Board of Education President Joanna Tobin and Superintendent of Schools Mark T. Bedell today released the following statement in the wake of recent claims from Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC):
“Our school system, like those around the country, is facing a staffing crisis of unprecedented proportion. Due to many economic and social factors, we are experiencing higher vacancy levels across all position types. One of the areas where staffing issues is particularly acute is special education. It is unfortunate, to say the least, that the leadership of the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC) has chosen a course of political posturing and erroneous rhetoric over the interests of some of the most vulnerable in our school system, our special education students. TAAAC’s social media campaign opposing a staffing agency contract to help put caring, capable, qualified, certificated, and consistently present educators in front of students every day should be a clear signal to families of special education students that their leadership holds union interests in higher regard than what is best for students. Our school system has had several communications with the new TAAAC president about this situation and has provided clarity on many points, yet the facts continue to be misstated by union leadership. The students, families, and taxpayers of Anne Arundel County deserve to know those facts.”
CLAIM: The Board of Education has agreed to a contract with a staffing agency that will not require certification of educators it hires and therefore those educators are unqualified.
FACT: All educators hired by the staffing agency and subsequently interviewed and placed by AACPS hold either a conditional, standard, or advanced certificate. As do all employees, contracted educators will also be required to pass all normal background checks and screening protocols. For the union to play on the fears of families by asserting that the educators in front of their students are unqualified is egregious and irresponsible.
CLAIM: The Board of Education has agreed to a contract with a staffing agency that pays its educators far more than those employed by Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
FACT: It is critical to understand that contract employees receive no AACPS or State benefits (i.e., robust health, dental, or vision care; sick or vacation time; and state retirement, life insurance, tenure, job security, seniority, etc.). Such benefits can add as much as 37 percent to an AACPS employee’s compensation package.
CLAIM: The Board of Education is legally not allowed to contract with a staffing agency in order to provide special education services to Anne Arundel County students.
FACT: Students with special needs have educational rights under federal and state law that must be met regardless of staffing shortages. AACPS is required to provide these students with the necessary instructional services and supports, whether for a specialized program of instruction under an IEP or for accommodations under a 504 plan, when their needs arise. This could include the services of such professionals as speech-language therapists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, teachers for the hearing- and vision-impaired, and specialized counselors. The use of contractors to secure such services is not a new practice, and AACPS refuses to tell families of special needs students that we will be unable to provide appropriate services due to staffing issues when contracted services are and have been a viable option.
“TAAAC’s misinformation aside, this Board and the County Government have provided our amazing educators with as many as 7 step increases, placing them all on the appropriate step, as well as 5.2 percent in cost-of-living increases since the 2018-2019 school year. This year’s Board-proposed contract for teachers – in light of record County funding – is the most generous in 15 years. Despite these facts, our educators do not currently have a contract for the upcoming school year. That, however, is a matter totally of the union leadership’s making. Our school system negotiated with TAAAC in good faith for many months and also engaged in the mediation process after an impasse in contract negotiations was declared. The Board unanimously agreed to accept the jointly selected mediator’s proposed resolution without a single change. It is TAAAC leadership which rejected the mediator’s proposal and TAAAC leadership which is responsible for the fact that its members have not yet received a penny of their well-deserved compensation increases. Our school system and Board remain committed to ensuring our dedicated and talented teachers and other employees are compensated fairly and to doing everything we can to ensure our students have quality, caring, capable educators in front of them every day.”