USA Today: The Permanent Recession

Go to www.usatoday.com to read Laura Vanderkam's scathing indictment of our public ed system. She writes "Despite the roughly half a trillion dollars that governments lavish on education each year, it turns out that America's schools are inflicting on us the equivalent of a permanent recession-though at least one overdue reform might help pull us out." Read the rest of the article.

Rick

UEA Summer Leadership School

Six members of the Ogden/Weber UniServ leadership team is attending the annual UEA Summer Leadership School held in Midway, UT. . Representing OEA, Lisa Vipperman (incoming VP), Whit Freund (Exec Bd), and Stephanie McGaughey (AR at Dee) are attending leadership sessions. Attending from WEA are Mary Margaret Lyon (Exec Bd), Debbie Green (AR at Sand Ridge) and Barbera Wayment (UEA Board of Directors). The leadership school will continue through Tuesday, June 16.

Rick

Deseret News: Ogden teachers, district at Impasse

Go to www.deseretnews.com to read Amy Stewart's story on the OEA declaration of impasse in negotiations. We are the second district (Jordan) to declare impasse. We are working with the district to agree on a mediator. We have suggested Lavonne Ritter, Federal Mediator out of the Las Vegas office. Mary Courney said, " In the past few months, counter proposals have gone back and forth. The OEA believes involving a mediator will help resolve some of the issues identified during negotiations." Keep watching for updates. Rick

OEA Asks for mediation of contract negotiations

State law allows for either the OEA or the OCSD to declare an impasse after negotiating for 90 days. According to the law we notified the school district and the Utah State Board of Education in writing. We will work with the district to agree on a mediator. The OEA has recommended requesting assistance from the Federal Mediation Office in Las Vegas. We have communicated that request to the Federal Commissioner, Supt. Zabriskie and Supt. Patti Harrington. If for some reason we can't agree on someone, the State Supt. would appoint someone. Jordan Education Association is the only other district at impasse that I am aware of. They have already agreed to the Federal Mediator and will begin in late July. If the mediator is unable to resolve the impasse, a Hearing Officer would be appointed to hear the case.

OEA will issue a press release today concerning our request for mediation. We appreciate your support and the OEA Negotiations Team is working hard to preserve salary and benefits that are so important to our teachers.

OEA Negotiations at Impasse

OEA's Negotiation Team notified the OCSD and the State Supt. of Instruction of their intention to ask for a mediator to help resolve the impasse in negotiations. The OEA and the district will choose a mediator to come work with the teams and resolve the impasse. We look forward to beginning the mediation process. Stay tuned.

Jordan Teachers Attend School Board Meeting

Between 75 and 100 Jordan Education Association members jammed the School Board meeting this week to protest the cuts in steps and lanes to their salary schedule. Not only are they losing steps and lanes, but also Quality Teaching salary because of the legislature's cuts to the budget. The JEA has declared impasse in their negotiations and they await mediation to resolve this impasse. Any association or school board can declare impasse after 90 days of bargaining. At that time Supt. Harrington is contacted to find a mediator to resolve the negotation impasse.'
You can read the article at www.deseretnews.com (Amy Stewart: "Jordan Teachers Grim as Board Votes on Cuts")

Deseret News article disputes Graduation Rates

Go to www.deseretnews.com to read Wendy Leonard's article entitled "Graduation Findings Disputed". According to Education Week Magazine Ogden has a 40.3% graduation rate and Weber has a 67.9% rate. Utah ranks (according to this same article) 26th in the nation with a 72.2% rate which is above the national average of 69.2%. Brenda Hales, associate state superintendent disputes the numbers.

Rick