In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

70 percent of educators and school staff in AL reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 25 percent of AL teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 55 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 75 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 25 percent of AL educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 35 percent of educators in AL said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 15 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 60 percent of educators in AL said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In AL, educators reported getting an average of 6.6 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. AL teachers and school staff also reported an average of 12 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 20 percent of educators in AL agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In AL, 45 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Alabama Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,473

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 40
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Alabama Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 18.25

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 43
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Alabama Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $50,239

Rank of State for 2018: 40
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Alabama State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,764

Rank of State for 2017: 23
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Alabama Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $10,530

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 17
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,487

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 19

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Alabama Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -5.3%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 19
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Alabama, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Doug Jones did not vote on the decision to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Jones also did not cast a vote on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, the tax plan, Betsy DeVos’ nomination, and ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Jeff Sessions did not vote on the decision to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Sessions also did not cast a vote on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, the tax plan, and whether to end requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety. Session backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination.

Sen. Richard C. Shelby voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Shelby also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Shelby also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Luther Strange voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Strange also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts/ Strange also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety. Strange did not vote on Betsy DeVos’ nomination.

Rep. Robert B. Aderholt voted not to restore funds to community schools. Aderholt also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Aderholt also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mo Brooks voted not to restore funds to community schools. Brooks also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Brooks also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Brooks did not vote on the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy

Rep. Bradley Byrne voted not to restore funds to community schools. Byrne also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Byrne also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Gary Palmer voted not to restore funds to community schools. Palmer also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Palmer also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Martha Roby voted not to restore funds to community schools. Roby also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Roby also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike D. Rogers voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rogers also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rogers also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Terri A. Sewell voted to restore funds to community schools. Sewell also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Sewell also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In AL, voter participation dropped 43 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in AL.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 3,109,249 in AL.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 912,194 in AL.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 332,099 more people in AL to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 22-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Alaska Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $17,960

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 6
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Alaska Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 16.91

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 40
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Alaska Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $69,474

Rank of State for 2018: 8
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Alaska State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $18,500

Rank of State for 2017: 1
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Alaska Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,438

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 43
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: N/A

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018:

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Alaska Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -73.4%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015:
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Alaska, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Murkowski also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Murkowski also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Dan Sullivan voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Sullivan also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Sullivan did not vote in the decision ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Don Young voted to restore funds to community schools. Young also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Young also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In AK, voter participation dropped 16 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in AK.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 517,165 in AK.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 75,868 in AK.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 35,290 more people in AK to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 7-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

77 percent of educators and school staff in AZ reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 46 percent of AZ teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 88 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 85 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 42 percent of AZ educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 35 percent of educators in AZ said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 2 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 50 percent of educators in AZ said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In AZ, educators reported getting an average of 6.1 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. AZ teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 42 percent of educators in AZ agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In AZ, 35 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Arizona Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $7,809

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 49
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Arizona Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 23.13

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 50
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Arizona Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $47,746

Rank of State for 2018: 46
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Arizona State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $2,975

Rank of State for 2017: 50
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Arizona Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $11,218

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 14
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $2,606

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 45

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Arizona Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -7.4%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 45
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Arizona, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Jeff Flake voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Flake also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Flake did not vote on ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. John McCain voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. McCain also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. McCain also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Andy Biggs voted not to restore funds to community schools. Biggs also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Biggs also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Trent Franks voted not to restore funds to community schools. Franks also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Franks also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Franks did note vote on the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy

Rep. Ruben Gallego voted to restore funds to community schools. Gallego also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gallego also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Paul Gosar voted not to restore funds to community schools. Gosar was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gosar also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Gosar did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction.

Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva voted to restore funds to community schools. Grijalva also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Grijalva also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Martha McSally voted not to restore funds to community schools. McSally also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McSally also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tom O'Halleran voted to restore funds to community schools. O'Halleran also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. O'Halleran also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. David Schweikert voted not to restore funds to community schools. Schweikert also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Schweikert also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema voted to restore funds to community schools. Sinema also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Sinema also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In AZ, voter participation dropped 41 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in AZ.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 4,373,244 in AZ.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,109,248 in AZ.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 443,024 more people in AZ to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

92 percent of educators and school staff in AR reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 33 percent of AR teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 67 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 100 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 50 percent of AR educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 33 percent of educators in AR said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 8 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 33 percent of educators in AR said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In AR, educators reported getting an average of 6.3 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. AR teachers and school staff also reported an average of 14 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 42 percent of educators in AR agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In AR, 67 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Arkansas Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $10,099

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 36
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Arkansas Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.75

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 16
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Arkansas Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $49,017

Rank of State for 2018: 43
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Arkansas State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $8,483

Rank of State for 2017: 17
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Arkansas Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,553

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 34
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,645

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 35

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Arkansas Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 1.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 35
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In AR, voter participation dropped 19 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in AR.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 1,907,892 in AR.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 489,922 in AR.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 217,717 more people in AR to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

74 percent of educators and school staff in CA reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 54 percent of CA teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 60 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 88 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 51 percent of CA educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 43 percent of educators in CA said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 23 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 42 percent of educators in CA said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In CA, educators reported getting an average of 6.7 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. CA teachers and school staff also reported an average of 15 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 39 percent of educators in CA agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In CA, 42 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

California Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,790

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 23
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

California Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 23.63

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 51
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

California Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $81,126

Rank of State for 2018: 2
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

California State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $8,786

Rank of State for 2017: 15
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

California Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,680

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 24
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $1,430

