Previous Updates
CTL ELECTIONS!
March 30, 2012
Nominations Open Now for Councils on Teaching and Learning! The Councils on Teaching and Learning are currently accepting nominations for all positions on the Elementary, Middle, and High School Councils. Nominations will take place between March 26, 2012 and April 20, 2012. The election will take place between May 7, 20102 and May 21, 2012. Election results will be posted on June 8, 2012 on this website and on the MCEA Forum in MCPS Outlook. Submit Nomination Forms to Paulette Jackson, pjackson@mceanea.org online only. Click here for nomination forms and additional information.
Primary Elections: Early Voting Now Open
March 26, 2012
Early voting for the April 3 primary is now open. Early voting will continue through Thursday. Click here for all the details.
Retirement Application Deadlines Approaching
MCEA members retiring July 1, 2012, must submit all retirement application forms to ERSC by March 30, 2012, to be eligible for payment of 30 percent of their earned unused sick leave balance. Submitting your retirement forms after March 30 will result in sick leave payout at 25 percent. Click here for more detail.
Primary Elections: April 3
March 14, 2012
Maryland's primary election is Tuesday April 3. MCEA, through its candidate recommendation process, is recommending for the Board of Education: Chris Barclay in District 4, Phil Kauffman for an At-Large seat, and Jeanne Ellinport and Fred Evans in District 2. You can read about MCEA's recommendation process here and you can see the candidate's responses to our questionnaire here.
Click here for Early Voting details and locations.
Click here for "No Excuses" voting by mail.
Apple Ballot volunteers are needed. Click here to volunteer.
MCEA yard sign campaign continues
You've seen our signs all over the county. Great Schools = Great Neighborhoods. Look for our new signs Support Our Students: Support Our Schools. Read about the importance of protecting school funding here and then you can contact your County Council member and your state legislators to tell them to keep our schools as a top priority and protect school funding.
MCEA President responds to Washington Post editorial
March 8, 2012
Click here to read Doug Prouty's response to the Post's recent editorial about the proposed fix to the state's Maintenance of Effort school funding law.
Transfer season information
Click here to read about the upcoming open season for transfers
MCEA campaign to protect school funding
February 7, 2012
You've seen our signs all over the county. Great Schools = Great Neighborhoods. Read about the importance of protecting school funding here and then you can contact your County Council member and your state legislators to tell them to keep our schools as a top priority and protect school funding.
MCEA's Board of Education election recommendations
February 7, 2012
MCEA, through its candidate recommendation process, is endorsing for the Board of Education: Chris Barclay in District 4, Phil Kauffman for an At-Large seat, and Jeanne Ellinport and Fred Evans in District 2. You can read about MCEA’s recommendation process here and you can see the candidate’s responses to our questionnaire here.
A comprehensive fix for Maintenance of Effort
January 30, 2012
The General Assembly must fix the broken Maintenance of Effort law to ensure full and stable funding for our schools. Without a fix, our schools stand to lose millions of dollars in funding. Click here see MSEA's plan for a comprehensive fix of the MOE law.
Pension Shift Threatens Education Funding
January 23, 2012
See MSEA's position on the potential shifting of teacher pensions on to the counties and what impact it could have on school funding. Click here to read more.
MCEA President Doug Prouty testifies before the Board of Education
January 19, 2012
Click here to read his remarks.
Check out these Members Only insurance opportunities
January 18, 2012
Click here for information on members only benefits opportunities on insurance plans offered through American Fidelity Assurance Company.
Teacher Leadership Development Symposium
January 10, 2012
MCEA is continuing its Teacher Leadership Development Symposium on February 1.The various sessions will help educators develop their leadership potential and skills. The symposium is divided into morning and afternoon sessions. Click here for detailed information and registration instructions.
MCEA Town Hall Meetings are in full swing!
December 9, 2011
MCEA members have met with legislators from four districts this week to talk about education funding and we will be holding meetings in the remaining districts December 12-15. Check our calendar for locations and got to our Facebook page, facebook.com/montgomeryteachers to see the photos of our members in action. Get to meeting a let our legislators hear you.
Chilled by the wage freeze?
