EAST ORANGE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

June, 2017

Government Relations Update for June  

Murphy Wins.   It’s finally June, and the election results are in. Phil Murphy decisively won the Democratic primary for Governor, and he is set to face off against Kim Guadagno in the general election in November. In his speech on election night, he devoted a good deal of time to issues surrounding labor, public education, and public employee pensions. While some of us may have supported other candidates in the primary, we now have a clear choice before us.  

There is no question that Phil Murphy would be far better for us than Kim Guadagno, and that is why we must all work together in November to ensure that our endorsed candidate becomes the next Governor of New Jersey. Thanks to those who participated in our phone bank Monday evening. I hope to see more of you engaged with this in the fall.  

Lobby Days.  It’s budget season in Trenton, and over the next weeks the legislature and Governor will have to agree on a budget. We’re not sure at this point if there will be a big fight, but it’s possible that school funding can be an issue. In order to be proactive, NJEA is planning three tentative lobby days - June 22, June 26, and June 29. These are the last three session days of the month, and the legislature will likely vote on the final budget on one of those days. Join me in attending at least one lobby day. More details and registration are on the NJEA website.  

LD3 Endorsement.   The PAC Board of Trustees voted to endorse the Republican candidate in LD3 - Fran Grenier. He will face off against Steve Sweeney in the general election in November. While he may not be the perfect candidate, he is our best chance to knock Steve Sweeney out of the state senate - or to at least bloody him up before a fight in November over legislative leadership.  

NJEA Summer Training Fellowship.   Last year, NJEA launched its summer fellowship to engage members in organizing around the pension amendment. They have decided to renew the program this year with a focus on Murphy’s campaign for governor. This is a great opportunity to learn about organizing, help advance our cause, and earn a few bucks - because it is a paid training program. I participated last year, and I would highly recommend it, as it was a great experience. Find more details and apply before June 23 on the NJEA website.  

May, 2017

Government Relations Update for May

Members 4 Murphy.

On Monday, May 8, Phil Murphy came to East Orange and hosted a public town hall event. Hopefully you had a chance to see him in person. He remains NJEA's endorsed candidate in the primary, and on May 2 the PAC committee renewed that endorsement for the general election in November.

On Monday, June 5 we will be hosting a GOTV phone bank at the EOEA office. Our goal is to call every NJEA member who lives in East Orange, encouraging them to get out to vote and to vote for Phil Murphy. The phone bank will be from 4:30 to 6:30, but feel free to come late if you're stuck in a faculty meeting. We plan to order some pizza after we make phone calls, so please RSVP with Valerie at the office to give us an accurate head count. We need about 20-24 volunteers to meet our goal.

Steve Sweeney. Our ongoing feud with Steve Sweeney was turned up a notch this month after Garden State Forward released a website -https://therealstevesweeney.com/. The site reveals Sweeney's true record of hurting the middle class, breaking his promises, and caving to Christie. Read it and share it with your friends.

On May 5, I joined a group of NJEA members from around the state for a canvass in LD 3 to help build support for a campaign to unseat Steve Sweeney in his home district. There is another canvass planned for Saturday, May 12. If you can make it, please RSVP to Marybeth Beichert -mbeichert@njea.org - and she'll get you the details.

PARCC as a Grad Requirement.

A concurrent resolution, ACR-215, previously passed the Assembly requiring the State BOE to eliminate the use of PARCC as a graduation requirement. The Senate Education chair, Teresa Ruiz, and Senate President Sweeney have refused to pass the resolution for a vote. However, they did send a letter to the State BOE this month indicating that they do not support the use of PARCC as an exit exam and asking them to change the regulations. It remains to be seen whether the Board will take action on this request.

NJEA Endorsements.

On May 2, NJEA's PAC Operating Committee met to consider primary endorsements for the upcoming legislative elections. The committee endorsed Sen. Thompson, Asm. Dancer, and Asm. Clifton in LD 12; Asw DeCroce and John Cesaro in LD 26; and Asm. Chiaravalloti and NJEA member Kristen Zadroga Hart in LD 29.



April, 2017

Members for Murphy.

