Following thoughtful debate at its February meeting, State Council finalized changes in the CTA Educational Change Workgroup report.
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Wilma Wittman, recently retired after 70 years of teaching, receives applause during a special tribute to her career.\ |
It accepted the final section — Section 2 on Teacher Compensation — which recommends adding resources to increase teacher salaries in the effort to recruit and retain quality professionals; reaffirms CTA’s support for the single salary schedule model and its opposition to all merit pay models, including those based on student test scores; and calls for additional resources to fully fund Beginning Teacher Support and Assistance (BTSA) and Peer Assistance/Review (PAR) programs. The report also offers guidelines to local chapters wishing to enhance the single salary schedule.
Council approved the other four sections of the report at its October meeting.
In other action, State Council:
- Elected Sue Cirillo (District 6/14) and re-elected Tamara L. Conry (District 1); Marc Sternberger (District 3); Elizabeth Ahlgren (District 10); and Carole Bailey (District 16) as NEA Directors.
- Decided to consider the possibility of recommending a presidential candidate at its April meeting.
- Presented CTA’s Friend of Education Award for 2007 to Assembly Member Gene Mullin (D-San Mateo).
- Paid special tribute to Wilma Wittman, a longtime State Council stalwart who retired recently after 70 years of teaching.
- Presented the Jose Colmenares Award for Communications to the Modesto Teachers Association.
- Authorized the expenditure of up to $2 million from the Initiative Fund to support CTA’s positions on Prop. 92, Prop. 93; the Government Acquisition, Regulation of Private Property initiative; and potential initiatives related to the state budget crisis.
- Kicked off the fund drive for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Scholarship with a presentation by Jesus Ramirez, winner of one of this year’s scholarships.
- Kicked off CTA’s observation of Read Across America with a presentation by author Monica Brown and illustrator Rafael Lopez, whose book My Name is Celia (Me Llamo Celia) served as the inspiration for the celebration artwork.