Week of 2-5-2024

Inside this issue

• Gov. Shapiro’s budget address includes historic increase in basic education funding
• Latest PSEA podcast: Response to Gov. Shapiro’s budget address
• California Casualty home and auto insurance is withdrawing from Pennsylvania
• PSEA celebrates Black History Month
• Upcoming Center for Professional Learning events and PEARL
• Member Benefits spotlight: identity theft protection plans

During a joint session of the General Assembly on Feb. 6, Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled his FY 2024-25 proposed budget, which includes historic investments in public education.

Shapiro’s basic education plan proposes to increase funding by nearly $1.1 billion and includes several of the reforms the Basic Education Funding Commission recommended in its Jan. 11 report.

The $1.1 billion increase includes $872 million in adequacy and high tax school district payments and $200 million to be distributed through the basic education subsidy formula. In addition, the proposed budget includes $300 million for school buildings and facilities, and a $50 million increase for special education.

Click the button below to learn more.

In this episode of “Duty Free Lunch,” the PSEA team discusses the high and low points of Gov. Josh Shapiro's Feb. 6 budget address for 2024-25. PSEA President Aaron Chapin, Vice President Jeff Ney, and Treasurer Rachael West are joined by PSEA Government Relations experts Dan Wiedemer and Kelli Thompson to hash over the details of what this budget means for PSEA members.

You can listen to “Duty Free Lunch” wherever you get your podcasts. Remember to subscribe so you’ll know when new episodes drop.

California Casualty is changing its business model to become a regional insurer. As a result, they will be exiting all states except California, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Here’s what you need to know about California Casualty withdrawing from Pennsylvania.

• Homeowner’s insurance policies expiring on or after April 16, 2024, will not be renewed.
• Auto insurance policies expiring on or after April 23, 2024, will not be renewed.
• For additional information regarding the transition, please visit neamb.com/transition.
• If you have questions about your existing California Casualty home or auto insurance policy, please call California Casualty directly at 1‑866‑201‑7585

NEA Member Benefits and PSEA Member benefits endorsed home and auto insurance

• NEA Member Benefits now endorses Travelers Insurance. For more information on this program please visit neamb.com/products/nea-auto-and-home-insurance-program or call Travelers at 1-866-201-0335.
• PSEA Member Benefits endorses Liberty Mutual. For more information on this program please visit psea.org/libertymutual or call Liberty Mutual at 1-800-216-0717.

Questions?

If you have questions about California Casualty withdrawing from Pennsylvania, please visit www.neamb.com/transition or please call California Casualty directly at 1‑866‑201‑7585.

PSEA proudly joins educators and support professionals across the nation in celebrating Black History Month. While educators will put a special focus on Black history this month, we aim to educate students all year long about the sizeable contributions and achievements of Black Americans.

Click the button below for a list of notable Black Pennsylvanians, resources for educators, and to share how you’re teaching Black history to your students.

PEARL

Visit the new, improved PEARL today and choose from more than 95 asynchronous courses available for Act 48 credit and Chapter 14 verification.

You can find multiple courses that interest you in any of these tracks: 

• Book Studies
• Educational Equity
• Pedagogy
• Policy
• Pupil Services
• Special Populations
• Technology in Education
• SEL & Wellness

Webinars

• Classroom Equity Audits Webinar (with optional Book Study)
  • Feb. 15, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Classroom Today: What is it and what does it look like in the classroom? (ECE Series)
  • Feb. 22, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Implementing & Sustaining Target Language Use in the World Language Classroom
  • Feb. 27, 7-8:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• Science Cross-Cutting Concepts Picture Book Study
  • March 5, 7-8 p.m.
• Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day (Revised Edition)
  • April 3, 7-8 p.m.
• Good Different (Poetry)
  • April 11, 7-8 p.m.

Postgraduate Credits

Earn postgraduate credits from PennWest University for $70 each!

More than 150 postgraduate credits are available across a wide range of teaching and learning topics.

These postgraduate credits (microcredentials) can count toward the 24 credits required for a Level II certificate and also may count toward salary advancement.*

For support professionals, these courses may meet Chapter 14 requirements.**

*Check your contract to determine if you can apply standalone postgraduate credits for column movement.
**Seek approval from your employer prior to completing hours to apply toward Chapter 14 requirements.

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