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 49

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

California Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -3.4%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 49
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In California, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Dianne Feinstein voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Feinstein also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Feinstein also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Kamala Harris voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Harris also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Harris also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Pete Aguilar voted to restore funds to community schools. Aguilar also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Aguilar also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Nanette Barragán voted to restore funds to community schools. Barragán also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Barragán also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Karen Bass voted to restore funds to community schools. Bass also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bass also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Xavier Becerra did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Becerra also did not cast votes on funding for professional development and class-size reduction, the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ami Bera voted to restore funds to community schools. Bera also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bera also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Julia Brownley voted to restore funds to community schools. Brownley also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Brownley also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ken Calvert voted not to restore funds to community schools. Calvert also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Calvert also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Salud Carbajal voted to restore funds to community schools. Carbajal also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Carbajal also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Judy Chu voted to restore funds to community schools. Chu also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Chu also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Paul Cook voted not to restore funds to community schools. Cook also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Cook also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Lou Correa voted to restore funds to community schools. Correa also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Correa also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jim Costa did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Costa also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction or changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Costa opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Tony Cárdenas voted to restore funds to community schools. Cárdenas also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Cárdenas also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Susan A. Davis voted to restore funds to community schools. Davis also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Davis also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier voted to restore funds to community schools. DeSaulnier also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. DeSaulnier also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jeff Denham voted not to restore funds to community schools. Denham also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Denham also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Anna G. Eshoo voted to restore funds to community schools. Eshoo also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Eshoo also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Garamendi voted to restore funds to community schools. Garamendi also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Garamendi also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez voted to restore funds to community schools. Gomez voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy, and opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Gomez did not vote on the decision to repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Jared Huffman voted to restore funds to community schools. Huffman also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Huffman also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Duncan Hunter voted not to restore funds to community schools. Hunter also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hunter also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Darrell Issa voted not to restore funds to community schools. Issa also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Issa also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ro Khanna voted to restore funds to community schools. Khanna also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Khanna also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steve Knight voted not to restore funds to community schools. Knight also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Knight also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Doug LaMalfa voted not to restore funds to community schools. LaMalfa also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. LaMalfa also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Barbara Lee voted to restore funds to community schools. Lee also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lee also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ted Lieu voted to restore funds to community schools. Lieu also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lieu also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren voted to restore funds to community schools. Lofgren also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lofgren also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Alan Lowenthal voted to restore funds to community schools. Lowenthal also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lowenthal also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Doris Matsui voted to restore funds to community schools. Matsui also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Matsui also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy voted not to restore funds to community schools. McCarthy also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McCarthy also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tom McClintock voted not to restore funds to community schools. McClintock also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McClintock also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jerry McNerney voted to restore funds to community schools. McNerney also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McNerney also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Grace F. Napolitano voted to restore funds to community schools. Napolitano also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, (was in favor of) the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Napolitano also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Devin Nunes voted not to restore funds to community schools. Nunes also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Nunes also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta voted to restore funds to community schools. Panetta also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Panetta also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi voted to restore funds to community schools. Pelosi also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Pelosi also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Scott Peters voted to restore funds to community schools. Peters also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Peters also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rohrabacher also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rohrabacher also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard voted to restore funds to community schools. Roybal-Allard also voted (to cut) funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Roybal-Allard also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ed Royce voted not to restore funds to community schools. Royce also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Royce also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Raul Ruiz voted to restore funds to community schools. Ruiz also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Ruiz also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff voted to restore funds to community schools. Schiff also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Schiff also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Brad Sherman voted to restore funds to community schools. Sherman also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Sherman also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jackie Speier voted to restore funds to community schools. Speier also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Speier also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Eric Swalwell voted to restore funds to community schools. Swalwell also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Swalwell also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Linda T. Sánchez voted to restore funds to community schools. Sánchez also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Sánchez also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mark Takano voted to restore funds to community schools. Takano also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Takano also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike Thompson voted to restore funds to community schools. Thompson also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Thompson also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Norma J. Torres voted to restore funds to community schools. Torres also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Torres also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. David Valadao voted not to restore funds to community schools. Valadao also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Valadao also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Juan C. Vargas voted to restore funds to community schools. Vargas also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Vargas also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mimi Walters voted not to restore funds to community schools. Walters also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Walters also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Maxine Waters voted to restore funds to community schools. Waters also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Waters also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In CA, voter participation dropped 49 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 4 AFT members running in CA.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 20,182,986 in CA.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 5,414,217 in CA.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 2,976,335 more people in CA to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 22-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

73 percent of educators and school staff in CO reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 51 percent of CO teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 70 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 86 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 49 percent of CO educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 41 percent of educators in CO said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 11 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 46 percent of educators in CO said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In CO, educators reported getting an average of 6.7 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. CO teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 49 percent of educators in CO agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In CO, 35 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Colorado Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,821

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 39
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Colorado Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 17.36

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 41
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Colorado Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $52,389

Rank of State for 2018: 32
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Colorado State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $4,787

Rank of State for 2017: 46
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Colorado Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $10,797

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 15
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,458

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 20

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Colorado Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 3.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 20
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Colorado, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Michael Bennet voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Bennet also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Bennet also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Cory Gardner voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Gardner also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Gardner also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Ken Buck voted not to restore funds to community schools. Buck also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Buck also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike Coffman voted not to restore funds to community schools. Coffman also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Coffman also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Diana DeGette voted to restore funds to community schools. DeGette also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. DeGette also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Doug Lamborn voted not to restore funds to community schools. Lamborn also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lamborn also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter voted to restore funds to community schools. Perlmutter also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Perlmutter also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jared Polis voted to restore funds to community schools. Polis also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Polis also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Scott Tipton voted to restore funds to community schools. Tipton also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Tipton also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In CO, voter participation dropped 29 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in CO.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 4,038,925 in CO.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,183,898 in CO.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 405,086 more people in CO to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 6-Nov-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

79 percent of educators and school staff in CT reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 50 percent of CT teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 66 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 90 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 44 percent of CT educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 37 percent of educators in CT said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 9 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 48 percent of educators in CT said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In CT, educators reported getting an average of 6.4 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. CT teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 42 percent of educators in CT agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In CT, 37 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Connecticut Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $19,445

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 3
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Connecticut Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.29

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 5
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Connecticut Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $73,113

Rank of State for 2018: 5
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Connecticut State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $12,931

Rank of State for 2017: 4
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Connecticut Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $12,392

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 10
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,306

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 24

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Connecticut Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 7.2%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 24
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Connecticut, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sens. Christopher S. Murphy & Richard Blumenthal voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Both senators also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. They also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Joe Courtney voted to restore funds to community schools. Courtney also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Courtney also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro voted did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. DeLauro voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. DeLauro also did not vote in the decision to make changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Elizabeth Esty voted to restore funds to community schools. Esty also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Esty also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jim Himes voted to restore funds to community schools. Himes also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Himes also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John B. Larson voted to restore funds to community schools. Larson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Larson also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In CT, voter participation dropped 35 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 31 AFT members running in CT.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 2,445,140 in CT.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 575,726 in CT.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 276,003 more people in CT to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 30-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Delaware Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $15,091

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 12
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Delaware Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.05

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 25
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Delaware Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $60,484

Rank of State for 2018: 14
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Delaware State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,680

Rank of State for 2017: 35
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Delaware Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $12,267

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 11
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,720

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 14

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Delaware Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -1.7%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 14
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Delaware, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Thomas R. Carper voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Carper also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Carper also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Chris Coons voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Coons also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Coons also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester voted to restore funds to community schools. Rochester also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rochester also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In DE, voter participation dropped 45 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 12 AFT members running in DE.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 663,803 in DE.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 192,721 in DE.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 64,167 more people in DE to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 13-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

78 percent of educators and school staff in FL reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 52 percent of FL teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 78 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 85 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 30 percent of FL educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 33 percent of educators in FL said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 11 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 41 percent of educators in FL said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In FL, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. FL teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 42 percent of educators in FL agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In FL, 40 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Florida Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,149

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 44
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Florida Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.29

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 30
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Florida Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $47,721

Rank of State for 2018: 47
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Florida State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,386

Rank of State for 2017: 29
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Florida Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $6,363

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 50
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,243

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 39

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Florida Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -21.2%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 39
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Florida, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Bill Nelson voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Nelson also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Nelson also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Marco Rubio voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Rubio also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Rubio also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis voted not to restore funds to community schools. Bilirakis also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bilirakis also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Vern Buchanan voted not to restore funds to community schools. Buchanan also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Buchanan also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Kathy Castor voted to restore funds to community schools. Castor also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Castor also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Charlie Crist voted to restore funds to community schools. Crist opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Crist also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Crist did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction,

Rep. Carlos Curbelo voted to restore funds to community schools. Curbelo also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Curbelo also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ron DeSantis voted not to restore funds to community schools. DeSantis also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. DeSantis also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Val B. Demings voted to restore funds to community schools. Demings also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Demings also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ted Deutch voted to restore funds to community schools. Deutch also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Deutch also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Diaz-Balart also did not cast votes on funding for professional development and class-size reduction, and changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Diaz-Balart was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Neal Dunn voted not to restore funds to community schools. Dunn also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Dunn also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Lois Frankel voted to restore funds to community schools. Frankel opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Frankel also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Frankel did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction.

