools rehire staff or prevent future layoffs. The education funding will save 3,000 jobs statewide and more than 1,200 in the 4th, 7th and 8th congressional districts. The Medicaid funding would help states meet other budget needs, such as keeping thousands of police officers, nurses and other public workers employed.”

Montana’s Great Falls Tribune passed on similar news:

“Montana will receive $38 million in Medicaid funding and $30.7 million to avoid layoffs, mostly of K-12 teachers, from the bill. The U.S. Education Department estimates that the money will save about 700 teachers' jobs in Montana.”

California’s Coachella Valley will also benefit greatly, according to The Desert Sun:

“Valley schools may be able to rehire teachers and shrink the size of classes when school starts now that a $26 billion jobs bill has become law.

“‘I guess there is such a thing as Christmas in August,’ said Ricardo Medina, superintendent of Coachella Valley Unified School District.”

Chairman Miller appeared on MSNBC yesterday morning to voice his passionate support for the legislation and discuss why job creation is vital to the economic recovery:

“What we’re talking about is creating jobs for teachers, for firemen, for police, for nurses – the people that hold our public spaces together in this country. And we should not have our children lose a year’s education because the Republicans refuse to create jobs.

“And you know what they call teachers and firemen and nurses and policemen with jobs? You know what small businesses call them? They call them customers.”

Chairman Miller spoke passionately on the floor of the House of Representatives about the importance of H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act because he believes that “with this vote today, we’re taking decisive action to prevent our children from becoming victims of this economy by ensuring more teachers remain in the classroom. This legislation won’t save every job but it will certainly provide much-needed relief and a critical lifeline to schools. It was the right decision to come back to Washington to take this important vote."

“It’s not the first time this Congress has voted to support jobs, teachers and the future of this country. And we are not done working to rescue this economy. Sadly, it is also not the first time Republicans have voted against jobs and against assistance for families across the country.”

Later today, the House will vote on H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. It provides $10 billion for additional support to local school districts to prevent imminent layoffs. The latest estimates from the Department of Education are that this fund will help keep 161,000 educators employed this coming school year. It pays for these additional funds by closing loopholes that encourage corporations to ship jobs overseas.

Last week, the Washington Post editorial board didn't think it was important to save teacher jobs. In Chairman Miller's letter to the editor  today, he sets them straight about the importance of saving teacher jobs:

It is disappointing that The Post's editorial board, which consistently supports school reform, opposes efforts to keep teachers in the classroom by way of a $10 billion education jobs package ["Throwing money at education," editorial, Aug. 6]. Across the country, damaging budget cuts have forced school districts to lay off hundreds of thousands of employees, shorten school years and increase class sizes -- to the detriment of students. All of these decisions were based on decreased revenue, largely due to the financial crisis that was no fault of any principal, teacher or student. 

This emergency investment in our schools will save teacher jobs and keep students in their classrooms, learning, growing and succeeding. If we were to take the path suggested by The Post, we would let our schools suffer, stifle our students' futures and reverse the progress made in schools under the Obama administration. Congress won't let that happen.

This morning Chairman Miller appeared on MSNBC to explain why the House is returning from its 6-week district work period to vote on this important piece of legislation. Watch him after the jump:

The House will reconvene for a rare August vote today to approve H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, and send it to President Obama for his signature.  The bill is expected to save approximately 161,000 teacher jobs nationwide.

This morning Chairman Miller appeared on MSNBC to explain why the House is returning from its 6-week district work period to vote on this important piece of legislation.

Chairman Miller also wrote a letter to the editor about the importance of saving teacher jobs.

After the Senate passed the measure last week, Chairman Miller said:

“I applaud the Senate for passing this emergency legislation that protects not only our teacher jobs but our economic competitiveness. Next week, my colleagues and I in the House will return to Washington to take this important vote -- a vote we’ve taken twice already in the House -- to keep thousands of teachers in their jobs. We need this bill to ensure our teachers remain in the classroom and our students continue to learn. It’s clear our students, our teachers and our country will reap the benefits of our decisive action. This investment will save jobs and help prevent districts from shortening the school year, increasing class sizes and closing libraries in the wake of horrific and damaging budget cuts. While this latest round of funding isn’t enough to avert all layoffs, it is a critical investment in our children and in our future.”

