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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in AL.
AL | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,961,601 | 276,532 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,105,522 | 458,572 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,205,162 | 145,579 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 900,360 | 312,993 |
Gov
Solid R: Ivey - R
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in AK.
AK | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 344,111 | 43,321 |
Presidential Turnout | 310,561 | 42,106 |
Midterm Turnout | 261,324 | 36,959 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 49,237 | 5,147 |
Gov
Toss Up: Walker (I)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in AZ.
AZ | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 3,381,344 | 610,990 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,669,372 | 520,459 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,574,699 | 169,657 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,094,673 | 350,802 |
Gov
Likely R: Ducey - R
Sen
Toss up: Open
House
Likely D: 09 - OPEN
Lean D: 01 - O'Halleran / 02 - OPEN
Likely R: 06 - Schweikert
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in AR.
AR | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,511,203 | 231,190 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,128,946 | 221,289 |
Midterm Turnout | 914,442 | 162,132 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 214,504 | 59,157 |
Gov
Solid R: Hutchinson - R
House
Lean R: 02 Hill
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 4 AFT members running in CA.
CA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 15,527,789 | 3,060,638 |
Presidential Turnout | 14,325,682 | 3,528,953 |
Midterm Turnout | 7,375,971 | 922,573 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 6,949,711 | 2,606,380 |
Gov
Solid D: Open - D
Sen
Solid D: Feinstein - D
House
Likely D: 07 - Bera; Republican Toss Up: 10 - Denham, 25 - Knight. 39 - OPEN, 48 - Rohrabacher, 49 - OPEN
Lean R: 21 - Valadao / 45 - Walters
Likely R: 04 - McClintock / 50 - Hunter
Super of ED
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in CO.
CO | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 3,065,211 | 454,843 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,833,443 | 663,232 |
Midterm Turnout | 2,022,340 | 352,964 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 811,103 | 310,268 |
Gov
Lean D : Open - D
House
Republican Toss Up: 06 - Coffman
Ballot
Education Funding
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 31 AFT members running in CT.
CT | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,835,229 | 274,644 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,597,548 | 296,369 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,046,155 | 115,091 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 551,393 | 181,278 |
Gov
Toss Up: Open
Sen
Solid D: Murphy - D
House
Likely D: 05 - OPEN
Leg
State Senate
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 12 AFT members running in DE.
DE | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 438,790 | 64,588 |
Presidential Turnout | 442,118 | 84,089 |
Midterm Turnout | 241,588 | 27,002 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 200,530 | 57,087 |
Solid D: Carper - D
Ballot
Constitutional Amendments
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in FL.
FL | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 9,330,811 | 1,103,859 |
Presidential Turnout | 9,244,023 | 1,700,526 |
Midterm Turnout | 5,880,225 | 708,139 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 3,363,798 | 992,387 |
Gov
Toss Up: Open
Sen
Toss up: Nelson
House
Likely D: 07 - Murphy
Lean D: 27 - OPEN
Republican Toss Up: 26 - Curbelo
Lean R: 18 - Mast
Likely R: 15 - Open / 16 - Buchanan / 25 - Diaz-Balart
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in GA.
GA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 3,873,603 | 702,783 |
Presidential Turnout | 4,116,055 | 882,214 |
Midterm Turnout | 2,567,625 | 343,995 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,548,430 | 538,219 |
Gov
Solid R: Open - R
House
Lean R: 06 - Handel
Likely R: 07 - Woodall
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 7 AFT members running in HI.
HI | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 587,332 | 73,036 |
Presidential Turnout | 478,716 | 45,029 |
Midterm Turnout | 378,716 | 27,269 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 100,000 | 17,760 |
Gov
Solid D: Ige - D
Sen
Solid D: Hirono - D
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in ID.
ID | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 886,836 | 205,888 |
Presidential Turnout | 700,133 | 146,397 |
Midterm Turnout | 450,693 | 63,922 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 249,440 | 82,475 |
Gov
Solid R: Open - R
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in IL.
IL | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 4,954,997 | 770,877 |
Presidential Turnout | 5,455,312 | 1,178,427 |
Midterm Turnout | 3,464,753 | 442,894 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,990,559 | 735,533 |
Gov
Toss Up: Rauner
House
Republican Toss up: 06 Roskam / 12 - Bost
Lean R: 14 - Hultgren
Likely R: 13 - Davis
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in IN.