November 29, 2011
Come to a town hall meeting in your neighborhood to speak with your state legislators and see where they stand on improving school funding. Click here for a schedule of the upcoming meetings and information on how to RSVP.
Donate to the Union Community Fund
November 14, 2011
When making the decision on your charitable donations this year, don’t forget the Union Community Fund, a charitable campaign focused on meeting the human service needs of working families. Click here to read more and see how to donate.
Below Video: Laurie-Anne Sayles, a member of the Community Action Board presents some startling information about the needy in Montgomery County.
Want to quit smoking for good?
November 3, 2011
Quit for Good is a free eight-week tobacco cessation program offered to all MCPS employees, click here for more information.
MCEA in the Community
November 1, 2011
This fall MCEA members were out and about at various community events around the county. These teachers engaged the community by handing out apples, giving tips on handling back to school nights and the importance of the County Council fully funding their share of the school system budget. Being out on Saturdays and Sundays, MCEA members showed their dedication to working to improve learning conditions for their students and teaching conditions for their colleagues. A highlight of the events was the raffling off of an iPad 2. Karen Corkery of Bethesda was our lucky winner! You can see pictures from our events here.
MSEA Convention Update
October 25, 2011
Over 85 delegates from MCEA spent the weekend in Ocean City, working on setting the path for MSEA for the next year. The focus was on fixing the maintenance of effort law and improving school funding in Maryland. Click here to read more.
MCEA Movie Night: “American Teacher”
September 26, 2011
MCEA will be holding an exclusive screening of this film on October 12. The film, narrated by Matt Damon, explores our educational crisis as seen through the eyes and experiences of teachers. There will be two showings at 5 PM and 7 PM with discussion to follow. Check out the trailer below. Reserve your spot by contacting Kiwana-Williams-Hall at 301-294-6232 or KHall@mceanea.org
What You Should Know About School Funding
September 19, 2011
This year, MCPS received $71 million more in state education aid, yet the MCPS budget only increased by $30 million. Why? The County Government used the increase in state aid to cover a cut in local funding for our schools; diverting those funds for non-education purposes.
Over the last three years, state funding for MCPS has increased by $160 million, but Montgomery County has cut its local funding for MCPS by $144 million.
Click here to read about how to help improve school funding in Montgomery County.
Meet MCEA in Your Community
September 13, 2011
MCEA members are hosting information tables at local community festivals all across the county. Stop by our booth at any of the following upcoming events, and get free apples – fresh from the orchard!.
While you are there, fill out a free raffle ticket and you may win a brand new Apple iPad2*! We’re also handing out back-to-school tips for parents and information on school funding and student achievement.
* Sunday Sept. 18th – Celebrate Gaithersburg Day
* Saturday Sept. 24th – Burtonsville Day Celebration
* Saturday Oct. 1st – Germantown Oktoberfest
* Wednesday Oct. 5th – Olney Community Night
* Sunday Oct. 9th – Kentlands Day
*Must be 18 to win. Drawing will be held on October 10.
Registration for McDaniel College Equity Certificate now open.
September 8, 2011
McDaniel College and MCEA partner to offer the Equity and Excellence in Education Certificate Program Registration is now open. Click here for a flyer describing this innovative new program. Click here for more details on this 15 credit graduate certificate program.
MCEA’s Tips For Parents
September 8, 2011
Parents - Get the most out of Back to School nights with these tips for meeting your child’s teachers. You can also find out how you can support the movement to improve and secure school funding to help ensure your child’s continued quality education.
Montgomery County Educators
Organize Grade-Ins
June 8, 2011
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On May 14, 2011 more than 300 teachers converged on malls across Montgomery County in the largest such “Grade In” action yet, in what is becoming a growing national movement by teachers. Wearing T-shirts proudly proclaiming “Teacher at Work”, the educators came together en masse in the food courts at Wheaton Plaza Mall in Wheaton Maryland, Montgomery Mall in Bethesda Maryland, and Lake Forest Mall in Gaithersburg Maryland. Placing table tent cards on their tables reading “I teach at _______, ask me what I’m doing” – the teachers pulled out stacks of papers to grade and got to work.
