Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/274063
CTA & You C A R I D A D R I V E R A Language Acquisition Committee Teachers Association of Long Beach We work together. Committees communicate with each other to make sure any new business items, policy changes, legislative issues, etc. are within our legal rights. Through the committees, everyone's voice is heard, from very rural areas where very small districts are located to the largest districts like LAUSD. Every voice carries equal weight. State Council is open to all members. Every member should try to visit at least once. Come see how we all work together to better serve our members and students. It's not just about teachers. B R I A N E L D R I D G E Financing Public Education Committee Buena Park Teachers Association Council committees are one of the starting points for establishing the belief state- ments of CTA. The committees don't make policy on their own! Nothing they recom- mend can become the policy of CTA until it is voted on and approved by the 700 repre- sentatives who make up State Council. What exactly do State Council Committees do? New Local Control Funding Formula regulations adopted In his report to Council, CTA Executive Director Joe Nuñez discussed the State Board of Education's adoption of the Local Control Funding Formula regulations and the basic template for the Local Control Accountability Plan. The adopted regulations and template are largely the outcome of months of work and collaboration among CTA, the ACLU, and Public Advocates, which is a coa- lition of community and civil rights groups, staff from the State Board of Education, the Department of Finance, and the California Department of Education. "It was kind of a Wild West hearing at the State Board of Education. More than 500 people were there to testify," Nuñez told delegates. He noted that Gov. Brown showed up unexpectedly to testify, and started by thanking CTA for helping to pass Proposition 30. "The regulations for the LCFF and the Local Control Accountability Plan are inextricably linked and give local educa- tors and our local chapters an opportunity to further participate and guide district bud- gets," Nuñez said. "This is how we begin to transform our profession as outlined in CTA's Strategic Plan." In other actions, CTA State Council: • Re-elected NEA Directors Doreen McGuire-Grigg (District 1) and Greg Bonaccorsi (District 3). • Unanimously denounced the Vergara v. California lawsuit attacking educators' professional and due process rights, which is being bank- rolled by millionaires and corporate special interests. (Read more on page 35.) • Recommended Gov. Jerry Brown, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Superinten- dent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Attorney General Kamala Harris, and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones for re-election in November, and recommended John Chiang for state treasurer and John Perez for state controller. • Raised $20,000 for the Alpine Teachers Association strike fund in con- tributions from Council members. (Read about ATA's fight on page 36.) • Approved spending up to $3 million in the upcoming elections in sup- port of CTA's positions. D U N G H O Communications Committee Sulphur Springs District Teachers Association Committees allow members to fully participate in issues that they are most passionate about. In essence, you be- come an expert in that particular area. The committees look at all legislation that affects education and make rec- ommendations that are then voted on by the rest of State Council. I think that members sometimes think that CTA just takes a position on issues without going through a process. That's just not the case at all. S T A T E C O U N C I L C O M M I T T E E S The work of State Council takes place in 22 committees. • Adult, Alternative, and Career Technical Education • Assessment and Testing • Budget • Civil Rights in Education • Communications • Curriculum and Instruction • Early Childhood Education • Elections and Credentials • Financing Public Education • Language Acquisition • Negotiations • Political Involvement • Professional Rights and Responsibilities • Retirement • School Safety/School Management • Special Education Committee • State Legislation • Student Support Services • Teacher Evaluation and Academic Freedom • Service Center Councils • Education Support Professionals (ESP) Issues • Community College Association www.cta.org 49 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 Educator 03 Mar 2014 v2.0 int.indd 49 3/6/14 10:53 AM