This month, candidates for the 2017 election turned in their petitions to be placed on the ballot. Phil Murphy submitted a record breaking 43,000 signatures on his petition. Almost 7,000 of those signatures came from NJEA members through our Members for Murphy campaign.

Thank you to those who signed my petition and helped make this campaign a success!

The primary election is coming up soon on Tuesday, June 6. As usual, we will be phone banking at the EOEA Office the night before - Monday, June 5. Join us for an hour or so after your staff meeting, and help us turn out the vote for our endorsed candidate. It’ll only take about two dozen volunteers for us to call every NJEA member who lives in East Orange. Call the EOEA office and let us know if you plan on participating.

Republican Gubernatorial Primary Screening.

On March 20, NJEA’s Gubernatorial Screening Committee screened Republican candidates for Governor. At the March 27 PAC Operating Committee meeting, the screening committee made a recommendation of no endorsement. Simply put, none of the candidates aligned with NJEA’s priorities for public education and for New Jersey. The PAC Operating Committee voted to accept this recommendation, and NJEA will have no endorsed candidate in the Republican side of the gubernatorial primary.

NJEA Says No to More Pension Reforms.

This month, Governor Christie once again asked for concessions from public employee unions in regards to the pension system and health benefits. Other unions, including CWA and the PBA, had been meeting with the Christie administration regarding using the lottery to help fund the pension system. They immediately rejected the idea of any changes to pensions or benefits. NJEA had not been part of the lottery discussions, but we too rejected Christie’s demands out of hand.

Resolution to End PARCC for Graduation.

Last month, the NJ Assembly passed ACR-215 with overwhelming bipartisan support. This resolution would require the NJ State Board of Education to end the use of PARCC as a graduation requirement. Unfortunately, the companion resolution in the Senate, SCR-132, has not been heard or voted on in the Senate Education committee. Let Chair, Sen. Teresa Ruiz (SenRuiz@njleg.org), know that this bill needs to be heard. The Senate resolution is sponsored by our very own Nia Gill, and the Assembly version was sponsored by Essex County’s Mila Jasey.

The Campaign Against Steve Sweeney.

NJEA continues to organize our members in LD 3 against the re-election of Steve Sweeney. In addition to phone banking, there are three canvasses planned for April 29, May 6, and May 13. I’ll be down there for a canvass on either May 6 or May 13, so I hope to see you there! If you can help out either canvassing or phone banking, e-mail change@njea.org and ask for the details.



March, 2017

Government Relations Update for March

Phone Banking Against Steve Sweeney. In case you forgot, Senate President Steve Sweeney has repeatedly screwed over the NJEA and its members. First, he was the mastermind behind Chapter 78. Then, he promised to post the pension amendment for a vote last summer and he broke that promise. Now, he’s trying to adjust the school funding formula to rob districts like ours of adjustment aid. Can you help NJEA send a message to Steve Sweeney - and maybe even boot him from his seat? You can be part of a virtual phone bank from the comfort of your own home. We’re calling members in his district, LD 3, to talk to them about Steve Sweeney and help organize for a potential challenger. If you could spend an hour and make 20 phone calls, that would be great! Just e-mail change@njea.org and say you want to be a part of the LD 3 phone bank.

Members for Murphy. The first phase of the Members 4 Murphy campaign is wrapping up, and NJEA is well on its way to collecting 10,000 signatures on behalf of Phil Murphy’s campaign for Governor. Thanks to the many East Orange members who signed the petition I’m carrying! To learn more about our endorsed candidate in the Democratic Primary, go to www.njea.org/murphy.

Republican Gubernatorial Primary Screening. Last summer, NJEA’s PAC Operating Committee voted to screen candidates in the upcoming gubernatorial primaries. The screening committee was instructed to interview both Democratic and Republican candidates. In October, the PAC Operating Committee voted to endorse Phil Murphy in the Democratic primary. On March 20, the screening committee has invited the Republican candidates to be interviewed. This will be followed by a meeting of the PAC Operating Committee on March 27, who will ultimately decide whether to endorse anyone in the Republican primary.

