CALL 1(888)202-2246 and oppose Senate Bill 955.  Hurry, because the vote is on Wednesday.  Here is what the bill would do:

Senate Bill 955 (Huff) proposes to:

• Eliminate the March RIF (reduction in force) notice to teachers and eliminate their right to request a hearing.
• Allow districts to ignore teacher experience in the classroom when making layoff and rehiring decisions. These decisions would be based on teacher evaluations, even though many districts do not conduct them regularly as required by law.
• Eliminate teachers' due process rights in a dismissal hearing.
• Authorize assignment, reassignment, and transfer of teachers based on evaluations and subject matter needs, and without regard to experience. 

Click on the title to read the arguments against this bill.

"There's some good news out of Washington. After months of pressure on Congress and the administration to include an education jobs fund as part of an overall jobs package, they acknowledged the need for federal funding to help prevent layoffs and save jobs. Last week, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, introduced the $23 billion Keep Our Educators Working Act. The legislation would create an Education Jobs Fund, sending $1.4 billion to New York. The federal aid can be used to retain existing employees, to hire new employees or for staff training.

Both N.Y. Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand are co-sponsors of the legislation. Send a letter to them and your members of Congress showing that you support the bill. A similar bill is making the rounds in the House. The Local Jobs for America bill also creates a $23 billion education jobs fund. It is sponsored by a majority of the New York delegation -- with the exceptions of Scott Murphy (CD-20), Michael Arcuri (CD-24), Chris Lee (CD-26), Peter King (CD-3) and Michael McMahon (CD-13). "

http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/contactelectedofficials_1...

Part of the California state budget crisis stems from the lack of enforcement of deadbeat tax evaders and the inability of the legislatiuture to tax the wealthiest segment of our population at the same percent as the rest of us.  We need to raise awareness about implementing a meaningful progressive tax system so everyone pays a fair share in our efforts to bridge the budget deficit. Some simple changes to the tax code can increase state revenue by $13 billion.

Click on the title for examples

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A sparse crowd attended the April 13 Board meeting.  There were a couple of key events at the meeting but the first piece of business is to congratulate Debra Crane for the appoval of her new Engineering/Biomed program. 

Here are the issues of concern from Tuesday's meeting:

• The District is placing the $330,000 from the "A Street Project" into a fund for still yet to be determined "capital improvements."
• The District has no update on when the frozen funds for the CTE building will be released by the state.
• Two vacant classified positions were reduced by the Board saving $120,000

The March for California's Future is arriving in Galt on April 15.  The 48-day walk has finally reached Galt on its way to Sacramento and we are hosting a reception and rally as the marchers arrive at Galt High School.

• Please attend the reception and rally on Thursday, April 15 at 3:30pm in the GHS cafeteria.

Promises of pay raises doesn't seem to matter to school board members.

The Manteca to Stockton leg of the "March for California's Future" has been amended. 

• Meet at the Central Labor Council in Stockton by 9:30am (235 N. San Joaquin St., Stockton)
• Shuttle vans will take us to the starting point in Manteca (march begins at 10:00am)
• The march ends by 2:30 and a cookout will ensure with Congressman Jerry McNearny

Some states are starting to question the merit of Race to the Top:

www.nytimes.com/2010/04/05/education/05top.html