Volume 43, No. 1NCAEN E W S B U L L E T I NN O R T H C A R O L I N A A S S O C I A T I O N O F E D U C A T O R S

Tough Legislative Session Yields Key Wins for NCAE

!!!! First-year teacher Alana Bigford and veteran teacher Jolunda Coe admit the reason they get up every morning and go to work is for their students, not for the paycheck. Both educators work in Robeson County and like many of their colleagues across the state, they aren’t

strangers to purchasing school supplies with their own money. But, they say, they need something in their pockets in order to take something out. With education budget strings being pulled almost to the breaking point, educators are doing more with less, which means more of them have been reaching into their wallets to pay for supplies and looking for community assistance. With factors such as increased health insurance premiums and no pay raise, their pocketbooks have been suffering along with the economy. “I’m only allotted $300 worth of supplies per year, which doesn’t go very far,” said Bigford, who teaches at Parkton Elementary School. “When that’s depleted, I can’t ask for more; I just have to make it work. I gladly use my own money to supplement what I’m given because I want the best for every child who passes through my classroom.” Thanks to the persistent work of NCAE during the short legislative session, Bigford and members statewide will celebrate the victory of obtaining a 1.2 percent pay raise…the first salary increase educators have received in more than four years (retirees receive a 1

percent cost-of-living adjustment). Educators will also receive a $250 tax deduction for personal out-of-pocket classroom expenditures. Both are good news and a relief for Coe, who has two children in college and works three jobs – as a school social worker and as a medical social worker for two home health agencies evenings and weekends. “When I’m tapped for resources, I turn to community centers

and local stores for donations,” said Coe, who coordinates a backpack snack program that helps feed approximately 80 children in her community. “As educators, gleaning supplies from different sources is nothing new for us. Social service agencies don’t have the resources to help these children, so I do what I can to make sure they get what they need, even if it’s at my expense.” In addition to compensation benefits and the tax deduction for school supplies, NCAE garnered several other very important wins and worked tirelessly to prevent major legislative reform measures threatening K-12 education and educators from becoming law. “This was clearly a tough legislative year, but through it all, NCAE was the voice of public education,” said President Rodney Ellis. “We stood united and held our ground to ensure that educators and students remained the focus of the work being done by the General Assembly. To review the full wrap-up of the 2012 legislative session, visit the Members’ Only section of the Web site, www.ncae.org, and click on the “Government Relations” tab.

Repeal the elimination of prepayment of teachers’ salaries. All teachers will receive a full paycheck in August;

Save career status and due process rights;

Gain five bonus annual leave days for ALL educators;

Ensure that Separate Personal Education Plans (PEPs) are no longer required for teachers to complete, if satisfied by information provided in the student’s report card;

Stop a voucher bill from diverting K-12 public education funding to private schools;

Prevent performance-based and merit pay plans from being mandated.

NCAE ALSO WORKED TO:Alana Bigford

Jolunda Coe

August 2012

2News Bulletin August 2012 NCAE

The President’s View

Sign Up for EFT: Your Membership Depends on It!!!!!!As you know, the Legislature voted in January to eliminate the Association’s ability to collect dues via payroll deduction. For years, payroll deduction has been a convenient way for members to pay their dues. However, our

advocacy in the Legislature for better pay, smaller class size, affordable health benefits, and for the respect we deserve as professionals have led to retaliation by those who seek to cheapen the public education profession. In response to this action, NCAE led a vigorous campaign to flip members to Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) in an effort to ensure that your membership is protected from threats being

made by those who seek to harm NCAE because of actions we took to stand up and give a voice to public education. For those of you who have made the transition to EFT, I personally want to thank you for your proactive approach to standing up for public education, your profession and for NCAE. For those of you who have not, I encourage you to join the tens of thousands of your colleagues who have. By keeping your membership, you can help NCAE continue to be the voice that unites, organizes and empowers educators to be advocates for the profession and for the students we serve. In June, NCAE won a major court challenge to the Legislature’s vindictive action by receiving a preliminary injunction on the payroll deduction issue. The NCAE Board of Directors has elected to continue this method of payment because of the favorable action of the Courts, but, it is only a matter of time before the General Assembly totally eliminates this method of payment. EFT is the best and only way by which we can remain a strong, vibrant organization, giving us complete control over our revenue.

