The 2012 Election: The Education ImpactThe votes are in and the people have spoken. President Obama's re-election means four more years of unprecedented federal education spending and education reform-minded competitive grants. As the dust settles on the 2012 election, experts are predicting a continuation of an active Department of Education and changes to some controversial state education laws.   Continue Reading...

The votes are in and the people have spoken. President Obama's re-election means four more years of unprecedented federal education spending and education reform-minded competitive grants. As the dust settles on the 2012 election, experts are predicting a continuation of an active Department of Education and changes to some controversial state education laws.   Continue Reading...

“Are teachers or anyone in the private sector experiencing those increases in times of financial hardship?" AAE Executive Director Gary Beckner featured in FoxNews.com article about union boss salaries being nearly 10 times that of the average teacher:   Continue Reading...

This week's recall election has thrust union special interests and teacher freedoms back into the national dialogue like never before. After a bitter campaign and an estimated $60 million spent on election efforts, the commanding win for Governor Walker illustrates an overwhelming shift in public opinion against teachers unions. As the dust settles on this historic election, it's no coincidence that according to a new public opinion poll, teacher unions nationally are reaching all-time low approval levels.   Continue Reading...

With education and labor issues being hotly debated across the country and the rise of "super" Political Action Committees (PACs), insiders have predicted that 2012 election spending will reach record levels. Beaten down after over two solid years of negative press, declining membership, and legislative and legal battles, the National Education Association is seeking to come back with a vengeance in 2012. The nation's largest union is currently being tracked as the 4th largest national super PAC contributor.   Continue Reading...

In 2011, Wisconsin's fight over collective bargaining was the number one domestic story. From protests at the capitol to high-profile lawsuits, the battle to close budget shortfalls and curb union power is still gaining headlines in the state. In the latest development, WEA Trust, the health care insurer that has covered as many as two-thirds of Wisconsin school districts under strict collective bargaining agreements, has seen its revenue decline almost $70 million after a new law gave school districts the freedom to switch health care insurers to save funds.   Continue Reading...

Ms. Ashley Favorite, a teacher at the Lac du Flambeau Public School in Wisconsin, has been awarded a scholarship by the Association of American Educators Foundation to supplement the cost of tuition for graduate courses at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Ms. Favorite is pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Education with a focus on reading education; while both teaching fulltime and maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.   Continue Reading...

What started in February as a battle over budget shortfalls and forced unionism has grown into a full scale ballot referendum in the key swing state of Ohio. The question known as "Issue 2" will ask voters to either accept or reject a sweeping collective bargaining law that Governor John Kasich signed in March, less than three months after his election day. Tomorrow, Ohioans will go to the polls to vote on the referendum, a case study in the near nationwide debate over union power and the sustainability of the current collective bargaining system.   Continue Reading...

2011 is shaping up to be the year of education and labor reform nearly nationwide. In March, 48 states were considering labor reform bills on the heels of major Republican gains in state legislatures across the country. What started as legislative progress and meaningful education reform in states like Indiana, Florida, and Idaho, has yielded an unprecedented backlash from unions who are literally fighting for their very survival in long drawn out court battles that are leaving many commonsense policies in limbo.

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Since the labor battle erupted in Wisconsin in February, the state has been considered ground zero for the sweeping education and labor reform legislation debated nationwide. With new revelations from political spending watchdog groups and the state's NEA affiliate themselves, the Wisconsin Education Association Council is once again making national headlines for its fall from a onetime lobbying powerhouse to incurring massive layoffs.   Continue Reading...

After an unsuccessful messaging war, legal battle, and recall campaign, the unions in Wisconsin are almost out of options. On Wednesday, the dust settled on major recall elections designed to overturn Republican majorities in the Wisconsin State Senate in an effort to stop some of the most extensive public union reforms in the country.   Continue Reading...

Wisconsin has been education and labor reform "ground zero" since Governor Walker swept into office in January. Promising big changes, Governor Walker eventually passed a budget that ended forced-unionism, curbed union power, and ultimately led to a nationwide battle to balance state budgets and rein in union monopolies. Despite union-led efforts to recall elected officials over these changes, Governor Walker is now moving forward with an initiative to create a new state-wide accountability system to replace requirements under No Child Left Behind. Despite the bipartisan call for a plan, the state's teacher union has rejected an invitation by Governor Walker to collaborate on a plan, effectively refusing to represent the teacher voice in the state.   Continue Reading...

Utah's Ogden School District is a small district just north of Salt Lake City. A charming community with less than 1,000 teachers, Ogden is making news for its school board's decision to bypass local union negotiations in favor of sending individual contracts to teachers for the upcoming school year. While the move has obviously infuriated the local union, the move has been described as not only a trend in teacher negotiations, but the future of how policymakers and school districts will communicate with teachers, especially in areas with hostile and uncompromising unions.   Continue Reading...

As of June 29, forced unionism ended in Wisconsin, ending a bitter and controversial debate over Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill. Among the many union-crippling provisions of the law, unions in the state are no longer allowed to collect mandatory dues from government employees. Instead, unions must now count on members to continue supporting the unions by authorizing voluntary bank drafts to cover dues. While the union comes to grips with how to handle an inevitable mass exodus from exorbitant fees and partisan politics, teachers are finally speaking out about what the end of compulsory unionism really means to them and their paychecks.   Continue Reading...

With the 2011 legislative session at an end in many states, the dust is now settling on some of the most sweeping education and labor reforms we've have seen in generations. While each state has experienced reform and change on different levels, it is impossible to ignore the ground-breaking impact these laws will have on the future of labor relations and education across the country.

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This morning, Judge MaryAnn Sumi struck down Governor Scott Walker's budget repair law aimed at curbing union power, ending forced unionism, and closing budget shortfalls.   Continue Reading...

With the 2011 legislative session coming to an eventful end, states across the country have been on a quest for months to implement sweeping education and labor reform legislation. What began with a bang in Wisconsin has grown into a full-scale movement in states throughout the country. While each state is experiencing reform on different levels, it is impossible to ignore that this year will have a nationwide impact on the face of education and labor for generations to come.   Continue Reading...

When the dust settles on 2011 legislative session, states across the country will be dealing with some of the most sweeping changes in education and labor policy in generations. For months, tough-talking governors and state legislatures have been in the process of pushing through legislation that seeks to curb union power and implement sweeping education reforms. While each state is experiencing reform on different levels, it is impossible to ignore that this year will have an impact on the entire country's education outlook for years to come.   Continue Reading...

As the 2011 legislative session draws closer to its end, tough-talking governors and state legislatures across the country are proceeding with legislation that seeks to implement sweeping education and labor reforms. While each state is experiencing reform on different levels, it is impossible to ignore the ground-breaking changes that will undoubtedly change the face of education in this country in the coming years.   Continue Reading...

As the 2011 legislative session draws to an end, state legislatures across the country are proceeding with bills that seeks to curb union power and implement sweeping education reform. While Wisconsin and Ohio have received the bulk of the media attention, nearly the entire country will see historic changes in the coming year.   Continue Reading...