ISEA

April/May 2016 isea.org • ISEA Communiqué 6 DELEGATE ASSEMBLY R101: Amend by addition: I-A1: A new item "l." Motion to read: Transportation costs should be funded outside of the current school finance formula in a separate formula designed to address the unique transportation issues of Iowa's School Districts. These costs should be funded from both state revenues and property taxes. Rationale: There is a significant difference in the transportation cost per student among school districts, due primarily to student density and distance factors. The cost of transportation ranges from $31 per pupil to $1,164 per pupil in Iowa's school districts in FY2013, which is a variance of $1,133 per student or 24.3 percent. Result: PASSED R102: Amend by addition: I-A1: a new item "m." Motion to read: Educational tax dollars should remain designated exclusively for the public school system. Rationale: Stop funding tuition assistance grants. Tax dollars need to fund the public schools. Result: PASSED R103: Amend by addition: I-B16 b: Pre-K through adult education curricula must include a balanced, comprehensive, and sequential program of fine arts instruction for all students taught by a licensed specialist in a facility or room designed and equipped for that purpose. The ratio of students to licensed specialist should never exceed 750 to 1. Rationale: School districts are cutting fine arts staff to meet the financial needs of the districts. As a result, teachers are trying to meet the educational needs of more than 1000 students in a school year. Result: FAILED R105: Amend by addition: IA1: a new item "n." Motion to read: The ISEA supports equal district cost per pupil funding for every public school student in the state of Iowa. Equal funding should be achieved without lowering any local district's DCPP. Rationale: The funding inequity has gone on for over 40 years without being addressed by the Legislature. The reason for the funding disparity is now lost in antiquity and is costing districts millions of dollars statewide that could be used to educate and transport our students. Result: PASSED R104: Amend by addition: II-A1: a new item "i." Motion to read: School districts should not be manipulating the number of minutes in a day in an hourly calendar as a cost-savings measure. Rationale: School districts are adding time to school days in order to create all-day professional days. Administrators are continuing to require after school meetings; with supervision duties, teachers are working an unreasonable number of days beyond contract time. The hourly calendar is being used to save money on cooks, paras, transportation, etc. Result: FAILED RESOLUTION FROM THE FLOOR R106: Amend by addition: I-B5: A new item "p." Motion to read: Costs for placement of students with behavioral IEPs who need services outside the school district should be assumed by the state versus individual school districts. Rationale: Current costs for additional support for these students come from a school's general fund. At West Delaware for the 14-15 school year, the total cost for one student was $52,432. This year's estimated cost for service only is between $31,000 - $36,000 for a full year. Cost of transportation and associate costs come between $13,000 - $26,000 at a combined cost of approximately $51,000. Result: FAILED The primary duty of your elected delegates is to speak for you at the Delegate Assembly. They vote on resolutions and new business items sent through the Iowa State Education Association's Resolutions & New Business Committee. Items can also come from the floor during the assembly. A resolution is an item that provides direction, does not call for direct action and has no sunset date. A formal resolution is usually prefaced with words such as: The ISEA believes ... opposes ... supports. A new business item calls for a specific action and has the life span of one year. A formal new business item usually begins with words such as: The ISEA shall study ... inform ... request ... develop. Resolutions New Business GOAL AREA II: PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES Category A1: Collective Bargaining and Contract Provisions 16-102: The ISEA will survey members to determine the consequences of the hours versus days calendars and report back to the ISEA Executive Board during its October meeting Rationale: School calendars should be designed to meet the educational needs of students and staff. The hours calendar should be evaluated to determine if it is being used appropriately and if there are any unintended consequences. Result: PASSED GOAL AREA VI: GOOD PUBLIC POLICY ISEA Opposes: New item 3: 16-105: Endorsing a specific political candidate running for public office. ISEA will inform members of all candidates' positions on multiple issues not just educational position. Rationale: ISEA membership consists of both liberals and conservatives. When ISEA endorses candidates it alienates a portion of members and potential members who do not hold the same values and beliefs of the endorsed candidate. When any organization endorses a candidate, it endorses the candidate's entire platform. ISEA should only share each candidate's positions on all issues, not just educational positions. Result: FAILED GOAL AREA II: PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES Category B: Strengthening Local Associations 16-103: The ISEA shall adopt a practice that will require membership renewal each spring at the local level. Rationale: Promoting spring membership renewal would be less disruptive to school districts and would give a better idea of what membership levels would be. The start of the school year could then be utilized to work more on recruiting potential members who have not signed up. Result: FAILED GOAL AREA II: PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES Category B: Strengthening Local Associations 16-106: The ISEA will make delegate materials for the 2017 Delegate Assembly available to delegates at least 30 days prior to the Assembly. Rationale: In order to effectively represent their local members, delegates need information prior to the Assembly with sufficient time to discuss the business of the Assembly with their members. Result: PASSED GOAL AREA I A: PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION AND ITS PROFESSIONS Category A1: School funding 16-104: The ISEA should conduct a study of the privatization of school services and how it has impacted the students and local budgets of school districts. Rationale: Many districts have moved to privatization. The school district should be the employer of services in public schools. Result: PASSED GOAL AREA II: PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES Category B: Strengthening Local Associations 16-107: The ISEA will post the ISEA Constitution, By-laws, Resolutions, Budget and current New Business Items on the members-only section of the ISEA website within the next 30 days. Those items will remain posted until the 2017 Delegate Assembly. Rationale: All ISEA members need to be informed of the governing documents and the ISEA position on issues. Result: PASSED ** Note Item 16-01 is the entire Legislative Program which can be found at www.isea.org and was printed in its entirety in the February issue of the Communique **

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