Worried About HR 610? You may have seen a viral post on Facebook about a bill introduced in Congress - HR 610. The bill would do horrific things to public education, dismantling the current system of federal funding and replacing it with vouchers. If there was a chance that it could pass, you would be right to be worried. But the good news is, this bill is not going to go anywhere. It was previously introduced in the last session of Congress, where it died in committee. After it was reintroduced in this session, it was again referred to committee and there are no plans to give it a hearing or a vote. To put things in perspective, there were 7,784 bills introduced in the House in the last session of Congress. Of those, 6,292 were referred to committee and subsequently died. Only 338 - 4.3% - ultimately made it to President Obama’s desk.

There are many dangerous plans on the horizon - for vouchers, educational savings accounts, and the like. But it would be imprudent and unwise to mobilize and take action around every bad bill that is introduced. It is a long time until the midterm elections in 2018, and longer still until the next Presidential election in 2020. Most of these bad bills will die of natural causes. Stay vigilant, but save your energy for the bad bills that have the potential to make it through the process.



February, 2017

Government Relations Update for February

East Orange Mayor's Election. 

Earlier this month, Mayor Lester Taylor held a press conference to announce that he would not be seeking a second term as mayor. In June, the primary election will determine who will be the Democratic nominee and likely the winner in November. The candidates are still shaking out, but one thing is clear. Come 2018 we will have a new Mayor in East Orange.

Members for Murphy.

In October, NJEA’s PAC Operating Committee endorsed Phil Murphy in the Democratic Primary for Governor. Members4Murphy is a member driven campaign to raise awareness about the candidate and collect signatures for his petition to be on the ballot in June. Learn more about Ambassador Murphy on NJEA’s website - njea.org/murphy. Want to help? Talk to your rep or call the EOEA office to set up a 10-minute meeting in your building to help support Phil's campaign.

School Funding.

Steve Sweeney has created a committee, the Senate Select Committee on School Funding Fairness, to hear testimony about whether and how to adjust school funding in New Jersey. Sweeney wants to help some underfunded districts - like Orange - by stealing money from other underfunded districts that receive “adjustment aid” - like East Orange. NJEA opposes this, and we have a very simple solution - fully fund the school funding formula and help all districts. A committee hearing to hear testimony was scheduled for February 9 in Newark, but it was postponed due to snow. Send an email to the committee aide, Allen Dupree (adupree@njleg.org), and let him know that the only appropriate solution to school funding is to fully fund the formula.

Secretary of Education.

Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education last week. This is a disappointment, but consider this: two Republican Senators voted against her confirmation, and this was the first time in history that the Vice President had to vote to break a tie on a cabinet appointment. There was unprecedented activism and opposition to her confirmation. Let us take heart in these small victories and continue to stand up and fight.



January, 2017

Secretary of Education. Confirmation hearings for Betsy DeVos, the nominee for Secretary of Education, are scheduled to begin in the Senate HELP Committee tomorrow (Wednesday, February 11). She is a longtime advocate of charter schools and vouchers, and she is no friend to public education. The NEA strongly opposes her nomination, and we need you to let our Senators know. Call Senator Booker’s office (202.224.3224) and demand that he opposes her confirmation.

Tired of Chapter 78? NJEA is laying the groundwork now to create a legislative solution to Chapter 78 and the problem of “negative net.” As our lobbyists meet with legislators, they need stories from members like you to demonstrate just how catastrophic Chapter 78 has been. If you’ve had enough of healthcare contributions and are willing to share how this has impacted you financially, contact me (brianrock.nj@gmail.com) or the EOEA office. I’ll follow up to gather some information from you and relay it to our Government Relations staff in Trenton.

Early Career Members Getting Politically Active. In October, NJEA’s Early Career Member Network hosted an event to discuss political involvement among early career members. A follow up event is planned for January 26 in Trenton. If you’d like to participate and connect with your politically aware peers from around the state, email Jim Boice (jboice@njea.org) to RSVP.

Regulatory Updates. In January, the NJ State Board of Ed continued its consideration of new regulations for charter schools. The proposed regulations would loosen certification requirements for teachers at some charters, creating an unlevel playing field and undermining the professionalism of public educators. NJEA officers, staff, and members attended the State Board meeting and testified in opposition to these regulations. Final action is expected to take a few more months, during which time we need to continue to state our opposition to these ridiculous changes.