Rep. Matt Gaetz voted to restore funds to community schools. Gaetz also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gaetz also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Alcee L. Hastings voted to restore funds to community schools. Hastings also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hastings also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Al Lawson did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Lawson also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction and did not vote on changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Lawson opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Brian Mast voted to restore funds to community schools. Mast also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Mast also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy voted to restore funds to community schools. Murphy also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Murphy also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bill Posey did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Posey also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction and did not vote on changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Posey was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Tom Rooney voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rooney was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rooney also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Rooney did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction,

Rep. Francis Rooney did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Rooney also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction and did note vote on changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Rooney was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Ros-Lehtinen also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction and did note vote on changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Ros-Lehtinen was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Dennis A. Ross did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Ross also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction and did note vote on changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Ross was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. John Rutherford voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rutherford also voted (against cutting) funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rutherford also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Darren Soto voted to restore funds to community schools. Soto also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Soto also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz voted to restore funds to community schools. Schultz also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Schultz also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Daniel Webster voted not to restore funds to community schools. Webster also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Webster also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Frederica S. Wilson voted to restore funds to community schools. Wilson also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Wilson also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ted Yoho voted not to restore funds to community schools. Yoho also voted (against cutting) funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Yoho also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In FL, voter participation dropped 36 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in FL.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 13,583,774 in FL.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 3,474,288 in FL.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 1,424,887 more people in FL to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

76 percent of educators and school staff in GA reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 24 percent of GA teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 69 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 84 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 31 percent of GA educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 24 percent of educators in GA said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 16 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 33 percent of educators in GA said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In GA, educators reported getting an average of 6 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. GA teachers and school staff also reported an average of 13 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 42 percent of educators in GA agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In GA, 40 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Georgia Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $10,020

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 37
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Georgia Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.55

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 34
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Georgia Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $56,329

Rank of State for 2018: 23
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Georgia State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $9,186

Rank of State for 2017: 12
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Georgia Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,573

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 33
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,839

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 32

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Georgia Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -12.7%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 32
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Georgia, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Isakson also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Isakson did not vote on ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. David Perdue voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Perdue also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Perdue also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Rick W. Allen voted not to restore funds to community schools. Allen also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Allen also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. voted to restore funds to community schools. Bishop also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bishop also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter voted not to restore funds to community schools. Carter also voted (against cutting) funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Carter also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Doug Collins voted not to restore funds to community schools. Collins also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Collins also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Drew Ferguson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Ferguson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Ferguson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tom Graves voted not to restore funds to community schools. Graves also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Graves also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Karen Handel voted not to restore funds to community schools. Handel also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy. Handel did not vote on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Handel supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jody B. Hice voted not to restore funds to community schools. Hice also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hice also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Hank Johnson voted to restore funds to community schools. Johnson also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Johnson also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Lewis voted to restore funds to community schools. Lewis also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lewis also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Loudermilk also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction and did note vote on changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Loudermilk was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Rep. Tom Price did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Price also did not cast votes on funding for professional development and class-size reduction, the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. David Scott voted to restore funds to community schools. Scott also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Scott also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Austin Scott voted not to restore funds to community schools. Scott also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Scott also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In GA, voter participation dropped 38 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in GA.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 6,179,587 in GA.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 2,043,334 in GA.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 789,766 more people in GA to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Hawaii Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $14,101

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 15
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Hawaii Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.49

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 33
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Hawaii Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $57,866

Rank of State for 2018: 18
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Hawaii State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $18,404

Rank of State for 2017: 2
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Hawaii Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $10,658

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 16
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,845

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 31

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Hawaii Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 7.9%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 31
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Hawaii, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Hirono also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Hirono also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Schatz also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Schatz also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted to restore funds to community schools. Gabbard also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gabbard also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Sen. Brian Schatz voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Schatz also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Schatz also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa voted to restore funds to community schools. Hanabusa also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hanabusa also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In HI, voter participation dropped 21 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 7 AFT members running in HI.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 772,312 in HI.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 67,955 in HI.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 23,966 more people in HI to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Idaho Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $7,341

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 50
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Idaho Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 18.67

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 45
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Idaho Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $49,225

Rank of State for 2018: 41
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Idaho State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $8,792

Rank of State for 2017: 14
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Idaho Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,250

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 46
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,045

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 30

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Idaho Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -3.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 30
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Idaho, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Michael D. Crapo voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Crapo also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Crapo also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Jim Risch voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Risch also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Risch also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Raúl R. Labrador voted not to restore funds to community schools. Labrador also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Labrador also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike Simpson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Simpson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Simpson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In ID, voter participation dropped 36 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in ID.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 1,002,595 in ID.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 189,905 in ID.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 115,740 more people in ID to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 12-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

75 percent of educators and school staff in IL reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 45 percent of IL teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 69 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 86 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 56 percent of IL educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 41 percent of educators in IL said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 13 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 43 percent of educators in IL said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In IL, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. IL teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 41 percent of educators in IL agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In IL, 39 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Illinois Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $14,544

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 14
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Illinois Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.71

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 36
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Illinois Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $65,776

Rank of State for 2018: 11
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Illinois State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017:  

Rank of State for 2017:  
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Illinois Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $13,621

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 5
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,061

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 29

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Illinois Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 9.8%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 29
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Illinois, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Tammy Duckworth voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Duckworth also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Duckworth also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Durbin also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Durbin also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Mike Bost voted not to restore funds to community schools. Bost also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bost also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Cheri Bustos voted to restore funds to community schools. Bustos also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bustos also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Danny K. Davis voted to restore funds to community schools. Davis also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Davis also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Rodney Davis voted not to restore funds to community schools. Davis also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Davis also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bill Foster voted to restore funds to community schools. Foster also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Foster also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Luis V Gutiérrez voted to restore funds to community schools. Gutiérrez also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gutiérrez also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Randy Hultgren voted not to restore funds to community schools. Hultgren also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hultgren also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Robin Kelly voted to restore funds to community schools. Kelly also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kelly also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger voted not to restore funds to community schools. Kinzinger also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kinzinger also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi voted to restore funds to community schools. Krishnamoorthi also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Krishnamoorthi also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Darin LaHood voted not to restore funds to community schools. LaHood also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. LaHood also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Daniel Lipinski voted to restore funds to community schools. Lipinski also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lipinski also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike Quigley voted to restore funds to community schools. Quigley also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Quigley also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Peter Roskam voted not to restore funds to community schools. Roskam also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Roskam also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bobby L. Rush voted to restore funds to community schools. Rush also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rush also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky voted to restore funds to community schools. Schakowsky also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Schakowsky also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Brad Schneider voted to restore funds to community schools. Schneider also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Schneider also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Shimkus voted not to restore funds to community schools. Shimkus also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Shimkus also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In IL, voter participation dropped 36 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in IL.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 7,996,698 in IL.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 2,329,394 in IL.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 1,072,157 more people in IL to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

76 percent of educators and school staff in IN reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 48 percent of IN teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 88 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 96 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 48 percent of IN educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 28 percent of educators in IN said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 0 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 64 percent of educators in IN said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In IN, educators reported getting an average of 6.4 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. IN teachers and school staff also reported an average of 15.3 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 24 percent of educators in IN agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In IN, 48 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Indiana Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $10,109

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 35
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Indiana Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 18.15

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 42
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Indiana Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $54,846

Rank of State for 2018: 26
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Indiana State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,616

Rank of State for 2017: 25
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Indiana Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,361

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 27
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,556

