Update #8 (May 15, 2002)

Update #7  (April 30, 2002)

Dear School Level and District Level Administrators: 

I have just been informed that Senate Bill 1948 by Senator Bill Posey (posey.bill.web@flsenate.gov 1-850 487-5053) if passed would disallow any school administrator from being re-hired by his/her district once they leave the system.  The companion House Bill 861 by Pat Patterson (pat.patterson@myfloridahouse.gov  1-850 488-9873)  co-sponsored by Mike Scionti (michael.scionti@myfloridahouse.gov 1-850 488-9460) does the same thing. 

The Bill is being pushed by the Police Benevolence association (PBA) because there are a very limited number of Police Captain Positions in Florida and those under the Captains are seeking a promotion.  Teachers have been exempted from these Bills but not School Administrators.  I am told that this is a "Must Pass Bill" by the PBA. 

The problem as perceived by the Police may be valid for them but it is the opposite situation with School Administrators.  Over 60% of all present School Administrators will be of retirement age within the next 5 years.  Florida school districts cannot find enough trained administrators to fill the hundreds of positions that come available every year. 

Dr. JOHN MILIZIANO, Executive Director, HASA

Update #6 - April 27, 2007

Good morning! The legislative session is at its peak. The House education committees are no longer meeting as the action shifts to the floor of both houses.

SB 414, DROP Extension, was withdrawn from Sen. Alexander's committee but instead of moving to the floor, was re-assigned to another committee.

To have a chance, it needs to be withdrawn and be put on the calendar.  So, if you're still emailing, Senators need to be asked to help get the bill withdrawn and on special order.

It's companion, HB 689, is on Special Order in the House today.  It needs a yes vote today. Please  remember not to use school computers. Your emails are helping to keep DROP Extension alive.

At their last meeting, the Senate Pre-K - 12 Committee defeated SJR 2428, a proposal for a constitutional amendment that would allow school districts of 45,000 or more public school students to divide into smaller districts of at least 20,000 students each. The resolution was hotly debated and failed on a tie vote.

That committee also voted unanimously to confirm the appointment of T. Willard Fair and Akshay M. Desai to the State Board of Education.

Please be aware that Senate bill (SB 1238) which establishes the process for revising and renaming the Sunshine State Standards  (World Class Education Standards) is still alive. The House companion bill (HB 7151) is already on the House Calendar. This may be the most significant piece of legislation of the session.

Another piece of legislation will establish career academies in high schools and strengthen vocational and career preparation programs. The Senate passed the career academy bill (SB 1232), and it is now in the House in messages. Messages are how the two houses send bills back and forth to each other at this stage of the process.

Next week we should know the final outcome and what it will mean for school leaders. FASA will pass that information along as soon as possible.

Update #5 - April 26, 2007

Good morning! The legislative session is at its peak. The House education committees are no longer meeting as the action shifts to the floor of both houses.

SB 414, DROP Extension, was withdrawn from Sen. Alexander's committee but instead of moving to the floor, was re-assigned to another committee.

To have a chance, it needs to be withdrawn and be put on the calendar.  So, if you're still emailing, Senators need to be asked to help get the bill withdrawn and on special order.

It's companion, HB 689, is on Special Order in the House today.  It needs a yes vote today. Please  remember not to use school computers. Your emails are helping to keep DROP Extension alive.

At their last meeting, the Senate Pre-K12 Committee defeated SJR 2428, a proposal for a constitutional amendment that would allow school districts of 45,000 or more public school students to divide into smaller districts of at least 20,000 students each. The resolution was hotly debated and failed on a tie vote.
 
That committee also voted unanimously to confirm the appointment of T. Willard Fair and Akshay M. Desai to the State Board of Education.

Please be aware that Senate bill (SB 1238) which establishes the process for revising and renaming the Sunshine State Standards  (World Class Education Standards) is still alive. The House companion bill (HB 7151) is already on the House Calendar. This may be the most significant piece of legislation of the session.

Another piece of legislation will establish career academies in high schools and strengthen vocational and career preparation programs. The Senate passed the career academy bill (SB 1232), and it is now in the House in messages. Messages are how the two houses send bills back and forth to each other at this stage of the process.

Next week we should know the final outcome and what it will mean for school leaders. FASA will pass that information along as soon as possible.

Dear Coalition Members and Interested Parties: 

This FASA Action Alert is a call to immediate action! You can make a difference. FASA's 8-year DROP bill, SB 414, will be up for a vote in the Florida Senate this week having passed all committees.

Please take just a minute to click the links below and let as many Senators as you can know that SB 414 is important to you. It just takes a few sentences, but right NOW, today, is when it counts the most.

Yesterday morning, I thought 8-Year DROP was dead. But largely due to the efforts of Dr. Juhan Mixon, it rose from the ashes and HB 689 passed its last committee of reference in the house, the Policy and Budget Council.

Yesterday, Rep. Faye Culp who filed HB 689 told me how much she appreciated all the "thank you" emails that you sent following our last Action Alert.  She believes it helped her keep the bill alive.

At this point in session, good bills with no nay votes often die simply because they don't have a champion and the clock simply runs out.

