Survey Results
DASA Legislative Priorities 2003 - 2005
Thanks to all members who returned the Legislative Priorities Survey. We received 186 responses, which should serve as a very good representation of the views of all administrators. The number listed to the left of the item is the average score, the closer to a 1, the higher the priority. It is clear from the results that all items are important and that DASA will need to be supportive of all these items during the 142nd General Assembly. DASA will actively pursue those items with the highest ranking. Your help will be needed as we talk with our legislators.
Pension Issues
1.61	1. Remove the pension penalty for those retiring with less than 30 years of service.
1.33	2. Permit employees to use accumulated sick leave, after 90 days, for up to one year of pension credit. 18.5 days equal 1 month of pension credit.
1.04	3. Guarantee that the State will pay for the health insurance of a retiree.
Increase professional assistance to schools and students
1.77	4. Decrease the unit for assistant principals to 1 per 25 Division I units for the first assistant, 1 per 50 Division I units for the second, and 1 for every 20 Division I units thereafter.
1.56	5. Decrease the unit for secretarial positions from 1:12 to 1:10.
Provide funding for all state mandates.
1.38	6. Provide necessary staff for high schools to meet the State mandated course requirements for graduation, i.e., computer technology, art, etc..
1.25	7. Provide funding for required mandates in the Student Accountability Law including assessments and extra time programs.
1.39	8. Provide funds for resources needed to meet the program requirements of the Professional Accountability Law including professional development, mentoring and the administrative cost associated with these mandates.
School Financing
1.38	9. Require a uniform statewide property reassessment.
1.34	10. Provide an increase in Division II to meet recommended inflation target.
1.35	11. Increase Division II energy costs.
1.17	12. Give School Boards the authority to set tax rates at the 1.0 effort level.
1.10	13. Fully fund the guaranteed unit count.
Employee Benefits
1.12	14. Provide salary increases that will attract and retain highly qualified staff.
1.57	15. Increase State funding for cafeteria managers and workers.
1.17	16. Increase the responsibility salary index for principals and assistant principals as recommended in the Pika Report.
Other
1.39	17. Provide for flexibility in the certification and assignment of teachers.
Of all the items listed above, please list the numbers of the 3 items that are most important to you. Items listed by the most members.
Priority 1 #3, Priority 2 #2, Priority 3 #14, Priority 4 #1, Priority 5 #4, Priority 6 #7
In addition, DASA opposes all funding schemes that would divert funds from public schools to private and parochial schools. This includes vouchers, tax credits, and State "scholarships."
Please suggest other topics or areas that should be considered as legislative priorities. Many items were suggested and all will be considered by the DASA Legislative Committee. Those that were mentioned most often: Charter Schools &endash; give all schools and districts the same flexibility as Charters, look at student population (racial makeup, special education), no new Charters for 3 years. Pension &endash; Provide increases for retirees, consider an Early Retirement Option, fully fund the Post Retirement Fund, count military service Unit Funding -Consider full day kindergarten, unit for talented and gifted, related arts, guidance, decrease class size. Reestablish certification for Child Nutrition Supervisors. There were many concerns about No Child Left Behind and accountability.