Wyoming Education Association

Spring 2014

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SPRING 2014 | wyoea.org SPRING 2014 | WEAnews 14 ACTION 2014 Legislative Update The 2014 Legislative Budget Session is over. The Wyoming Education Association worked to increase funding for K-12 and community colleges while following over 60 pieces of legislation. All this took place in a session where legislators worked under uncertainty of what course to take after the Wyoming Supreme Court decision on the powers of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. "Even though there were controversial issues, we continued to work well with legislators," said WEA Government Relations Director Ken Decaria. "Our interactions with legislators were open and positive. Even when we had different positions the interactions were professional." Other issues that were important to the members of the Wyoming Education Association were discussed as well. Bills dealing with content and performance standards, cameras on school busses, alternative schools, and changes to the Hathaway Scholarship Program were debated and voted on. Bills on school and educator accountability were not acted on. It is anticipated that those discussions will take place in a special session of the Wyoming Legislature. The special session will be to decide what course of action to take after the Wyoming Supreme Court decision on SF 104 from the 2013 session. Members of the Joint Education Committee will work on a course of action to recommend to the Legislative Management Council, who will decide whether and when to hold a special session. Decaria was the main point person on the WEA Legislative Action Team, along with President Kathy Vetter, Executive Director Ron Sniffin, Professional Issues Director Kathy Scheurman, and Communications Director Coleen Haines. Through their efforts, this team lobbied on important issues of interest to members and monitored the progress of all pertinent legislation. The Legislative Action Team faced many challenges during this session, but overall it was one of success. One important success was ensuring that increases in funding for K-12 and Wyoming community colleges were passed. The Legislative Action Team worked along with our Retirement Coalition partners on HB 46-"Public Employee Pension Plans-Contributions." Working together, the team and the rest of the coalition talked to legislators about providing additional funding for the Wyoming State Retirement System. Even though the session has come to an end, the work is far from over. A great deal of important work will happen during the interim, and the WEA Legislative Action Team will be following those discussions closely. The Select Committee on Education Accountability, along with the Advisory Committee, will continue working on education accountability. Additionally, the Joint Education Interim Committee will be working on the legislative response to SF 104 litigation, review of duties and processes of the State Board of Education, school safety and security, and early childhood education. 2014 is an election year, and WEA will also be working on recruiting and electing education-friendly candidates for statewide and legislative races. Offering many thanks to those that helped lobby on behalf of WEA and the issues it followed, Decaria concluded, "Our association would not have been able to achieve what we did without your help. Together we made a positive difference." If you have any questions regarding any legislation from this session or would like any further information, please contact WEA Government Relations Director, Ken Decaria at kdecaria@nea.org. Higher Education to See Increased Salaries The Budget Bill passed by the 2014 Legislature and signed by Governor Mead includes $3.3 million over the biennium for raises for community college employees, payable in two installments no later than 7/5/14 and 7/5/15. WEA is pleased that community colleges will also receive an additional $14.3 million, to be distributed to the colleges in direct proportion which the number of class completions for the prior School Year at each college bears to the total number of class completions among all colleges for the prior school year. The Still-Undecided Future of Ed Management in Wyoming ACTION by WEA Government Relations Director Ken Decaria Spring 2014 working.indd 14 3/14/14 4:31 PM

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