Based on analysis from the Council of Economic Advisors of projected State budget shortfalls for FY 2011, we estimated that as many as 100,000 to 300,000 education jobs could be at risk across the country in the upcoming school year.

We know States and districts are working hard to find ways to minimize job losses and keep cuts away from classrooms, but some are making cuts that we know will have an impact on kids. Furlough days, cutting after school programs, and cutting or reducing summer school are some of the tough choices being made when we know we need to be expanding learning time.

We also know these job losses would ripple through the wider economy and undercut ongoing efforts to create jobs.

That is why the House will take a rare August vote to pass this legislation and send it to President Obama for his signature prior to the start of the new school year.

See below the fold for a table of each state's allocation and an estimation of teacher jobs saved. [Updated to reflect new projection on August 9, 2010]

Huffington Post highlights the plight faced by local communities all across the country tightening budgets and decreasing local tax revenue. Students Fight To Make Sure Their Teachers Aren't Fired details the grassroot efforts by a community in California that is trying to ensure their favorites aren't laid off at the end of the school year.

Tonight, in a little strip-mall office next to the local Safeway, a teenage student from Alameda, California will spend the evening dialing up strangers to make an earnest request: please save my school.

The budget ax is about to fall on this Bay Area city. Seven million dollars in K-12 education cuts are planned this year, nearly $10 million will be lopped off next year, and a massive $17 million cut looms in 2012. A few weeks ago, Alameda's Board of Education handed out pink slips to 130 teachers, administrators and staff.

"This is the worst yet," said Superintendent Kirsten Vital, a 20-year veteran of California's education system. "I've never seen anything like it."

The AP reports that high school students face hard lesson in economics due to increasing cuts in teachers, programs and other important school staff.

Across the country, mass layoffs of teachers, counselors and other staff members — caused in part by the drying up of federal stimulus dollars — are leading to larger classes and reductions in everything that is not a core subject, including music, art, clubs, sports and other after-school activities.

Educators and others worry the cuts could lead to higher dropout rates and lower college attendance as students receive less guidance and become less engaged in school. They fear a generation of young people could be left behind.

...

"Literally tens of millions of students will experience these budget cuts in one way or another," said Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who is urging Congress to provide another round of emergency funding for schools. "If we do not help avert this state and local budget crisis, we could impede reform and fail another generation of children."

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has introduced legislation that would create a $23 billion fund to help schools retain teachers, principals and other staff members. The fate of the bill is uncertain.

The American Association of School Administrators estimates that 275,000 education jobs will be cut in the coming school year, based on an April survey. Other AASA surveys found that 52 percent of administrators plan to cut extracurricular activities, and 51 percent are reducing elective courses not required for graduation.

As Chairman Miller said, "Our responsibility to keep the economic recovery moving forward has not ended. That’s why I introduced the Local Jobs for America Act (H.R. 4812) earlier this year. It will create up to a million jobs quickly in both the public and private sectors and help restore vital services that families rely on. I am pleased to see so many of my colleagues support this legislation and that Senator Sherrod Brown announced he will be introducing a companion bill in the Senate.”

Today, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs issued the following statement, emphasizing the President’s emphatic support for emergency legislation to help prevent teacher layoffs and create and save 300,000 education jobs.

“As the House prepares to vote on the emergency spending bill today, communities across this country are facing an education crisis with hundreds of thousands of teachers at all levels at risk of losing their jobs.The President shares the concern of millions of Americans  that cuts to state and local budgets are forcing states and localities to cut education spending drastically, impacting the learning and growth of our nation’s children. While some states may not feel the impact yet, there are thousands of teachers who will receive pink slips in the coming months.  The President strongly supports targeted aid focused on preventing these  teacher layoffs in order to stem the education crisis.”

The House Appropriations Committee will vote on the legislation later today. [Note: This vote was postponed.]

U.S. Rep. George Miller, chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, and a lead champion to help save teacher jobs, applauded the White House for their clear message.

“The President knows the desperate situation in our schools. He knows the cost of inaction for our schools, our teachers, our students, our families and our communities. Today, he’s sent us the clear message that Congress has to act now to help prevent these layoffs that would punish teachers, devastate communities and set back the significant progress out students are making in school. ”

Yesterday, the White House released state-by-state estimates of the number of jobs that will be saved or created through the $23 billion Education Jobs Fund.

