Michigan ACTS Presents:

This FREE WORKSHOP that aims help teachers navigate the complex landscape of educational policy surrounding the implementation and use of standardized tests in schools.

What: AFT Michigan workshop on standardized testing policy

When: Thursday, May 22, 2013 5:00 – 7:00 pm

Where: AFT Michigan Headquarters, 2661 East Jefferson, Detroit, MI 48207

We will look at the impact and consequences of high-stakes testing at both the school and district level, and explore how teachers can respond and have a voice in constructing an appropriate role for standardized tests in today’s classrooms.

• How are standardized tests being used to hold educators more accountable?
• Do standardized tests help our children learn?
• How do these tests shape curriculum?  Is it in a way that supports learning?

A great opportunity to network with educators and learn about the exciting things happening in Detroit’s schools.

Register here:http://bit.ly/ACTSTesting

Teachers at the Arts Academy in the Woods (AAW) in Fraser, MI are no longer at-will employees and are covered under a collective bargaining agreement that provides due process, a clear, legally binding process for resolving conflicts, and a jointly developed teacher evaluation system. 

The contract protects AAW’s unique school culture and covers work responsibilities and duties at the Academy. Craig Campbell, who served on the AAWFT bargaining team, was particularly pleased that the contract protects class sizes. “I chose to work at AAW because of the school culture and small class sizes. When our classes started to get larger, it was important to us that we bargain a limit, and now we’ve agreed with the Academy that teachers will not have student load of more than 150 a day.”

The Arts Academy in the Woods Federation of Teachers (AAWFT), a chapter of the Michigan Alliance of Charter Teachers &Staff (Michigan ACTS), ratified the contract on March 18. The contract was ratified by Academy’s Board on March 25 and goes into effect immediately.

Cesar Chavez Academy Teachers and Staff Vote Overwhelmingly to Affiliate with AFT Michigan

DETROIT, MI – The teachers, counselors and social workers at Cesar Chavez Academy (CCA), the largest charter school district in Detroit, voted overwhelmingly today to form a union.   This vote certified the Michigan Alliance of Charter Teachers & Staff (Michigan ACTS), an affiliate of AFT Michigan, as the official bargaining agent for teachers and staff at the Academy.

Who is Running This Place? Understanding Charter School Decision Making

An effective school community is one where individuals have the knowledge, skill, and opportunity to participate in a way that leads to collective success.  The goal of this workshop is to create a comprehensive understanding of the structural and legal workings of charter schools. We will overview the policies that affect how teachers interact with parents, students, and administrators. Participants will learn how decisions are made at their schools and how to advocate for changes when necessary.  

Light refreshments will be served. 

Sponsored by Michigan ACTS - No Cost to Participants

Thursday, May 10, 2012 

5:30 to 7:00 pm. at the AFT Michigan office (2661 E. Jefferson Ave. Detroit, MI 48207)

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO REGISTER

http://action.aft.org/c/1111/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=7858

What is important to you?

Let us know and WIN a $50 Staples gift card!

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY NOW

We've talked with hundreds of charter school teachers and staff across Southeast Michigan, and now we need to hear from you! To learn more about the priorities of Metro-Detroit’s charter school teachers and staff, Michigan ACTS created an online survey.

Fill-out the survey at http://bit.ly/MichiganACTSsurvey1

The first 3 respondents will win a $10 Staples gift card, and all participants will be entered to win a $50 Staples gift card.