Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/48237
AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL T 2011 AEA Legislative Session Victories By AEA Lobbyist Jennifer Loredo he current majority at the Arizona Legislature believe that voters elect- ed them to cut government – includ- ing K-12 education. With this belief as their mantra, the AEA's "wins" are most categorized by those issues we were able to defeat in the legislative process by communicating with legislators and Governor Brewer's office and testifying in committee hearings. If the AEA had not been present at the legislature, things would have looked much dif- ferent heading into next school year. • Increased available funding to the Classroom Site Fund (Proposition 301 dollars) for the 2011-2012 school year so that the budget ca- pacity is $120 per student instead of the $94 per student level. [Enacted SB1263] • Prevented a bill from passing that would have tied Classroom Site Fund monies (Prop 301) so that performance pay dollars would be based on a scale where 50 percent was determined by student test scores on AIMS, 25 percent by academic programs, and 25 percent by teacher evaluations. [Defeated SB1603] • Preserved the right of retirees, current school employees, and future school employees to receive a permanent benefit increase to their pension. As introduced, the bill would have eliminated the ability for the Arizona State Retirement System to ever give a permanent benefit increase (similar to what some may know as a COLA). [Defeated HB2726] • Defeated a bill that required all school em- ployees' salaries and benefits to be posted 6 Winter 2011/12 ❘ AEA Advocate on the Arizona Department of Education's website. [Defeated SB1209] • Prevented additional unfunded mandates placed onto school districts such as a bill that would have required school districts to have a reading coach at every school but not pro- vided any funding to hire these professionals. [Defeated HB2419] • Defeated HB2219 as introduced which would have required each county to have a maximum of six school districts, thus forcing unification/consolidation statewide. This bill would have also required a statewide text- book adoption. • Defeated two bills which would have re- quired school district officials to serve in the capacity of a federal immigration officer by reporting on the number of students who couldn't provide proof of lawful residence. School districts would have state aid fund- ing withheld for failure to comply. [Defeated SB1407 and SB1611] • Implemented an alternative contribution rate for those who return to work. The AEA got language onto the pension reform bill that requires employers of those who hire retired employees (like Smart Schools and ESI) to pay an alternative contribution rate to the ASRS. This will allow the retirement system to remain solvent and not increase the contribu- tion rate of current workers to compensate for those who return to work. [SB1609] • Defeated an attempt to change the normal retirement age so that the only way a person could retire would be at 62 years of age plus 10 years of experience. This would have required a school employee who started working at the age of 22 to work for 40 years