News

The Keystone Teachers Association Supports Paycheck Protection Legislation 3/5/2014 12:21:00 PM   Paycheck protection legislation, which would end the right of unions to have their dues deducted directly from employee paychecks is garnering increased attention in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. House Bill 1507 and Senate Bill 1034 allow government entities such as school districts and […]

Right-to-Work…What Does it Mean? 1/24/2014 10:51:00 AM   Right-to-work means that you have a right to work at an establishment without being forced to join or financially support the labor union. Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state. Therefore, if a collective bargaining unit (or union) forges an “agency shop” (better known as union shop) agreement

Do School District Insurance Policies Protect Teachers? 1/10/2014 3:45:00 PM   We are often asked if school district insurance policies will cover a teacher should they ever find themselves in a difficult legal position. First of all, school district insurance policies are not secured for the coverage of teachers. They are in place to protect

Senate Bill 46 Would Abolish Hiding Teacher Misconduct 12/23/2013 10:46:00 AM   Legislation that would require prospective employers attain past employment files of teachers is gaining momentum in the PA General Assembly. Under the bill, Senate Bill 46, prospective employers (school districts) would be required to obtain from all past and present employers information regarding

Three House Bills Amend Teacher Furlough Law 12/12/2013 3:54:00 PM   Three pieces of legislation are gaining attention in the PA House of Representatives, House Bill’s 779, 1722, and 1735. While all three bills are slightly different, overall they each remove the requirement of seniority based teacher furloughs and replace this standard with teacher evaluation

Teachers Could Get PA Tax Break for Classroom Supplies They Purchase 11/29/2013 12:18:00 PM   Representative Wheatley has introduced and recently held a press conference on his proposal, House Bill 1619, the “Teacher Tax Credit Act.” Under his legislation, a Pennsylvania certified teacher who incurs expenses and supplies in a taxable year may apply for

KEYTA Members Offer Student Scholarship 7/31/2013 3:52:00 PM   Last spring the Dauphin County Technical School Alliance of Teachers, a KEYTA local at the Dauphin County Technical School awarded Cody Beamer a $410 scholarship to go toward his studies at Lebanon Valley College. Cody received this scholarship based on his academic achievements while attending the

Shifting Your Perspective Can Reduce Classroom Stress 5/14/2013 1:29:00 PM   By: Carol Yeagy When in the midst of a challenging situation, emotions can run high. That is why it is very important to take pause before speaking or reacting out of fear, anger or frustration. Refocusing your thoughts while in a stressful situation may give you

The State of PA’s Teacher Pension System 3/20/2013 1:36:00 PM   By Gail Brubaker             It was an early morning interview with Mr. Clay, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania State Education Retirement System. I really wanted to know what he was going to say about the issue of teacher pensions. On my way to meet Mr.

Union Notifies Teachers of Forced Fee Amount 12/17/2012 10:40:00 AM   Non-union educators in union shop school districts will soon receive notice from the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the National Education Association that their forced dues payments will soon begin. Here in Pennsylvania, non-union educators in union-shop school districts will have to pay approximately