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 17

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Indiana Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -12.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 17
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Indiana, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Joe Donnelly voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Donnelly also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Donnelly also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Todd Young voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Young also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Young also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Jim Banks voted not to restore funds to community schools. Banks also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Banks also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Susan W. Brooks voted to restore funds to community schools. Brooks also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Brooks also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Larry Bucshon voted not to restore funds to community schools. Bucshon also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bucshon also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. André Carson voted to restore funds to community schools. Carson also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Carson also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Trey Hollingsworth voted to restore funds to community schools. Hollingsworth also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hollingsworth also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Luke Messer voted not to restore funds to community schools. Messer also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Messer also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Todd Rokita voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rokita also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rokita also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Peter J. Visclosky voted to restore funds to community schools. Visclosky also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Visclosky also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jackie Walorski voted not to restore funds to community schools. Walorski also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Walorski also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In IN, voter participation dropped 49 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in IN.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 4,395,801 in IN.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,217,732 in IN.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 571,791 more people in IN to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Iowa Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,436

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 28
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Iowa Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 14.24

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 22
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Iowa Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $56,790

Rank of State for 2018: 22
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Iowa State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,254

Rank of State for 2017: 38
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Iowa Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,759

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 32
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,083

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 11

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Iowa Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 2.0%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 11
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Iowa, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Joni Ernst voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Ernst also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Ernst also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Charles E. Grassley voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Grassley also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Grassley also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Rod Blum voted to restore funds to community schools. Blum also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Blum also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steve King voted not to restore funds to community schools. King also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. King also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Dave Loebsack voted to restore funds to community schools. Loebsack also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Loebsack also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. David Young voted not to restore funds to community schools. Young also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Young also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In IA, voter participation dropped 29 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 2 AFT members running in IA.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 2,046,929 in IA.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 631,758 in IA.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 182,936 more people in IA to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 27-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

84 percent of educators and school staff in KS reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 64 percent of KS teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 93 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 95 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 32 percent of KS educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 32 percent of educators in KS said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 2 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 32 percent of educators in KS said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In KS, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. KS teachers and school staff also reported an average of 18 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 45 percent of educators in KS agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In KS, 43 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Kansas Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $10,216

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 33
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Kansas Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.39

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 10
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Kansas Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $50,403

Rank of State for 2018: 38
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Kansas State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $5,730

Rank of State for 2017: 43
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Kansas Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,227

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 29
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,024

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 44

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Kansas Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -8.6%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 44
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Kansas, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sens. Jerry Moran & Pat Roberts voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Both senators also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. They also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Ron Estes voted not to restore funds to community schools. Estes also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Estes also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Lynn Jenkins voted not to restore funds to community schools. Jenkins also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Jenkins also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Roger Marshall voted not to restore funds to community schools. Marshall also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Marshall also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike Pompeo did not vote in any of these decisions.

Rep. Kevin Yoder voted not to restore funds to community schools. Yoder also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Yoder also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In KS, voter participation dropped 30 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in KS.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 1,749,424 in KS.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 482,459 in KS.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 184,152 more people in KS to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 16-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Kentucky Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $10,116

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 34
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Kentucky Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 16.39

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 38
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Kentucky Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $52,952

Rank of State for 2018: 30
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Kentucky State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,448

Rank of State for 2017: 26
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Kentucky Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $10,302

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 20
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,090

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 10

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Kentucky Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -1.4%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 10
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Kentucky, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Mitch McConnell voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. McConnell also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. McConnell also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Rand Paul voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Paul also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Paul also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Reps. Andy Barr & Harold Rogers voted to restore funds to community schools. Both representatives also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. They also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Reps. James R. Comer & Brett Guthrie voted not to restore funds to community schools. Both representatives also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Both also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Thomas Massie voted not to restore funds to community schools. Massie also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Massie also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Yarmuth voted to restore funds to community schools. Yarmuth also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Yarmuth also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In KY, voter participation dropped 26 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in KY.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 2,900,027 in KY.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 910,801 in KY.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 306,069 more people in KY to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

72 percent of educators and school staff in LA reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 33 percent of LA teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 53 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 70 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 28 percent of LA educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 35 percent of educators in LA said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 5 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 30 percent of educators in LA said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In LA, educators reported getting an average of 6.6 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. LA teachers and school staff also reported an average of 13 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 40 percent of educators in LA agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In LA, 51 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Louisiana Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,322

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 29
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Louisiana Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.29

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 5
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Louisiana Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $50,256

Rank of State for 2018: 39
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Louisiana State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,788

Rank of State for 2017: 33
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Louisiana Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,302

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 28
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,136

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 28

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Louisiana Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -6.7%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 28
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Louisiana, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sens. Bill Cassidy & John Kennedy voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cassidy also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Cassidy also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Ralph Abraham, Garret Graves & Clay Higgins voted not to restore funds to community schools. The representatives also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. They also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike Johnson voted to restore funds to community schools. Johnson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Johnson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Cedric L. Richmond voted to restore funds to community schools. Richmond also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Richmond also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steve Scalise did not vote in the decisions to restore funds to community schools, restore funds for professional development and class-size reduction. Scalise was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In LA, voter participation dropped 21 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 4 AFT members running in LA.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 2,957,033 in LA.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 837,561 in LA.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 376,773 more people in LA to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 7-Nov-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Maine Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $13,619

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 17
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Maine Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.22

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 3
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Maine Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $51,663

Rank of State for 2018: 33
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Maine State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $8,770

Rank of State for 2017: 16
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Maine Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,965

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 21
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,582

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 37

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Maine Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -1.0%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 37
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Maine, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Susan Collins voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Collins also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Collins also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Angus King voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. King also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. King also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Chellie Pingree voted to restore funds to community schools. Pingree also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Pingree also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bruce Poliquin voted to restore funds to community schools. Poliquin also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Poliquin also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In ME, voter participation dropped 21 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 16 AFT members running in ME.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 964,010 in ME.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 228,238 in ME.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 88,153 more people in ME to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 16-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

74 percent of educators and school staff in MD reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 63 percent of MD teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 71 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 78 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 23 percent of MD educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 27 percent of educators in MD said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 17 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 51 percent of educators in MD said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In MD, educators reported getting an average of 6.3 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. MD teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 40 percent of educators in MD agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In MD, 47 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Maryland Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $14,571

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 13
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Maryland Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 14.8

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 23
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Maryland Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $69,761

Rank of State for 2018: 7
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Maryland State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $8,372

Rank of State for 2017: 19
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Maryland Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,575

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 25
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,536

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 18

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Maryland Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 5.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 18
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Maryland, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Cardin also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Cardin also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Van Hollen also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Van Hollen also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Anthony G. Brown voted to restore funds to community schools. Brown also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Brown also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings voted to restore funds to community schools. Cummings also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Cummings also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Delaney voted to restore funds to community schools. Delaney also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Delaney also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Andy Harris voted not to restore funds to community schools. Harris also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Harris also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer voted to restore funds to community schools. Hoyer also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hoyer also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jamie Raskin voted to restore funds to community schools. Raskin also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Raskin also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger voted to restore funds to community schools. Ruppersberger also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Ruppersberger also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Sarbanes voted to restore funds to community schools. Sarbanes also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Sarbanes also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In MD, voter participation dropped 38 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 6 AFT members running in MD.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 3,711,566 in MD.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,174,640 in MD.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 545,116 more people in MD to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 16-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