Be an 8-Year DROP champion by letting the Senators hear from you.
Their emails are listed below.

Vote YES on SB 414! 

Update #4

Dear Coalition Members and Interested Parties: Good morning! I'm very happy to report that this week SB 414, filed by Senator Steve Wise, which extends DROP for administrators from 5 to 8 years, was passed by the Senate Education Committee by a unanimous vote. 

DROP Extension is a FASA legislative priority and every day prior to the vote FASA provided committee members a flyer with key facts in support of this legislation.  

Through FASA's new "School Zone" survey powered by K12 Insight at, www.fasa.net, 80% of you told us this bill was important to you and its passage would encourage you to stay in the profession longer.  

While there are two more Senate committee stops for this bill and we are still a long way from the goal line, this certainly is an encouraging start.  

The DROP Extension legislation (SB414) is just the first of several retirement issues that will come before the legislature this session. It is critical that you be involved. FASA is working to keep you informed and to make it as easy as possible for your voice to be heard on these important issues.

Florida Legislators Who Have Filed Our Three Bills 

If you want to follow the progress of these Bills log on to the Florida Senate and House Web Site at www.leg.state.fl.us

   
 HEALTH INSURANCE SUPPLEMENT  

SB 8 by Senator Al Lawson; HB 87 by Representative Bob Allen 

SUMMARY: 

The Health Insurance Subsidy is an allocation, above and beyond retirement pay, to each retiree’s monthly check for the express purpose of assistance with medical costs. FRS employers are assessed an amount, currently 1.11% of salary, that is paid to FRS for this benefit. FEA supports legislation By Representative Allen and Senator Lawson that will increase the maximum monthly health insurance subsidy from $5 to $6 per year service on January 1, 2008 and to $7 per year service on January 1, 2009.  The total maximum monthly payment would increase from $150 to $180 in January 2008 and to $210 per month in January 2009.  An increase in the employer’s contribution will pay for this benefit.  The current monthly payment of $5 per year of service (maximum of $150 per month) is insufficient in these times of escalating health insurance costs.  This bill will help our retired members keep up with the growing costs of health care. 

TALKING POINTS: 

1.     The Health Insurance Subsidy (HIS) began in 1988 at $1 per month and increased several times over the years.  The last increase was in 1999 to $5 per month.  It is time to provide a much needed increase! 

2.     The HIS now ranges from $30 to $150 per month based on longevity of service.  The calculation is $5 multiplied by the number of creditable service years, but is capped at $150 per month. 

3.     With the rising cost of healthcare (averaging double-digit percentage increases per year since 1999), even the increased amount proposed in the legislation falls short of meeting the needs for retirees to have adequate health insurance.  But it certainly will help our FRS retirees. 

4.     The proposed legislation phases in an increased benefit to $7 per month for each service year, capped at $210 per month.  While this is a 40% increase, it is far below the increased cost of health insurance since 1999. 

5.     The cost of this benefit would require a contribution increase to go to the Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy Trust Fund.
 

 8-YEAR DROP

Talking Points for School Administrators (Meeting with Legislators & Staff) 

1.    Four-Year priority of FASA. 

2.    Actuarial Study by State concluded that there will be minimal impact on FRS & State Budget. 

3.    Cost to retain administrators from five (5) to eight (8) years will be born by local school boards. 

4.   The additional years are on an annual basis.  An administrator must be recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the school board. 

5.   Teaches were provided this several years ago as a retention tool because of looming teacher shortages. 

6.   Sixty percent of all current administrators are predicted to retire within five (5) years, according to the Florida Department of Education. 

7.   This is available recruitment and retention measure for attracting quality public school administrators at all levels.

 TWO-MIL FLEXIBILTY

Talking Points for School Administrators (Meeting with Legislators & Staff) 

1.   Two-mil refers to the ability of school boards to levy a tax to pay for a shortlist capitol projects such as new construction of classrooms and equipment, school buses, etc.  Several years ago, school boards could also pay salaries for staff associated with maintenance and construction.  Because of abuses of the flexibility of the two mill expenditures by some districts, the Legislature in severely restricted what boards could purchase with these funds. 

2.   FASA supports expanding the use of 2-mill to include the purchase of property casualty insurance to protect district capital investment.  If house Bill 379 sponsored by Representative Poppell (R) Vero Beach & Senate Bill 574 by Senator Bennett (R) Bradenton were to pass, hundreds of thousands of dollars currently spent on insurance out of the FEFP allocation would be expended in the classroom. 

Not every district would choose to use the two-mils for this purpose.  Some districts need every penny to construct classrooms.  However, others need instructional materials, equipment or technology.  Flexibility of two mills for this limited us could benefit all districts in the future.

Update #3

Dear Coalition Members and Interested Parties: 

I am sending you the latest Legislative Update from Jim Warford's Friday Facts.  Please take a few minutes to send this information to all your colleagues so they can also be kept informed. 

