Teachers; date changes for contract renewal for those without continuing contract status. (SB278)

Introduced By

Sen. Ralph Smith (R-Roanoke)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Teachers without continuing contract status.  Shifts the date of effective contract renewal for those teachers without continuing contract status from April 15 to June 15. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/10/2012Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/12
01/10/2012Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/12 12102526D
01/10/2012Referred to Committee on Education and Health
01/19/2012Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/20/2012Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/23/2012Read second time and engrossed
01/24/2012Read third time and passed Senate (28-Y 12-N) (see vote tally)
01/24/2012Reconsideration of passage agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/24/2012Passed by for the day
01/25/2012Read third time and passed Senate (28-Y 11-N) (see vote tally)
02/13/2012Placed on Calendar
02/13/2012Read first time
02/13/2012Referred to Committee on Education
02/15/2012Reported from Education (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2012Read second time
02/17/2012Read third time
02/17/2012Passed House (65-Y 33-N)
02/17/2012VOTE: PASSAGE (65-Y 33-N) (see vote tally)
02/21/2012Enrolled
02/21/2012Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB278ER)
02/21/2012Signed by Speaker
02/22/2012Impact statement from DPB (SB278ER)
02/22/2012Signed by President
03/06/2012G Approved by Governor-Chapter 106 (effective 7/1/12)
03/06/2012G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0106)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 2 minutes.

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: HB76.

Comments

Shang Stanley writes:

Of all those that are currently voting in Richmond Putney's ideal for an increase in the Sales Tax was the most Appropriate. It would require payment from everyone more than attacking one group with increase taxes. When they bring forth any other taxes such as against tobacco you should call this Discrimination and remind them that Putney's proposal would have attached to everyone and everyone should pay their part not just the few!

What I am writing to you about is the issue of spending for Schools and the VRS. Only 25% of contributors in the VRS are bonafide State Emplyeees. The rest are Local Employees Mostly Teachers that contribute 50% less than State Employees but get paid more than most and draw out the same amount??? Does it make sense that a retired teacher paid in less than State Employees but gets the same withdraw at retirement???

Then there is the issue that State Paying Localities share for Teachers, Local Social Service employees, and Law Enforcement... the Localities get the money and actually take some of it - contributing only a portion to the VRS and allocating the rest to what ever they desire.. this adds to the above paragraph's issue.

From 2003 to 2007 there was an influx of Federal Funds - Matched by State Funds - let's call this Welfare for the Education - If we expect the Federal Government to reduce over head - If the Commonwealth of Virginia's Own Departments have made cuts and deprived State Employees then we also need to DEMAND Local Governments to be Fiscally responsible!

The more money was made available the more they created positions, the more they spent on technology...... and now the Local Governments have this higher standard of living based on this WELFARE!!!!

I would like for you above all to educate the General Public and General Assembly on Teacher Pay in Virginia. I have as a Parent done the math and I am saddened by the resulting Calculations! I am basing this on Bedford County.

The Average Tax Payer works 2,048 hours per year. This accounts for at minimum 5 employer observed Holidays.
@ $7.25 per hour = $14,848 if it were salaried
@ $10 per hour = $20,480 if it were salaried
@ $15 per hour = $30,720 if it were salaried

Average medical cost per employee average $1,260 per year
Contributions to Retirement by Employer ususally $0.00 to matching funds by 0.04 multiplier in 401K

In Bedford Virginia Starting Salary of a Teacher is averaged at about $43,000 plus the expense of Healthcare at $1,260 per year - and $9,600 in contributions to the VRS (retirement not deducted from the salary but contributed by employer and can be taken by employee at end of employment. In many case this is paid out of the General Assemblies budgeting for the State to Pay the Counties.

Based upon the current School Calendar unless a teacher requests to work outside of the standard school year plan (summer school employment) for which they will receive additional compensation on a seperate contract - the most a teacher in Bedford County Virginia will work for the school year 2011-2012 is 1255 hours. Compare this to the above reuglar citizen.

A School day is 7 hours including lunch - 8:55 til 3:55 at Liberty High School and I have personally observed as has other parents teachers arriving just minutes before and leaving with the students.

This means that the average hourly wage of a beginning Teacher in Bedford Virginia Working August 9th thru August June 9 if atending the Graduation ceremony (90% don't) is 181 days given that the rest of the year can mean lost time due to weather or emergency closings.

Avergae hourly wage for Teachers in Bedford Virginia not counting medical contributions;

$43,000 + $9,600 = $52,600 divided by 1255 hours = $41.91 per hour

This is four weeks off during the school year, of which two periods of over week straight off plus major State/Federally Observed Holidays and a multitude of Teacher Work Days that they do not have to leave home for..

That means there are still 185 days left in a 365 day year to seek other employment during your 185 days if your pay isn't enough...

Now the taking work home theory is out of the water - maybe 20 years ago but now most work is performed by internet text books with quizes on line that are graded by the computer system - work performed in writing is graded as a class affair where students swap work and grade each others or the teachers do no take in up or check it at all they just review the answers.. verified in conversations with numerous other parents and students including my own child....

Where else can you get a multitude of vacation time during a work period at almost $42 an hour and still have 185 days to do what ever - and they scream for more money - Bedford's County's Report Card from the State shows a deficiency in student grades going down 5% every year see..

https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/

Many have become Teachers and decided it is not for them and now are stuck in the current economy from seeking oter opportunities. These people that are still teaching to keep a job but don't like it are dragging students down. It's time the General Assembly looks at Salaried Positions the same as Public Jobs in the means of Hourly Pay...

Please, feel free to send this around to others in the General Assembly. It is time we support a year to year contract and pull the NEA and Teacher's Unions Teeth!

This goes for Local Social Services as well!!!!!!!!! The State lists them as Quasi-State Employees for the purpose of giving money to the Localities to be contributed to the VRS. It needs to stop and local government employees need to contribute out of their own EARNINGS!!!

Every Year thousands of people are graduating College looking to become a teacher - there is NO shortage of Teachers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cindy McKinney writes:

I teach in Bedford County. Your numbers are very WRONG. This is my 19th year of teaching and I have a master's degree. I make less than $43,000 per year. The average salary is comprised of administrators' salaries, too! I can guarantee you that NO beginning teacher makes close to that amount of money.

As for the number of hours: You're completely misled. Teachers work from home almost every night and/or weekend. I spend at least 4 hours every Sunday doing lesson plans. I grade papers almost every night. Our day does not have a contracted time. In fact, we have a lot of meetings after the school day has ended (including PTA and occasional Saturday events). My students' parents can tell you that I respond to their e-mails during the evening hours from home, also.

Bedford County teachers have not gotten a raise for more than 3 years (except last year we got a 0.75% increase --- and that doesn't buy a tank of gas each month). As far as getting other jobs.......Many of us have had to find part-time employment even though it has been HIGHLY DISCOURAGED by administration. Some of us LOVE teaching students, and it is really hard to judge our performance when class sizes have dramatically increased during the last couple of years.

I suggest that you actually talk with teachers and find out how much we do AFTER the school day has ended. My husband learned really fast!