View the state-by-state job estimates.

View the White House fact sheet, “Keep Our Teachers Working”

Teacher job crisis looming

The American Association of School Administrators recently estimated that budget cuts will leave 275,000 educators out of work in the 2010-11 school year. In addition, Dr. Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute estimates that for every 100,000 education jobs lost, 30,000 jobs will be lost in other sectors because of the lost spending by schools and the laid-off educators.  A loss of 275,000 education jobs would translate into more than 82,000 job cuts in other industries.

Committee Chairman Miller: “Teacher layoffs threaten our economic recovery and long-term stability at every level. Our teachers can’t afford to lose their jobs, our children can’t afford to lose a year of learning, and our nation can’t afford to stall the progress we’ve made to get our economy back on track.”

Watch Chairman Miller speak about investing in education jobs through the Local Jobs for America Act at a press event:



Local Jobs for America Act can help

The Local Jobs for America Act, introduced earlier this year, would invest $75 billion directly in local communities to save and create jobs in both the public and private sectors and restore vital services that families rely on.  The bill also includes an additional $24 billion investment to support 250,000 education-related jobs, including teachers, janitors, cafeteria workers, guidance counselors and principals.


In related news: yesterday, on National Teacher Day, the Committee held a hearing to examine how to best support teachers and leaders in schools. Studies show that teachers are the single most important factor in affecting student achievement.

CNN reports that more than 80% of school districts to cut jobs. According to the article, "a total of 275,000 education jobs are expected to be cut in 2011." The Local Jobs for America Act contains $23 billion this year to help states support 250,000 education jobs. It also contains $75 billion over two years to local communities to hire vital staff, funding for 50,000 on-the-job private-sector training positions, $1.18 billion to put 5,500 law enforcement officers on the beat and $500 million to retain, rehire, and hire firefighters, plus many other benefits.

Read the entire article at CNNMoney.com or after the jump.

UPDATED: The American Association of School Administrators have posted their report. According to the press release, "Cutting 275,000 education jobs would deal a devastating blow to public education and will have a negative effect on economic recovery. Dr. Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute told AASA, ‘Every 100,000 education jobs lost will be roughly 30,000 jobs lost in other sectors due to the lost spending by schools and those laid off.’"

Last night the House passed the Jobs for Main Street Act. It makes a a $23 billion investment in a State Education Jobs fund that will be distributed by formula to states. This sort of backstop is vital because of stories like that faced by Prince George's County schools in Maryland.

According to the Washington Post:

Hundreds of jobs would be eliminated, furloughs would be imposed and student-teacher ratios would increase in many grades under a $1.67 billion budget for 2010-11 proposed by the Prince George's County superintendent Wednesday night.

...

The budget calls for $42.5 million less in spending than this year's plan. Although spending would increase for some purposes -- such as the addition of 75 positions to staff four new schools -- the budget contains about $110 million in cuts, including the elimination of 490 positions.

The Jobs for Main Street Act would provide money for teachers and programs within early education, K-12, and higher education. Some money could go toward school facilities. Districts are required to use the funds for compensation and benefits and services related to school modernization, renovation, and repair.

As Alyson Klein at Education Week's blog, Politics K-12, says:

-States can't use education jobs money to replenish their rainy day and reserve funds, directly or indirectly, according to the bill. So no supplanting!

-States can't use any more than 5 percent of the money for administrative purposes, including to retain or create jobs at the state higher education agency.

-There's no governor's fund that can be used for education, but also for public safety and other purposes. It's all education, all the time.

The measure also includes an additional $4.1 billion for school construction bonds. The stimulus had over $20 billion for the bonds, and so far, they have proved very popular.

Learn more about the Jobs for Main Street Act or watch Chairman Miller's Floor Statement in Support of the Jobs for Main Street Act.

Rep. George Miller, chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, speaks passionately about the need to pass the Jobs for Main Street Act on the House floor on December 16, 2009.


Learn more about the Jobs for Main Street Act and how it will create additional jobs for construction workers, teachers, police officers, firefighters and others, and extend critical assistance for the unemployed and people who have lost health insurance.