Monday Will Be Sunny - Come to VEA Lobby Day!

In Richmond we have a saying, "If you don't like the weather - stick around."  It is snowing to beat the band as I post this message, but on Monday we expect it to be partly cloudy and 50%.  Please come to lobby day as we have an important message to deliver - Stand Up for Public Education! 

  

Lobby Day House Marching Orders - Urge your Delegate to:

§  Double Down on Teacher and ESP Salaries (4% not 2%, $7,083 behind the national average/ranking 31^st/8^th in wealth)

§  Support Statewide Health Insurance (HB1356) – annual savings of $44-$66 million, according to JLARC

§  Support FOIA Exemption for Professional Growth Data (HB1889) – keep your evaluation off the front page of the newspaper

§  Make Virginia’s Schools Bully-Free (HB1871) – research shows that prevalence of bullying is predictive of school-wide passing rates on state-mandated achievement testing

Lobby Day Senate Marching Orders - Urge your Senator to:

§  Support Senator Barker’s 3% teacher salary budget amendment 139 #2s ($7,083 behind the national average/ranking 31^st/8^th in wealth), include ESP

§  Support Statewide Health Insurance (SB 1367)

Urge Delegates AND Senators to:

§  Restore COCA (Cost of Competing Adjustment) for Support Personnel in NOVA - These funds are provided to allow these divisions to recruit and retain staff in the more competitive Northern Virginia labor market.

§  Oppose Governor’s Transportation Plan which will take ¼ billion from VA schools in the next 5 years

§  Support Medicaid Expansion (400,000 insured, 30,000 jobs)

§  Support local school board control of the school calendar