CRASH COURSE ON TEACHER WALKOUTS

Colorado public school teachers have been taking to the streets. Learn what the rallies are about.

Teachers are normally at the front of the classroom, scribbling on the board. Or monitoring students while they take tests.

But these days, they’ve been on the streets.

Colorado public school teachers have been making their presence known at the state Capitol — and they have plans to continue to do so. In the meantime, districts have been forced to cancel school days.

What do the teachers want? What have they been doing? And why is there a bill trying to ban teachers from striking? Here’s a crash course:

What they want:

Basically, teachers are looking for more funding.

The state currently underfunds schools by $822 million annually, said Kerrie Dallman, president of the teachers union Colorado Education Association. Since 2009, the state has shorted schools $6.6 billion, she said.

It’s worth noting that while the legislature’s funding decisions are highly contentious, the Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that they are constitutional.

The shortage plays out in each district differently. Districts have implemented four-day weeks, increased student fees and cut the number of teachers while growing class sizes and decreasing the number of courses.

On top of this, low salaries have contributed to a teacher shortage, especially in rural areas.

Although lawmakers have set aside $150 million to reduce the shortage, it’s not enough, teachers say. Dallman said teachers are asking lawmakers to commit to paying schools what they are supposed to within four years.

Until school funding is restored or until per-pupil funding reaches the national average, teachers are asking legislators to freeze corporate tax breaks and delay passing Senate Bill 1. The bill would set aside $495 million in one-time funding this year for roads and then has a mechanism that could dedicate $250 million annually to pay for $3.5 billion in bonds if voters approve them.

How up: Colorado stacks

The National Education Association’s 2018 report said Colorado teachers were paid on average $51,808 in 2017 compared to a national average of $59,660. That ranks 31st among the states and Washington, D.C.

The average Colorado teacher’s salary rose 8.1 percent from 2009 to 2018, but dropped 6.7 percent after adjusting for inflation.

Colorado has 55,298 teachers, according to the NEA’s 2018 Rankings and Estimates report. There are roughly 16.4 students for every teacher, which is slightly above the national average of 15.9 students.

In the 2012-13 school year, Colorado ranked 40th in per-pupil spending, according to the Colorado School Finance Project. The state spent $8,893 per pupil compared to the U.S. average of $11,001. Spending per pupil varies per district, though.

The teacher’s union surveyed 2,200 of its members and found that teachers on average spend about $656 a year out of their pocket for supplies, such as books, pencils, glue, binders, food, toothpaste, teaching materials, lunch money and field trips.

It’s a rally, not a strike:

On April 16, about 400 teachers rallied at the state Capitol, demanding changes in school funding and lobbying for higher teacher pay and a stronger retirement fund.

Unlike other states, though, the move was not a strike, Dallman said. Teachers used their personal leave to take the day off. She added that teachers gave districts notice so they could plan accordingly.

In Englewood, schools canceled classes after more than 150 teachers announced plans to participate in the rally. They were joined by teachers from Denver Public Schools and the Boulder Valley School District.

But Pueblo actually striking: Retirement: is

On Friday, Pueblo teachers voted in favor of striking after the Pueblo City Schools board of education rejected a 2 percent cost-of-living pay increase for teachers that was recommended by a third-party fact-finder.

District officials defended the board’s decision by saying it was based on the district’s rough financial situation, which includes a $3.6 million deficit this year. The board also approved a four-day school week starting next year.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has until the first week of May to decide if it has jurisdiction to mediate the dispute. Teachers have to wait until then to strike.

Initially, the teachers union opposed Senate Bill 200, which would cut public employee retirement benefits and spend $225 million in taxpayers’ money to shore up the state’s retirement plan.

But Dallman said the union changed its stance after the House Finance Committee addressed most of its concerns, such as removing a defined contribution op- tion, which would have allowed eligible employees to opt out of the pension and join a plan similar to a private-sector 401(k).

Additionally, the initial bill would have raised the retirement age to 65 from 58. The House Finance Committee settled for 60.

But Dallman qualified the union’s support, saying it is still concerned that cost-ofliving raises would be temporarily suspended. When they return, they would be bumped down to 1.25 percent annually compared to 2 percent.

The bill is not a done deal, though. Although it passed the House Finance Committee, there’s still a long way to go before it’s law.