Long-Term Legislative Objectives: As approved at the
2000 WEAC Representative Assembly
PRIORITY #1
1-A. FINANCING EDUCATION
The Wisconsin Education Association Council recognizes that the present
means of financial support of public education is inadequate and unjust.
The WEAC shall continue the following efforts:
- directing the WEAC Legal and Legislative Divisions to work to maintain
the state's share of funding of public education;
- actively seeking the development of additional sources of revenue
for the support of public education;
- opposing all legislation seeking to create tuition tax credits, vouchers,
or other forms of financial support to non-public schools;
- opposing all forms of educational cost controls.
1-B. NEGOTIATIONS LAW
The WEAC supports Wisconsin Statute 111.70 as amended and will zealously
oppose any erosion of present language but will seek legislation for the
following modifications:
- the establishment of legislation making class size a mandatory subject
of bargaining.
- the resolution of the mandatory/permissive issue by making prior collective
bargaining agreement provisions mandatory subjects of bargaining when
negotiating successor agreements;
- the insertion of the legal strike option at impasse and the deletion
of strike penalties.
- the WEAC supports amending Wisconsin Statutes 111.80, the collective
bargaining statute for state employees, to include mediation/arbitration.
- the WEAC shall seek legislation to eliminate the QEO.
1-C. IMPROVING RETIREMENT PROVISIONS
The WEAC shall seek legislation which may include the following: 1.
- obtaining optional retirement with full benefits at age 55 or upon
the completion of thirty years of full-time service;
- providing a supplemental health insurance plan for retired teachers/ESP
which will ensure continued coverage at a reasonable premium.
- ensuring that education employees who have served in the Peace Corps,
VISTA or who left the profession for a period of time to raise their
children receive the same kinds of retirement benefits as education
employees who have served in the military;
- increasing the benefit index used to compute retirement benefits;
- ensuring the option to draw out in a lump sum all employee contributions
and accumulated earnings with the employer's amount as one-half of the
monthly formula annuity for all members who become eligible to receive
a retirement annuity (age 55);
- amending retirement laws to allow participants to place at least 50
percent of their contributions into a variable annuity program;
- seeking equity in computation of years of service for all members;
- liberalizing the definition for disability for education employees
to occupational disability rather than total disability;
- expanding the teacher representation on the Employee Trust Funds Board
to at least three appointees. The teachers should be elected by the
Teacher Retirement Board.
- seeking protective status for teachers employed in the state adult
and juvenile correctional institutions.
- seeking legislation for inclusion of supplemental add-on pay in the
retirement formula and for converting sick leave credits to health insurance
premiums upon retirement.
- ensuring that educational support staff shall receive full benefits
if the individual has worked part-time for five years any time over
their employment period.
1-D. HEALTH CARE COSTS
The WEAC shall seek legislation which may include the following: 1.
- Help control escalating health care costs.
- Provide long-term care for all public education employees.
- Provide accessible and affordable health care for all children.
1-E. SELF-FUNDED HEALTH CARE BENEFITS
The present law regarding employee health care benefits self-funded by
school districts and regarding insurance should be amended to: 1.
- make the districts and plans subject to all benefits and marketing
requirements mandated for insured plans;
- modify insurance law as appropriate, so that insurance laws, such
as minimum funding levels, reserve requirements, approval of forms,
liquidation and rehabilitation requirements, and OCI oversight apply;
- require plans to apply for, and receive, a certificate of authority
from the Commissioner of Insurance prior to implementation of the plan;
- require the district to have 100 employees participating in a health
care benefit plan before the district can self-fund;
- require those with insufficient numbers to jointly provide benefits
with other districts, all together having at least 100 employees participating
in a health care benefit plan, under a 66.30 contract providing for
a common risk pool, common plan and common stop-loss policy;
- prohibit districts from self-administering self-funded plans;
- strengthen the provisions regarding confidentiality;
- regulate the conduct of administrators of district-sponsored self-funded
plans.
- sSelf-funded health care will include state-mandated benefits, and
modification of policy will only be made by mutual agreement.
PRIORITY #2
ANTI-EDUCATION BILLS
The WEAC shall engage in active opposition to bills having negative impact
on education or educators including any effort to repeal, diminish and/or
circumvent statutorily required educational standards including Chapter
115 and sex equity laws. Further, the WEAC will continue its efforts to
require compliance with these statutes.
PRIORITY #3
EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
The WEAC will encourage and assist in the passing of an equal rights
amendment at the state and national level.
PRIORITY #4
MEMBER PROTECTION
The WEAC shall actively support legislation protecting members and their
property from job-related abuse. The WEAC shall actively support legislation
designed to give a school employee the right to file a civil action against
the parent(s) or guardian of any student who has made false statements
against the school employee that have resulted in a threat to the school
employee's job security. Such claims could be filed once the false statements
have been retracted or the school employee exonerated of any accompanying
charges.
PRIORITY #5
RESIDENCY
The WEAC shall seek legislation prohibiting school districts from imposing
residency requirements on their employees. The WEAC believes that open
occupancy in housing must be enforced.
PRIORITY #6
INSTRUCTION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The WEAC aims for the highest level of instructional standards and encourages
professional development for all members. Expanding these definitions
encompasses the following: 1.
- supporting legislation strengthening truancy laws and encouraging
their strict enforcement;
- passing legislation that addresses class size, number of preparations,
and preparation time as components of the standards of educational excellence;
- passing legislation that will include elementary guidance and school
social work services as mandatory. These services should be provided
by certified guidance counselors and certified social workers.
- working in a joint effort with the Department of Public Instruction
to implement programs to include Aat risk@ students.
- WEAC shall seek legislation to reduce the maximum number of hours
that students are permitted to work during the school year to four hours
daily per school day.
- initiating and supporting legislation which requires that certified
teachers provide the educational programming for clients over the age
of 21 in the centers for the developmentally disabled.
- The WEAC shall seek and support legislation to introduce teacher education
and certification programs within the Wisconsin University system for
the teaching of the visually impaired and health occupations.
- The WEAC shall seek and support legislation that allows real reform
in Wisconsin Education including but not limited to Early Childhood
Programs, cooperation of all social service groups among each other,
parent involvement in the child's education, school violence, school
day and year, structure and new employee mentoring programs.
PRIORITY #7
COMPARABLE WORTH
The WEAC shall actively support legislation that ensures equal pay for
work of comparable value.
PRIORITY #8
ADMINISTRATIVE CERTIFICATION
The WEAC supports the requirement for three years of full-time successful
classroom teaching experience as a classroom teacher for administrative
certification.
PRIORITY #9
BARGAINING RIGHTS FOR UW ACADEMIC STAFF
The WEAC will support legislation establishing UW Academic staff bargaining
rights.
PRIORITY #10
SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION
The WEAC will work to maintain and improve protection for school employees
in the event of a school district reorganization, merger, dissolution,
or detachment including job security for employees of the reorganized
school districts and maintenance of benefits under collective bargaining
agreements with the reorganized school districts.
PRIORITY #11
STATE EDUCATION EMPLOYEE PROTECTION
The WEAC will work to maintain and improve protections for state educational
employees in the event of department reorganizations or dissolution.
PRIORITY #12
SCHOOL CHOICE
The WEAC shall support legislation which is consistent with WEAC's position
on school choice.
PRIORITY #13
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
The WEAC shall support continuous expansion and implementation of educational
technology and telecommunications initiatives including staff development.
Posted May 10, 2000
