Region 19 Region Council Meeting Agenda April 2, 2013 Treasurer Bureau Valley: Larry McBride Secretary Eastland

SueAnn Bamberg

Jen Laity

Motion to approve by Cathy Eberle; seconded by Marilyn Meiners; motion passed

Bureau Valley: change to insurance deductible to save district money; 3 RIFs

The IPACE Executive Committee made a few changes to the GPA program and these changes were presented to the IEA Board of Directors this past weekend. These changes will take effect for the 2013-2014 GPA program year.  The following are the three major differences: 1) The GPA goals were replaced by GPA expectations. 2) The Kick-Off meeting is no longer mandatory, but there will be a mandatory webinar to review the Nuts and Bolts of the program. 3) GPAs will be required to submit three reports throughout the year including their activities and updated activists list. 

The House has previously voted to cap pensionable salaries at $113,700, or the rate of Social Security, and to increase the retirement age by five years for those 35 and younger, increase it by three years for those ages 35-39 and one year for those ages 40-45. There is no change for those 46 and older.

HOUSE ROLL CALL for HOUSE BILL 1165 THIRD READING PASSED 3/21/13 66 YEAS 50 NAYS:

Y Acevedo, Y Durkin, N Lang, Y Roth, Y Arroyo, N Evans, Y Leitch, Y Sacia, N Beiser, Y Farnham, N Lilly, Y Sandack, Y Bellock, Y Feigenholtz, Y Manley, N Scherer, Y Berrios, N Fine, Y Martwick, Y Schmitz, N Bost, Y Flowers, N Mautino, Y Senger, Y Bradley, N Ford, N Mayfield, Y Sente, N Brady, N Fortner, Y McAsey, N Sims, N Brauer, Y Franks, N McAuliffe, N Smiddy, N Brown, Y Gabel, Y McSweeney, N Smith, Y Burke Daniel, NV Golar, N Meier, N Sommer, Y Burke Kelly, Y Gordon-Booth, Y Mell, Y Sosnowski, N Cabello, Y Halbrook, N Mitchell Bill, Y Soto, N Cassidy, N Hammond, Y Mitchell Christian, Y Sullivan, N Cavaletto, N Harms, N Moffitt, Y Tabares, E Chapa LaVia, Y Harris David, Y Morrison, N Thapedi, Y Cloonen, Y Harris Greg, Y Moylan, Y Tracy, Y Conroy, Y Hatcher, Y Mussman, N Tryon, N Costello, N Hays, Y Nekritz, N Turner, Y Crespo, Y Hernandez Y Osmond N Unes Y Cross N Hoffman N Phelps N Verschoore Y Currie Y Hurley Y Pihos, Y Walsh, Y D'Amico, Y Ives, N Poe, N Welch, N Davidsmeyer, N Jackson, Y Pritchard, Y Wheeler, Y Davis Monique, N Jakobsson, N Reboletti, N Williams, Y Davis William, Y Jefferson, N Reis, Y Willis, N DeLuca, Y Jones, N Riley, Y Yingling, Y Demmer, Y Kay, N Rita, Y Zalewski, N Drury, Y Kifowit, N Rosenthal, Y Mr. Speaker, N Dunkin, Y Kosel
SB1 forces current Tier 1 employees to choose to freeze their pensionable salaries as they are today in exchange for keeping a 3 percent compounded COLA in retirement and access to health care. Or, active Tier 1 employees can continue to count salary increases toward their pensions but reduce their COLA in retirement to half of the consumer price index or 3 percent simple COLAs, whichever is less, and still have access to healthcare. The bill includes the establishment of a pension stabilization fund, and the right for TRS members to sue the state if the state doesn't make its future payments.
There is no 2 percent increase in member contribution in SB 1 and there also is no shifting of the cost of pensions from the state to local school districts. It does not include any current TRS retirees or anyone who has already declared through irrevocable letters of retirement that they are leaving the profession.
This bill has been passed by the Senate. It still would have to be heard and passed by the House in order to be considered by the governor for passage. The bill needed 30 votes to pass and was heard twice. The first time it failed by one vote 29 Yes, 22 No, 4 Present. Cullerton asked that it be put on postponed consideration and it was heard again about 15 minutes later and it passed 30 Yes, 22 No

Lobby members of the Illinois General Assembly while they are home on spring break the week of April 1-5.

Re GPA: Lobby Day on May 15, 2013. Bus should be paid for by IEA. Keep looking at IEA website for updates on legislation. Bills are moving quickly in congress.

Dixon ratified contract in March. Been to Freeport, Stockton, Prophetstown, West Carroll, Lena-Winslow for meetings regarding issues.
Chair Report and Information Sharing

Legislative Platform (BoD approved) proposed changes:

- Throughout the document the word “certification” has been replaced by the word “licensure”.

- Other changes are noted in the document on lines 260-264 (page 13); 435, 438 (page 19) and 1010-1012 (page 37.)

- An additional change was made, not in the current printed copy of the legislative platform, on line 629 (page 25) adding the word “funded” to the platform language. It reads “The Association will strive to maintain and enhance all funded mandates, including those in all areas of special education.”

- The savings from nine IEA staff members taking advantage of a one-time retirement incentive, assuming that each will be filled, along with delaying the hiring of an HR Director until October 1, 2013 and moving $30,000 out of our contingency fund, has modified our proposed dues increase.

- The Budget Committees moves the budget for 2013-2014, including the staffing changes presented at the budget open hearings, with a maximum increase of $2 for a full time certified member or $1 for a full time ESP (instead of the proposed $6 dues increase). The motion passed with 79 Yes, 1 No, 0 Abstained and 10 absent.

- The budget (BoD approved) will be presented and debated with action taken by the delegates at the IEA-RA in April.

-Please encourage your members to use and share teaching artifacts with the Living Library. (www.livinglibrary.us)

-Please make sure all members view the 15 minute webinar to better understand what is happening as ISBE changes our certificates to a license. This can be found at http://ieanea.org/2013/03/13/the-new-illinois-licensure-system/ Currently there is a link to the webinar on the main page of IEA’s website. (www.ieanea.org)

- A list of locals who have not yet paid the required dues (50%) to be seated at the IEA-RA was provided. These locals have been contacted individually (Freeport)

- approval of disaffiliation of Neponset Education, formally of Region 19, (annexed with Kewanee EA) and New Hope Education Association (now independent)

- the IEA BOD directed the Executive Director and President to use appropriate staff and governance to make a proposal to the board regarding a two-year budget.

For the RA, Cinda is collecting examples of what locals are doing that

- have developed a real community connection to the local - a relationship with a community group, a project geared to the parents or community etc.

- are engaged in teaching and learning progressive ideas: peer review, revised salary schedules, full mentoring programs, etc.

- April 11-13 – IEA Representative Assembly, Chicago, IL

- April 26-27 – IEA-Retired Conference, Oak Brook, IL

- May 7 – National Teachers Day

- May 15 - Lobby Day, Springfield, IL

- May 17-18 – IEA Board of Directors, Springfield, IL

-July 1-6 – NEA-RA in Atlanta, GA,

-Early June, Outreach to Teach volunteering from Region 19 members too (Lena?) & will be looking for volunteers

-July 23-26, 2013—SLA @ ISU

-October 18-19, 2013—CORE Conferences