IN | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 3,083,193 | 580,082 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,724,500 | 559,627 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,401,000 | 161,411 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,323,500 | 398,216 |
Sen
Toss up: Donnelly
House
Likely R: 02 - Walorski
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 2 AFT members running in IA.
IA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,349,908 | 244,261 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,576,375 | 364,285 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,116,986 | 175,559 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 459,389 | 188,726 |
House
Republican Toss Up: 01 - Blum
Lean R: 03 - Young
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in KS.
KS | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,206,211 | 234,857 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,201,970 | 237,191 |
Midterm Turnout | 845,379 | 111,526 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 356,591 | 125,665 |
Gov
Likely R: Colyer - R
House
Lean R: 02 - Open / 03 - Yoder
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in KY.
KY | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,606,017 | 291,774 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,964,222 | 437,756 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,457,637 | 230,388 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 506,585 | 207,368 |
House
Lean R: 06 - Barr
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 4 AFT members running in LA.
LA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 2,036,579 | 391,057 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,016,578 | 468,794 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,602,860 | 290,136 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 413,718 | 178,658 |
Gov
Likely R: Reynolds - R
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 16 AFT members running in ME.
ME | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 610,348 | 86,678 |
Presidential Turnout | 761,413 | 149,577 |
Midterm Turnout | 604,544 | 84,870 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 156,869 | 64,707 |
Gov
Toss Up: Open
Sen
Solid D: King - D
House
Lean R: 02 - Poliquin
School Board
Osseo, Minnespolis, St. Paul
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 6 AFT members running in MD.
MD | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 2,093,384 | 311,020 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,775,080 | 610,829 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,707,659 | 248,077 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,067,421 | 362,752 |
Gov
Likely R: Hogan - R
Sen
Solid D: Cardin - D
Ballot
Minimum Wage and Paid
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 6 AFT members running in MA.
MA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 2,590,523 | 519,954 |
Presidential Turnout | 3,272,091 | 747,051 |
Midterm Turnout | 2,098,780 | 275,800 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,173,311 | 471,251 |
Gov
Likely R: Baker - R
Sen
Solid D: Warren - D
Ballot
Millionaire's tax
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in MI.
MI | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 5,641,126 | 1,505,351 |
Presidential Turnout | 4,888,360 | 1,078,884 |
Midterm Turnout | 3,208,621 | 421,881 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,679,739 | 657,003 |
Gov
Toss Up - Open
Sen
Likely D: Stabenow - D
House
Republican Toss Up: 11-OPEN
Lean R: MI-08
Likely R: 01 - Bergman / 06 - Upton/ 07 - Walberg
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 3 AFT members running in MN.
MN | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 2,202,706 | 483,244 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,818,811 | 689,908 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,890,769 | 299,703 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 928,042 | 390,205 |
Gov
Toss Up - Open
Sen
Solid D: Klobuchar
Lean D: Smith
House
Likely D: 07 - Peterson
D Toss Up: 01 - Open / 08 - OPEN
Republcan Toss Up: 02 - Lewis / c03 Paulsen
Ballot
Redistricing and Criminal
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in MS.
MS | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,981,703 | 135,913 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,185,211 | 136,192 |
Midterm Turnout | 654,218 | 50,019 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 530,993 | 86,173 |
Sen
Likely R: Open
Solid R: Wicker - R
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 27 AFT members running in MO.
MO | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 2,391,342 | 442,810 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,825,841 | 607,234 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,565,631 | 204,626 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,260,210 | 402,608 |
Sen
Toss up: Mc Caskill
House
Likely R: 02 - Wagner
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in MT.
MT | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 580,127 | 106,896 |
Presidential Turnout | 494,211 | 95,375 |
Midterm Turnout | 358,202 | 46,172 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 136,009 | 49,203 |
Sen
Likely D: Tester - D
House
Likely R: AL Gianforte
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 14 AFT members running in NE.
NE | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 703,032 | 132,088 |
Presidential Turnout | 851,539 | 187,360 |
Midterm Turnout | 542,684 | 71,618 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 308,855 | 115,742 |
Gov
Solid - R: Ricketts - R
Sen
Likely R: Fischer
House
Lean R: 02 - Bacon
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 3 AFT members running in NV.
