Urgent! Legislative Coordinators:
Urge Lawmakers to Reject Raid on Transfer Rights
CTA needs your help to defeat still another well-intentioned bill that would harm teachers and their students in schools of greatest need.
CTA-opposed SB 1655, by Senate Education Chair Jack Scott (D-Pasadena), seeks to help the state's schools of greatest need attract and keep the supply of highly qualified, fully credentialed teachers they need. Unfortunately, the bill wrongly identifies teacher transfer rights as the reason these schools cannot attract and retain enough highly qualified teachers.
CTA will try to kill the measure on the Senate floor. That vote could come as early as next week.
Background
- SB 1655 would rip out of the collective bargaining law a chapter's right to bargain transfer policies. Instead, the bill would
- Bar Decile 1-3 school principals from having to accept any transfer applicant - even if the teacher is fully credentialed and "highly qualified" as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This provision could actually impede highly qualified teachers from transferring into these schools, where the need for these teachers is so great. For instance, it could allow a principal to bar a teacher who is outspoken about curriculum and other needed changes or who is a union activist. Under SB 1655, the principal is not required to give any reason.
- Prohibit districts and collective bargaining agreements from giving any preference to volunteer transferees - no matter how highly qualified - until after April 15. This provision would also make it more difficult for highly qualified teachers to transfer into these schools of greatest need.
- Require all contracts agreed to after the bill's effective date to include language from the bill spelling out those transfer limitations. This provision would undermine collective bargaining by reducing the scope of negotiations. The bill provides a state answer to a recruitment problem that should be worked out locally.
Make These Points to Lawmakers
- SB 1655 is counterproductive. It will make it harder for highly qualified teachers to move to schools of greatest need. These schools need to be attractive to teachers, but SB 1655 does nothing to make that happen.
- SB 1655 will undermine collective bargaining law. It will force state language into local contracts, limiting the scope of negotiations.
- The real solution is for districts and chapters to decide collectively on effective strategies to attract highly qualified teachers to these schools of greatest need. More funding is needed to make Decile 1-3 school attractive places to teach. Improvements are needed in class size, safety, and instructional materials. These schools also need more high quality principals who understand teaching. Micro-managing schools from the state level won't help.
Here's What Coordinators Should Do
Coordinators should encourage all CTA members to call or write to their own Senator c/o The State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814, in opposition to SB 1655 (Scott). Contacts should also be prepared to mobilize their members to write to Assembly Members in case SB 1655 escapes from the Senate.
For more information, contact CTA Legislative Advocate Sharon Scott Dow or GR Communications Consultant Len Feldman at 916.325.1500.