AFT Pennsylvania opposes taxpayer-funded school vouchers, education scholarship tax credits (Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs), which are back-door vouchers that use tax breaks to subsidize private and parochial schools. Vouchers represent a false hope for a few children, while most vouchers/scholarships are used by students already attending private schools. Vouchers do not deliver better outcomes for students and leave fewer resources for public school programs that are proven to work.

Below you will find a link to a brief summary of negotiations for today March 27,2017. Please take the time to review it as we only have 2 negotiation days left and would like to keep our members informed. Remember, you just need to click the link ending in .pdf.

http://unit47.ct.aft.org/files/summary3-27.pdf

After concluding business in a rush back on March 10, the NH House reconvened this past Thursday for a short session.  The most notable action of the day concerned HB 647, the so-called voucher bill for children with disabilities.  The bill had previously passed the House on policy grounds, but on Thursday, came to the floor with a strong, bi-partisan recommendation of “Inexpedient to Legislate” from the Finance Committee.  Nevertheless, in what looks to have been a party-line vote (it was not a roll-call but a division vote, meaning only the totals are recorded, not individual votes) the bill was tabled rather than killed.  The motion to table came from Republican leader Dick Hinch, who asked the House to table on grounds that voting to kill the bill would prejudice the fate of SB 193, the broader, full-scale education voucher bill.  With a vote of 193-161 (closely resembling party numbers in the House) HB 647 was tabled.  The bill itself is essentially dead for 2017 but can be revived in 2018, and may also make an appearance in the 2018-19 budget bill still under construction by the House Finance Committee. 

Statement by AFT-NH President Doug Ley on the Passing of State Senator Scott McGilvray.

NYSUT Member Benefits Pre-Retirement Workshop

NYSUT Member Benefits is hosting a no cost Pre-Retirement Workshop for 

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Celebrating the value of public education as an important thread in the fabric of our neighborhoods. The #OHPublicSchoolProud campaign invites you to express your pride in public education. Join us.