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| KEA Rallies with Coalition KEA members who are close enough to Frankfort to attend an after-school rally will gather with other members of the Kentucky Forward Coalition on Monday, May 24, at 5:00. The coalition is made up of the Kentucky Education Association, religious groups, mental health advocates, and other advocates for working families. We represent the tens of thousands of Kentuckians who will be hurt by a budget that shortchanges our children and our Commonwealth. Who: KEA members, other supporters of public schools, religious leaders and advocates for other important services to working families What: Kentucky Forward Rally Where: Front steps of the state Capitol When: Monday, May 24, 5:00 p.m. Wear: red, white and blue, KEA attire or your school’s attire Weather: sunny and mid-80s Parking: Parking in Frankfort during a legislative session is always tight so plan to car pool. Some parking is available in the Capitol Garage (behind and to the left of the Capitol). Limited parking is available along Capital Avenue and adjacent streets. Bring: Your own signs, letting legislators and the public know that you support public schools and that we cannot do our jobs if legislators don’t do theirs. What else: Another group is rallying at the Capitol earlier in the afternoon so you may encounter some of them leaving. Please be polite and focus on your message of support for students, your economic future, and public schools. Let us know you are coming. For most Kentucky schools, May 24 is a school night so it is difficult to predict how many school employees will be able to join us at the rally. If you are coming please take time to complete a three-minute survey. Follow this link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AP39FVNDJ. Thanks so much! |
| Budget Proposal Drafted KEA just learned that a draft 200+ page budget is being circulated to legislators. This will form the basis for their consideration in next week’s special session. As soon as KEA is able to obtain a copy of the budget, we will analyze it to see whether it meets students’ needs and protects the economic future of school employees. Since most school email is going to be extremely limited or unavailable over the next few days, please check www.kea.org for KEA’s analysis of the budget proposal. Get updates through the KEA lobbying team’s Facebook page “Ky Education’s Advocates” where you can ”friend” us. Please do not depend on email to hear from KEA. |
| Health Insurance Underfunded KEA continues to be gravely concerned about the level of funding for state health insurance over the next two years. While medical insurance costs are expected to increase between 7% and 10% in each of the next two years, we believe that the proposed legislative budget contains the same 0% increase for 2011 and 2% increase in 2012 that we objected to in the original version. If this level of funding is enacted, it spells disaster for school employees and retirees, at the same time most will receive no raise and expectations for student learning are significantly rising. Employees will likely bear the entire financial burden of medical inflation. Employees should expect double- or triple-digit increases in their premiums for worse benefits. Specifics about the new insurance will not be available until next fall’s open enrollment period (just before the General Election) but the news cannot be good unless the General Assembly puts more money into health insurance. Please immediately share with your Representative and Senator how important having affordable health insurance is to you. |
| Keep Up the Pressure on Legislators Within the next ten days, legislators will make decisions that will determine your students’ learning and your economic welfare over the next two years. If legislators do not hear from supporters of public education, they may not do the right thing. Please email (via www.kea.org) or call (800.372.7181) or write postcards (Kentucky Senate or Kentucky House of Representatives, State Capitol, Frankfort, KY 40601). Make an after-school party out of contacting legislators by meeting in the computer lab to all email at the same time or write postcards. Better yet, call them while they are still at home and ask to meet with them. Most legislators care deeply about their districts and want to do the right thing for their constituents. They need to hear from you. |
| Action Wednesdays Continue with Red, White and Blue This coming Wednesday, May 26, will be during the special session. KEA asks all members to show your patriotic spirit and wear red, white and blue. Show that a strong America needs strong public schools. And strong public schools need money to enable us to help all students reach their potential. KEA also encourages you to contact your local media. Ask them to photograph you doing your patriotic part by educating students and let them know that we are depending on legislators to do their part by providing us the funding to keep Kentucky learning. |
| Come to Frankfort during the Special Session If you will be out of school during the week of May 24-28, KEA encourages you to take a field trip to Frankfort to visit with your state senator and representative. There is nothing like a face-to-face visit from constituents to reinforce a message to legislators. You can find out information about each day’s schedule on the Legislative Research Commission’s Web site at www.lrc.ky.gov. Please call ahead to make an appointment with your representative and senator: 800.372.7181. Every day of the special session, KEA will brief members at 11:00 a.m. at the KEA building at 401 Capital Avenue (four blocks in front of the Capitol). Please let us know to expect you by calling 800.231.4532 or emailing mary.blankenship@kea.org. |
| Stay Informed With the General Assembly’s special session fast approaching, things may change quickly over the next few days. Please check frequently on http://www.keepkentuckylearning.org or www.kea.org. Also check out the KEA lobbying team’s Facebook page: Ky Education’s Advocates. |
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