RATIFICATION BALLOTS DUE TUESDAY

The Executive Committee has recommended a settlement proposal for the
1999-2000 reopeners to the Contract. The ratification packets and ballots
have been sent to the sites. The ballots are due to the MTA office no later
than 3 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1. Contact a Building Rep for more
information.

JURY DUTY MAY BE POSTPONED NOT CANCELLED

Many Bargaining Unit members have reported an increased interest by the
courts for participation in jury duty. The MTA-MUSD contract provides no pay
for jury duty. Personnel Services will provide documentation to that effect
for members to preseDefinition of key terms
A Participating Teacher (PT) is a Referred Participating Teacher (RPT) or
Voluntary Participating Teacher (VPT) with permanent status who receives
assistance to improve his or her instructional skills, classroom management,
knowledge of subject , and/or related aspects of his or her teaching
performance.
A Referred Participating Teacher (RPT) is a classroom teacher with permanent
status referred into the PAR program through the evaluation process due to an
indicated need of assistance.
A Voluntary Participating Teacher (VPT) is a classroom teacher who with
permanent status decides to participate in the PAR program through the
process of self-referral.
A Consulting Teacher (CT) is a classroom teacher who has taught in a
classroom setting for the past 3 consecutive years and has had a minimum of 5
years of classroom teaching in MUSD.
The Joint Panel (JP) is composed of District and Association members who
shall be responsible for selection, training, and assignment of CTs.
A Beginning Teacher (BT) is a first or second year classroom teacher or other
classroom teacher eligible to participate in the Beginning Teacher Support
and Assessment Program (BTSA). The BT program is designed to meet the unique
needs of the Pre-Intern, Intern, BTSA, and other BTs. nt to the courts. The courts will allow teachers to postpone jury duty until breaks such as summer and off track. Courts have generally agreed to allow teachers to serve at their convenience. Personal business leave may be used for jury duty. However, a limit of nine days of current sick leave may used for this purpose.

GLSEN LA CONFERENCE SET FOR MARCH 25

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is sponsoring a
conference entitled Creating Safe Schools for the Dignity of All. The
conference is set for Saturday, March 25 at Polytechnic High School in
Pasadena. For more information call (626) 792-2147 ext. 178.

YOUíRE INVITED TO THE CTA
EQUITY & HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE

The CTA Equity and Human Rights Conferenceís theme is We Are One Human
Family. The conference will be FridayóSunday, March 17-19 at the Hyatt
Islandia in San Diego. For more information contact the MTA office.

CTA MARTIN LUTHER KING JR SCHOLARSHIPS

The CTA Martin Luther King Scholarship Fund is awarding scholarships to
members and their dependent children. To be eligible one must be a member of
one the following defined ethnic minority groups: African American, American
Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic. Applications are due
to CTA no later than Wednesday, March 15. Applications are available at the
MTA office.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR LA MARATHON

Come join the 3rd annual MTA Night group to staff water station number 6 at
the LA Marathon on Sunday, March 5. Applications are due to the MTA office by
Wednesday, February 9. Call President Dorothy Chu at the MTA office for more
information.

CTA NEEDS TRAINERS FOR THE CA CHALLENGE

CTA has experienced tremendous success with its student diversity program,
The California Challenge. Requests for training continue to be received by
the CTA office.

Applications are now being accepted from members interested in becoming cadre
trainers. CTA is looking for applicants who exhibit good teaching skills,
advocate for teachers and students, understand CTA policies and priorities,
have training experience in cross-cultural education, conduct multicultural
activities in their classrooms and are committed to delivering an effective
program. Applications are available at the MTA office and due to CTA no later
than Wednesday, March 15.

LETTERS NEEDED FOR STRS PENSION BOOST

CTA continues to lead the effort to effect a major boost in STRS benefits
this year. The surplus in the STRS fund is currently estimated at between $6
to $12 billion, and last year the Legislature enacted further increases in
PERS benefits, but overlooked education in STRS.

With so much attention to the teacher shortage, legislators and the governor
must recognize that teacher retirement benefits need to be improved to make
teaching more attractive as a profession,î said Beverly Carlson, a third
grade teacher in Yuba City and chair of CTAís Retirement Committee.

Still pending is CTAís sponsored bill to base STRS pension on the single
highest year of compensation, rather than the average of the highest three
years of compensation. AB 821 (Correa) would eliminate one of the many
disparities with PERS members, whose pensions are now based on the single
year formula.

Further, with periodic salary increases, teachersí pensions would increase
with each year of service, thus encouraging experienced teachers to continue
teaching. AB 821 passed the State Assembly overwhelmingly last year, and is
now pending in the State Senate. All CTA members are urged to ask both their
respective representative state senator and assembly member to co-author AB
821. All can be contacted c/o State Capitol, Sacramento CA 95814.