Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 3-20-2023

Inside this issue

• We need to invest in a statewide scholarship program for aspiring educators
• PSEA VP Aaron Chapin advocates to lawmakers for COLA legislation
• Upcoming Center for Professional Learning events and PEARL
• Member Benefits spotlight: Liberty Mutual Insurance

The rising cost of a college education is making it harder for young people to pursue degrees. With fewer college students than ever entering teacher preparation programs in Pennsylvania, the impact on students who would make great teachers is even more problematic.

Students are deciding to pursue other degrees, thinking that they will earn more in careers other than teaching and have an easier time paying off their student loans.

That’s why PSEA is making it a priority to create a statewide scholarship program for aspiring educators to help them pay for college and remove key financial barriers to getting an education degree and entering the teaching profession.

Stay tuned for more info on this PSEA priority in future member publications.

“It is long past time for policymakers to restore the promise to our retired public servants. PSEA stands ready to work with you to enact a COLA for our dedicated, retired public servants, especially for our pre-Act 9 retirees.”

– PSEA Vice President Aaron Chapin

That is what PSEA Vice President Aaron Chapin said when he testified before a joint hearing of the state Senate and House Democratic Policy committees this week.

Aaron made it clear that securing a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for retired school employees is a top priority for PSEA. Educators and support professionals who retired before 2001 haven’t received a COLA for more than 20 years. And now is the time to make sure they get one.

For two decades, nearly 47,000 of these pre-Act 9 retirees have been struggling to make ends meet as inflation eats away at their promise of a secure retirement. It is unconscionable that some policymakers have ignored the plight of these Pennsylvanians for so long.

We will need your help to advocate for this in the months ahead, so stay tuned for ways to do that.

Together, we can get this done.

PEARL

Looking for a convenient and flexible way to earn Act 48 credits, Chapter 14 verification, or postgraduate credits? As a PSEA member, you have exclusive access to over 95 courses through PEARL.

Here are just three of the courses you have access to:

• Time Management and Organization for Online Learning
• Culturally Responsive Literature in the Classroom
• Seesaw Basics through Advanced

Webinars

• NEA Webinar - Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First: Cultivating Healing and Wellbeing in Ourselves
  • March 30, 6-7:30 p.m.

Book Discussions

• Before the Ever After
  • April 18, 6-7 p.m.
• The New Classroom Instruction That Works: The Best Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
  • April 25, 6-7 p.m.

Member Well-being

• Mindful Mondays
  • April 17, 4:45 p.m.

As a PSEA member, you could save hundreds of dollars on your auto and home insurance with our premier pricing, as well as many other discounts. Liberty Mutual provides the coverage you need: PSEA Educator’s Endorsement, Deductible Fund, Home Computer Coverage, RightTrack, and more.

They offer auto and home specific discounts, 12-month rate guarantee, multi-policy discounts, and convenient payment options. Contact Liberty Mutual today to learn more or for a free no-obligation quote. Contact the dedicated Local Liberty Mutual Representative in your area at 717-224-2190, the call center at 800-216-0717, or online at www.libertymutual.com/psea-members.