Rather than working in isolation at home – as they normally do on weekends – these teachers came together to work with one another, and to engage the public in discussions about the work of teachers and the needs of our schools. It was the first such coordinated action at multiple sites simultaneously.
This action came on the eve of critical votes by the Montgomery County Council on next year’s school budget. Despite Montgomery County’s longstanding commitment to its schools, the County Council did indeed make drastic cuts in the school budget.
“Our state delegates fought hard to win an increase of $65 million in state aid for public schools in Montgomery County”, explained teacher union president Doug Prouty. “But hard as it is to believe, the Montgomery County Council did not increase the school budget by $65 million. If I were a state legislator, I’d be pretty upset. And as a county resident and parent of an MCPS student, I’m pretty upset as well. State education aid should be spent on education. I don’t understand why that is even in question”.
Similar Grade-Ins have been held across the country: in New Jersey, in Wisconsin, and Michigan and nearby Carroll County. A nascent website (http://www.gradein.org/) has been launched to help teachers everywhere in planning similar actions. At a time when teachers and all public employees are increasingly under attack, and school budgets are being slashed, these Grade-Ins are spreading across the country as a means for teachers to re-engage with the public about the importance of funding our schools.
Participating members were asked for their feedback and clearly had a very positive experience. One member shared, "I thought it was amazing to see so many purple shirts sitting together working. It was work I would have done anyway, but being with colleagues made it less isolating and it gave me validation that we do work many, many hours overtime for the betterment of our students. Another teacher said that her husband wanted a T-shirt that reads, "Lonely Spouse of a Teacher" since he spends so many weekend hours alone while I do school work!
For more information, press coverage and pictures, go to: http://mcealeads.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html
Book Talk in honor of Asian/Pacific Heritage Month
May 10, 2011
The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) Minority Affairs Committee (MAC) and the Asian American Education Association (AAEA) will be hosting a Book Talk in honor of Asian/Pacific Heritage Month on Wednesday, May 25th, 2011. The event will be held at the MCEA Conference Center (12 Taft Court, Rockville). The event will take place from 5:00 - 7:30 pm.
Our topic will be “Engaging and Connecting with the Asian Community”. The guest speaker for the event will be Ms. Ginny Gong, author of From Ironing Board to Corporate Board: My Chinese Laundry Experience in America. Ms. Gong’s book will be available for purchase at the event for $12.95. However, we have a limited amount of pre-sale books available for $7.95.
Please RSVP by May 13, 2011 and indicate if you’d like to purchase a book. There will also be a panel discussion, vendors, Silent Auction and opportunities for networking. Attached is a flyer. Please spread the word. Thank you!!!
School Employees March on Rockville!
April 7, 2011
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It was the largest rally in Rockville that anyone can recall. According to press reports, 900 school supporters marched to the steps of the County Council to call on them to protect funding for schools and not to balance the budget by cutting employee health insurance.
Watch video of the Rockville Rally at: http://rockville.patch.com/articles/video-unions-rally-for-education-funding#video-5553786
and http://www.gazette.net/video/20110405Union/20110405Union.html
View pictures from the Rally at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/seiu500/sets/72157626317362605/
Read press coverage at:
Gazette: http://www.gazette.net/stories/04062011/montnew123528_32544.php
Rockville Patch: http://rockville.patch.com/articles/video-unions-rally-for-education-funding
WAMU Radio: http://wamu.org/news/11/04/06/md_school_workers_rally_to_oppose_budget_cuts.php
Read MCEA’s testimony at the County Council Budget Hearing at:
http://mcealeads.blogspot.com/2011/04/mcea-testifies-at-council-budget.html
State Moves to Restore Cuts in Education Funding!
March 23, 2011
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Less than 24 hours after the largest demonstration in Annapolis history, a key legislative committee has voted to restore $58 million in school funding that had been eliminated in the Governor’s budget!
This restoration doesn’t affect the pension issues, but it goes a long way towards ensuring that Montgomery County will not see a cut in essential state aid. In fact, if the restoration holds, MCPS is expected to receive $6-8 million in additional state aid. Given that the county executive has just proposed a cut of $82 million in local funding for MCPS, this bump in state aid will definitely help.