77 percent of educators and school staff in MA reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 42 percent of MA teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 48 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 89 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 52 percent of MA educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 36 percent of educators in MA said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 8 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 49 percent of educators in MA said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In MA, educators reported getting an average of 6.3 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. MA teachers and school staff also reported an average of 14 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 60 percent of educators in MA agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In MA, 32 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Massachusetts Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $15,994

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 8
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Massachusetts Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.39

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 13
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Massachusetts Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $79,710

Rank of State for 2018: 3
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Massachusetts State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $9,212

Rank of State for 2017: 11
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Massachusetts Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $12,732

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 8
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $6,076

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 4

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Massachusetts Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -1.6%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 4
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Massachusetts, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Edward J. Markey voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Markey also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Markey also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Warren also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Warren also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Michael E. Capuano voted to restore funds to community schools. Capuano also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Capuano also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Katherine M. Clark voted to restore funds to community schools. Clark also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Clark also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. William Keating voted to restore funds to community schools. Keating also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Keating also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III voted to restore funds to community schools. Kennedy  also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, X the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kennedy  also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Stephen F. Lynch voted to restore funds to community schools. Lynch also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lynch also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jim McGovern voted to restore funds to community schools. McGovern also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McGovern also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Seth Moulton voted to restore funds to community schools. Moulton also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Moulton also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Richard E. Neal voted to restore funds to community schools. Neal also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Neal also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Niki Tsongas voted to restore funds to community schools. Tsongas also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Tsongas also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In MA, voter participation dropped 36 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 6 AFT members running in MA.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 4,137,373 in MA.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,219,601 in MA.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 559,359 more people in MA to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 17-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

89 percent of educators and school staff in MI reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 54 percent of MI teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 90 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 99 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 43 percent of MI educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 39 percent of educators in MI said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 11 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 47 percent of educators in MI said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In MI, educators reported getting an average of 6.3 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. MI teachers and school staff also reported an average of 15 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 31 percent of educators in MI agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In MI, 45 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Michigan Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,968

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 21
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Michigan Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 18.25

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 43
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Michigan Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $62,702

Rank of State for 2018: 13
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Michigan State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $5,033

Rank of State for 2017: 45
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Michigan Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $12,935

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 6
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,757

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 33

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Michigan Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -15.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 33
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Michigan, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Gary Peters voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Peters also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Peters also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Stabenow also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Stabenow also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Justin Amash voted not to restore funds to community schools. Amash also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Amash also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jack Bergman voted not to restore funds to community schools. Bergman also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bergman also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mike Bishop voted not to restore funds to community schools. Bishop also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bishop also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Conyers Jr. voted to restore funds to community schools. Conyers also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, X the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Conyers also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Debbie Dingell voted to restore funds to community schools. Dingell also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Dingell also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bill Huizenga voted not to restore funds to community schools. Huizenga also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Huizenga also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Dan Kildee voted to restore funds to community schools. Kildee also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kildee also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Brenda Lawrence voted to restore funds to community schools. Lawrence also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lawrence also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Sander M. Levin voted to restore funds to community schools. Levin also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Levin also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Paul Mitchell voted not to restore funds to community schools. Mitchell also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Mitchell also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Moolenaar voted not to restore funds to community schools. Moolenaar also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Moolenaar also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Dave Trott voted not to restore funds to community schools. Trott also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Trott also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Fred Upton voted to restore funds to community schools. Upton also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Upton also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tim Walberg voted not to restore funds to community schools. Walberg also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Walberg also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In MI, voter participation dropped 34 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in MI.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 7,668,594 in MI.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,844,515 in MI.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 515,519 more people in MI to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

76 percent of educators and school staff in MN reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 35 percent of MN teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 63 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 91 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 64 percent of MN educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 49 percent of educators in MN said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 11 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 39 percent of educators in MN said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In MN, educators reported getting an average of 6.7 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. MN teachers and school staff also reported an average of 15 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 43 percent of educators in MN agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In MN, 38 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Minnesota Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $12,700

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 18
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Minnesota Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.44

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 31
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Minnesota Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $57,782

Rank of State for 2018: 21
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Minnesota State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,914

Rank of State for 2017: 20
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Minnesota Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $11,302

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 13
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,435

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 5

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Minnesota Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 6.0%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 5
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Minnesota, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Al Franken voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Franken also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Franken also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Klobuchar also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Klobuchar also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Tina Smith did not vote on the decision to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Smith also did not cast votes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, the tax plan, Betsy DeVos’ nomination, and ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Keith Ellison voted to restore funds to community schools. Ellison also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Ellison also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tom Emmer voted not to restore funds to community schools. Emmer also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Emmer also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jason Lewis voted not to restore funds to community schools. Lewis also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lewis also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Betty McCollum voted to restore funds to community schools. McCollum also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McCollum also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Rick Nolan voted to restore funds to community schools. Nolan also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Nolan also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Erik Paulsen voted not to restore funds to community schools. Paulsen also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Paulsen also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Collin C. Peterson voted to restore funds to community schools. Peterson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Peterson also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tim Walz voted to restore funds to community schools. Walz also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Walz also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In MN, voter participation dropped 33 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 3 AFT members running in MN.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 3,237,218 in MN.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 793,717 in MN.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 374,748 more people in MN to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 16-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

65 percent of educators and school staff in MS reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 29 percent of MS teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 53 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 71 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 41 percent of MS educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 41 percent of educators in MS said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 6 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 53 percent of educators in MS said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In MS, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. MS teachers and school staff also reported an average of 13 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 24 percent of educators in MS agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In MS, 59 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Mississippi Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $8,926

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 47
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Mississippi Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.14

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 27
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Mississippi Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $43,107

Rank of State for 2018: 51
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Mississippi State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,857

Rank of State for 2017: 21
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Mississippi Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,988

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 40
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,118

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 43

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Mississippi Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 9.9%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 43
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Mississippi, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Thad Cochran voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cochran also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Cochran also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith did not vote in any of these decisions.

Sen. Roger Wicker voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Wicker also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Wicker also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Gregg Harper voted not to restore funds to community schools. He also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. He also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Trent Kelly voted not to restore funds to community schools. Kelly also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kelly also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steven M. Palazzo voted not to restore funds to community schools. Palazzo also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Palazzo also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bennie Thompson voted to restore funds to community schools. Thompson also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, X the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Thompson also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In MS, voter participation dropped 45 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in MS.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 2,345,441 in MS.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 228,286 in MS.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 332,474 more people in MS to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 8-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

82 percent of educators and school staff in MO reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 45 percent of MO teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 71 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 92 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 47 percent of MO educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 42 percent of educators in MO said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 11 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 42 percent of educators in MO said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In MO, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. MO teachers and school staff also reported an average of 15 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 45 percent of educators in MO agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In MO, 63 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Missouri Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $10,578

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 31
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Missouri Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.59

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 15
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Missouri Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $49,208

Rank of State for 2018: 42
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Missouri State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $5,129

Rank of State for 2017: 44
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Missouri Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,875

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 31
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,450

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 38

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Missouri Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -4.4%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 38
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Missouri, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Roy Blunt voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Blunt also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Blunt also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Claire McCaskill voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. McCaskill also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. McCaskill also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. William Lacy Clay voted to restore funds to community schools. Clay also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Clay also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II voted to restore funds to community schools. Cleaver also voted (to cut) funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Cleaver also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Sam Graves voted (not to) restore funds to community schools. Graves did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction. Graves was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Graves also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler voted not to restore funds to community schools. Hartzler also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hartzler also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Billy Long voted not to restore funds to community schools. Long also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Long also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer voted to restore funds to community schools. Luetkemeyer also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Luetkemeyer also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jason Smith voted not to restore funds to community schools. Smith also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Smith also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ann Wagner voted not to restore funds to community schools. Wagner also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Wagner also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In MO, voter participation dropped 45 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 27 AFT members running in MO.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 3,813,384 in MO.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,159,591 in MO.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 531,392 more people in MO to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 10-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

