So many times our social media feeds filled with comments about what is needed and wanted to improve the lives of educators that is controlled by Florida law, OCEA wants to better inform the public of ways to effect change and the future of education. Please read and research these items below which could directly impact your salary and working conditions. Now is the time get involved and contact those individuals which will vote on these items in the near future as three bills move through committee. OCEA is providing the contact information so that each person can influence their future. BE INVOLVED and USE YOUR VOICE! #UnionStrong
From FEA Legistlative updates:
Just because the interim committee weeks were quiet doesn’t mean session will be. We are currently tracking more than 130 education bills. Some of the bills that have the greatest potential to impact students, educators and school communities are listed below. As we progress through session, we’ll continue to adjust this list as bills start moving through the committee process.
SB 136/HB 439 restores local control to teacher salaries by gutting current laws that restrict how teacher raises must be determined. This is one of FEA’s legislative priorities.
SB 296/ HB 261 restores local control by removing state-mandated starts times for public schools.
SB 166 looks to be the big education bill to watch in the Senate. It contains dozens of unrelated policy changes. Like last year’s “deregulation” package, it’s safe to assume the final version of this bill will look quite different from the current version. One provision of the bill we’ll be fighting really hard to see get across the finish line would allow teachers to once again earn multiyear contracts. At this time, there is no House companion.