Looming on the Horizon. It is Governor Christie’s last year in office, but he isn’t gone yet. He delivered his last State of the State address today, and he will deliver his final budget address next month. He may try and implement aspects of his funding proposal - with catastrophic results for districts like ours - through that budget. We must remain vigilant and be prepared to take swift action if this should happen. Stay tuned for further developments in February.



December, 2016

Secretary of Education.

In the past month, President-elect Trump has announced a number of his key cabinet picks, including Betsy DeVos, who he plans to appoint as the Secretary of Education. She is a billionaire businesswoman from Michigan and a longtime advocate of charter schools and vouchers. The NEA strongly opposes her as a nominee. Her nomination will go before the U.S. Senate for confirmation shortly after the inauguration, and thus far Senator Booker has firmly stated that he will take no public position on the nomination. The good news is that he isn’t supporting her publicly, despite his own ties to charter schools and vouchers. The bad news is that he won’t come out against her nomination publicly, either. Let’s call Senator Booker’s office (202.224.3224) and make sure he knows our position loud and clear.

Early Career Members Getting Politically Active.

In October, NJEA’s Early Career Member Network hosted an event to discuss political involvement among early career members. A follow up event is planned for January 26 in Trenton. If you’d like to participate and connect with your politically aware peers from around the state, email Jim Boice (jboice@njea.org) to RSVP.

Legislative Updates.

In the past month, two education related bills were passed - one on pensions and one on student loans. The pension bill (S-2810) requires the state to make its pension payments at the end of each quarter instead of in one lump sum at the end of the fiscal year. It passed both houses of the legislature unanimously, and Gov. Christie is expected to sign it. While this is not as beneficial as the failed constitutional amendment, it is a win. NJEA has pushed for this change in the past and but it has been vetoed. Another bill was signed into law that reforms student loans issued by HESAA. Previously, a co-signer was still liable to pay off a loan if the student borrower died before it was paid off. The new law guarantees that these loans will be forgiven.

Regulatory Updates.

Earlier in the year, Gov. Christie proposed new, controversial regulations for charter schools. The NJEA strongly opposes these, and a number of members testified at the November board meeting in opposition to these proposed regulations. They are currently on hold and were left off of the December agenda for the State Board, but they will likely return for consideration in the new year. Governor Christie also announced his appointments and reappointments to the State Board of Education this week. Notably absent from the list was Board President Mark Biedron. This is likely an effort by Christie to reshape the Board in his last year in office and shore up support for his charter school regulations.



November, 2016

It’s Election Day! By the time you read this, the Presidential election will likely be over. I’m not going to make any predictions, but know that we did our part. The ECEA took a bus out to PA to canvass in October, and NJEA took a busload of volunteers out to PA on November 5. We held a local phone bank here in East Orange on Monday night. Thank you to everyone who volunteered!

Gubernatorial Updates. Last month, I reported that NJEA had endorsed Ambassador Phil Murphy in the Democratic Gubernatorial Primary. This month, I’m excited to tell you that he will be at the NJEA Convention, and if you attend you’ll have an opportunity to meet him. Friday morning, the regularly scheduled Q&A with the Commissioner of Education has been replaced by a Q&A with Phil Murphy. That is at 9:30am. Later on Friday, Phil Murphy will also be visiting the ECEA Hospitality Suite. The lunch is from 11am to 1pm, and the Ambassador plans on being there from 11:15 to 11:45. Make sure you take advantage of this opportunity to meet our endorsed candidate and vet him for yourself.

Early Career Members Getting Politically Active. On October 26, NJEA’s Early Career Member Network hosted an event to discuss political involvement amongst early career members. Two NJEA members who are also elected officials in their hometowns joined us, including a teacher from Irvington who serves on his local Board of Education. A follow up event is being planned for late January or early February. If you’re interested in attending, e-mail Jim Boice at NJEA (jboice@njea.org).

