2021-2023 BIENNIUM
The goals and activities of the Legislative Committee are aligned with the following
Purposes of Delta Kappa Gamma
Purpose 4: TO INITIATE, ENDORSE, AND SUPPORT desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interests of education and of women educators.
Purpose 7: TO INFORM the members of current economic, social, political, and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society.
Purposes of Delta Kappa Gamma
Purpose 4: TO INITIATE, ENDORSE, AND SUPPORT desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interests of education and of women educators.
Purpose 7: TO INFORM the members of current economic, social, political, and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society.
Legislative Committee Members
Vivian Posey, Chair - District III
Donna Heald - District I
Ruth Paine - District II
Beth Hess - District III
Diana Brown - District IV
Deanne Ugalde - District V
Maria Metge - District VI
Vivian Posey, Chair - District III
Donna Heald - District I
Ruth Paine - District II
Beth Hess - District III
Diana Brown - District IV
Deanne Ugalde - District V
Maria Metge - District VI
Issues of Concern for Advocacy 2021-2022
In preparation for the Florida 2022 legislative session, the following topics have been identified as the Issues of Concern of the DKG Legislative Committee. These topics are listed in order of priority as determined by the DKG membership who attended the Executive Board Meeting on 9/18/2021.
Issue of Concern #1
SCHOOL SAFETY FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF DURING PANDEMICS Florida students and staff experienced severe impacts as a result of the high levels of COVID cases during the 2020-2021 year. In the event of future outbreaks, we recommend the legislature proactively consider the following measures to ensure that safe in-person teaching and learning will be a priority for all students and staff in public K-12 schools:
a.) Follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control that encourage all eligible staff and students to be fully vaccinated, and that a policy of universal indoor masking by students, staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status, be a decision made by local health officials and the duly elected district school boards.
b.) Make available during the 2021-2022 school year all federally allocated COVID relief funds (including ESSER-Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief and ARP-American Rescue Plan) and allow District School Boards to make decisions for the expenditures of these funds, including mitigating learning loss, improving infrastructure to ensure clean, safe facilities, spacing requirements, ventilation, and effective cleaning/disinfection.
c.) Require school districts to monitor and regularly report pandemic case numbers and outbreaks to local and state health agencies and to make this information available to the public.
d.) Allow duly elected, non-partisan district school boards to make decisions and enact regulations regarding the safety and security of their staff and students in the event of future significant outbreaks, with no financial penalty to the district and/or duly elected School Board members.
Issue of Concern #2
UNIFORM ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR ALL SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDS:
All schools that receive public funding, (traditional K-12, public charter, for-profit private, faith based) must be held accountable for annual reviews of the following:
a). Student achievement results (Progress monitoring, Norm-Referenced, or other Standardized Assessment should be reported publicly).
b.) Student and staff well-being, (ex. building codes, resource officers, security checks, air quality, fire and safety drills) in alignment with current Florida law).
c.) Financial management, cost-efficiency, and oversight of expenditures-including reimbursements (Education Savings Accounts) to parents of students who receive vouchers to attend private, for-profit, and faith-based schools, or are home-schooled.
d). Facilities and services for Students with Disabilities-in alignment with federal law.
e.) Teacher Certification requirements for faculty.
f.) Rigorous Curriculum, with adequate access to the internet.
g.) Policies and practices that prevent discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, nationality, and ability status.
Issue of Concern #3
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS-EXPAND ALLOCATION
The effect of the pandemic on families and communities, has resulted in increased concerns regarding the mental health of students (preK-12). This has been documented by pediatricians, child psychologists, school officials, and researchers. Even though additional funds have been dedicated to public K-12 education in the 2021-2022 budget year to provide increased access to mental health services, more will be needed to adequately meet this need on a long-term basis. Our recommendations to provide adequate mental health services in K-12 schools include the following:
a.) Mandate that school Guidance Counselors, (elementary, middle, and high school) are free from all administrative tasks, (including managing standardized testing programs) and that their primary role is to deliver counseling services to students, staff, and families.
b.) Provide financial incentives to districts to develop programs that deliver on-site after school and evening in-person access to licensed mental health specialists for children and families.
c.) Provide incentives to districts to develop access to licensed mental health specialists through the use of telehealth services.
d.) Provide adequate funding to support a mental health liaison position in every school.
e.) Provide increased funding for mental health awareness and response training to students and school personnel, and to promote greater coordination and collaboration with community-based mental health services.
