REMEMBER SB512 OR ANY OF ITS CLONES!
March 6, 2012
Welcome, WLSU Members, to the West Lake Shore Unit of The Illinois Retired Teachers Association website. We are hoping that you will come back to this site frequently for information about what is happening with the Unit, with the legislature, with your pension, and with other issues of interest to retired teachers.
file://localhost/Users/Marjorie/Desktop/Grant%20IRTA.pdf
The Cost of TRIP Health Insurance is Not Protected by the Constitution
The other day I saw an Illinois State Flag flying. It was upside down. As if we needed further evidence that the state is in distress! Governor Quinn presented his state budget on February 22 and cut nearly $87 million in funding for TRIP, the retired teachers insurance program, which serves over 71,000 retirees. Kelly Kraft, spokesperson for the Governor, defended the cut by saying it was due to the “state’s fiscal challenges created over decades of mismanagement.” An acceptable defense if you can claim that you just got there. She continued by saying that retired teachers, “will still be able to buy into the state system to receive health insurance by making up the contributions.” Currently, the $500 million cost of TRIP is divided up with retirees paying the most - 42%, active teachers pay 19%, an amount that is matched by the state, school districts pay 14%, and the federal government, covering those teachers who work under federal grants, pays 6%.
Allocating no state money for TRIP in the budget proposal does not in any way affect any member’s current health insurance – at least until June 30 of this year. Having gone two out of the last three years without an increase in TRIP health care costs simply because the state did not want to match our higher contributions, the IRTA not only expected that retirees would need to pay more for their insurance, but that it would be above the 5% limit called for under the existing contract. Of course, we didn’t expect that Governor Quinn would take the state out of the equation completely. In my opinion, this action is a bargaining position on the part of the Governor’s office and that our costs to them are secondary to what the state hopes to save in health care insurance for retired state employees, 90 percent of them – those that worked twenty years or more – pay none of the costs for their health care. The state bears the entire cost of that program and just over $750 million is involved.
If you have ever wondered what you have gained by your membership in the Illinois Teachers Retirement Association, the TRIP issue will be the IRTA’s opportunity to demonstrate what your dues have gained for you. The IEA and IFT will be working for teachers at the negotiating table, but protecting retired teachers’ health care will be only one of a number of items on their agenda and by no means the most important. For the IRTA, representing retired teachers will be the reason that we are there. Regardless of the Civic Federation’s recent suggestion that the State should change our automatic COLAs, the legislature will not go after our benefits until they have tested in the courts the constitutional protections of retirement benefits for active teachers and other current public employees. Our struggles this spring will be centered on limiting, as well as we can, the increase in the health care premiums that retirees will have to pay.
You can count on the IFT and the IEA to be concerned about your health care costs, but they will also be concerned with what active teachers have to pay. You can be certain the IRTA’s sole concern will be to limit the increase that you will need to pay. Call, email, and visit your state legislators and tell them your story about the importance of your health insurance. Emphasize that in the public sector retired teachers already pay more than others in their share of the cost of health care. Bob Lyons
Membership Report April-May 2012 Newsletter
I have always thought of March as my favorite month. As a teacher I saw March as the beginning of the backside of the school year. I have always enjoyed March because it’s the first month of meteorological spring and the end of winter. The temperatures are on the rise, the snow melts quicker, the days are longer, and many plants are peeking up through the soil.
I still like March, but now I see this as the month that begins a new legislative year. This I do not enjoy one bit. Being more of a pessimist than an optimist, I mull over what the legislature and the governor are going to throw at us this year. I see nothing good. I do find comfort in that we beat back SB 512, “the pension killer,” twice last year. This was a result of a great effort by the thousands of public employees, both active and retired, who made their voices heard to their legislators. An extra huge effort was given, and continues to be given, by retirees Bob Haisman, Glen Brown, and John Dillon. This is not to diminish the efforts of other WLSU members who have made a significant contribution.