48 percent of educators and school staff in MT reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 32 percent of MT teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 48 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 76 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 80 percent of MT educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 60 percent of educators in MT said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 8 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 16 percent of educators in MT said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In MT, educators reported getting an average of 6.9 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. MT teachers and school staff also reported an average of 8 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 24 percent of educators in MT agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In MT, 8 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Montana Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,640

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 26
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Montana Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.96

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 18
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Montana Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $52,776

Rank of State for 2018: 31
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Montana State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,742

Rank of State for 2017: 34
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Montana Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $6,907

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 48
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,603

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 36

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Montana Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -1.5%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 36
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Montana, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Steve Daines voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Daines also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Daines also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Jon Tester voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Tester also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Tester also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Greg Gianforte voted not to restore funds to community schools. Gianforte also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and did not vote in the decsion to repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gianforte also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ryan Zinke did not vote in any of these decisions.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In MT, voter participation dropped 28 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in MT.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 748,619 in MT.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 165,933 in MT.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 53,585 more people in MT to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Nebraska Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $12,615

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 19
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Nebraska Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.56

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 14
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Nebraska Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $53,473

Rank of State for 2018: 28
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Nebraska State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $9,911

Rank of State for 2017: 8
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Nebraska Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,269

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 37
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,122

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 42

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Nebraska Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -2.2%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 42
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Nebraska, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Deb Fischer voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Fischer also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Fischer also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Ben Sasse voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Sasse also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Sasse also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Don Bacon voted not to restore funds to community schools. Bacon also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bacon also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry voted not to restore funds to community schools. Fortenberry also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Fortenberry also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Adrian Smith voted not to restore funds to community schools. Smith also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Smith also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In NE, voter participation dropped 36 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 14 AFT members running in NE.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 1,119,408 in NE.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 341,749 in NE.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 200,494 more people in NE to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 19-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

76 percent of educators and school staff in NV reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 76 percent of NV teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 84 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 89 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 39 percent of NV educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 32 percent of educators in NV said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 32 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 45 percent of educators in NV said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In NV, educators reported getting an average of 6.4 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. NV teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 34 percent of educators in NV agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In NV, 39 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Nevada Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,190

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 43
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Nevada Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 20.59

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 48
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Nevada Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $57,812

Rank of State for 2018: 20
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Nevada State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $8,404

Rank of State for 2017: 18
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Nevada Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,274

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 45
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,213

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 40

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Nevada Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -0.4%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 40
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Nevada, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Masto also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Masto also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Dean Heller voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Heller also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Heller also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Mark Amodei voted not to restore funds to community schools. Amodei also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Amodei also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ruben Kihuen voted to restore funds to community schools. Kihuen also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kihuen also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jacky Rosen voted to restore funds to community schools. Rosen also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rosen also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Dina Titus voted to restore funds to community schools. Titus also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Titus also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In NV, voter participation dropped 48 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 3 AFT members running in NV.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 1,909,551 in NV.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 481,075 in NV.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 309,470 more people in NV to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 7-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

New Hampshire Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $15,734

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 11
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

New Hampshire Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.35

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 7
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

New Hampshire Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $57,833

Rank of State for 2018: 19
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

New Hampshire State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $3,338

Rank of State for 2017: 49
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

New Hampshire Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $16,073

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 1
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $6,845

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 2

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

New Hampshire Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 3.3%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 2
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In New Hampshire, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Maggie Hassan voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Hassan also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Hassan also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Shaheen also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Shaheen also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Ann McLane Kuster voted to restore funds to community schools. Kuster also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kuster also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter voted to restore funds to community schools. Shea-Porter also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Shea-Porter also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In NH, voter participation dropped 34 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 38 AFT members running in NH.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 989,029 in NH.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 116,475 in NH.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 123,115 more people in NH to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 6-Nov-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

74 percent of educators and school staff in NJ reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 64 percent of NJ teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 85 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 95 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 39 percent of NJ educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 32 percent of educators in NJ said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 5 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 51 percent of educators in NJ said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In NJ, educators reported getting an average of 6.2 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. NJ teachers and school staff also reported an average of 17 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 35 percent of educators in NJ agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In NJ, 32 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

New Jersey Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $18,875

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 4
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

New Jersey Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.25

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 4
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

New Jersey Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $69,917

Rank of State for 2018: 6
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

New Jersey State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,444

Rank of State for 2017: 27
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

New Jersey Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $13,868

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 4
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,870

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 13

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

New Jersey Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -3.5%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 13
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In New Jersey, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Cory Booker voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Booker also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Booker also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Robert Menendez voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Menendez also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Menendez also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen voted not to restore funds to community schools. Frelinghuysen also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Frelinghuysen also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer voted to restore funds to community schools. Gottheimer also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gottheimer also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Leonard Lance voted to restore funds to community schools. Lance also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lance also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo voted to restore funds to community schools. LoBiondo also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. LoBiondo also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tom MacArthur voted not to restore funds to community schools. MacArthur also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. MacArthur also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Donald Norcross voted to restore funds to community schools. Norcross also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Norcross also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. voted to restore funds to community schools. Pallone also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Pallone also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. voted to restore funds to community schools. Pascrell also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Pascrell also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. voted to restore funds to community schools. Payne also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Payne also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Albio Sires voted to restore funds to community schools. Sires also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Sires also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Christopher H. Smith voted to restore funds to community schools. Smith also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Smith also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman voted to restore funds to community schools. Coleman also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Coleman also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In NJ, voter participation dropped 50 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are AFT members running in NJ.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 6,322,333 in NJ.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,516,576 in NJ.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 794,728 more people in NJ to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 16-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

91 percent of educators and school staff in NM reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 42 percent of NM teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 86 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 95 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 49 percent of NM educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 41 percent of educators in NM said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 25 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 55 percent of educators in NM said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In NM, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. NM teachers and school staff also reported an average of 18 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 37 percent of educators in NM agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In NM, 47 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

New Mexico Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,942

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 38
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

New Mexico Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.45

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 32
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

New Mexico Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $47,839

Rank of State for 2018: 45
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

New Mexico State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $9,683

Rank of State for 2017: 9
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

New Mexico Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $6,921

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 47
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $1,755

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 48

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

New Mexico Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 9.6%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 48
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In New Mexico, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Martin Heinrich voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Heinrich also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Heinrich also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Tom Udall voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Udall also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Udall also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham voted to restore funds to community schools. Grisham also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Grisham also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ben Ray Luján voted to restore funds to community schools. Luján also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Luján also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steve Pearce voted not to restore funds to community schools. Pearce also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Pearce also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In NM, voter participation dropped 34 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 25 AFT members running in NM.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 1,303,017 in NM.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 316,843 in NM.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 93,167 more people in NM to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

71 percent of educators and school staff in NY reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 27 percent of NY teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 59 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 85 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 56 percent of NY educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 46 percent of educators in NY said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 11 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 33 percent of educators in NY said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In NY, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. NY teachers and school staff also reported an average of 14 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 58 percent of educators in NY agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In NY, 32 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

New York Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $22,941

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 1
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