Take a few minutes to go on FASA's Web Site and register your vote on the new Survey program that FASA has established called "School Zone".  Get into the routine of Registering your vote on a regular basis by logging on www.fasa.net.  As of today, 457 administrators have registered their vote on the DROP Bill.  This number should be in the thousands, and it will as soon as more administrators know that this tool is available to them.  One does not have to be a member of FASA to be able to vote. 

Remember that I am posting all legislative updates and calls to action on hasaonline.com on a daily basis.

If you want to follow the status of Bills as they go through the legislative process you can log on to Florida's Online Sunshine at www.leg.state.fl.us.  It is very simple to do.  

JOHN MILIZIANO

*************************

FASA Friday Facts --   A weekly newsletter from the Florida Association of School Administrators, 02-09-07

Good morning! I'm very happy to report that this week SB 414, filed by Senator Steve Wise, which extends DROP for administrators from 5 to 8 years, was passed by the Senate Education Committee by a unanimous vote. 

DROP Extension is a FASA legislative priority and every day prior to the vote FASA provided committee members a flyer with key facts in support of this legislation.  

Through FASA's new "School Zone" survey powered by K12 Insight at, www.fasa.net, 80% of you told us this bill was important to you and its passage would encourage you to stay in the profession longer.  

While there are two more Senate committee stops for this bill and we are still a long way from the goal line, this certainly is an encouraging start.  

The DROP Extension legislation (SB414) is just the first of several retirement issues that will come before the legislature this session. It is critical that you be involved. FASA is working to keep you informed and to make it as easy as possible for your voice to be heard on these important issues.

Florida Legislators Who Have Filed Our Three Bills 

If you want to follow the progress of these Bills log on to the Florida Senate and House Web Site at www.leg.state.fl.us

   
 HEALTH INSURANCE SUPPLEMENT  

SB 8 by Senator Al Lawson; HB 87 by Representative Bob Allen 

SUMMARY: 

The Health Insurance Subsidy is an allocation, above and beyond retirement pay, to each retiree’s monthly check for the express purpose of assistance with medical costs. FRS employers are assessed an amount, currently 1.11% of salary, that is paid to FRS for this benefit. FEA supports legislation By Representative Allen and Senator Lawson that will increase the maximum monthly health insurance subsidy from $5 to $6 per year service on January 1, 2008 and to $7 per year service on January 1, 2009.  The total maximum monthly payment would increase from $150 to $180 in January 2008 and to $210 per month in January 2009.  An increase in the employer’s contribution will pay for this benefit.  The current monthly payment of $5 per year of service (maximum of $150 per month) is insufficient in these times of escalating health insurance costs.  This bill will help our retired members keep up with the growing costs of health care. 

TALKING POINTS: 

1.     The Health Insurance Subsidy (HIS) began in 1988 at $1 per month and increased several times over the years.  The last increase was in 1999 to $5 per month.  It is time to provide a much needed increase! 

2.     The HIS now ranges from $30 to $150 per month based on longevity of service.  The calculation is $5 multiplied by the number of creditable service years, but is capped at $150 per month. 

3.     With the rising cost of healthcare (averaging double-digit percentage increases per year since 1999), even the increased amount proposed in the legislation falls short of meeting the needs for retirees to have adequate health insurance.  But it certainly will help our FRS retirees. 

4.     The proposed legislation phases in an increased benefit to $7 per month for each service year, capped at $210 per month.  While this is a 40% increase, it is far below the increased cost of health insurance since 1999. 

5.     The cost of this benefit would require a contribution increase to go to the Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy Trust Fund.
 

 8-YEAR DROP

Talking Points for School Administrators (Meeting with Legislators & Staff) 

1.    Four-Year priority of FASA. 

2.    Actuarial Study by State concluded that there will be minimal impact on FRS & State Budget. 

3.    Cost to retain administrators from five (5) to eight (8) years will be born by local school boards. 

4.   The additional years are on an annual basis.  An administrator must be recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the school board. 

5.   Teaches were provided this several years ago as a retention tool because of looming teacher shortages. 

6.   Sixty percent of all current administrators are predicted to retire within five (5) years, according to the Florida Department of Education. 

7.   This is available recruitment and retention measure for attracting quality public school administrators at all levels.

 TWO-MIL FLEXIBILTY

Talking Points for School Administrators (Meeting with Legislators & Staff) 

1.   Two-mil refers to the ability of school boards to levy a tax to pay for a shortlist capitol projects such as new construction of classrooms and equipment, school buses, etc.  Several years ago, school boards could also pay salaries for staff associated with maintenance and construction.  Because of abuses of the flexibility of the two mill expenditures by some districts, the Legislature in severely restricted what boards could purchase with these funds. 

2.   FASA supports expanding the use of 2-mill to include the purchase of property casualty insurance to protect district capital investment.  If house Bill 379 sponsored by Representative Poppell (R) Vero Beach & Senate Bill 574 by Senator Bennett (R) Bradenton were to pass, hundreds of thousands of dollars currently spent on insurance out of the FEFP allocation would be expended in the classroom. 

Not every district would choose to use the two-mils for this purpose.  Some districts need every penny to construct classrooms.  However, others need instructional materials, equipment or technology.  Flexibility of two mills for this limited us could benefit all districts in the future.