NCAE will continue its efforts to have ALL members transition to EFT by December 2012. Signing up for EFT is easy and secure and only takes a few minutes. Forms are available on the NCAE Web site, through your UniServ director, or can be e-mailed to you by the NCAE Membership Department. If at any time you have questions about the process, contact the Membership Department at 1-800-662-7924. Thank you for all that you do as a member of this Association and for the children of North Carolina. And, thanks for taking a stance with NCAE, your professional organization, and for not letting your voice be silenced. Together we are United, Organized and Empowered!

‣If you are currently signed up for EFT, your first dues payment will be deducted on September 2. Your dues will continue to be drafted on the 2nd of each month through June 2013.

‣If you pay dues via payroll deduction beginning September 2 and convert to EFT between September and December, you will begin EFT deductions for on January 2, 2013. Dues will be deducted on the 2nd of each month through June 2013.

‣Once you sign up for EFT, you will not be allowed to revert to payroll deduction.

‣If you intend to cancel your membership during the EFT Campaign, you must follow the process outlined in the membership contract. You will have 15 days after your first deduction to contact your local president or treasurer.

EFT Information

You Need to Know

President Rodney Ellis

Members Give Input on Proposed Changes to Literacy Policies

Jane Queen, a teacher at North Ridge Elementary School in Wake County, was one of eight NCAE members who recently participated in a focus group to review and give feedback on recommendations for strengthening K-6 licensure in reading and mathematics. Facilitated by DPI, members’ opinions will be shared with the State Board of Education, who will use the input to make major policy changes connected to literacy, both pre-service and in-service.

3News Bulletin August 2012

NCAE Advocacy Center

Quickly Resolves

Employment Issues

!!!!!Immediate answers to issues related to members’ employment is just a mouse click or phone call away at the NCAE Advocacy Center, which provides assistance for everything from questions about sick leave to cases dealing with dismissal. Located in the headquarters building, the Advocacy Center serves as the initial clearinghouse for cases that were mainly handled in the past by UniServ directors. Concentrating on advocacy work takes a lot of time; the Center is not meant to replace UniServ directors but to give them an opportunity to focus on other job responsibilities, including organizing, membership recruitment and training. Open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., members needing assistance will receive it almost immediately. “Having an advocacy center helps streamline the process from the time a case is opened until it is closed,” said Marie Evans, one of the UniServ advocacy specialists. “Members can begin the process by visiting the Advocacy Center Web site, www.askncae.org and completing the online form (or they can call 1-855-ASKNCAE). They fill in their own demographic information and all facts pertinent to their case. Once they click ‘submit,’ a case ticket is generated, which appears in our system for processing.” The Advocacy Center staff then evaluates the matter and develops a plan of action based on the nature and severity of the issue.

What Makes the “Call Center” Model Effective

Evans said the North Carolina Advocacy Center model is something new among state affiliates because it is a “call center” that works in conjunction with field staff trained to be onsite advocates. “What’s different about ours is that we have ‘feet on the ground,’ per se,” Evans said. “For example, if a member in Asheville is in jeopardy of losing his job, the UniServ director in that area is contacted and the member’s file is shared so strategies to resolve the issue can be put in place. The UniServ Director accompanies the member to the meeting and then provides the Advocacy Center with a full report on what transpired. The information is added to the member’s file, creating one central record that can be reviewed by anyone in the Center.” The Advocacy Center is part of the NCAE Legal Services Department and is currently being staffed by one UniServ advocacy specialist, three lawyers and an administrative

assistant. A general counsel will be hired before the end of 2012 and will directly oversee the Center’s operations.