Issue of Concern #4
REINSTATEMENT OF PENSION PLAN AS AN INCENTIVE FOR TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Many districts in Florida are struggling to find certified teachers to fill open positions. While the legislature and the governor have taken steps to increase the starting salary for new teachers in Florida, additional measures need to be taken to incentivize effective, experienced teachers to remain in the field, thereby ensuring a consistent, high-quality workforce to meet the needs of a growing population in Florida. Our recommendations for this Issue include:
a.) Reinstate the traditional defined benefit Pension Plan as the default rather than the Investment Plan beginning with new teachers hired in the 2022-2023 year.
b.) Provide a vehicle for current Investment Plan (401K) holders with a minimum of 7 years of teaching service in Florida to voluntarily transfer to the traditional Pension Plan with no requirement to “buy-back” years of service.
SCHOOL SAFETY FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF DURING PANDEMICS Florida students and staff experienced severe impacts as a result of the high levels of COVID cases during the 2020-2021 year. In the event of future outbreaks, we recommend the legislature proactively consider the following measures to ensure that safe in-person teaching and learning will be a priority for all students and staff in public K-12 schools:
a.) Follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control that encourage all eligible staff and students to be fully vaccinated, and that a policy of universal indoor masking by students, staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status, be a decision made by local health officials and the duly elected district school boards.
b.) Make available during the 2021-2022 school year all federally allocated COVID relief funds (including ESSER-Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief and ARP-American Rescue Plan) and allow District School Boards to make decisions for the expenditures of these funds, including mitigating learning loss, improving infrastructure to ensure clean, safe facilities, spacing requirements, ventilation, and effective cleaning/disinfection.
c.) Require school districts to monitor and regularly report pandemic case numbers and outbreaks to local and state health agencies and to make this information available to the public.
d.) Allow duly elected, non-partisan district school boards to make decisions and enact regulations regarding the safety and security of their staff and students in the event of future significant outbreaks, with no financial penalty to the district and/or duly elected School Board members.
Issue of Concern #2
UNIFORM ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR ALL SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDS:
All schools that receive public funding, (traditional K-12, public charter, for-profit private, faith based) must be held accountable for annual reviews of the following:
a). Student achievement results (Progress monitoring, Norm-Referenced, or other Standardized Assessment should be reported publicly).
b.) Student and staff well-being, (ex. building codes, resource officers, security checks, air quality, fire and safety drills) in alignment with current Florida law).
c.) Financial management, cost-efficiency, and oversight of expenditures-including reimbursements (Education Savings Accounts) to parents of students who receive vouchers to attend private, for-profit, and faith-based schools, or are home-schooled.
d). Facilities and services for Students with Disabilities-in alignment with federal law.
e.) Teacher Certification requirements for faculty.
f.) Rigorous Curriculum, with adequate access to the internet.
g.) Policies and practices that prevent discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, nationality, and ability status.
