State share of a 6% salary increase for public school employees
Budget amendments have been submitted, and we’ll
have to see what the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees include
in their respective budgets when they report on February 16th.
House Del.
Chafin 136 11h Salary Supplement for Instructional and Support
Positions
Year 1 -
$241,300,000 Year 2 - $242,300,000
Senate
Sen.
Puckett 136 24s Teacher Compensation – 6% Increase
Year 1 -
$241,336,885 Year 2 - $242,332,445
Repeal of A to F school grading
It appears that although repeal is unlikely, there will be a delay. In the House Delegate Landes’ HB 1229
delays implementation for one year to allow time for the formation and work of
a committee “to study, review, and make recommendations on the Board of
Education’s implementation of the system ….”
In the Senate, Senator Miller’s SB 324 delays implementation for three
years. Both bills appear to be on the
fast track, and they set up a conflict between House and Senate. Will the resulting compromise be a two year
delay?
Implementation of statewide health insurance
option
It appeared that Delegate Yost’s HB 463 was on
the road to easy passage, but questions regarding the fiscal impact of the bill
have arisen, and it was sent to the House Appropriations where the fate of the
measure is unsure.
VRS fiscal impact statements to include impact on employees and
retirees
Senator Hanger’s SB 420 passes the Senate 38 to
0, and there is reason to believe we can get this bill through the House.
Adherence to the General
Assembly’s proposed phase-in contribution rates for the teacher plan to the VRS
board-certified rates (79.69% funding effective July 1 2014, 89.84% effective
July 1, 2016, and full funding by July 1, 2018)
The introduced budget adheres to the schedule, and there seems to be a
true bi-partisan commitment to move in the right direction and properly fund
the VRS pension system.
Amend the teacher dismissal
grievance timeline to allow 10 rather than 5 days to file a grievance contesting
the dismissal
Senator Favola’s SB 43 has passed the Senate 38-0, and Delegate Rust’s
HB 977 passes the House 99-0.
Require local school boards to provide lactation support programs
Delegate McClellan’s HB 720 reported form subcommittee on a unanimous
vote.
Amend the Child Protective Services section of the Code of Virginia to make the 45-day reporting deadline mandatory and to allow the school board to return an accused teacher to the classroom if the school division’s investigation reveals that the teacher is not a threat to the well-being of students.
It appears that our chances of making progress on this issue are
slim. The delegate we were working with
to introduce the bill did not do so, and the House did not amend the only
legislative vehicle suitable for our amendment.