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Senate to debate education measure

Eichelberger, new Senate Education Committee chairman, sponsored SB 229

The full Senate is to debate a bill sponsored by Sen. John H. Eichelberger Jr., R-Blair, next month that would make teachers negotiate with school districts for sick, bereavement and sabbatical leaves that currently have minimums set by state statutes.

Senate Bill 229 passed the Senate Education Committee 7-5 in late January and is scheduled for debate and amendments March 20. A similar bill by Eichelberger never made it out of committee last session.

Depending on what happens March 20, it could be included with bills affecting the budget “or simply as a good government reform measure,” Eichelberger said.

Eichelberger is the new Senate Education Committee chairman, a position he assumes after years of having a critical eye on education funding and teacher unions while supporting charter schools and tax credits to religious schools.

The Blair County Republican is bothered by the education spending increase proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf for next year. Eichelberger’s blog states, “There’s a lot of evidence to show that isn’t working.”

“We should be looking at the best practices, and then we should be doing away with a lot of the bad programs we have and looking at some of the really poor performing schools and looking at moving those kids to charters and other things to give them an opportunity to get ahead. Keeping them in bad programs and in bad schools is not helping anybody in the system,” he stated in his blog.

Eichelberger’s proposal on teachers’ leave is viewed by some as his continued “war” with public schools, as teacher and education blogger Steven Singer put it.

Currently, the School Code provides a minimum of 10 sick days per year, three bereavement days and sabbatical for a half or full school term or for two half school terms during a period of two years.

Sabbatical is granted for employees in the public school system for 10 years for professional development or health or other purposes approved by the school board.

Eichelberger’s legislative memo this session touts his proposals as providing “needed flexibility to school districts to adequately manage their professional staff.”

“First, this legislation would remove mandated sick and bereavement leave benefits and instead make both subject to collective bargaining negotiations. The proposal would give school districts the option of requiring employees to use vacation or sick days for these events or allow a special leave in those circumstances,” his memo stated. In addition, the proposed legislation would eliminate a professional employee’s entitlement to a sabbatical leave.

“Sabbatical leave benefits for professional school employees well exceed the normal benefits provided to other employees in the public and private sector. In order for school districts to better manage expenses and provide the best education possible, it is essential that they are able to make decisions about the management of their personnel while ensuring minimal disruption to the classroom,” Eichelberger’s memo states.

His proposal is supported by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and strongly opposed by the state’s teacher union.

“This is especially critical as boards balance budget needs with program, staff, student and community needs. Senate Bill 229 provides relief from an existing mandate and an opportunity to allow school boards more latitude in operating their schools and providing a positive working environment,” a PSBA statement read.

The state’s teacher union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, sees the proposal as a step backward.

“The bill interferes with school employees’ collective bargaining agreements, and disproportionately affects women, who are more likely to take parental leave,” a PSEA statement reads. “This bill is a major step backwards, particularly for women, and lacks compassion or common sense.”

“With all the problems the Legislature has to solve, it’s a mystery why the Senate Education Committee made this issue a priority,” the teachers union said.

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