The threats to our pensions continue: reducing the benefit formula, slashing benefits for new hires, increasing our annual contribution, and shifting pension costs back onto the counties. All MCEA members are encouraged to call their state representatives. MSEA has set up a special calling system. Dial 1-888-216-PROMISE (1-888-216-7766) to tell legislators to KEEP THEIR PROMISE of retirement security to educators! You will hear a brief script with talking points, and then can be directly connected to your representatives.
Below is the Washington Post article describing the restoration of $58 million in education funding. Just goes to show: 15,000 people marching on the state capitol building can make a difference! Congratulations to everyone who participated this past Monday!
National Board $2500 Scholarship Applications Due April 8, 2011!
March 15, 2011
Teachers interested in becoming National Board certified have until April 8, 2011 to complete the 5-part application and return it to MCEA. The packet includes General Instructions; MSDE Memorandum of Understanding; 2-page, single-spaced essay on how your current practice reflects the National Board Standards; a rubric for the essay; and 2 recommendations – one from your principal or AP and another from someone who has observed your teaching. Applicants are asked to return all items in the same envelope so that no part gets ‘lost’.
You can download all documents:
- Application Instructions
- Application Screening Form
- Essay Rubric
- Reference Sheet
- Fee Incentive Program Memo
QUESTIONS? Contact MaryPat_Spon@mcpsmd.org or call 301-294-6232.
Statewide Rally to Protect Pension & Education Funding!
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On Monday March 14th, a coalition of public employee unions is organizing a mass rally on the steps of the statehouse in Annapolis to call on our legislators to KEEP THE PROMISE and protect pension funding and state funding for education.
MCEA will have buses leaving at 4:00 & 4:30 pm from Seneca Valley HS, CESC, Blake HS, and Blair HS.
Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/StatePensionRally to reserve your seat on the bus!
Free boxed meal on the bus included.
If you are driving your own vehicle, please register here so we can better anticipate the size of the crowd: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/StatePensionRallyDriverRegistrations.
Contact MCEA (301-294-6232) for more information.
MCPS and Unions Launch Employee Wellness Program
February 16, 2011
MCEA, together with SEIU and MCAAP, have worked for many years now to ensure that our members and their families have access to affordable health care. Despite constant political pressure to shift costs onto employees by increasing our share of health insurance premiums, the unions - and MCPS - have focused on authentic cost containment, not cost shifting. We have worked to provide incentives for using healthcare in cost effective ways (ex. generic drugs, mail order maintenance drugs, HMOs, urgent care centers). In last year's contract negotiations, there was a joint committment to promoting employee wellness (see attached Letter of Agreement that was part of the contract settlement). The most significant drivers of increased health insurance costs are preventable and managable conditions of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, asthma and high risk pregnancies. By promoting employee wellness, we not only hold down the cost of health insurance, but we can help our members lead longer, healthier lives.
Here is the direct link to information about the new employee wellness program: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/ersc/wellness/.
MCEA also makes available to its members a number of discount programs at area health and fitness clubs. You can access those discounts at: http://www.mcea.nea.org/members/healthandwellness.php.
Stop the “Teacher Tax”
February 15, 2011
Governor O’Malley’s pension proposal counts on generating about $120 million in this budget year, mostly through increased employee contributions to the pension system from 5% of pay to 7% of pay. Our contributions would still go to the pension fund, but instead of the state meeting its recommended contribution, they pass along the “savings” from this increased contribution to relieve the budget deficit pressure on the general fund. This shell game is nothing more than a 2% tax on educators and state employees, which is why it has been dubbed the “Teacher Tax.”
MSEA has launched an online petition to organize opposition to the “Teacher Tax.” Please use the link to add your name and then please share it with your colleagues, friends, and family and help us send a clear message to the Governor and General Assembly that we cannot balance the budget on the backs of Maryland’s educators and state employees.