New York Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.16

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 11
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

New York Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $83,585

Rank of State for 2018: 1
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

New York State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $10,050

Rank of State for 2017: 7
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

New York Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,940

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 41
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,332

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 6

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

New York Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -4.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 6
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In New York, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Gillibrand also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Gillibrand also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Schumer also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Schumer also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Yvette D. Clarke voted to restore funds to community schools. Clarke also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Clarke also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Chris Collins voted not to restore funds to community schools. Collins also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Collins also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Joseph Crowley voted to restore funds to community schools. Crowley also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Crowley also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Dan Donovan voted to restore funds to community schools. Donovan also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Donovan also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Eliot L. Engel voted to restore funds to community schools. Engel also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Engel also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat voted to restore funds to community schools. Espaillat also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Espaillat also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John J. Faso voted to restore funds to community schools. Faso also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Faso also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Brian Higgins voted to restore funds to community schools. Higgins also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Higgins also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries voted to restore funds to community schools. Jeffries also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Jeffries also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. John Katko voted to restore funds to community schools. Katko also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Katko also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Peter T. King voted to restore funds to community schools. King also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. King also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Nita M. Lowey voted to restore funds to community schools. Lowey also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lowey also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney voted to restore funds to community schools. Maloney also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Maloney also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney voted to restore funds to community schools. Maloney also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Maloney also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Gregory W. Meeks voted to restore funds to community schools. Meeks also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Meeks also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Grace Meng voted to restore funds to community schools. Meng also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Meng also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler voted to restore funds to community schools. Nadler also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Nadler also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tom Reed voted not to restore funds to community schools. Reed also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Reed also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Kathleen Rice voted to restore funds to community schools. Rice also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rice also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. José E. Serrano voted to restore funds to community schools. Serrano also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Serrano also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter voted to restore funds to community schools. Slaughter also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Slaughter also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Elise Stefanik voted to restore funds to community schools. Stefanik also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Stefanik also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tom Suozzi voted to restore funds to community schools. Suozzi also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Suozzi also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Claudia Tenney voted to restore funds to community schools. Tenney also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Tenney also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Paul Tonko voted to restore funds to community schools. Tonko also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Tonko also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez voted to restore funds to community schools. Velázquez also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Velázquez also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Lee Zeldin voted to restore funds to community schools. Zeldin also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Zeldin also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In NY, voter participation dropped 50 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in NY.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 11,698,755 in NY.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 3,010,508 in NY.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 1,674,719 more people in NY to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 12-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

80 percent of educators and school staff in NC reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 38 percent of NC teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 76 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 81 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 41 percent of NC educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 20 percent of educators in NC said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 15 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 48 percent of educators in NC said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In NC, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. NC teachers and school staff also reported an average of 13 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 49 percent of educators in NC agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In NC, 53 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

North Carolina Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,018

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 46
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

North Carolina Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.55

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 34
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

North Carolina Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $50,861

Rank of State for 2018: 37
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

North Carolina State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $9,571

Rank of State for 2017: 10
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

North Carolina Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,385

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 44
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $2,437

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 47

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

North Carolina Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -7.5%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 47
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In North Carolina, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Richard M. Burr voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Burr also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Burr also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Thom Tillis voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Tillis also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Tillis also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Alma Adams voted to restore funds to community schools. Adams also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Adams also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Ted Budd voted not to restore funds to community schools. Budd also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Budd also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. G. K. Butterfield voted to restore funds to community schools. Butterfield also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Butterfield also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Virginia Foxx voted not to restore funds to community schools. Foxx also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Foxx also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. George Holding voted not to restore funds to community schools. Holding also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Holding also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Richard Hudson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Hudson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Hudson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Walter B. Jones voted to restore funds to community schools. Jones also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Jones also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Patrick T. McHenry voted not to restore funds to community schools. McHenry also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. McHenry also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mark Meadows voted to restore funds to community schools. Meadows also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Meadows also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Robert Pittenger voted not to restore funds to community schools. Pittenger also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Pittenger also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. David E. Price voted to restore funds to community schools. Price also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Price also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. David Rouzer voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rouzer also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Rouzer also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Mark Walker voted not to restore funds to community schools. Walker also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Walker also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In NC, voter participation dropped 38 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 5 AFT members running in NC.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 6,596,095 in NC.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 1,962,337 in NC.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 1,135,323 more people in NC to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 12-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, run by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

Roughly two-thirds of our national sample of AFT educators reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

North Dakota Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $13,717

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 16
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

North Dakota Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 11.82

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 2
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

North Dakota Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $54,421

Rank of State for 2018: 27
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

North Dakota State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $11,780

Rank of State for 2017: 5
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

North Dakota Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,197

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 38
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,589

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 15

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

North Dakota Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 32.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 15
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In North Dakota, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Heitkamp also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Heitkamp also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. John Hoeven voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Hoeven also voted yes the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Hoeven also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Kevin Cramer voted not to restore funds to community schools. Cramer also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Cramer also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In ND, voter participation dropped 24 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 5 AFT members running in ND.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 500,986 in ND.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 43,780 in ND.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 42,970 more people in ND to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: n/a
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

78 percent of educators and school staff in OH reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 48 percent of OH teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 81 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 90 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 45 percent of OH educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 38 percent of educators in OH said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 15 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 37 percent of educators in OH said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In OH, educators reported getting an average of 6.4 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. OH teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 45 percent of educators in OH agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In OH, 44 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Ohio Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $12,413

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 20
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Ohio Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 16.87

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 39
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Ohio Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $58,000

Rank of State for 2018: 17
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Ohio State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $5,793

Rank of State for 2017: 41
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Ohio Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $10,505

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 18
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,387

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 22

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Ohio Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -10.6%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 22
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Ohio, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sen. Sherrod Brown voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Brown also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Brown also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Sen. Rob Portman voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Portman also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Portman also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Joyce Beatty voted to restore funds to community schools. Beatty also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Beatty also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steve Chabot voted not to restore funds to community schools. Chabot also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Chabot also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Warren Davidson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Davidson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Davidson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Marcia L. Fudge voted to restore funds to community schools. Fudge also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Fudge also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bob Gibbs voted not to restore funds to community schools. Gibbs also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Gibbs also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bill Johnson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Johnson also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Johnson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Jim Jordan voted not to restore funds to community schools. Jordan also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Jordan also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. David Joyce voted not to restore funds to community schools. Joyce also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Joyce also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur voted to restore funds to community schools. Kaptur also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Kaptur also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Bob Latta voted not to restore funds to community schools. Latta also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Latta also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. James B. Renacci voted not to restore funds to community schools. Renacci also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Renacci also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Tim Ryan voted to restore funds to community schools. Ryan also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Ryan also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steve Stivers voted to restore funds to community schools. Stivers also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Stivers also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Pat Tiberi voted X restore funds to community schools. Tiberi also voted (against cutting) funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Tiberi also X changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Michael R. Turner voted not to restore funds to community schools. Turner also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Turner also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Brad Wenstrup voted not to restore funds to community schools. Wenstrup also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Wenstrup also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In OH, voter participation dropped 44 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 4 AFT members running in OH.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 7,894,090 in OH.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 2,261,617 in OH.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 880,533 more people in OH to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 9-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

83 percent of educators and school staff in OK reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 25 percent of OK teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 92 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 88 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 63 percent of OK educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 54 percent of educators in OK said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 4 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 58 percent of educators in OK said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In OK, educators reported getting an average of 6.1 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. OK teachers and school staff also reported an average of 12 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 29 percent of educators in OK agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In OK, 38 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Oklahoma Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $8,305

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 48
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Oklahoma Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 16.32

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 37
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Oklahoma Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $45,678

Rank of State for 2018: 49
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Oklahoma State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,486

Rank of State for 2017: 37
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Oklahoma Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,460

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 35
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,173

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 27

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Oklahoma Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -2.1%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 27
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Oklahoma, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sens. James Lankford & James M. Inhofe voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Both senators also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. They also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Jim Bridenstine was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bridenstine did not vote in the other decisions examined.

