Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/229104
WEA Works To Achieve Legislative Priorities The Legislative session is fast approaching, and the Wyoming Education Association has been hard at work on behalf of all our members. WEA has been working on a pay increase for community college employees. This work started with President Kathy Vetter, Executive Director Ron Sniffin, and Government Relations Director Ken Decaria meeting with Governor Matt Mead to ask that he include an increase in his budget. Subsequently, the Governor has included $3.65 million in his proposed budget for a 2% increase over the biennium for community college employees. The Joint Appropriations Committee is now working on a budget to take to the Legislature for the 2014 Budget Session. The Governor has also included funding for community college employees to pay for increases to the contribution rate for the Wyoming Retirement System. Obtaining a K-12 external cost adjustment (ECA) is high on the list of both the WEA's and the Wyoming Education Coalition's priorities for the legislative session. Often called a "cost-of-living" adjustment, the purpose of an ECA is to adjust the amount of funding provided to school districts through the Wyoming Block Grant School Funding Model for changes in the prices of goods and services purchased by Wyoming school districts. This adjustment is the means to correct the model for inflation. No ECA has been provided since the 2008-09 school year, despite the fact that inflation in Wyoming since that time has risen an average of 14%. What has been the effect of the lack of an ECA for several years? While everyone was very appreciative of the one-time retention bonus provided to district employees by the Legislature, the reality is that in many school districts, salaries have been frozen for a significant period of time, and benefits costs have continued to rise. Worse yet, some districts have been forced to lay off or cut hours for personnel due to funding that has not kept up with inflation. Textbooks and curricula in some locales are not being updated, despite the necessity to implement revised Wyoming student content and performance standards. Similar stories have been shared regarding lack of sufficient funds to provide adequately for technology, science materials, professional development, non-core classes, and student activities. Teachers are buying supplies and books for student use out of their own pockets because of cuts to school budgets. The Joint Education Committee and the Joint Appropriations Committee have both recommended support for an ECA, and the Governor's budget message supports the JAC call for an increase to salaries. What can you do? Please contact your legislators now and urge them to support an ECA in the coming legislative session. It is important that you share with them, professionally and politely, how the lack of an ECA has personally impacted you and your students. 18 WINTER 2013 WEA has been working on a pay increase for community college employees. Obtaining a K-12 external cost adjustment (ECA) is high on the list of both the WEA's and the Wyoming Education Coalition's priorities for the legislative session. Please contact your legislators now and urge them to support an ECA in the coming legislative session. | WEAnews ICI_ 6 Winter 2013 Final.indd 18 12/12/13 3:41 PM