Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1500904
CTA Board member Angela Normand speaks at the launch of the East Bay Coalition for Student Success. Building Together for Students Coalition of 20 CTA locals is making a difference in San Francisco Bay Area By Julian Peeples E M B R A C I N G T H E B E L I E F that we are stronger together, 20 CTA local associations in the San Francisco Bay Area have united in a coalition, working together and collaboratively with management to ensure that students and educators have the resources they need to succeed and thrive. Fo r m e d i n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 2 , t h e East Bay Coalition for Student Success (EBCSS) is committed to ensuring local school districts continue to prioritize fund s to provide th e b est for student l earnin g and educator ret ention and attraction. Locals and district manage- ment teams in the coalition have been working hard at the bargaining table to win agreements that focus resources on students and educators. "Since we launched the EBCSS, we have been calling on East Bay decision-makers to do right by students and ensure their success is a priority," says Laura Finco, president of San Ramon Valley Education Association (SRVEA). "Educators deserve a voice at the bargaining table to ensure that each of our students get their needs met and the individualized attention they deserve." Th e stud ent-cent ered c ol l ab oration between local unions and districts has strengthened their relationships and set strong foundations for continued partner- ship. The EBCSS is a movement with the guiding principle that all students deserve the best. With challenges like the ongoing educator shortage crisis, EBCSS and district management teams are fighting back with strategic action and shared trust to focus on the safety, health and overall well-being of every student. e hope is that these collabo- rations are a model, with others following these successful partnerships and truly putting students and educators first. "California students deserve the best and educators from every chapter in this coalition are committed to delivering it." —VALORIE LUKE, president, Antioch Education Association 32 cta.org Advocacy