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| Teachers ready to face challenges in new school year August 31, 2005 ALBANY, N.Y. August 31, 2005 - New York State United Teachers today predicted a smooth start to the school year, saying teachers and other school professionals are prepared for the challenges of implementing new federal testing requirements under No Child Left Behind - even as some 189,000 union members welcome students while working under the terms of expired labor agreements. NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi said NYSUT has concerns about the slow pace of bargaining in many districts, but he noted, "In every school district - even those where teachers don't have a contract - there's a strong commitment to higher standards." He added, "Teachers and school-related professionals are ready to get back to school and back to work helping their students succeed." Presently, 310 NYSUT local unions - including 163 representing teachers and 147 representing teaching assistants, custodians, bus drivers, secretaries and other support professionals - are expected to begin school under terms of expired labor agreements. New York City and Yonkers are among the large NYSUT locals still seeking new collective bargaining agreements. Iannuzzi noted that the 310 total is a 17 percent drop from the 373 unions that began last September without renegotiated contracts. Iannuzzi, who was elected president of the 525,000-member NYSUT in April, said teachers and other school professionals expect "fair contracts that reflect the challenges and demands of what they do each day, and the importance of education to New York's children and our state's future. "The answer is additional state support for public education. When the state picks up a larger share of the cost of public education, school boards can properly fund important academic programs, offer fair labor contracts to valued employees, and maintain reasonable property taxes." Among the 163 expired teachers' contracts, 100 ran out on June 30. Teachers in 46 school districts are beginning a second year working under an expired contract. Seventeen teacher contracts remain unsettled for two years or more. Among the 147 expired contracts of NYSUT-represented bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other school employees, 103 of them expired on June 30. Thirty-four contracts representing school-related professionals expired in June 2004, and 10 expired in June 2003 or earlier. In addition, Iannuzzi said another 46 NYSUT local unions - including those representing more than 20,000 members at CUNY, and NYSUT members at other public and private colleges, private schools, special act schools, community colleges and health care facilities - begin the Labor Day weekend without new contracts in place. On a more positive note, Iannuzzi said some 50 contract agreements were reached in July and August, with some just awaiting ratification votes in the first weeks of school. "Teachers and other NYSUT members are professionals who care about their students and their communities," he said. "They're disappointed at the lack of respect they are being shown, but will continue to focus on what's most important - teaching and learning." NYSUT First Vice President Maria Neira said many teachers spent part of their summer reviewing coursework, reading state curriculum guides and reviewing State Education Department directives in order to begin the year fully prepared to guide students in grades 3 through 8 successfully through the required testing in English, math and other subjects. This is the first year states are required to test all students in grades 3 through 8 in English and math under federal No Child Left Behind legislation. Students will also be tested in science in grades 4 and 8, and in social studies in fifth grade. "We have some concerns," Neira said. "The flow of information to teachers has been sporadic, and there could be scheduling problems because of the massive number of new federally mandated tests. This year, the state will administer 3.4 million required tests - nearly double the 1.8 million required tests administered last year. But make no mistake: Teachers will be ready. They will ensure their students are fully prepared to demonstrate how far they've come toward meeting higher standards." NYSUT, the largest union in New York state, represents more than 525,000 classroom teachers and other school employees; academic and professional faculty at the state's community colleges, State University of New York and City University of New York; and other education and health professionals. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. |
CONTACT: NYSUT Media Relations and Communications. (518) 213-6000, Ext. 6313. E-Mail: mediarel@nysutmail.org. |
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