The Advocate - October 12, 2016

• Fixing What Doesn't Work
• PAT Voters' Guide
• Together for Measure 97
• Understanding the Rapid Response Team
• Contribute to the Sick Leave Bank
• Using Professional Development Funds
• Upcoming Conferences

View the PDF

Measure 97 can’t solve every problem we are facing in PPS, but it will give us the tools we need to fix things that aren’t working in our District.

PAT’s recommendations for candidates in the November Election come from the PAT PAC. The PAT PAC is a voluntary, nonprofit association with the purpose of improving public education in Oregon and Portland Public Schools by supporting candidates who are interested in developing a better public education system. The PAT PAC Board of Directors are elected by the PAT PAC contributors, and must be PAT members, PAT PAC contributors, and members of the PAT Legislative Committee.

We have less than 4 weeks until election day, and we need to make sure that Measure 97 passes. School funding has been in decline since 1990, and Measure 97 will finally produce the reliable revenue we need to give our students the education they deserve. If Measure 97 fails, PPS is likely to face a budget shortfall as large as $42 million.

The Rapid Response Team was created as part of interim bargaining with the District over safety and discipline, and formalized in a March 2016 Memorandum of Agreement between PAT and PPS. The team’s primary responsibility is to stabilize crisis situations for students and teachers. As part of the process, the team determines what existing staff can do, as well as what additional personnel - such as therapeutic intervention coaches, counselors, and other mental health professionals - are required to meet the support needs.

Now is the time to donate hours to the sick leave bank. The sick leave bank provides members with serious illnesses extra time once they exhaust their own sick leave. You can donate between 4 to 24 hours each year. In the last bargain, we expanded the number of hours allowed in the bank, but PPS no longer contributes. Read the guidelines here.

The PAT/PPS contract provides funds for professional development as well as tuition reimbursement. The Professional Improvement Fund allows educators to spend $1500 over three years for transportation, meals, lodging, and registration costs to attend a conference, provided it has a legitimate pedagogical purpose. Please note that temporary teachers are not currently eligible for the Professional Improvement Fund.

Join us for several great educational opportunities this month, including opportunities to use your PD Funds. Follow the links below to find out more details or register. All events are co-sponsored by the PAT.