The Advocate - September 12, 2019

1. President's Message: Putting New Funding Where It's Needed
2. Bargaining Update
3. Renew the Levy: Yes for Teachers, Yes for Kids!
4. Advancing On the Salary Schedule
5. Salary Placement for New Hires: Credit for Previous Teaching Experience and Education Levels
6. Give Your Schedule a Check Up!
7. Join a PAT Committee!
8. Global Climate Strike: Friday September 20^th
9. Don't Forget to Complete Your Mandatory Trainings!
10. PAT Party in the Park: Friday September 13^th

Download the PDF

For years, one of PAT’s highest priorities has been reversing the thirty-year disinvestment in PPS and across the state. Securing more funding—exponentially more funding—is the only way we can truly deliver on our promise to our students and their families.

And the Student Success Act is an important down-payment on the schools our students deserve.

This fall we have the opportunity to shape the District’s priorities for Student Success Act funding. In October and November, PAT will convene a series of discussions—both among educators and with our community partners—to really sift through what PPS should do with the additional revenue, and make sure this money is going to address what our students really need.

Our contract for certified educators expires June 2020 and we have agreed to exchange proposals with PPS starting in January. Your Bargaining Committee is meeting on September 18^th to finalize our 1^st bargaining survey. It will be electronic and you can expect to receive it by the end of September. Please take the time to make sure your voice is heard.

As a democratic union, it’s a goal and core value of the PAT that we have input from our full membership regarding our bargaining priorities. Your Bargaining Team needs this input in order to properly advocate for everyone. To achieve that goal, our PAT Bylaws call for a Bargaining Team and a Bargaining Committee.

The Bargaining Team

This November, Portland Voters will be asked once again to renew the Teacher Levy. The Levy renews the current rate that has funded an average of 825 teaching positions a year in Portland Public Schools. It is crucial for our students and our schools that the Levy passes, and as educators, we are its best spokespeople. Here is some information to help you talk to community members about the Levy.

Levy Facts:

Did you take course work for salary credit this summer?

If you completed coursework necessary to advance to another level on the salary schedule, proof of completion must be submitted to Human Resources (HR) by October 31^st for salary adjustment retroactive to the beginning of the current school year. (Article 12.3.3).

If you miss this deadline, the salary adjustment will be effective the first day of the next pay period after verification is received by PPS HR. Contact Human Resources to confirm what verification is required and confirm verification of your coursework has been received by the HR Department.

Newly hired professional educators (including temporary educators) shall be placed on the PPS salary schedule based on their prior work experience and education/training level as provided in Article 12.2 of the PAT/PPS contract.

Proof of completion of coursework or degrees attained must be provided to the PPS Human Resources (HR) Department by October 31^st to receive the salary adjustment retroactive to the beginning of the year. If proof is received after October 31^st, the adjustment will be effective the first day of the next pay period after receipt by PPS HR.

Previous work experience in a PK-12 setting with responsibility like that of PPS educators may also be credited in placement on the PPS salary schedule. Review contract Article 12.2.2 to see if your prior experience is eligible for credit. Official verification must be submitted to the PPS Human Resources Department. Experience verified within sixty (60) days of the start of employment will be retroactive to the first day of employment.

Article 7 (Workday) of the PAT/PPS contract includes language to ensure a fair work schedule that allows you to support your students. Using the Schedule Check worksheet below, review the contract and your schedule. Select the worksheet appropriate for your assignment (grade level/building and full-time or part-time). You should also receive a copy of the worksheet from your PAT Building Rep.

• Elementary Full-Time
• Elementary Part-Time
• K-8 Full-Time
• K-8 Part-Time
• Middle School Full-Time
• Middle School Part-Time
• High School Full-Time
• High School Part-Time

An important part of our union’s ongoing work is making sure the terms of the contract are honored. All educators are responsible for checking their schedule to confirm it provides the contract hours, planning time, duty and lunch periods which the contract requires.

If your schedule needs adjustment, raise the issue now. If you have concerns about your schedule, talk to your administrator. Your PAT Building Representative is available to help.

Much of the union’s work is accomplished by PAT members serving on committees, benefiting all our colleagues and every Portland student. We would love to have you join us on a committee that interests you!

You may have heard about the Global Climate Strike scheduled for Friday, September 20^th. In Portland, a rally at City Hall at 10:30 AM, and a march across the Hawthorne Bridge will lead to a Climate Mobilization Festival on the Eastbank Esplanade near OMSI that will include workshops, trainings, and opportunities to connect with community organizations working for climate justice.

In 2019, millions of youth around the world have participated in the now historic “Fridays for Future” student climate strike movement. Last March, Portland students joined the first coordinated global student climate strike, drawing support from leaders that ranged from Portland’s City Council to Oregon’s Governor.

In our last negotiations, PAT and PPS agreed to end the weekly two-hour staff meeting and shift to fewer meetings of only 90 minutes in duration. In Article 7.10, the language in the contract now reads:

“Professional educators may be required on thirty (30) Tuesdays during the school year to attend meetings or training sessions starting at the beginning of the fifteen (15) minute planning time at the end of the day and continuing for up to one hour and fifteen minutes beyond the workday.”

The reduction in the number of meetings and in the length of the meetings was accompanied with PAT members receiving an additional fifteen minutes of planning time at the end of the day on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays the extra 15 minutes become part of the staff meeting.

Finally, in order to make these improvements the PAT agreed (Article 7.10.3) that:

“Professional educators will be responsible for completing four (4) hours of District mandatory on line training outside of scheduled staff meeting time. There will be no staff meetings on at least two (2) Tuesdays between the start of the school year and the due date of the mandatory online training.”

Please remember that there are three staff meetings in September, and each educator has to complete the online training on his/her own time.