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The Florida Retirement System (FRS) is routinely found to be one of the healthiest and well-funded in the country. Despite this fact politicians continue to attack it.

And since public education employees comprise the largest portion of the FRS, even small changes to this sector have a tremendous impact on the entire system. National and state data on salaries and retirement show Florida’s educators and staff professionals are already at or near the bottom in almost every ranking – even though their job performance and students’ success is at the top.

The FRS is vital to the state and its local

Though it seems the spread of the coronavirus through our community may be subsiding, the health and well-being of our students and educators is dependent upon the vigilance of every one of us. Even as we practice physical distancing and continue to wear masks, we know that more must be done to provide for the safest possible learning environment for EVERY student and public school employee. 

That's why we continue to call upon the Governor to take the following additional steps:

1. Immediately begin vaccinating those under the age of 65 who are at greater risk from COVID due to pre-existing health

Policy makers’ devotion to standardized testing and flawed measurements of learning gains under the guise of ‘accountability’ are stumbling blocks for high-quality instruction in a normal year. In the middle of a pandemic, such obsessions are no less than educational malpractice.

Now more than ever, teachers and other school staff professionals need flexibility to use everyday assessment of their students’ work to guide their pacing and instruction without the monumental loss of time for tests and testing administration. Time and resources spent on testing and test preparation are better used

Over the past year, we've witnessed the proliferation of disinformation about our public schools-- targeting curriculum, district leadership and educators alike-- and all driven by narrow political agendas. Once a place for the community to unite in the shared interest of building strong schools and supporting student learning, school board meetings have become center stage for partisan attacks based on false narratives that only serve to undermine the investments we make in our classrooms every day. Unfortunately, fiction can be perceived as reality when it is the only narrative that exists.

We know that for the true story of public education to be heard, we must be willing to speak up. Students, parents and educators who live the experience and do the work of public education are the voices best equipped to bring our community back into a purposeful, focused and truthful dialogue around the promise of public education. It is imperative that we are engaged in the public spaces where our schools and education policy are being discussed.

The work you do is important, valuable, and challenging--tell your story. Please commit to attending a local school board meeting and help set the record straight. Contact lisa.masserio@floridaea.org with any questions you may have or to let us know when you can attend.

Click here to view the calendar of upcoming school board meetings.

With this election, important decisions will be made about whether our school board will continue to be a vital force in building up our community, where students feel safe and welcome and where the experience and voice of educators is valued─ or whether it’s a place where politics take priority in the decisions that impact our classrooms.

The HCTA Local Elections Endorsement Committee, comprised of rank-and-file members of HCTA representing a clear balance of political views, made every effort to weigh their recommendations on the values, interests, and expressed priorities of our members. Please take time to learn more about those who have been endorsed by HCTA. We need leaders who will work to bring all stakeholders together for the benefit of our students.

Also, please take steps now to secure your opportunity to vote in this election!

Your first step in being an engaged voter is to verify your voter registration status. Politicians have been making changes to our election laws, so it is important to verify your voter information now, so that you will not be denied your right to cast your vote for the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

It is easy – just go to https://hernandovotes.gov and make sure you are still listed as an active voter and that your address is listed correctly.  While you are on the supervisor of elections website, you can also check on your Vote By Mail status, or sign up for a Vote By Mail ballot.

Then… get involved in our advocacy efforts.

Together, we can ensure that our schools have the resources and leadership to support our classrooms and the students in them. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/1qxe2tGiCtrxTrrj6

CALLING ALL PUBLIC ED ADVOTECATES-- Public Education is on the ballot! From our local school board seats to very top of the ticket, we know that folks who set policy and make laws will be impacting our classrooms and shaping the future of our profession. We're building a Political Action Team and the success of our 2022 election advocacy efforts will depend entirely upon the contributions of members like you.

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS

Door-to-Door Canvassing & Lit Drop 

Work in pairs or teams of three to visit HCTA members who are registered to vote in Hernando County and share information about our endorsed candidates.

Sign Waving (at various locations during Early Voting)

We'll create visibility and show our support for our endorsed candidates with some good old-fashioned sign waving! Final calendar of dates to be determined by volunteer availability.

Social Media Megaphone

Are you social media savvy? Participate in a social media advocacy training, then help amplify the reach of our advocacy on social media platforms by following, liking, commenting, sharing, reposting and tagging others in HCTA's Get Out the Vote messaging.

My Circle of Influence (today, tomorrow, and every day until the election!)

Of course, the easiest and most important action you can take in support of our endorsed candidates is to SPREAD THE WORD! Talk to your friends, family, colleagues, neighbors--anyone in your circle of influence! Our teachers, students and community need school board members who aren’t driven by politics, but who are driven by their proven commitment to thriving public schools!

Your professional assciation and our affiliates make candidate endorsements utilizing research, local input and a democratic process. The endorsements are based upon education issues.

Candidate endorsements are based upon a commitment to our neighborhood public schools, colleges and universities, our students and to the people who work in public education.

How you vote is a personal decision. As an educator, exercising your right and responsibility to vote is paramount duty to your students and your community. When educators vote, students win!

HCTA Endorsements & Recommendations

Hernando County Commission, District 1 :  Isaiah Haddon

Hernando School District Millage Election for Public School Students :  SUPPORT

FEA Endorsements & Recommendations

Voter Toolkit 

NEA Endorsements & Recommendations

Education Votes

AFT Endorsements & Recommendations

AFT Votes

Take action to reduce the spread of COVID-19 so we can return to school

Target: Governor Ron DeSantis

The current members of the education subcommittee on reopening Florida is far too narrow.

That's why we are calling on Commissioner Corcoran to include public education staff, medical professionals and more diverse stakeholders to guide reopening of public schools, state colleges and universities

Join us by signing the petition to demand that public education staff - teachers, support staff,and administrators- and medical professionals have a seat at the table. Ask Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran to adopt FEA's proposal for a task force that includes of educators, students and health