Cases Handled Range the Gamut

Wake County served as the pilot for the center, which became operational in September 2011. The Center added the remainder of the Triangle Region in October, and then the Southeast Region in January 2012. Members statewide now have access to the Center. Since its inception, more than 1,000 cases have been handled. During the busiest months, March through May, the Center managed approximately 150 to 200 cases per month, many dealing with evaluations and growth plans. Evaluation matters, which do not require immediate legal action, are routed to the NCAE Center for Instructional Advocacy (formerly the Center for Teaching and Learning), so that members receive assistance from experts in this area. Yet the member’s file remains within the Advocacy Center to monitor its progress. Other cases, by category, that the Center has handled include accusations of criminal conduct, discipline/reprimands, grievances, incidents (alleged misconduct/non-criminal), license suspension/revocation, recommendations for dismissal, recommendations for non-renewal, transfers and other employment issues (parent complaints, inappropriate

conversations, etc.).

It’s About Building Relationships

The number of cases that the Advocacy Center is able to handle, and handle well, is a clear indication that the new process is working. Most members are adjusting to the

change, and occasionally Evans said she receives calls from someone who wants a face-to-face meeting. “I have members call and ask, ‘Can I come by to talk to you?’ When I tell them that I’m in Raleigh the response is usually, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m not driving to Raleigh!’ Yet once we have talked for a while, they forget we’re not in the same room. This process is about establishing trust and helping them fix their problem. When the relationship is strong, it is not necessary to look each other in the eye.” When members are in a position to handle situations on their own, the Advocacy Center equips them with talking points, makes sure they are organized and tells them that help is only a mouse click or phone call away. Regardless of what the future has in store, NCAE is now even more prepared to provide members with immediate and knowledgeable employment assistance whenever they need it.

NCAE

“I have strongly advocated for my colleagues to join NCAE after receiving Advocacy Center services during my situation.”

--Chrystal Dempsey, Wake County

NCAE Advocacy Specialist Marie Evans assists a member with an issue.

Orange and Person, Wake and Wake DHHS.

South Central Regional Office (Charlotte), 1-800-635-3387 – UniServ directors Lina Drinkard and Don Lloyd will serve Anson, Cabarrus, Catawba, Hickory City, Iredell, Kannapolis, Lexington/Thomasville, Lincoln, Charlotte/Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Mooresville City, Newton-Conover,

Richmond, Stanly and Union.

Western Regional Office (Gaston), 1-800-822-9287 or (Asheville), 1-800-635-3371 – UniServ directors Keyth Harrison and Theresa Zeigler will provide service to Asheville City, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Gaston College, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey.

Northwestern Regional Office (Winston-Salem), 1-800-635-3386 – This region will be served by UniServ directors Amy Bridges and Colleen Lanier. Their locals are Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Davidson, Davie, Elkin City, Forsyth, Mt. Airy, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes and Yadkin.

Central Regional Office (Greensboro), 1-800-635-9148 – UniServ directors Frederick Pruitt and Ray Riffe will serve Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Randolph and Rockingham counties.

NCAE Headquarters -- 1-800-662-7925Advocacy Center (Raleigh) -- 1-855-275-6223, www.askncae.org! Marie Evans! Michael Chaudhuri! Jessica Holmes! Carrie Bumgardner

4News Bulletin August 2012

!!!!!NCAE has restructured its service areas and the function of UniServ directors. Effective July 1, the state was divided into seven regions. Each region will be served by multiple UDs who will focus on assisting local affiliates with instructional advocacy, issue organizing and membership recruitment. At least one UniServ director in each region will also be assigned to work with members on legal issues, as assigned by the NCAE Advocacy Center. “These changes will help us grow and strengthen our local affiliates in ways we haven’t been able to in the past,” said Claudia Cole-Williams, manager of Legal Services. “Our UniServ directors will be more hands-on by providing training that locals need to be successful, and working with local leadership and Association Reps to organize around issues and recruit new members.” Listed are the regional offices and the UniServ directors who will staff them:

Northeast Regional Office (Greenville), 1-800-560-5128 – UniServ directors Dorsey Harris and Deborah Harris Ivery will serve Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Edenton-Chowan, Edgecombe, Elizabeth-City/Pasquotank, Franklin, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pamlico, Perquimans, Pitt, Roanoke Rapids, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Weldon City and Wilson.

Southeast Regional Office (Fayetteville), 1-800-635-9153 – UniServ directors Robert Blackwell and Naomi Chisolm will provide service to Arapahoe Charter, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Clinton City, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Hoke, Jones, New Hanover, Onslow, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland and Whiteville City.

