Scholarships for CCEA members
- Union Plus Scholarship is awarded to union members, their spouses and their dependent children. Awards range from $500 to $4,000 and are for one year. Students may reapply each year. The application is due by noon on January 31, 2018. For more information and the application click here - https://www.unionplus.org/college-education-financing/union-plus-scholarship.
- The AFT Robert G. Porter Scholarship is awarded to dependents of AFT members. There are two types of awards, a 4-year $8,000 award and a 1 time $1,000 award. This application is NOW AVIALABLE and will be due by March 31. Check here for more information on this Scholarship - https://www.aft.org/member-benefits/scholarships.
- In the Spring, Jamie Howell will be sending out our CCEA Scholarship Application for any member that has a senior in one of our public schools. The above scholarship opportunities are from our national associations or companies that support our national unions. Take advantage of your membership.
Insurances that are offered to CCEA members through our Creative Benefits Partners
Liberty Mutual information:
Click here to visit Liberty Mutual's site
A Message from Liberty Mutual Insurance
Creative Benefits for Educators partners exclusively with Liberty Mutual to help FEA members save $509 or more on auto insurance.* Call 855-514-6787 or visit Liberty Mutual to get a free quote.
*Average annual savings based on countrywide survey of new customers from 8/1/15 to 8/1/16 who reported saving from prior premiums when they switched to Liberty Mutual. Savings comparison does not apply in MA.
Should you have any questions or need assistance, please let me know. We appreciate our relationship with Liberty Mutual, the members’ only savings and discount program offered through the Creative Benefits for Educators partnership and your efforts to present this updated information to ensure that your members are informed and take advantage of the members’ only benefit.
Membership Doesn’t Cost, It Pays!
Toll-free Number Updates
To ensure proper tracking of policies for member only benefits, Liberty Mutual has assigned a toll-free number 855-514-6787 exclusively for Creative Benefits for Educators.The assigned toll-free number must be the only phone number in use, by May 15, 2018.
Please discontinue use of any previously used numbers immediately, and begin using the provided number on all communications (i.e. print, email, online, social, etc.). Liberty Mutual Insurance will continue to monitor and track member sales through all numbers until May 15, 2018, but after that time all previous numbers will be discontinued.
A Message from Liberty Mutual Insurance
Creative Benefits for Educators partners exclusively with Liberty Mutual to help FEA members save $509 or more on auto insurance.* Call 855-514-6787 or visit Liberty Mutual to get a free quote.
*Average annual savings based on countrywide survey of new customers from 8/1/15 to 8/1/16 who reported saving from prior premiums when they switched to Liberty Mutual. Savings comparison does not apply in MA.
Should you have any questions or need assistance, please let me know. We appreciate our relationship with Liberty Mutual, the members’ only savings and discount program offered through the Creative Benefits for Educators partnership and your efforts to present this updated information to ensure that your members are informed and take advantage of the members’ only benefit.
Membership Doesn’t Cost, It Pays!
Toll-free Number Updates
To ensure proper tracking of policies for member only benefits, Liberty Mutual has assigned a toll-free number 855-514-6787 exclusively for Creative Benefits for Educators.The assigned toll-free number must be the only phone number in use, by May 15, 2018.
Please discontinue use of any previously used numbers immediately, and begin using the provided number on all communications (i.e. print, email, online, social, etc.). Liberty Mutual Insurance will continue to monitor and track member sales through all numbers until May 15, 2018, but after that time all previous numbers will be discontinued.
How we work for you:
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SALARIES: Our contract does not guarantee automatic salary increases. CCEA has to fight for them EVERY YEAR at the bargaining table. When you were hired you assumed you would be given a pay increase each year. The district has failed to budget for this for 7+ years.
The district wants to pay teacher supplements (for sponsoring clubs, sports teams, band, etc.) based on $35,000, which is below starting teacher salary. Administrator supplements are currently based on $38,500.