NV | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,578,741 | 246,206 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,124,630 | 221,938 |
Midterm Turnout | 579,894 | 62,355 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 544,736 | 159,583 |
Gov
Toss up: Open
Sen
Toss up: Heller
House
Likely D: 04 OPEN
Lean D: 03 - OPEN
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 38 AFT members running in NH.
NH | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 713,436 | 85,125 |
Presidential Turnout | 731,107 | 86,885 |
Midterm Turnout | 483,193 | 42,071 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 247,914 | 44,814 |
Gov
Lean R: Sununu
House
Likely D: 02 - Kuster
Lean D: 01 - OPEN
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are AFT members running in NJ.
NJ | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 4,947,220 | 423,739 |
Presidential Turnout | 3,899,160 | 750,776 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,956,181 | 200,915 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,942,979 | 549,861 |
Sen
Likely D: Menendez - D
House
Likley D: 05 Gottheimer
Lean D: 02 - OPEN
Republican Toss Up: 07 - Lance/11-OPEN
Lean R: 03 - MacArthur
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 25 AFT members running in NM.
NM | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 980,859 | 156,112 |
Presidential Turnout | 787,225 | 142,109 |
Midterm Turnout | 520,347 | 58,042 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 266,878 | 84,067 |
Gov
Lean D: Open
Sen
Solid D: Heinrich - D
House
Lean R: 02 - Open
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in NY.
NY | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 7,148,675 | 934,328 |
Presidential Turnout | 6,969,360 | 1,501,816 |
Midterm Turnout | 3,482,132 | 389,270 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 3,487,228 | 1,112,546 |
Gov
Solid D: Cuomo - D
Sen
Solid D: Gillibrand - D
House
Republican Toss Up: 19 - Faso
Toss Up: 22 - Tenney
Lean R: 11 - Donovan
Likely R: 01 - Zeldin / 24 - Katko
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 5 AFT members running in NC.
NC | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 4,318,222 | 822,855 |
Presidential Turnout | 4,776,283 | 1,055,001 |
Midterm Turnout | 2,969,927 | 401,253 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,806,356 | 653,748 |
House
Lean R: 09 - Open / 13 - Budd
Likley R: 02 - Holding / 08 - Hudson
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 5 AFT members running in ND.
ND | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 468,375 | 73,910 |
Presidential Turnout | 332,775 | 50,690 |
Midterm Turnout | 251,724 | 35,314 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 81,051 | 15,376 |
Sen
Toss Up: Heitkamp
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 4 AFT members running in OH.
OH | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 5,460,080 | 1,002,843 |
Presidential Turnout | 5,552,882 | 1,177,635 |
Midterm Turnout | 3,137,297 | 352,165 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 2,415,585 | 825,470 |
Gov
Lean R: Open
Sen
Lean D: Brown - D
House
Republican Toss Up: 12 - Vacant
Lean R: 01 - Chabot
Likely R: 10 - Tuner / 14 - Joyce / 15 - Strivers
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 5 AFT members running in OK.
OK | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,870,765 | 350,831 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,456,710 | 295,174 |
Midterm Turnout | 833,746 | 96,328 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 622,964 | 198,846 |
Gov
Solid R: Open
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.
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.
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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 11 AFT members running in OR.
OR | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,379,133 | 208,169 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,976,063 | 419,534 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,471,507 | 243,011 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 504,556 | 176,523 |
Gov
Likely D: Brown - D
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
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."
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.)
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.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,327
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 7
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -3.9%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 7
(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 Pennsylvania, 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. Patrick J. Toomey voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Toomey also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Toomey also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Bob Casey voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Casey also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Casey also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Lou Barletta voted to restore funds to community schools. Barletta 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. Barletta 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. Brendan F. Boyle voted to restore funds to community schools. Boyle 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. Boyle 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. Robert A. Brady voted to restore funds to community schools. Brady 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. Brady 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. Matt Cartwright voted to restore funds to community schools. Cartwright 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. Cartwright 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. Ryan A. Costello voted to restore funds to community schools. Costello 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. Costello 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. Charlie Dent voted to restore funds to community schools. Dent 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. Dent 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 Doyle voted to restore funds to community schools. Doyle 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. Doyle 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. Dwight Evans voted to restore funds to community schools. Evans 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. Evans 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. Brian Fitzpatrick voted to restore funds to community schools. Fitzpatrick 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. Fitzpatrick 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 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. Conor Lamb did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Lamb 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. Tom Marino voted to restore funds to community schools. Marino 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. Marino 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 Meehan voted not to restore funds to community schools. Meehan 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. Meehan 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 Murphy voted not to restore funds to community schools. Murphy also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Murphy also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Murphy did not vote on the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy
Rep. Scott Perry voted not to restore funds to community schools. Perry 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. Perry 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. Keith Rothfus voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rothfus 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. Rothfus 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 Shuster voted not to restore funds to community schools. Shuster 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. Shuster 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. Lloyd K. Smucker voted not to restore funds to community schools. Smucker 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. Smucker 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. Glenn Thompson voted to restore funds to community schools. Thompson 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. Thompson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In PA, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in PA.
