From the Capitol
CSEA Director of Governmental Relations participates in “Safe Schools for All” legislative hearing
by Shannon Carr
David Schapira, CSEA Director of Governmental Relations, joined local school leaders and representatives of education unions in sharing their frank assessments of Governor Gavin Newsom’s “Safe Schools for All” plan during a three-hour legislative hearing on January 21.
“Many of our members never went home in March when COVID hit our shores and have been working throughout the crisis,” he said, sharing examples of how bus drivers, food service workers and paraeducators are among the classified employees who are key to ensuring schools runs smoothly.
While he noted that in-person instruction is much more critical and impactful in the life of a student, he emphasized that it is still not safe, in many parts of the state, to return to in-person instruction based on the current rate of spread of the virus in our state.
“The situation today is even worse in nearly every county in the state than it was in August and September that it seems sort of out of touch with the reality on the ground to be having a conversation about rushing to reopen and getting folks to submit plans for 10 days from now,” Schapira said.
In some of his closing comments, Schapira said: “I want to be clear, I appreciate—and our members appreciate—the increased transparency that comes from the ‘Safe Schools for All’ plan… We appreciate the definitional clarity that CDPH has put in this consolidated guidance… Let’s construct a commonsense plan that brings students back for in-person instruction as soon as it’s safe. Let’s make sure we have the human capital to meet the health and safety and instructional needs. Let’s do it right. Not in a rush. Not because of political pressure but because our students need us to get it right for their health and safety and for the health and safety of our members and our communities.”
Year in Review: Legislative victories in 2020
With hindsight literally being 2020, here is a look back at some of CSEA’s key legislative victories in 2020.
AB 2234
(Chau)* Classified school and community college employees: personnel commission: legal counsel
Authorizes a merit-based school or community college district’s personnel commission to select its own attorney rather than having to use the district’s attorney if a majority of the commission declares that a conflict of interest exists between the commission and the district. Under previously existing law, only school district legal counsel could determine if a legal conflict of interest exists. (* CSEA SPONSORED BILL.)
SB 1159
(Hill) Workers’ compensation
Defines “injury” for an employee to include an illness or death resulting from COVID-19, and creates a rebuttable presumption that an injury that develops or manifests itself within 14 days of the employee physically reporting to work arose out of and in the course of the employment.
AB 685
(Reyes) COVID-19 employee exposure notification
Requires a public or private employer to provide specified notifications to its employees, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, and the State Department of Public Health, relating to the exposure of its employees to COVID-19.
SB 98
(Budget and Fiscal Review Committee) Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill
This bill contains the budget details and language for: $60 million for a third round of funding for the Classified Summer Assistance program; intent language to retain all classified staff from layoffs; and language to prohibit layoffs of three classes of employees in: food service, transportation, and custodial work.
We also worked to secure funding for PPE and protect our members’ pay via SB 117 in March. While many achievements were marked and milestones were made last year, a lot is happening in the new year that CSEA continues to advocate for on behalf of its members. Issues related to worker’s rights and protections, to the distribution of COVID vaccines and how schools reopen, set the tone for CSEA to have a packed agenda for 2021. For the coming year, we are already looking at several bills, including:
AB 22
(McCarty) Transitional Kindergarten
This bill expands transitional kindergarten (TK) to all four-year-olds by the 2030-31 school year. This bill will allow nearly $1 billion in state preschool program and Head Start funds that are currently spent on four-year-olds to serve low-income three-year-olds and infants and toddlers — a critical unmet need. This legislation, part of a recently announced early childhood education (ECE) legislative package, aligns with recommendations in the Governor’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, released in December 2020.
Governor Newsom’s 2020-2021 budget proposal begins the implementation of the Master Plan by including $250 million in one-time incentive funds for districts to expand TK, $200 million in one-time funding for TK and kindergarten facilities, $50 million in one-time funding for professional development for preparing teachers for Early Childhood programs, and $5 million to provide grants to local libraries to support Early Learning and after-school programs. The budget proposal also provides an additional $44 million per year for childcare vouchers and $300 million per year for the Special Education Early Intervention Grant to increase the availability of evidence-based services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
“California is going to use this crisis to build back better, starting with Transitional Kindergarten for our youngest learners — preparing them for a better, shared future,” said AB 22’s author, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento).
The idea for this legislation was first introduced during CSEA’s 93rd Annual Conference in 2019 in Resolution 5, “Funding Transitional Kindergarten Based on Average Daily Attendance," was submitted by Berryessa Chapter 364, led by then-Chapter President Debbie Narvaes.
“CSEA is encouraged to see Governor Newsom include funding to expand Transitional Kindergarten in his budget proposal,” said Association President Ben Valdepeña. “Our members are proud to sponsor Assemblymember McCarty’s AB 22 because studies show that providing quality, consistent, and professional early education for our children prepares them for future educational and personal success. Funding preschool and Transitional Kindergarten programs in our public schools allows young children to familiarize themselves with the school at which they will be learning for years to come, is convenient for parents with multiple children to have one drop off place, and puts these early learners in front of educators who are trained to recognize those who need IEP support services.”
This is just one of many bills that CSEA will be sponsoring this year. Watch for a full list of CSEA's 2021 sponsored bills in the March/April edition of Focus.