71 More MCEA Members Achieve National Certification!
January 20, 2011
Congratulations to the 71 newest MCEA members who have achieved national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Last night, MCEA hosted the annual pinning ceremony to recognize their accomplishments. Also recognized were nineteen MCEA members who successfully renewed their NBPTS certification, having been among the earliest MCEA members who earned their initial certifications ten years ago. Board of Education President Chris Barclay and MCPS Deputy Superintendent Frieda Lacey both spoke and congratulated the nationally certificated teachers. MCEA Vice-President Chris Lloyd – himself a national board certified teacher – also spoke at the celebration. His comments are posted on the MCEA blog, School Notes. The newly certified NBCTs increase the number of national board certified teachers in MCPS to 634! The MCEA/MCPS national board candidate support program continues to have one of the highest success rates in the nation. You can learn more about MCEA and MCPS programs to support national board candidates at http://www.mcea.nea.org/teaching/NB.php.
Understanding the Controversy over Teacher Pensions
December 7, 2010
To hear some politicians tell it, the cause of the current budget problems is employee compensation. Unfortunately the facts just don’t bear that out.
$17,484. That’s the current average annual pension benefit for retirees in the Maryland Teachers’ Pension System. We don’t know about you, but that hardly strikes MCEA as an extravagant benefit. After 30 years of service in Maryland’s schools, that amounts to less than $1,500 a month. We wonder how many of the politicians urging cuts in pension benefits think they could live on less than $1,500 a month.
This isn’t just about teachers. A majority of local school system employees (including para-educators and bus attendants) are in the state teachers pension plan; as are employees of county libraries and county community colleges (like Montgomery College). Other MCPS employees are in a local plan that mirrors the state plan.
Click here to get the full story.
MCEA’s Role in Improving Teaching & Learning Highlighted in Capitol Hill Hearing
December 15, 2010
Earlier this week, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) released a new Report highlighting the labor management partnership between MCEA and MCPS to improve teaching through national board certification. The Report provides a detailed yet readable overview of the full range of joint efforts by the union and the district to support high quality teaching.
At a time when some in our nation want to simplistically link teacher evaluation to student test scores, the teacher evaluation – and support – system described in the new NBPTS Report provides an alternative model of standards-based teacher evaluation.
If you want to download a copy of the Report, click here.
To view it online, click here.
The report was discussed in a briefing held on Capitol Hill for members of Congress interested in strategies for school improvement. You can view a short video clip from Capitol Hill briefing – including comments by both MCEA President Doug Prouty and MCEA member and former National Teacher of the Year, Kim Oliver Burnim: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/mainstory/story.aspx?id=145763.
MoCo Teachers Participate at National NEA
August 16, 2010
MCEA members were well represented at the NEA convention this past July with 52 Local delegates and 17 State delegates who were dedicated to the business at hand at the NEA Representative Assembly. For a great summary, MCEA would recommend that you look at your August/September edition of your neatoday magazine on pages 24 through 26. There were some Constitutional Amendments passed, one of which allows for members who are in the "Active" category at the state level to have "Active" status at the national level. The other Constitutional Amendments that were passed involved dealing with NEA elected positions, such as an at-large director and aligning the Secretary-Treasurer election with that of the President and Vice President. There was great debate and discussion over the current state of education and the reform that is coming from the US Department of Education. The delegates even adopted a New Business Item (NBI) that calls for NEA to take a position of no confidence in the Race to the Top competitive grant policies and guidelines and the use of these types of grants as a basis for the reauthorization of ESEA that undermines public education. There were 99 NBIs altogether that ranged from issues that were happening specific to certain states all the way to issues that were affecting members nationwide. The delegates re-elected Christy Levings (KA) and Paula Monroe (CA) to the NEAExecutive Committee. They elected Jeff Hubbard (Admin At-Large), Donna Mirabelli (Alternate Admin At-Large), Pam Mikkelson, Judy Near, and Ruthie Wright (ESP At-Large) to the NEA Board of Directors. They also elected James Ojeda and Melinda Smith as Board of Directors ESP At-Large Alternates
The highlight for Maryland was to share in the honor of having our own Governor, Martin O'Malley, receive the "America's Greatest Education Governor Award". He spoke very eloquently about the members of MSEA and the challenges facing educators across the nation. MCEA would highly recommend reading his full speech which is located at http://www.nea.org/grants/40248.htm
New Contract Brings Changes
July 23, 2010
In order to facilitate effective implementation of the changes in local schools, MCEA has been working with MCPS (and the other unions) to provide clear information to principals and school leadership teams. Click here to read the joint letter to principals and school leadership teams, that was sent out earlier this summer providing guidance on implementation of the new contract.