PROTECTIONS FOR ANNUAL CONTRACT TEACHERS: Two years ago we successfully bargained for a new phase in the hiring process that guarantees annual contract teachers who have been let go an interview before brand new hires. Last year we successfully bargained for guaranteed contract renewals for annual contract teachers with 4 consecutive years of highly effective evaluation scores. These are steps in the right direction, but we are not done yet!
INSERVICE: Many inservice trainings require follow-up paperwork before points will be awarded. How often have you gone to a training but didn’t find the information relevant to your specific classroom needs? CCEA is fighting for teachers to receive partial points for seat time.
INSURANCE: Insurance premiums have risen year after year but the district has failed to increase their contribution. The result is that teachers have seen their take-home pay decline. We are fighting for an increase in the district’s contribution.
CONTRACT MONITORING: CCEA ensures that district and school-based administrators follow the contract and can file grievances on behalf of members when the contract is violated.
REPRESENTATION ON DISTRICT-LEVEL COMMITTEES: CCEA places teachers on committees such as CAS (our evaluation tool), PDAC (professional development), Insurance, Calendar, and Student Code of Conduct Review. Without us, many decisions would be made with no teacher input!
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: We offer a 20-hour ESE course that satisfies the state’s recertification requirements.
LEAPFROGGING: Up until last year, new hires were given full credit for their years of experience when being placed on the salary schedule, even though many current teachers are 3 steps behind. We did not think that this was fair to either group. New hires were given the impression that experience is rewarded in this county, when that has not always been the case. New hires were not being warned that steps are not guaranteed each year. This year we signed an agreement with the district that prevented them from paying new hires more than their peers with the same years of experience. We want to renew this agreement, but the district says it hurts their recruitment efforts. We believe that they should not treat new hires better than their loyal, current employees. Once they agree to make us whole, we can drop this issue!
FAQS ABOUT CCEA:
HOW MUCH ARE CCEA DUES? Our dues are only $26.47 per pay period. You can pay via payroll deduction or by writing a check directly to CCEA. Because our salary increases must be bargained every year, you can’t afford NOT to join!
WHAT IF I DON'T WANT MY DUES GOING TO POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS? Good news! Only $5 of your entire annual dues goes to our local PAC, which only goes to support local candidates. NO MONEY goes to FEA or NEA’s PACs. If you are still not happy with that, we will gladly refund you the $5.
WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE WHERE FEA OR NEA STANDS ON CERTAIN ISSUES? Every time you join a group or vote for a candidate, you are making a compromise. It’s hard to find a group or person that you agree with on every issue. The fact is, FEA is our best avenue for fighting for our profession and our students. CCEA focuses almost entirely on local issues. FEA has spent much of the last few years fighting for the class size amendment and against high-stakes testing – both of which are critical issues for our students.
DON'T UNIONS JUST PROTECT BAD TEACHERS? IF I'M A GOOD TEACHER, WHY DO I NEED THE UNION? CCEA does not work to keep bad teachers in the classroom. We simply guarantee due process. Administrators can remove poorly-performing teachers – we just ensure that they follow proper protocols, including giving those teachers a chance to improve their practice. Even good teachers can be subject to accusations (unfounded or not) by students, parents, or administrators. CCEA is there to represent our members to make sure that they have their “day in court”.
WHY SHOULD I JOIN WHEN I GET ALL THE PERKS FOR FREE? This is a common misconception. CCEA cannot represent nonmembers when an accusation has been made against them or when they feel like their contract has been violated. Yes, you do get the perks of whatever we gain at the bargaining table. Have you ever assigned a group project and then reprimanded a student for not pulling their weight by contributing to the assignment? We are simply asking that all teachers pay their fair share since we all sink or swim together. Can’t afford the dues? Counties with a higher membership density tend to have higher average salaries because their school boards know they mean business. There is currently a bill working its way through committees in the Florida Legislature that would decertify any union under 50% membership. We are currently just under 50% membership density. This would be no collective bargaining or representation for our teachers!
The district wants to pay teacher supplements (for sponsoring clubs, sports teams, band, etc.) based on $35,000, which is below starting teacher salary. Administrator supplements are currently based on $38,500.