The question is can we keep up the pressure on the legislature and governor this year. We must believe there will be an extra push by the “pension reform” advocates having lost twice in 2011. The Civic Committee, Michael Madigan, the Chicago Tribune and other “reformers” are not used to being on the losing side. There is talk that the effort we expended before will not be duplicated because teachers are growing weary of the conflict and are tired of the work needed to defeat “pension reform” again. These teachers would like to declare victory and move on. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that it is too early to do so. We again will need a tremendous response from all of us to prevail. Please do your part by writing, emailing, calling, and visiting legislators. President Sucansky has emailed you updated lists of legislators who are key members along with many sample communications. You can make the difference again. If you are not on the email list and would like copies of the key player lists, please contact Marge Sucansky or me at 630-985-2620 or 630-852-3138, respectively.
Last year was a good year recruiting new members. WLSU increased by a little over 10%. We now have 1077 members. However, when I look from my pessimistic side, I see some problems arising in the new year. It is proving tougher to get current WLSU members to renew. We’ve had members, although still a very small number, hang up on our renewal callers. They don’t want to be bothered. Another somber sign is found in the effort to recruit new members. Even though both the IRTA and WLSU are offering free membership for this year, membership increase has been meager. Two hundred application brochures were mailed out to recent retirees in January. Only four retired teachers took advantage of the free offer. This is a 2% response at a time when pensions and health benefits are under attack. I can only surmise that many retired teachers are still not concerned because their pension is still being deposited monthly in their account in the same amount. A passage in Thomas Gray’s poem from 1742 seems to apply, “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise.” Please inform the membership committee of the name and address of any colleague of yours who may wish to join IRTA/WLSU. Or why not be a recruiter yourself? Send or deliver the application in this newsletter and instruct your colleague to sign up for Dues Deduct. 2012 will be free.
There is still widespread confusion among our members as to why they are asked to pay dues to IRTA and then to WLSU. The simple answer is that the IRTA does not collect dues for the locals as the IFT does. The IEA Retired are asked to pay both state and local dues separately, so we are not alone. Why belong to both organizations? IRTA concentrates on lobbying, Voter Voice, recruiting, member benefits and foundation work. WLSU concentrates on providing members with direction, information, leadership, meetings, recruiting, and an organized response to pension and benefit threats. It pays to belong to both groups.
Submitted by
Tom Szot
WLSU Membership Committee Co-chair
I have always thought of March as my favorite month. As a teacher I saw March as the beginning of the backside of the school year. I have always enjoyed March because it’s the first month of meteorological spring and the end of winter. The temperatures are on the rise, the snow melts quicker, the days are longer, and many plants are peeking up through the soil.
I still like March, but now I see this as the month that begins a new legislative year. This I do not enjoy one bit. Being more of a pessimist than an optimist, I mull over what the legislature and the governor are going to throw at us this year. I see nothing good. I do find comfort in that we beat back SB 512, “the pension killer,” twice last year. This was a result of a great effort by the thousands of public employees, both active and retired, who made their voices heard to their legislators. An extra huge effort was given, and continues to be given, by retirees Bob Haisman, Glen Brown, and John Dillon. This is not to diminish the efforts of other WLSU members who have made a significant contribution.
The question is can we keep up the pressure on the legislature and governor this year. We must believe there will be an extra push by the “pension reform” advocates having lost twice in 2011. The Civic Committee, Michael Madigan, the Chicago Tribune and other “reformers” are not used to being on the losing side. There is talk that the effort we expended before will not be duplicated because teachers are growing weary of the conflict and are tired of the work needed to defeat “pension reform” again. These teachers would like to declare victory and move on. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that it is too early to do so. We again will need a tremendous response from all of us to prevail. Please do your part by writing, emailing, calling, and visiting legislators. President Sucansky has emailed you updated lists of legislators who are key members along with many sample communications. You can make the difference again. If you are not on the email list and would like copies of the key player lists, please contact Marge Sucansky or me at 630-985-2620 or 630-852-3138, respectively.
