Week of 8-22-2022

Inside this issue

• Great news for student loan borrowers
• Here’s why PSEA members prefer Josh Shapiro for governor
• Pennsylvanians are waking up to Doug Mastriano’s destructive agenda
• PEARL and Center for Professional Learning
• Member Benefits spotlight: UBenefit grants

Great news for public servants who have outstanding student loan debt – the U.S. Department of Education is offering a limited waiver through its Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that will allow borrowers to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. The opportunity ends on Oct. 31, 2022.

To check your eligibility and take advantage of this program, you must:

1. Visit https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/pslf-limited-waiver
2. Follow the steps to see if you qualify
3. Apply by Oct. 31, 2022

Thanks to the advocacy of NEA members like you, the U.S. Department of Education has adjusted the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to make more borrowers eligible for student loan forgiveness. Find out more at www.nea.org/student-debt-support

We’ve seen with Gov. Wolf’s historic investments in education what having a pro-public education governor in office can do. And we’ve seen the destruction wrought by an anti-public education governor like Tom Corbett.

The choice in November between Josh Shapiro and Doug Mastriano could not be clearer. As election season heats up, please take a moment to learn where the candidates stand on issues that matter to us.

Judging by the wave of recent news stories (like this one, this one, and this one) calling out Doug Mastriano’s attacks on public education and presenting the stark choice between him and Josh Shapiro, its clear the facts are winning out over propaganda.

Mastriano’s plan to cut public education funding in half, which he outlined in a WRTA interview in March, would decimate public education in Pennsylvania, resulting in a staggering $12.75 billion cut in school funding. That means more than 118,000 education jobs lost, a doubling of the student-teacher ratio, and massive cuts to programs and services for our most vulnerable students.

If you want to see the facts about what Doug Mastriano’s plan would do to your school district, check out our interactive map at the link below.

PEARL

Looking for an easy way to earn Act 48 credits, Chapter 14 verification, or postgraduate credits? Check out PEARL, PSEA's member exclusive online learning system with 95 courses and counting.

Here are just a few courses you have access to:

• Time Management and Organization for Online Learning
• Differentiating and Team Teaching: Distance Learning Edition
• Connect, Collaborate, Create with School-based Occupational Therapy

Member Well-being

• Mindful Mondays
  • Sept. 19, 4:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • Oct. 17, 4:45 p.m.
• Mindful Mondays
  • Nov. 14, 4:45 p.m.

Kades-Margolis and Security Benefits are excited to once again bring the UBenefit program to educators and support professionals all across Pennsylvania. Last year they provided over 65 UBenefit grants!

This year, they are offering 66 $200 grants! It’s just one way of recognizing how much you give. Simply fill out the form in the link below between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30 to enroll and you’ll be notified if you’re a recipient.