PA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 5,866,515 | 845,142 |
Presidential Turnout | 6,133,413 | 1,337,294 |
Midterm Turnout | 3,484,811 | 414,900 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 2,648,602 | 922,394 |
Gov
Lean D: Wolf - D
Sen
Likely D: Casey - D
House
Likely D: 05 Vacant / 06 OPEN / 08 Cartwright
Lean D: PA07 Vacant
Republican Toss Up: 01 - Fitzpatrick / 17 - Rothfus
Likely R: 10 - Perry / 14 - Open / 16 - Kelly
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 RI 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 46 percent of RI teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 54 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.
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 RI 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. 25 percent of educators in RI 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, 52 percent of educators in RI said they are not able to get them.
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 RI, educators reported getting an average of 6.6 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. RI teachers and school staff also reported an average of 18 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 38 percent of educators in RI agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 RI, 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $15,931
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 9
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.36
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 12
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $66,758
Rank of State for 2018: 10
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,209
Rank of State for 2017: 39
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $12,226
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 12
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,564
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 16
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 0.7%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 16
(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 Rhode Island, 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. Jack Reed voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Reed also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Reed also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Whitehouse also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Whitehouse also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. David Cicilline voted to restore funds to community schools. Cicilline 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. Cicilline 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 Langevin voted to restore funds to community schools. Langevin 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. Langevin also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In RI, voter participation dropped 32 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in RI.
RI | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 437,233 | 67,058 |
Presidential Turnout | 452,247 | 91,867 |
Midterm Turnout | 306,960 | 40,599 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 145,287 | 51,268 |
Gov
Likely D: Raimondo - D
Sen
Solid D: Whitehouse - D
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.
66 percent of educators and school staff in SC 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 38 percent of SC 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 81 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
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 SC 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 SC 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, 28 percent of educators in SC said they are not able to get them.
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 SC, educators reported getting an average of 6.2 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. SC teachers and school staff also reported an average of 12 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 47 percent of educators in SC agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 SC, 41 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $10,512
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 32
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.2
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 28
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $51,027
Rank of State for 2018: 35
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $5,938
Rank of State for 2017: 40
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $12,615
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 9
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,208
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 8
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -2.5%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 8
(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 South 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. Lindsey Graham voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Graham also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Graham also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Tim Scott voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Scott also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Scott also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. James E. Clyburn did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Clyburn 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. Clyburn opposed the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and opposed the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Rep. Jeff Duncan voted not to restore funds to community schools. Duncan 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. Duncan 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. Trey Gowdy voted not to restore funds to community schools. Gowdy 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. Gowdy 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. Mick Mulvaney did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Mulvaney 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. Ralph Norman voted not to restore funds to community schools. Norman 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 changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Norman did not vote on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Rep. Tom Rice voted to restore funds to community schools. Rice 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. Rice 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 Sanford voted not to restore funds to community schools. Sanford 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. Sanford 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. Joe Wilson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Wilson 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. Wilson also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In SC, voter participation dropped 40 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 7 AFT members running in SC.
SC | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,880,691 | 277,666 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,109,474 | 410,709 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,256,308 | 155,787 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 853,166 | 254,922 |
Gov
Solid R: McMaster - R
House
Likely R: 01 - Sanford
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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,412
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 41
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 13.93
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 17
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $47,944
Rank of State for 2018: 44
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,694
Rank of State for 2017: 24
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,446
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 36
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $6,560
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 3
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 5.8%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 3
(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 South 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. Mike Rounds voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Rounds also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Rounds also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. John Thune voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Thune also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Thune also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Kristi Noem voted not to restore funds to community schools. Noem 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. Noem also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In SD, voter participation dropped 25 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 3 AFT members running in SD.