Last year was a good year recruiting new members. WLSU increased by a little over 10%. We now have 1077 members. However, when I look from my pessimistic side, I see some problems arising in the new year. It is proving tougher to get current WLSU members to renew. We’ve had members, although still a very small number, hang up on our renewal callers. They don’t want to be bothered. Another somber sign is found in the effort to recruit new members. Even though both the IRTA and WLSU are offering free membership for this year, membership increase has been meager. Two hundred application brochures were mailed out to recent retirees in January. Only four retired teachers took advantage of the free offer. This is a 2% response at a time when pensions and health benefits are under attack. I can only surmise that many retired teachers are still not concerned because their pension is still being deposited monthly in their account in the same amount. A passage in Thomas Gray’s poem from 1742 seems to apply, “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise.” Please inform the membership committee of the name and address of any colleague of yours who may wish to join IRTA/WLSU. Or why not be a recruiter yourself? Send or deliver the application in this newsletter and instruct your colleague to sign up for Dues Deduct. 2012 will be free.
There is still widespread confusion among our members as to why they are asked to pay dues to IRTA and then to WLSU. The simple answer is that the IRTA does not collect dues for the locals as the IFT does. The IEA Retired are asked to pay both state and local dues separately, so we are not alone. Why belong to both organizations? IRTA concentrates on lobbying, Voter Voice, recruiting, member benefits and foundation work. WLSU concentrates on providing members with direction, information, leadership, meetings, recruiting, and an organized response to pension and benefit threats. It pays to belong to both groups.
Submitted by
Tom Szot
WLSU Membership Committee Co-chair
WebMaster Needed
We are still in need of a webmaster to maintain this website. Please contact Marge Sucansky if you are interested at sucansky@comcast.net. It is a minimal time commitment.
Speaker Available from WLSU Speaker Bureau
West Lake Shore Unit has a speaker available to small groups in the area who are interested in basic information about TRS and the Illinois pension crisisIf you have a group of friends (they need not be WLSU members though this might be a way of convincing them to join IRTA/WLSU) who are interested, Al Popowits who is not an expert but rather someone who has informed himself on the subject would be happy to speak at no charge to your group. His availability is limited to groups located in Cook County. Speaking dates and times can be determined by mutual agreement. For more information please call Al at (708)209-1397.
News About Subbing Changes
The New School Code
In the past, if a teaching certificate holder didn't do his or her professional development before retirement, he or she could just let the teaching certificate "go," which would make it lapse. The same certificate holder could then just get a sub certificate and would be able to substitute teach. When the sub certificate expired, he or she could get another sub certificate.
Starting when the new licensure system goes into effect, which will be no later than July 1, 2013, and probably as early as August or September of 2012, certificate holders won't be able to get or renew a sub certificate if they have a lapsed teaching certificate. To restore the lapsed teaching certificate, a certificate holder will need 9 semester hours of coursework in his or her content area.
So, someone could have left a district and let his teaching certificate "go," and he could be subbing on a sub certificate.
Whenever the current sub certificate expires, he or she won't be able to renew the sub certificate because a lapsed teaching certificate will be sitting in the background.
This provision began, without warning, on August 25, 2011. Prior to that date, we had no reason to advise a certificate holder who was retiring that this provision was coming into existence.
To my knowledge, there is no way around this provision.
So anyone with a lapsed certificate will need 9 semester hours of credit to restore his lapsed teaching certificate, and he won't be able to renew any current sub certificate if he has a lapsed teaching certificate in the background. People don't need 9 semester hours of credit to get a sub certificate.
One more exciting point is that sub licenses won't be able to be renewed unless the sub license holder has passed the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) #400, or did pass the Test of Basic skills 096 or 300 in the past.
Two new sections of the School Code
ILCS 105 5/21B-20 new
(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
License may be issued to qualified applicants for
substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree
or higher from a regionally accredited institution of
higher education.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years and
may be renewed if the individual has passed a test of basic
skills, as authorized under Section 21B-30 of this Code. An
individual who has passed a test of basic skills for the
first licensure renewal is not required to retake the test
again for further renewals.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
has had his or her Professional Educator License or
Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked or
has not met the renewal requirements for licensure, then
that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute
Teaching License.
