The Virginia Beach Education Association

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WELCOME BACK!

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VBEA President Dominic Melito speaks to the Reps at the September 14th AR Meeting about the importance of saving the Virginia Senate incumbents that support public education.

What a meeting! VBEA reps got the scoop on the latest battles that the VBEA, VEA and NEA have been engaged in, including an NEA conference call with Vice President Joe Biden about The American Jobs Act, efforts to tie 40% of a teacher's evaluation to student growth, and efforts to undermine our VRS. VBEA President Dominic Melito also reported that the school board had a workshop on September 7th concerning how to make up inclement weather days for 2011-12. (An E-ITK with an update about the inclement weather days is coming soon.)

At the end of the meeting, Reps were astonished to see the disparities between the Virginia House and Senate on funding for Public Education and the VRS.

Per-Pupil School Funding

Per Pupil Funding
              Dem Senate     Rep House      Conference
2010-11    $4,603           $4,304              $4,549
2011-12     $4,599           $4,445              $4,581

As you can clearly see, the Democratic controlled Senate appropriated much more money per pupil to public education than the Republican controlled House. The end result (Conference report) was much closer to the numbers of the Senate than the House.

Preserving VRS

•HB2410 – Defined Contribution Program
–Passed Republican House
–Killed by Senate Finance Committee (10 – 5 vote)
YEAS—Wampler (R), Houck (D), Howell (D), Saslaw (D), Hanger (R), Miller, Y.B. (D), Marsh (D), Lucas (D), Whipple (D), Reynolds (D)--10.

NAYS—Colgan (D), Stosch (R), Quayle (R), Norment (R), Watkins (R)--5.

If this defined contribution program had been passed, VRS as we know it would have been weakened, as fewer and fewer education employees would have been contributing to it.

The Virginia Beach Education Association is the local affiliate of the 58,000 member Virginia Education Association, which is the state affiliate of the 3.2 million member National Education Association. The VBEA Office is located at 445 Kings Grant Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23452 (757) 486-0202.

The Virginia Beach Education Association:
1) serves as a voice for public education
2) advances the cause of public education for all individuals
3) promotes professional excellence among teachers and education support professionals
4) strives to gain recognition of the basic importance of the professional educator in the learning process
5) protects the rights of teachers and education support professionals and advances their interests and welfare
6) promotes and protects human and civil rights and
7) obtains for its members the benefits of an independent, united teaching profession.

Recent News & Headlines

VEA RECOMMENDS ADRIANNE BENNETT IN THE 21ST HOUSE DISTRICT »
Members of the VBEA Political Action Committee for Education (PACE) interviewed both Adrianne Bennett and Ron Villanueva, the two candidates for the 21st House District seat. Click the link above to read more.

STATE WANTS 40% OF TEACHER EVALUATION TO BE STUDENT PROGRESS »
The Virginia Department of Education is requiring all school divisions to adopt new teacher evaluation components by the beginning of the 2012-13 school year.

VBEA ACTUALLY SAVED YOU 8% OF YOUR SALARY! »
How did the VBEA save you 8%? Well, if it hadn’t been for the VEA and cyber-lobbyists across the state, not only would we not have gotten a 3% increase, we would have had to take a 5% cut in pay!!

More News »