The unions and MCPS also produced a short video (15 min.) describing the intent of the major changes in the contracts. Click here to view the video “2010 Union Contracts: Key Points for School Leadership Team Meetings”. This video was to be shown – and discussed – with all school leadership teams this summer, and schools have been encouraged to show it to their full staffs during pre-service week.
The following documents are also available to help members and school leadership teams in understanding the changes in the new contract:
- Settlement Summary – describing all the substantive changes in the contract
- Schedules & Workloads – Excerpt of Article 16 of the new contract, with all the language changes highlighted.
- Collaboration and School Leadership Teams – Excerpts of the relevant Articles (6 & 8) that speak to local school leadership team operations and collaborative problem-solving, including the Organizational Culture of Respect Compact.
If you have any questions about the new contract, please contact your MCEA Building Rep or the MCEA UniServ Director responsible for assistance at your school or worksite.
What’s Up with All the Teacher Bashing?
June 17, 2010
Guest column, by the editors of Rethinking Schools
Teachers have always been devalued in the United States, but in the past months the pace and intensity of the attacks have escalated sharply. Spurred by the June 2 deadline for the second round of Race to the Top, states have raced to fire more teachers, tie pay and evaluation to student test scores, close or reconstitute more schools, and disempower teachers’ unions and teaching as a profession—trampling teachers, students, and communities in the process. Read full editorial.
Councils on Teaching and Learning Election Results
June 10,2010
Click here to see Elementary, Middle, and High School preliminary results for the 2010 to 2013 Election. Three elections are still actively balloting, and their results will be available at this same link on June 17th. The three continuing elections are identified in the preliminary findings. Persons whose names appear on the list are those who have been elected. We welcome new members to the Councils and share our sincere appreciation to those who have served over the past two years.
MCEA Second Annual Photo Contest
June 8, 2010
The Montgomery County Education Association sponsored our second annual photography contest for high school students in the Montgomery County Public Schools. The purpose of the contest is to allow MCPS students to reflect on and illustrate the student teacher relationship through the medium of photography.
Skye Horner from Walter Johnson High School won first prize for her picture, “Forensic Fun.” Samantha Padres of Quince Orchard won second prize for her picture, “Cooking Class.”
Third prize was won by Lisa Bournas also of Quince Orchard High School for her picture, “Ms. Balsey with a Student Helping with Physics.”
Katya Fine from Walter Johnson won Honorable Mention for her entry, “Kelly Dunsten with Student in Tech Class.”
Prize winners were given Amazon gift cards.
MCEA photography teachers, Dan Kempner of Walter Johnson and Paula Fitzpatrick helped create this soon to be annual contest. We will be using the students’ pictures on our website and in MCEA publications.
MCEA Candidate Recommendations
June 4, 2010
The MCEA Representative Assembly (RA) voted on Wednesday to recommend these candidates for the upcoming 2010 election. The RA action is part of a rigorous process, in which candidates complete questionnaires, and interview with rank and file teachers. Find out more about Election 2010 as well as the transparent process MCEA uses to recommend candidates on our Election 2010 page.
Elections for MCEA Board of Directors
May 25, 2010
Between June 3rd and June 17th, MCEA members will elect colleagues to serve on the MCEA Board of Directors. Board members serve staggered three year terms. The following positions are up for election this year: 3 At-Large Directors, 2 Elementary School Directors, and 1 Middle School Director. Ballots and election materials are being sent to all MCEA Head Reps to conduct the election. The deadline for receipt of ballots and initialed rosters is 5:00 pm on Wednesday June 16th. To view the special Election Issue of the MCEA Advocate, which includes photos and campaign statements from all of the candidates, click here.
Wall Street vs. Main Street
Is the Threat from the County’s Credit Rating Agencies as Dire as Claimed?