Rep. Tom Cole voted not to restore funds to community schools. Cole also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Cole also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Frank D. Lucas voted not to restore funds to community schools. Lucas also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Lucas also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Markwayne Mullin voted not to restore funds to community schools. Mullin also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Mullin also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Steve Russell voted not to restore funds to community schools. Russell also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Russell also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In OK, voter participation dropped 43 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 5 AFT members running in OK.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 2,302,611 in OK.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 524,500 in OK.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 272,760 more people in OK to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 12-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

81 percent of educators and school staff in OR reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 44 percent of OR teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 60 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 84 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 42 percent of OR educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 23 percent of educators in OR said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 5 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 37 percent of educators in OR said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In OR, educators reported getting an average of 6.7 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. OR teachers and school staff also reported an average of 17 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 28 percent of educators in OR agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In OR, 42 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Oregon Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,121

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 30
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Oregon Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 19.82

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 47
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Oregon Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $63,143

Rank of State for 2018: 12
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Oregon State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $5,774

Rank of State for 2017: 42
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Oregon Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $10,357

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 19
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)

Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,041

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 12

Source: Data on college prices are from the College Board’s "Trends in College Pricing," Table 5: Average Published Tuition and Fees at Public Institutions by State in 2017 Dollars.

Oregon Tax Effort

Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 14.5%

Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 12
(1st corresponds to most improvement; 51st corresponds to largest decline.)

Source: Tax effort for each state is calculated by dividing total state and local tax revenue per capita by total taxable resources per capita. Data on total state and local tax revenue are from the U.S. Census Bureau, and data on total taxable resources are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In Oregon, senators and representatives cast votes on critical issues such as funding for education and community schools; whether the Affordable Care Act should be repealed; tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations while depleting resources for programs aimed at the needs of the middle class; and whether Betsy DeVos is fit to be secretary of education.

How did your state’s senators and representatives vote?

Sens. Ron Wyden & Jeff Merkley voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Both senators also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. They also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer voted to restore funds to community schools. Blumenauer also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Blumenauer also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici voted to restore funds to community schools. Bonamici also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Bonamici also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Peter A. DeFazio voted to restore funds to community schools. DeFazio also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. DeFazio also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Kurt Schrader voted to restore funds to community schools. Schrader also voted against cutting funding for professional development and class-size reduction, opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Schrader also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Rep. Greg Walden voted not to restore funds to community schools. Walden also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Walden also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.

Election Goals

• Elevate working families’ values and issues by helping members exercise their voice at the ballot box.
• Win control of at least one chamber of Congress, putting a check on the extremist policies of Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos.
• Build long-term power in states by winning governor, state legislative, local and ballot races across the country.

How We Win

Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In OR, voter participation dropped 26 percent from 2014 to 2016. While AFT members usually turn out in higher numbers than the general public, we still have room to improve.

If we increase voter registration and turnout by 5 percent among our members, the people they live with, and what’s known as the "Rising American Electorate" (unmarried women, young voters and people of color), we can shift power at the local, state and federal levels from the elite to regular working people.

AFT Members

More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 11 AFT members running in OR.

Rising American Electorate

• The “Rising American Electorate”—unmarried women, millennials, African-Americans, Latinos and all other people of color—now accounts for 59.2 percent of the voting-eligible population in this country—roughly 2,647,938 in OR.
• Millennials (35 years old and under) will be the largest voting-eligible population, representing 32 percent, or 919,535 in OR.
• From gun violence to student debt to healthcare costs and access, polling indicates the Rising American Electorate supports a working families agenda that moves our country in the right direction.
• By engaging with the Rising American Electorate on these issues, we can get 186,835 more people in OR to vote this year then would vote in a typical midterm election.

Election Snapshot

Important Dates

• National Voter Registration Day: 25-Sep-18
• Voter Registration Deadline: 16-Oct-18
• General Election: 6-Nov-18

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association ran a 30-question survey of teachers and school staff nationwide on the quality of their work life. Like its predecessor, conducted by the AFT and the BATs in 2015, the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey demonstrates that schools still struggle to provide educators and, by extension, students with healthy and productive environments.

75 percent of educators and school staff in PA reported that work is “often” or “always” stressful. Districts that fail to recognize the importance of educator well-being may be faced with higher turnover, more teacher and staff health issues, and greater burnout, all of which leads to higher costs, less stability for kids and, ultimately, lower student achievement.

Respect

While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 67 percent of PA teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 74 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 91 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Influence and Control at Work

Educators report feeling they have some control over a number of day-to-day classroom-level decisions, but they report having less influence over policy decisions. Only 43 percent of PA educators felt they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in establishing curriculum, with the remainder reporting they had only “minor influence” or “no influence” over such decisions. 34 percent of educators in PA said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 8 percent of respondents said they had “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in deciding how their school budgets will be spent. When they need additional resources to do their jobs, 50 percent of educators in PA said they are not able to get them.

Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

Nationally, our survey indicated that educators’ physical and mental health is more likely to suffer than other U.S. workers. Stressors facing teachers and school staff in our survey included heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

In PA, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. PA teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.

Mentoring for New Teachers

Our broader survey results indicate that strong labor-management partnerships may reduce educator stress, and educators in districts with robust labor-management collaboration were more likely to agree that their schools had good mentoring programs in place, especially for new teachers, possibly reducing stress and turnover. Only 33 percent of educators in PA agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.

Bullying and Harassment

The survey showed that educators are much more likely to be bullied, harassed and threatened at work than other U.S. workers. Over a quarter of our national random sample of AFT members and over 40 percent of our public survey respondent group reported having been bullied, harassed or threatened at work in the past 12 months.

In PA, 47 percent of teachers and school staff reported being threatened, bullied or harassed at work within the past year. In contrast, national data from 2015 show that only 7 percent of employed adults in the United States report experiencing bullying, harassment or threats at work.

Learn more about the 2017 Educator Quality of Work Life Survey and see the full report on the national data at https://www.aft.org/2017-eqwl

Pennsylvania Per-Pupil Spending K-12

Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $15,814

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 10
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Source: Data on per-pupil spending for 2016 are from the U.S. census and are adjusted to reflect 2017 dollars.

Pennsylvania Student-Teacher Ratio

2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 14.21

Rank of State for 2015-2016: 20
(1st corresponds to states with least number of students per teacher; 51st corresponds to states with greatest number of students per teacher.)

Source: Data on pupil-teacher ratio are from National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey."

Pennsylvania Average Teacher Pay for 2018

Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $67,398

Rank of State for 2018: 9
(1st corresponds to highest average salary; 51st corresponds to lowest average salary.)

Source: Data on average teacher salary are from the National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 2017 and Estimates of School Statistics 2018."

Pennsylvania State Support for Higher Education

State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $4,341

Rank of State for 2017: 47
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)

Pennsylvania Cost of Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017-2018

Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $14,437

Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 3
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)