Issue of Concern #3
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS-EXPAND ALLOCATION
The effect of the pandemic on families and communities, has resulted in increased concerns regarding the mental health of students (preK-12). This has been documented by pediatricians, child psychologists, school officials, and researchers. Even though additional funds have been dedicated to public K-12 education in the 2021-2022 budget year to provide increased access to mental health services, more will be needed to adequately meet this need on a long-term basis. Our recommendations to provide adequate mental health services in K-12 schools include the following:
a.) Mandate that school Guidance Counselors, (elementary, middle, and high school) are free from all administrative tasks, (including managing standardized testing programs) and that their primary role is to deliver counseling services to students, staff, and families.
b.) Provide financial incentives to districts to develop programs that deliver on-site after school and evening in-person access to licensed mental health specialists for children and families.
c.) Provide incentives to districts to develop access to licensed mental health specialists through the use of telehealth services.
d.) Provide adequate funding to support a mental health liaison position in every school.
e.) Provide increased funding for mental health awareness and response training to students and school personnel, and to promote greater coordination and collaboration with community-based mental health services.
Issue of Concern #4
REINSTATEMENT OF PENSION PLAN AS AN INCENTIVE FOR TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
Many districts in Florida are struggling to find certified teachers to fill open positions. While the legislature and the governor have taken steps to increase the starting salary for new teachers in Florida, additional measures need to be taken to incentivize effective, experienced teachers to remain in the field, thereby ensuring a consistent, high-quality workforce to meet the needs of a growing population in Florida. Our recommendations for this Issue include:
a.) Reinstate the traditional defined benefit Pension Plan as the default rather than the Investment Plan beginning with new teachers hired in the 2022-2023 year.
b.) Provide a vehicle for current Investment Plan (401K) holders with a minimum of 7 years of teaching service in Florida to voluntarily transfer to the traditional Pension Plan with no requirement to “buy-back” years of service.
The US Forum
The U.S. Forum was established to enable the United States members of DKG to identify and select major educational issues upon which official U.S. Forum action could be taken. At the national, regional, state, and chapter levels, it serves as a viable vehicle through which members may participate in efforts to make the purposes of the Society come to fruition through action. Members meet every two years in Washington, D. C. for this purpose.
The next U.S. Forum is set for March 6-8, 2022. All DKG members are invited to attend. To find out more about the U. S. Forum, go to dkgusforum.com, or contact Carrie Frye, U.S. Forum Liaison, cfrye@att.net.
2nd Annual Virtual Rally with Florida Legislators
During the 2nd virtual Rally in Tally on Tuesday, November 30th, the concerns of DKG members were presented to the Florida Legislature by the DKG state Legislative Committee. A full day of interviews with members of both the House and Senate was scheduled, and 11 legislators were interviewed. DKG members, as well as members of several partnering organizations, joined throughout the day to hear these legislators discuss their plans for the 2022 legislative session. The members of DKG are very grateful to the following legislators who participated in the Virtual Rally:
Rep. Robin Bartleman
Rep. Anna Eskamani
Sen. Lori Berman
Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil
Rep. Angie Nixon
Sen. Shevrin Jones
Sen. Loranne Ausley
Sen. Linda Stewart
Rep. Amber Mariano
Sen. Lauren Book (legislative aide)
Rep. Geraldine Thompson
The next U.S. Forum is set for March 6-8, 2022. All DKG members are invited to attend. To find out more about the U. S. Forum, go to dkgusforum.com, or contact Carrie Frye, U.S. Forum Liaison, cfrye@att.net.
2nd Annual Virtual Rally with Florida Legislators
During the 2nd virtual Rally in Tally on Tuesday, November 30th, the concerns of DKG members were presented to the Florida Legislature by the DKG state Legislative Committee. A full day of interviews with members of both the House and Senate was scheduled, and 11 legislators were interviewed. DKG members, as well as members of several partnering organizations, joined throughout the day to hear these legislators discuss their plans for the 2022 legislative session. The members of DKG are very grateful to the following legislators who participated in the Virtual Rally:
Rep. Robin Bartleman
Rep. Anna Eskamani
Sen. Lori Berman
Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil
Rep. Angie Nixon
Sen. Shevrin Jones
Sen. Loranne Ausley
Sen. Linda Stewart
Rep. Amber Mariano
Sen. Lauren Book (legislative aide)
Rep. Geraldine Thompson