Triangle Regional Office (Raleigh), 1-800-650-5034 – This region will be served by UniServ directors Tyrone Melton and Norma Reaves. Their locals are Chapel Hill/Carrboro, Chatham, Durham, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore,

NCAE

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10,000 New Members…Together We Can Do It!

Ten thousand new members is the goal NCAE is setting for its 2012 Back-to-School Membership Campaign, which begins in September and runs for 12 weeks. “The Association’s continued strength is contingent upon substantial membership growth,” said Bettye Brown, manager of Membership and Organizing. “But as we bring in new members, our focus will be to engage them, facilitate their empowerment, and assist them with becoming advocates for themselves, their students and the profession.”!!!!!4(25/!'/+26(,1'-!,77!72+,7-!82!-'8!9'9:'(-3*;!12,7-<!82!0')'72;!,!9'9:'(-3*;!;7,/<!implement the plan, analyze the plan and tweak it as needed in order to be successful. “Together we can do this,” she said. “The success of our organization depends on all of us. Let’s all play our part and commit ourselves to making NCAE the best that it’s ever been.”

Positions stated in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official position of NCAE unless so identified. The NCAE News Bulletin, a journal of the Association, is published by the North Carolina Association of Educators, 700 S.Salisbury St., Post Office Box Box 27347, Raleigh, NC 27611, 1-800-662-7924.

Linda Powell-Jones, Editor/Designer www.ncae.org

N C A E N E W S B U L L E T I N Follow NCAE eventsand activities on:

5News Bulletin August 2012 NCAE

Scholarship Drawings…Enter Now!

Could you use some extra cash to help with educational expenses? NEA Member Benefits has teamed up with Sallie Mae, provider of the NEA Smart Option Student Loan Program, to offer NEA members a chance to win $2,000 cash. Click here for more information.

…that staff members from the NCAE Instructional Advocacy Center monitor all State Board of Education meetings? In addition, the NCAE president, vice president, executive director and associate executive director spend time working with legislators. Finally and most powerfully, NCAE helps its members stay in constant touch with legislators, providing opportunities for members to interact with political leaders and have their voices heard by elected officials.

NC Retired Educators Share a Vision for “A Whole New World”

At NCAE’s Summer Leadership Training, NCAE President Rodney Ellis informed members that “It’s a Whole New World,” his theme for 2012-2013. North Carolina Retired School Personnel participates in the vision for a new world by “Sharing the Vision—Daring to Dream.” Though we are retired educators, we continue to share common concerns that all educators face during the coming years. Our mission coincides with that of NCAE. We want to join with you collaboratively to advance retirement and health care benefits and to support the communities we serve. Recent actions of the General Assembly have caused us to embark on a different course for recruitment of members and collection of dues through electronic funds transfer (EFT), but we will be stronger together by doing so. Membership can be strengthened also by encouragement of those who have never been members of NCAE to join with us as we move forward together.

Achievement of continuous membership from student members to active membership and continuing into retirement years will assist in the development of capable leadership and promote alignment of goals at the local, district and state levels of our Association. Working together for improvements in retirement and health care benefits, as both active and retired educators, will be an asset to all educators now and in the future. This is not an issue reserved for retirees as it affects all educators who are currently employed as well. All educators contribute countless hours in educational and service programs within the communities they serve whether at the local, state, or national level. The volunteer hours of our Association members save millions of dollars for the State of North Carolina each year and often help ensure that our students are prepared to learn when they enter the classroom. Service projects of our individual members, as well as group projects that are joint efforts between NCAE and NCRSP, provide materials for students and teachers as they strive for successful educational experiences. Let us remember also the Foundation for Public School Children as we seek to enhance the preparedness of students in pursuit of a quality education for all children. Collectively, NCAE and NCRSP members hold vast influence in this “Whole New World” as we “Share the Vision while Daring to Dream.”

John HoffmanNCRSP President

The scope of this year’s Summer Leaders Conference was broadened to include a larger base of participants. Training was specifically geared to ensure that an entire leadership team -- presidents, vice presidents, secretaries, treasurers and Association Reps -- can work together as a cohesive unit to grow and strengthen locals.

It’s a Whole New World!