ISCS 105 5/21B-50 new
All licenses not renewed as provided in this Section or
registered in accordance with Section 21B-40 of this Code shall
lapse after a period of 6 months from the expiration of the
last year of registration. The license may be reinstated once
the applicant has demonstrated proficiency by completing 9
semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education in the content area that most
aligns with the educator's endorsement area or areas. Before
the license may be reinstated, the applicant shall pay all back
fees owed from the time of expiration of the license until the
date of reinstatement. Any license may be voluntarily
surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily surrendered
license shall be treated as a revoked license.
Wendy McPherrin
Director of Certification
DuPage County Regional Office of Education
421 North County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
P. 630-407-5791
F. 630-407-5804
In the past, if a teaching certificate holder didn't do his or her professional development before retirement, he or she could just let the teaching certificate "go," which would make it lapse. The same certificate holder could then just get a sub certificate and would be able to substitute teach. When the sub certificate expired, he or she could get another sub certificate.
Starting when the new licensure system goes into effect, which will be no later than July 1, 2013, and probably as early as August or September of 2012, certificate holders won't be able to get or renew a sub certificate if they have a lapsed teaching certificate. To restore the lapsed teaching certificate, a certificate holder will need 9 semester hours of coursework in his or her content area.
So, someone could have left a district and let his teaching certificate "go," and he could be subbing on a sub certificate.
Whenever the current sub certificate expires, he or she won't be able to renew the sub certificate because a lapsed teaching certificate will be sitting in the background.
This provision began, without warning, on August 25, 2011. Prior to that date, we had no reason to advise a certificate holder who was retiring that this provision was coming into existence.
To my knowledge, there is no way around this provision.
So anyone with a lapsed certificate will need 9 semester hours of credit to restore his lapsed teaching certificate, and he won't be able to renew any current sub certificate if he has a lapsed teaching certificate in the background. People don't need 9 semester hours of credit to get a sub certificate.
One more exciting point is that sub licenses won't be able to be renewed unless the sub license holder has passed the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) #400, or did pass the Test of Basic skills 096 or 300 in the past.
Two new sections of the School Code
ILCS 105 5/21B-20 new
(3) Substitute Teaching License. A Substitute Teaching
License may be issued to qualified applicants for
substitute teaching in all grades of the public schools,
prekindergarten through grade 12. Substitute Teaching
Licenses are not eligible for endorsements. Applicants for
a Substitute Teaching License must hold a bachelor's degree
or higher from a regionally accredited institution of
higher education.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for 5 years and
may be renewed if the individual has passed a test of basic
skills, as authorized under Section 21B-30 of this Code. An
individual who has passed a test of basic skills for the
first licensure renewal is not required to retake the test
again for further renewals.
Substitute Teaching Licenses are valid for substitute
teaching in every county of this State. If an individual
has had his or her Professional Educator License or
Educator License with Stipulations suspended or revoked or
has not met the renewal requirements for licensure, then
that individual is not eligible to obtain a Substitute
Teaching License.
ISCS 105 5/21B-50 new
All licenses not renewed as provided in this Section or
registered in accordance with Section 21B-40 of this Code shall
lapse after a period of 6 months from the expiration of the
last year of registration. The license may be reinstated once
the applicant has demonstrated proficiency by completing 9
semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited
institution of higher education in the content area that most
aligns with the educator's endorsement area or areas. Before
the license may be reinstated, the applicant shall pay all back
fees owed from the time of expiration of the license until the
date of reinstatement. Any license may be voluntarily
surrendered by the license holder. A voluntarily surrendered
license shall be treated as a revoked license.
Wendy McPherrin
Director of Certification
DuPage County Regional Office of Education
421 North County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
P. 630-407-5791
F. 630-407-5804