May 4, 2010
There is no doubt that the County faces an unprecedented budget crisis. In recent weeks, many on the County Council have claimed that if the County doesn’t immediately restore its reserve fund to the 6% level, the credit rating agencies on Wall Street will lower Montgomery County’s AAA bond rating. Is that threat real? MCEA analyzed the most recent credit reports from the three rating agencies and found that none of them asserted a need to restore the reserve to the full 6% level in FY11. Two of the three explicitly acknowledged that the reserve would remain at 5% in FY11, yet still renewed the County’s AAA rating. The third agency actually pointed to the property tax cap in the County Charter as the real threat to the County’s credit rating.
This dispute has serious consequences. The County will have to divert $37 million from the operating budget next year to increase the reserves from 5% to 6%. To do this, the County is considering furloughing county employees and imposing even deeper cuts on the school system. In a letter yesterday to Council President Nancy Floreen, MCEA asks why this is necessary when the credit rating agencies are not insisting on a 6% reserve in FY11.
To read the full Credit Rating Letters from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch, click here.
To read MCEA’s letter to the Council, click here.
MCEA Calls on Council to Avoid Furloughs of Any County Employees
May 4, 2010
MCEA called on the County Council today to reject the idea of furloughing any county employees. In a letter sent to the Council together with the two other unions representing MCPS employees, MCEA explained why there is no “equitable” way to do furloughs. The county executive submitted a balanced budget that unfortunately relied on furloughing some county employees in order to save $15 million. The school unions provided specific suggestions for finding that $15 million elsewhere and thereby avoiding the need to furlough any county employees. To read the full letter from MCEA, SEIU Local 500 and MCAAP, click here.
MCEA Condemns Effort to Shift State Pension Costs onto Counties
Calls on County Delegates to Oppose Proposal
March 29, 2010
The Montgomery County teachers union today decried the last minute maneuver in the State Senate to shift hundreds of millions of dollars in state pension costs onto local counties. The union is mounting an intensive grassroots lobbying effort to convince Montgomery County delegates to the General Assembly to oppose the proposal. Click here for more.
MCEA Members Lobby in Annapolis
March 11, 2010
A busload of MCEA members joined representatives from the supporting services and administrative associations on a trip to Annapolis to lobby legislators. After a full day of work on March 1st, members took the bus trip to advocate for education dollars for MCPS, and continued commitment to the state pension system. Legislators met with members and then walked to the statehouse to open the spring session.
The Low Bar of “Maintenance of Effort”
December 10, 2009
Discussions about education in Montgomery County, and elsewhere across the state, are now dominated by talk of ‘maintenance of effort’. An obscure provision of state law has been called every name in the book. Maintenance of effort will dominate the county and state budget battles of the next 5-6 months, and will determine whether county public schools suffer a severe loss of funding. Maintenance of Effort (MOE) is the simple notion that … (learn more)
Teachers Speak Up on Time and Workload Demands
November 12, 2009
Last Friday, MCEA members from around the county arrived at work locations and wore stickers to call attention to the need for time. "Time for Teachers=Student Success" is the equation that educators know very well. Check out the photo album below to see just a few of the worksites that took part in the effort.
Prouty Testifies to MCPS Board
October 27, 2009
Last night, MCEA President Doug Prouty delivered more than 4,500 "Closest to the Work" sheets to the MCPS Board of Education. MCEA members completed the forms in about three weeks, describing how they would be more successful with greater professional control over their work. Prouty delivered the forms to Board members, and gave testimony describing the time and workload issues facing educators each day.
MCEA Votes Support of DC Teachers Union
October 8, 2009
The Montgomery County Education Association has expressed its support for the 388 school employees, including 229 classroom teachers, who have been laid off six weeks into the school year in the District of Columbia. Find out more in the press release.
MCEA Reps Elect 2 New Board Members
October 8, 2009
At the Representative Assembly, MCEA Building Representatives elected 2 new board members to fill positions that were vacated. Stephanie Hollaran was elected as a High School Director, while Trevor Liburd was elected to serve as an Elementary Director. You can find the full Board here. You can also find the remarks of President Doug Prouty here.
Interested in National Board Certification?
October 2, 2009
Members interested in National Board Certification can join the largest local network in the state of Maryland. Informational meetings are held throughout the year. Check out this flyer for info.
MCEA's Photo Contest
April 5, 2009 / Learn More