PROTECTIONS FOR ANNUAL CONTRACT TEACHERS: Two years ago we successfully bargained for a new phase in the hiring process that guarantees annual contract teachers who have been let go an interview before brand new hires. Last year we successfully bargained for guaranteed contract renewals for annual contract teachers with 4 consecutive years of highly effective evaluation scores. These are steps in the right direction, but we are not done yet!
INSERVICE: Many inservice trainings require follow-up paperwork before points will be awarded. How often have you gone to a training but didn’t find the information relevant to your specific classroom needs? CCEA is fighting for teachers to receive partial points for seat time.
INSURANCE: Insurance premiums have risen year after year but the district has failed to increase their contribution. The result is that teachers have seen their take-home pay decline. We are fighting for an increase in the district’s contribution.
CONTRACT MONITORING: CCEA ensures that district and school-based administrators follow the contract and can file grievances on behalf of members when the contract is violated.
REPRESENTATION ON DISTRICT-LEVEL COMMITTEES: CCEA places teachers on committees such as CAS (our evaluation tool), PDAC (professional development), Insurance, Calendar, and Student Code of Conduct Review. Without us, many decisions would be made with no teacher input!
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: We offer a 20-hour ESE course that satisfies the state’s recertification requirements.
LEAPFROGGING: Up until last year, new hires were given full credit for their years of experience when being placed on the salary schedule, even though many current teachers are 3 steps behind. We did not think that this was fair to either group. New hires were given the impression that experience is rewarded in this county, when that has not always been the case. New hires were not being warned that steps are not guaranteed each year. This year we signed an agreement with the district that prevented them from paying new hires more than their peers with the same years of experience. We want to renew this agreement, but the district says it hurts their recruitment efforts. We believe that they should not treat new hires better than their loyal, current employees. Once they agree to make us whole, we can drop this issue!
FAQS ABOUT CCEA:
HOW MUCH ARE CCEA DUES? Our dues are only $26.47 per pay period. You can pay via payroll deduction or by writing a check directly to CCEA. Because our salary increases must be bargained every year, you can’t afford NOT to join!
WHAT IF I DON'T WANT MY DUES GOING TO POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS? Good news! Only $5 of your entire annual dues goes to our local PAC, which only goes to support local candidates. NO MONEY goes to FEA or NEA’s PACs. If you are still not happy with that, we will gladly refund you the $5.
WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE WHERE FEA OR NEA STANDS ON CERTAIN ISSUES? Every time you join a group or vote for a candidate, you are making a compromise. It’s hard to find a group or person that you agree with on every issue. The fact is, FEA is our best avenue for fighting for our profession and our students. CCEA focuses almost entirely on local issues. FEA has spent much of the last few years fighting for the class size amendment and against high-stakes testing – both of which are critical issues for our students.
DON'T UNIONS JUST PROTECT BAD TEACHERS? IF I'M A GOOD TEACHER, WHY DO I NEED THE UNION? CCEA does not work to keep bad teachers in the classroom. We simply guarantee due process. Administrators can remove poorly-performing teachers – we just ensure that they follow proper protocols, including giving those teachers a chance to improve their practice. Even good teachers can be subject to accusations (unfounded or not) by students, parents, or administrators. CCEA is there to represent our members to make sure that they have their “day in court”.
WHY SHOULD I JOIN WHEN I GET ALL THE PERKS FOR FREE? This is a common misconception. CCEA cannot represent nonmembers when an accusation has been made against them or when they feel like their contract has been violated. Yes, you do get the perks of whatever we gain at the bargaining table. Have you ever assigned a group project and then reprimanded a student for not pulling their weight by contributing to the assignment? We are simply asking that all teachers pay their fair share since we all sink or swim together. Can’t afford the dues? Counties with a higher membership density tend to have higher average salaries because their school boards know they mean business. There is currently a bill working its way through committees in the Florida Legislature that would decertify any union under 50% membership. We are currently just under 50% membership density. This would be no collective bargaining or representation for our teachers!
