TCTA SURVEY RESULTS
Many respondents want compensation for extra duties they've been asked to take on this year
Among the respondents to our recent survey who indicated that they were being required by their district to work extra hours, 69% said they were not getting paid for the extra time.

When asked what changes would make this year better, many survey respondents mentioned compensation in some form — either a pay raise or at least additional pay for additional work.

While money alone is clearly not an answer to the problems students and teachers are facing this year, higher salaries would undoubtedly help address the growing teacher shortage, ensuring that those who love teaching could afford to remain in the classroom, and attracting bright new educators into the profession.

Districts that are not paying their teachers for extra responsibilities and time may be able to do so legally (depending on the specific situation), as Texas law does not specify the length of a teacher’s work day. But this piling on of new duties and extra time without tangibly recognizing the strain being placed on their employees is pushing many teachers to the breaking point. 

Most districts are getting a significant bump in funding this year from federal COVID-19 relief funds. They have discretion in how those funds are to be used, but compensation is clearly envisioned by both federal and state leaders as an appropriate use. FAQ documents from the federal government include the following as examples of how funds could be used: extra-duty pay for duties outside the normal workday and extended instructional time, stipends for additional responsibilities, performance stipends, retention bonuses, and training/professional development stipends. 

Not all districts have received their full entitlement yet, and districts may choose to “bank” the funds for future use or to spend them on other priorities such as capital improvements (e.g., improved ventilation systems). 

Sixty percent of our survey respondents said they were not aware of how their district is spending its federal funds. We encourage our members to look up what their districts should be receiving, using the information below, and have discussions with school officials and school board members about how those funds are to be used to benefit students and teachers.

HOW TO LOOK UP YOUR DISTRICT’S FEDERAL FUND ENTITLEMENT

Click here for the TEA page with links to the entitlement figures for Texas school districts and charter schools. You should click on the links outlined in red below for “LEAs” (local education agencies) for CRRSA (ESSER II) grants and for ARP (ESSER III) grants to see the amounts allocated by those two COVID relief bills. Districts with small Title I populations may receive supplemental funding under the ESSER Supplemental Grants. The CARES Act funding was essentially supplanted by the states, so those funds did not benefit your district.
FEATURED NEWS
House, Senate committees review use of federal funds

Lawmakers discussed ways to allocate federal COVID-relief funds this week, with House and Senate committees reviewing proposals that would authorize $286 million to cover COVID-related claims in the TRS-Care and ActiveCare health insurance plans. The appropriation is intended to ensure that the plans will not require premium increases due to COVID costs. The Senate committee is expected to vote out the legislation this afternoon while the House bill is still pending in committee.

In other education-related action, the House Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety held its first meeting to "discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health needs of Texas youth and identification of effective treatment strategies." The House Select Committee on Constitutional Rights advanced a bill regarding participation by transgender students in UIL competitions. The Senate passed a resolution to help with the school bus driver shortage.
Are you at wit's end with issues at school? Sign up for Tuesday's webinar and get advice on stressful situations

No time for planning? Having to eat lunch with students every day? Are you being asked to do too many things? Although the laws related to many of these issues are different, you can use similar approaches to try to solve them. Join TCTA staff attorneys for advice, solutions and options to help with a variety of stressful situations at school during TCTA's Spotlight Session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12. The free one-hour webinar will include time for members' questions. Click here to register.
FDA to consider booster shots for Moderna, J&J vaccines

Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are seeking FDA emergency authorization for booster doses of their COVID-19 vaccines for those 18 and older. The FDA plans to meet Oct. 14 and 15 with its vaccine advisory committee to discuss boosters. On Oct. 26, the committee will discuss Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11.

Last month, the FDA authorized a booster for people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech two-shot regimen. The third dose is cleared for use at least six months after the second shot for people 65 and older and for those with underlying medical conditions or occupational exposure that raises their risk of severe COVID-19 (including school employees).

Track the latest COVID-19 cases in schools on the state's dashboard, which is updated on Fridays, and find the latest guidance in TCTA's COVID-19 FAQs for 2021-22. This week, we added information about COVID transmission through HVAC systems and updated information about remote learning options. Members with questions or concerns about their district's policies should call 888-879-8282 to speak with a staff attorney.
OTHER NEWS
Shooting at Mansfield ISD high school injures 4

Our thoughts are with the Mansfield ISD community following Wednesday's shooting at Timberview High School in Arlington that injured three students and an adult. Two victims remained hospitalized this morning. Police said the incident stemmed from a fight and was not a "random act of violence."

The incident was the 94th K-12 school shooting in the U.S. since the school year started in August, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database from the Naval Postgraduate School.
USDE overhauls Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

The U.S. Department of Education has announced plans to help borrowers and relax the rules of the troubled Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. With the changes, more teachers and other public servants could see their student loan debt erased. Click here for more on what borrowers need to know about the PSLF program changes.
Save on SixFlags Fright Fest and other spooky fall fun

With TicketsatWork, TCTA members can save up to 55% on tickets to SixFlags Fright Fest in San Antonio or Dallas and up to 40% on select Spooktacular dates at SeaWorld San Antonio. Explore the savings on these Texas theme parks and other spooky fall fun. Log in or become a member using company code SWTCTA.
CALENDAR
CONTENT PUBLISHED OCTOBER 7, 2021 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TEXAS CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
PO BOX 1489 AUSTIN, TX 78767 | 888-879-8282 | TCTA.ORG