Legislative Updates. A-4122, a bill that would prohibit the use of standardized tests in teacher evaluations, passed the Assembly and has been received in the Senate, where it has been referred to the Senate Education Committee and awaits further action. S-979, a bill that would eliminate our ability to bargain healthcare waivers, was to be voted on in the Senate last month but it was pulled from consideration after vocal opposition from our members. The State Board of Education continued to consider new regulations on charter schools. NJEA continues to oppose these regulations, and several NJEA members and leaders were present at the State Board of Education meeting in November to register that opposition.



October, 2016

Gubernatorial Primary Endorsement.

On Saturday, October 8, the NJEA PAC Operating Committee took the extraordinary step of endorsing Phil Murphy in the Democratic Primary for Governor. That election is June 6, 2017. Murphy, the former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, was one of four candidates to meet with NJEA’s screening committee Saturday morning. In his interview, he was exceedingly well prepared to discuss our issues and he spoke about things like ending the PARCC, raising new revenues to fund the pension, fully funding state aid to schools, finding a former classroom educator to be the next Commissioner of Education, and placing a moratorium on charter schools. Along with working in President Obama’s administration, Murphy is a longtime member of the NAACP’s Board of Directors.   

Over the summer, the PAC Operating Committee initiated the screening process in response to Senate President Steve Sweeney’s failure to post the pension amendment in the State Senate. At the time, the Governor’s race was a dead heat between three candidates, and we were waiting to make our decision and endorsement at the most opportune time. That critical moment came after Steve Fulop, another leading contender, dropped out of the race in late September. This set off a series of events that ended with Senate President Sweeney dropping out of the race altogether and Murphy emerging as the strongest candidate. Over the next nine months, there will be many opportunities to see Murphy in action - at NJEA legislative events or at his own town halls. Take the opportunity to meet the candidate and judge him for yourself when you can.

Presidential Election GOTV.

It’s that time of year again… time to get out the vote for election day! We will host our usual phone bank at the EOEA Offices to call NJEA members living in East Orange and urge them to vote. That will be Monday, November 7, immediately after your staff meeting. The Essex County EA is also organizing a bus trip to Pennsylvania to canvass for Hillary, and they will be hosting several days of phone banking. If you can volunteer for one of these opportunities, please e-mail me at brianrock.nj@gmail.com.

Bill A-4122.

This bill would eliminate the use of standardized test scores in teacher evaluations - effectively eliminating SGPs. It was introduced by one of our Essex County legislators, Mila Jasey, and it has passed the State Assembly. While it is unlikely that the bill would be signed by the Governor if it passed the State Senate, this is a still a huge step forward. This sets things up so that as soon as a new Governor is sworn in - January 2018 - we can re-introduce the bill and have it swiftly passed through the legislature and signed. Our endorsed candidate, Phil Murphy, has already promised to eliminate the use of standardized tests from teacher evaluations and would be likely to sign the bill if he were elected.



September, 2016

Pensions. Welcome back! When we left in June we were talking about a constitutional amendment to mandate pension funding. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen this year. Senate President Steve Sweeney broke his promise to post the bill.

We put an enormous amount of pressure on him, but long story short he was adamant in double crossing us. This is why NJEA has taken the unprecedented step of beginning the process for screening gubernatorial primary candidates - so that we can ensure Steve Sweeney will not be elected Governor. More on that soon.

Throughout the summer, a group of 250 pension fellows worked diligently to contact members, put pressure on legislators, and organize rallies. Along with myself, five of our members participated: Tiffin Carter, Keila Catching, Carolyn O’Connell, Bibi Shahabudeen, and Nareema Shahabudeen. If you see them… be sure to say thanks for their hard work!

2016 Endorsements. The NJEA PAC Committee met in August and concurred with the NEA’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton. Previously, the Committee voted to endorse Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. A full list of endorsements is available on NJEA's website.

School Funding. Governor Christie and Senate President Steve Sweeney have proposed dueling plans for modifying the school funding formula. NJEA is adamantly opposed to the Governor's plan, which would provide an equal dollar amount per student to each district. This would abrogate the principle of Abbott and decimate urban districts. Sweeney's plan is less damaging, but NJEA is also opposed to it. Although it passed the Senate, it is currently being held up in the Assembly by Speaker Prieto.

