Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/81027
Understand your rights and responsibilities Read your contract so that you know your rights. Study district policies to know other rights. Contact your CTA rep if you have any questions. While specifics differ statewide, your contract will cover teaching and working conditions, including: Class size — In some districts, teachers get paid "overages" if they have a certain number of students over the class size limit. It can vary according to subject matter. Teachers in overcrowded classrooms should check to make sure they are being paid extra for taking on extra students. Prep periods — Prep periods are supposed to be used to prepare class lessons, grade papers, copy materials, etc. If you are hindered from using your prep period as needed, talk to your site rep. Sometimes the district doesn't hire enough teachers, so in order to decrease class size, prep periods are "sold" and teachers get paid extra to forfeit a prep period and teach another class. It's best to check your contract to see if protocol is being followed. Salary schedule — As soon as you complete a college unit, you may be eligible to "step up" on the salary schedule. If you wait, the pay raise may not be retroactive. Turn in your paperwork, even if it's in the middle of the year. Health care — Employers have a responsibility to provide access to comprehensive health coverage. Know your rights, what benefits you are eligible for, and the different types of health care plans you may choose from. Credentialing — While some districts send notices that it's time to update teaching credentials, it is up to the individual to keep track. Know what credential is needed to keep a certain position in the district. Look in your contract for language that gives those with certain credentials an advantage if there are layoffs. Read your contract to make sure you have taken, or are signed up for, courses that may be necessary for continued employment. Evaluation — Many times, staff aren't sure of the evaluation criteria, says Jon Van Drimmelen. Teachers told they need to show improvement should know that the improvement plan needs to be worked out between the teacher and the evaluator, and deemed "reasonable and agreeable" by both parties. Teachers must have input on a plan of action so that it is applies directly to the area that needs improvement. It is crucial for teachers to keep track of all communications with evaluators and administrators in case a grievance is filed. Other duties — Do you monitor the student lunchroom, supervise the playground at recess, and sponsor after-school clubs or coach as a part of your duties? If so, check whether these additional duties are required and if you are entitled to a stipend. "Make sure you know what your responsibilities are on campus so that you are not being taken advantage of," says Carminda Kho. Seniority — Can your grade level, subject matter or school assignment be arbitrarily changed by your administrator? Are teachers in some subject areas such as math and science protected from layoffs? As a temporary teacher, do you have rights if you are abruptly terminated? Again, read your contract to see what provisions your local leaders negotiated to protect your job and whether administrators are violating the terms of that contract. 34 California Educator September 2012 Read the fine print: It's not as complicated as you think By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin T told her to inform her administrator about the incident and see a physician. It was a wise move, because what she thought was a "small accident" turned out to be a severe injury with delayed pain. She eventually went on disability for several months before returning to the classroom. If she hadn't looked through her contract, she might not have told anyone about the injury, which she considered, at the time, to be minor. And if she had not reported the incident and seen a physician, there would have been no way to prove the accident was school-related. Now a site rep at Toll Middle School, the Glendale Teachers started teaching I hadn't read my contract," says Kho. "I didn't how know much money I was making. I didn't know my rights. I told everyone that I wasn't wor- ried about that; I just wanted to teach. But I learned everyone should read their contract so that if some- thing goes wrong, you know what to do." hree years ago, an overhead screen broke loose in Carminda Kho's class and hit her on the head. After the initial pain subsided, she thumbed through her union contract. She found a provision about contacting her site rep. The rep Association member advises other teachers about the importance of reading the fine print and understanding their contract. "When I first "Both teachers and administrators should understand their contract," says Jon Van Drimmelen.