Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/99516
ACTION Legislative Starting January 8th Session WEA Government Relations Director Ken Decaria 2013-2014 school year. The issue of individual educator accountability was also worked on during the 2012 interim, and that work will continue in the 2013 interim. Please see Kathy On January 8th the Wyoming Legislature Scheurman's article on accountability will convene for the 2013 general in this issue for more information. session. During the 40-day session, the Legislature will work on many issues, School funding has not received an including school accountability, as external cost adjustment (ECA) for well as the supplemental budget. three years. Both the Joint Education The Governor has submitted his Committee and the Joint Appropriations supplemental budget to the Joint Committee have recommended that Appropriations Committee, and they there be no ECA next year. WEA has will bring their recommendations to met with the Education Coalition and the Legislature. decided to pursue an increase this year. School districts have trimmed WEA has been active in following budgets as much as possible and are the issues that affect our members. now starting to talk about cuts. We President Vetter and I have attended will work with the Education Coalition meetings of the Select Committee on on the ECA issue. Statewide Education Accountability, the SF 70 Advisory Committee, We continue to monitor issues related Joint Education Committee, Joint to the Wyoming Retirement System Appropriations Committee, and others. (WRS). WEA has worked proactively We have worked with members of the as a member of the Coalition for a Education Coalition to monitor these Healthy Retirement System to increase issues as well as to provide input. public awareness. We participated in a series of town hall meetings sponsored The Select Committee on Statewide by the coalition to help educate Educational Accountability, along with members of the WRS. Please see the the SF 70 Advisory Committee, worked article on the town hall meetings in on school accountability during the this issue for more information. interim and is drafting accountability legislation that will begin with Please consider becoming a holding schools accountable in the Legislative Contact Team (LCT) PACE WEA-PACE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION member. Local members involved on LCTs serve as a vital link to legislators by providing them information about issues important to our members. This contact should occur not only when the legislature is in session but on a year-round basis. We are lucky to live in a state where we have access to the individuals who represent us and the ability to make our positions known. Contact your local president if you are interested in serving. WEA will hold its annual ReBeL Conference (Research, Bargaining, and Lobbying) on January 27th and 28th in Cheyenne. This is a great opportunity to learn more information that can help in talking with legislators, as well as working back in your local district. If you are interested, please contact Julie Schwindt at jschwindt@nea.org or at 1-800-442-2395 ext. 103, or Ken Decaria at kdecaria@nea.org or at ext. 106. Sign up for the "WEA Legislative Update." Keep informed of what is happening during the legislative session. To sign up for the update, send an e-mail to wylegislativeupdates@ gmail.com. Thanks for all you do for Wyoming education. If you have questions, please contact me at kdecaria@nea.org. CODY ducton ssociton hots a cdidte frum Endorsed candidates had success in the 2012 general election. Overall, there were 45 endorsed candidates, and 35 were successful, for an overall success rate of 78% 91% of endorsed candidates in Wyoming Senate races won. 11 WEA-PACE-Endorsed Candidates 8 Republicans - All Won 3 Democrats - 2 Won 34 WEA-PACE-Endorsed Candidates in WY House Races 17 Republicans - All Won 17 Democrats - 8 Won 18 WINTER 2012 Winter 2012.indd 18 Nicole Tisthammer, Cody Education Association President, with Senator Hank Coe & Dave Northrup (HD 50 candidate). Senator Hank Coe and Dave Northrup. | WEAnews 12/14/12 3:24 PM