Legislative Program (08)

As adopted, MEA-MFT Representative Assembly, March 29, 2008

Quality Public Schools

MEA-MFT supports legislation to:

1. Adequately fund quality public elementary, secondary, and university system education.

2. Enhance state funding of the k-12 quality educator component.

3. Support and expand state-funded adult education.

4. Expand state-funded voluntary public education opportunities to all pre-k school age children.

5. Qualify classified public school employees for unemployment compensation when not working.

6. Adequately fund "Indian Education for All."

7. Increase funding for "students at risk."

8. Provide state funding of additional pupil instruction related days (PIR) dedicated to professional development.

9. Provide incentives for school districts and bargaining units to mutually develop and implement systems of peer mentorship and peer review.

10. Expand state funded incentives for teachers to pursue National Board Certification.

11. Fund incentives to encourage voluntary school district consolidation.

12. Eliminate the 3-mile limit for state funded reimbursement of k-12 school district transportation costs.

13. Move the date for eligibility for kindergarten
enrollment to earlier in the year.

14. Develop, establish, deliver, and fund distance learning
programs within the state

MEA-MFT opposes legislation to:

15. Amend or repeal Article X, Education and Public Lands, Montana State Constitution.*

Article X, among other things:

• guarantees equality of educational opportunity, free quality public elementary and secondary schools, public school funding equity;

• recognizes and promises to preserve the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians;

• creates an inviolate public school fund, a board of land commissioners to administer state school lands, and dedicates revenue from the school fund to public education;

• prohibits public aid to sectarian schools;

• prohibits the teaching of sectarian tenants in public schoolsempowers elected local boards of trustees with supervision and control of the schools in their districts;
  creates and empowers a state board of education, board of regents, and a board of public education.

16. Divert tax revenue to private and/or sectarian schools, including home schools.

17. Establish alternatives within the k-12 public school system, including "charter schools", that do not guarantee equitable student access, teacher licensure and endorsement, collective bargaining, and local school district accountability and control.

18. Abolish compulsory school enrollment.

19. Dictate school accreditation and teacher licensure standards, curricula, and methods of instruction.

20. Authorize school districts to certify who shall teach.

21. Permit school districts to employ noncertified persons as professional educators.

Quality Public Programs & Services

MEA-MFT supports legislation to:

22. Adequately fund quality public programs and services.

23. Require adequate staffing ratios at public health care facilities, schools, corrections, and other public services.

24. Prevent degradation of the quality of public programs and services through vacancy savings, temporary employees, non-tenured track teachers, emergency hires, and modified positions.

25. Fund state agency budgets formulated as a result of employee contract negotiations.

26. Encourage and invest in quality public services
through attractive career ladders and educational opportunities.

MEA-MFT opposes legislation to:

27. Privatize public programs and services.

28. Limit or deny opportunities for public employees to serve in public office.

Public Services/Private Contractors

MEA-MFT supports legislation to:

29. Hold private contractors of public funds to the same standards and accountability established for public entities.

30. Require adequate staffing ratios at private residential treatment facilities and privately operated, publicly funded facilities.

31. Provide for increased Medicaid reimbursements for services provided at privately administered facilities.

Head Start

MEA-MFT supports legislation to

32. Help fund Montana Head Start programs.

Union Rights

MEA-MFT supports legislation to:

33. Protect the right and opportunity of all employees to
organize and bargain collectively.

34. Authorize card check recognition for union organizing.

35. Require neutrality agreements whenever the state privatizes a public program or service.

MEA-MFT opposes legislation to:

36. Establish "right-to-work" and "paycheck protection" or diminish or restrict in any other way what it means to be the exclusive bargaining agent and to negotiate fair share, representation fee, or agency fee.

37. Prohibit or restrict association, corporate, or union participation in ballot issues.

Taxation

MEA-MFT supports legislation to:

38. Create and maintain a state tax system that is adequate, equitable, balanced, simple, and universal.

MEA-MFT opposes legislation to:

39. Cut state taxation without 100% state reimbursement of revenue losses suffered by cities, counties, and school districts.

Retirement

MEA-MFT supports legislation to:

40. Repeal the requirement that school districts and
special education cooperatives fund retirement benefits of federally funded employees.

41. Protect and enhance teacher and public employee retirement opportunities and benefits.

42. Increase direct state funding of the Teachers' and Public Employees' Retirement Systems.

43. Increase direct state funding of university faculty "optional" retirement plan.

44. Enhance incentives for teachers who are retirement eligible but continue to teach in Montana public schools.

45. Fund "free" creditable service for eligible state and school employees who have been called to military service as a result of armed conflict.

MEA-MFT opposes legislation to:

46. Amend or repeal Article II, Declaration of Rights, Section 31. Ex post facto, obligation of contracts, and irrevocable privileges, that states

No ex post facto law nor any law impairing the obligation of contracts, or making any irrevocable grant of special privileges, franchise, or immunities, shall be passed by the legislature.

47. Amend or repeal Article VIII, Revenue & Finance, Section 15, Public Retirement System Assets, that
states in part:

(1) Public retirement systems shall be funded on an actuarially sound basis. Public retirement system assets, including income and actuarially required contributions, shall not be encumbered, diverted, reduced, or terminated and shall be held in trust to provide benefits to participants and their beneficiaries and to defray administrative expenses.

48. Eliminate the defined benefit option in the Teachers' and Public Employees' Retirement Systems for new hires.

Health Care

MEA-MFT supports legislation to:

49. Create a properly funded, mandatory statewide school employee health insurance pool.

50. Provide health care insurance and prescription drug coverage for all Montanans.