There are many aspects of the recently passed Senate Bill 7 (Public Act 97-0008/97-0007) that will need to be addressed in the upcoming months and years. Last month’s AFTerthoughts reviewed the changes to layoffs and recalls. As a reminder to all, whether you have a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that is grandfathered or not under the new law, please remember:

The joint committee for categorizing teachers into rating groups must meet by December 1, 2011. *If your CBA is grandfathered, you do not necessarily need to begin the process of grouping teachers, but at the very least you must meet to be in compliance.

Between now and September 1, 2012, the law requires that a 3 (excellent, satisfactory or unsatisfactory) or 4 (excellent, proficient, needs improvement or unsatisfactory) rating system be used for evaluations. On or after September 1, 2012, the law requires that the 4 rating system be used. Thus, for this year at the very least the summative evaluation must have 3 ratings. Next year, all districts will need the 4 ratings. *It is not necessary to change the evaluation tool used in your district. Hopefully, the current evaluation could be modified to provide the summative 3 or 4 rating system.
New and Vacant Teaching Positions
*Current CBAs with conflicting language are grandfathered until their expiration or mutual agreement to terminate! So don’t panic when you read the following.

Prior to Senate Bill 7, there were no parameters in the statute regarding new and vacant teaching positions. This topic was addressed through the negotiations process in each district, and in many cases seniority has been bargained as a primary factor for filling positions.

Under the new statute, the District must base selection on certification, qualifications, merit and ability (including performance evaluations), and relevant experience. District-wide seniority will be considered only when the aforementioned factors are equal. The definitions of the factors may be negotiated in a CBA. However, district selection of a candidate may not be grieved, only violations of the CBA’s procedural requirements for selection may be grieved.

IFT/Local 943 union reps will be working closely with your council’s officers and negotiating team throughout this process.

Summary of Senate Bill 7