Evaluation Bill. Assembly Education Chair Caride and Assemblywoman Jasey have introduced a bill (A-4122) that would eliminate the use of student test scores in teacher evaluations. Needless to say, NJEA is strongly in support of this bill. We need your help to drum up support for the bill. Be on the lookout for more info as this progresses.



June, 2016

Pension Amendment

The constitutional amendment on pensions continues to make progress in the legislature. On June 6, the Assembly judiciary committee voted on party lines (5-2) to approve ACR-109. Your NJEA leadership was there to testify in favor of the bill. Next, the resolution must have a public hearing and, after a 20 day waiting period, a full vote in the Assembly followed by a full vote in the Senate. This is expected to happen by the end of the June, and at that point, the question will officially be on the ballot in November.

The Pension Organizing Plan

It is imperative that we turn out enough votes to pass the question in November, and NJEA is rolling out a multiphased plan to ensure that happens. First, all members are being asked to sign a pledge card, committing to vote “Yes” in the fall. Next, NJEA will be employing members as Organizing Fellows to conduct a full-fledged field campaign over the summer, contacting and mobilizing members. This will be followed by a second Organizing Fellowship in the fall, conducted by retirees. Finally, in the weeks leading up to Election Day, NJEA and other unions will run a paid media campaign in support of the question.

What Can You Do?

See your building rep to fill out a pledge card, or go directly to VoteNJPension.org and sign the pledge. Then, talk to your colleagues, friends, and family to make sure they're prepared to vote “Yes” as well. If we work hard from now to November, this fight is winnable… but victory won't happen all by itself.

entary students. The bill was amended on the floor, so a final vote was not taken. But it is expected to be brought up for a vote soon and then be sent to the Senate for action. Finally, the Assembly attempted to override the Governor’s veto of a gun control bill (S-2360). The Senate previously voted to override the veto. The assembly came up a few votes short, but Speaker Prieto promised to try again before the current session ends.

Action on NCLB / ESEA.

After months of inaction, a conference committee was appointed to approve a new version of ESEA and replace NCLB. The compromise bill - known as the “Every Student Succeeds Act “-(ESSA) - was quickly ushered through the conference committee and brought to a vote on the House floor. It passed with bipartisan support and is expected to pass early this week in the Senate as well. More details on the law next month, but the key takeaway is this: it devolves choices about accountability on to the states, opening up the playbook for us to lobby more effectively in Trenton.



Government Relations Update for June

Murphy Wins.

It’s finally June, and the election results are in. Phil Murphy decisively won the Democratic primary for Governor, and he is set to face off against Kim Guadagno in the general election in November. In his speech on election night, he devoted a good deal of time to issues surrounding labor, public education, and public employee pensions. While some of us may have supported other candidates in the primary, we now have a clear choice before us.

There is no question that Phil Murphy would be far better for us than Kim Guadagno, and that is why we must all work together in November to ensure that our endorsed candidate becomes the next Governor of New Jersey. Thanks to those who participated in our phone bank Monday evening. I hope to see more of you engaged with this in the fall.

Lobby Days.

It’s budget season in Trenton, and over the next weeks the legislature and Governor will have to agree on a budget. We’re not sure at this point if there will be a big fight, but it’s possible that school funding can be an issue. In order to be proactive, NJEA is planning three tentative lobby days - June 22, June 26, and June 29. These are the last three session days of the month, and the legislature will likely vote on the final budget on one of those days. Join me in attending at least one lobby day. More details and registration are on the NJEA website.

LD3 Endorsement.

The PAC Board of Trustees voted to endorse the Republican candidate in LD3 - Fran Grenier. He will face off against Steve Sweeney in the general election in November. While he may not be the perfect candidate, he is our best chance to knock Steve Sweeney out of the state senate - or to at least bloody him up before a fight in November over legislative leadership.

NJEA Summer Training Fellowship.

MR. BRIAN ROCK, Chairperson

Keeps abreast of legislation that affects education. Promotes letter writing campaigns when necessary. Works with ECEA and NJEA to Get Out the Vote

CYBER-LOBBYING!