2023 Summary of Legislative Priorities

Address teaching shortages, improve recruitment and retention, and grow the teaching profession

  • Enhance Teachers’ Salaries and make them commensurate with professions with similar levels of
    education and training.
  • Provide Tuition Assistance to students pursuing teaching degrees and teachers pursuing master’s
    level coursework.
  • Enact Meaningful Teacher Evaluation that supports professional growth.
  • Provide COVID-19 Retirement Credit to acknowledge teachers’ role in providing quality education
    through the pandemic.
  • Ensure Fairness in the Workplace by improving binding arbitration in contract negotiations and
    due process for matters relating to workplace discipline.

Improve the education experience for teachers and students

  • Promote Play-Based Learning by requiring free play, guided play, and games be incorporated into
    preK and kindergarten throughout the school day and by permitting teachers to use play-based
    strategies in first through fifth grade classrooms.
  • Reduce Standardized Testing by addressing the impact of excessive standardized testing and
    promoting innovative alternatives.
  • Reduce Class Sizes through incentives to help school districts improve teacher to student ratios.
  • Guarantee Prep Time by ensuring self-directed, duty-free prep time for all teachers.
  • Support English Language Learning by increasing resources for English learners and bilingual
    education.
  • Raise Kindergarten Start Age by requiring children attending kindergarten to be at least 5 years
    old by Sept. 1, rather than Jan. 1.
  • Prevent Dual Instruction by maintaining, and if necessary, strengthening the prohibition on all
    dual teaching, a method of instruction which requires teachers to instruct in-person and online at
    the same time.
  • Address Children’s Mental Health by maintaining, and if possible, increasing state support for
    resources and certified staff.

Ensure safe air quality and temperature conditions

  • Establish Indoor Temperature & Humidity Standards
  • Ensure School Indoor Air Quality Enforcement and Oversight
  • Provide Long-Term Facility Investment to assist municipalities with proper school HVAC
    maintenance and installations in addition to other critical facilities improvements.