2010 Legislative Agenda
1. Full Funding of Mandated Programs
Full Funding of the Education Finance Act
The General Assembly must establish education as the state’s top funding priority. The Base Student Cost should be appropriated based on legislative mandates and inflation costs and should include weightings for poverty and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The cost of providing a sound educational program for all of the state’s children should not be funded using nonrecurring money.
Security of the EIA Penny for Innovation
The Education Improvement Act should be thoroughly examined and updated. Money from the EIA funds should NOT be used to supplant funding intended to be paid from the General Fund. To ensure that all sales tax revenues adequately fund the EIA programs, the sales tax exemptions must be examined and most of them eliminated.
State Must Fund the Fringe Benefits Program
Passing the costs of funding the fringe benefits program to the individual districts creates an unequal burden on the smaller, poorer districts and robs them of dollars that should be used to fund instruction. The legislature must appropriate funds to cover the costs of providing this employee benefit. High caliber health and dental insurance options, without increasing premiums and/or deductibles, should be provided to inservice and retired educators.
Full Funding of the Education Accountability Act
The passage of the Education Accountability Act was a milestone in improving the education system in
Recruitment
As S.C. education continues to move forward, it is imperative that we make teaching an attractive career. Providing scholarships for outstanding students to go into education (the Teaching Fellows Program) and funding salary supplements for National Board certified teachers are ways to increase the number of qualified teachers in our state.
Retention
To maintain a cadre of quality teachers in the classroom, the cap on the increments of the state salary schedule should be raised from 22 to 28 years. Adding steps to the state minimum salary schedule recognizes the value and worth of our veteran teachers, encouraging them to stay in the profession. The TERI plan should continue as an option for teachers who wish to remain in the classroom past 28 years. Research shows we lose many of our new teachers within the first five years of teaching. The General Assembly must fully fund mentor training for districts and allow National Board Certified Teachers to serve as mentors AND fund comprehensive induction programs for new teachers that include networking, release time, and full-time mentor coaching for the first two years.
Compensation
For the 2009-2010 school year, in order to save thousands of teacher jobs and keep class sizes at their current level, PSTA supports furloughs for teachers up to five days and not a reduction in contractual days. We do not support a salary reduction or the elimination of "step" raises for teachers who qualify. We support these measures with the understanding that every effort will be made in the coming years to address the discrepancies between
Enhancing the Teaching Profession
Education is a profession, and educators are professionals. The entire licensing process, including preservice and inservice components must constantly be reviewed and upgraded. The state must ensure that quality educational leaders lead all schools, and that a properly trained and compensated educator teaches every class. PSTA encourages members of the General Assembly to work creatively to recognize outstanding teachers in their districts.
3. Tuition Tax Credits and Vouchers
PSTA does not support any legislation that will direct public funds to pay for private, religious, or home schooling. Tuition tax credit plans draw against our state’s general fund revenue resulting in unstable budgets for our public schools and other state agencies.
4. School Choice
PSTA strongly supports public school choice as smaller learning communities within the public schools. These include charter schools, magnet schools, virtual schools, and single gender education as public school choice options.
5. School Governance
The legislature must provide for the election of all school board members in nonpartisan elections and for fiscal independence of these elected school boards so they may raise the local funds needed to comply with state and federal mandates.
6. Collective Bargaining
PSTA strongly opposes any legislation that would permit or allow teachers to enter into professional negotiations. PSTA strongly supports the preservation of
PSTA does not support or endorse candidates. We do encourage our members to be politically active. Check out the official websites for Governor and State Superintendent candidates to read their platforms and make an educated vote in November!
Nikki Haley (Republican, Governor Candidate)
Vincent Sheheen (Democrat, Governor Candidate)
Mick Zais (Republican, State Superintendent Candidate)