SD | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 361,658 | 71,012 |
Presidential Turnout | 376,376 | 71,630 |
Midterm Turnout | 284,041 | 38,551 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 92,335 | 33,079 |
Gov
Solid R: Open
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 TN 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 39 percent of TN teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 61 percent did not feel respected by state and federal elected officials, and a whopping 82 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
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 33 percent of TN 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 TN said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 24 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 TN said they are not able to get them.
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 TN, educators reported getting an average of 6.6 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. TN teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 TN agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 TN, 36 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,036
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 45
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.06
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 26
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $50,900
Rank of State for 2018: 36
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $9,003
Rank of State for 2017: 13
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,789
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 23
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,292
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 26
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -10.1%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 26
(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 Tennessee, 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. Lamar Alexander voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Alexander also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Alexander also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Bob Corker voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Corker also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Corker also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Diane Black did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Black 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. Black 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.
Rep. Marsha Blackburn voted not to restore funds to community schools. Blackburn 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. Blackburn 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 Cohen voted to restore funds to community schools. Cohen 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. Cohen 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 Cooper voted to restore funds to community schools. Cooper 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. Cooper 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 DesJarlais voted not to restore funds to community schools. DesJarlais 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. DesJarlais 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 J. Duncan Jr. voted not to restore funds to community schools. Duncan 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. Duncan 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. Chuck Fleischmann voted not to restore funds to community schools. Fleischmann 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. Fleischmann 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 Kustoff voted not to restore funds to community schools. Kustoff 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. Kustoff 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. Phil Roe voted not to restore funds to community schools. Roe 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. Roe also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In TN, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 5 AFT members running in TN.
TN | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 3,269,728 | 577,345 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,541,410 | 477,515 |
Midterm Turnout | 1,459,741 | 175,878 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,081,669 | 301,637 |
Gov
Likely R: Open
Sen
Toss Up: Open
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 TX 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 33 percent of TX teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 72 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.
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 TX 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. 31 percent of educators in TX said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 10 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 TX said they are not able to get them.
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 TX, educators reported getting an average of 6.2 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. TX teachers and school staff also reported an average of 13 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 TX agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 TX, 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $9,248
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 42
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 15.26
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 29
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $53,167
Rank of State for 2018: 29
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,393
Rank of State for 2017: 28
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,836
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 22
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $2,547
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 46
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 1.0%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 46
(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 Texas, 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. John Cornyn voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cornyn also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Cornyn also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Ted Cruz voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cruz also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Cruz also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Jodey C. Arrington voted not to restore funds to community schools. Arrington 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. Arrington 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 Babin voted not to restore funds to community schools. Babin 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. Babin 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. Joe L. Barton voted not to restore funds to community schools. Barton 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. Barton 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. Kevin Brady voted not to restore funds to community schools. Brady 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. Brady 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. Michael C. Burgess voted not to restore funds to community schools. Burgess 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. Burgess 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 Carter voted not to restore funds to community schools. Carter 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. 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. Joaquin Castro voted to restore funds to community schools. Castro 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. Castro 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. K. Michael Conaway voted not to restore funds to community schools. Conaway 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. Conaway 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. Henry Cuellar voted to restore funds to community schools. Cuellar 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. Cuellar 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 Culberson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Culberson 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. Culberson 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. Lloyd Doggett voted to restore funds to community schools. Doggett 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. Doggett 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. Blake Farenthold voted not to restore funds to community schools. Farenthold 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. Farenthold 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 Flores voted not to restore funds to community schools. Flores 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. Flores 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. Louie Gohmert voted not to restore funds to community schools. Gohmert 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. Gohmert 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. Vicente Gonzalez voted to restore funds to community schools. Gonzalez 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. Gonzalez 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. Kay Granger voted not to restore funds to community schools. Granger 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. Granger 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. Gene Green voted to restore funds to community schools. Green 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. Green 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 Green voted to restore funds to community schools. Green 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. Green 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. Jeb Hensarling voted not to restore funds to community schools. Hensarling 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. Hensarling 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. Will Hurd voted to restore funds to community schools. Hurd 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. Hurd 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. Sheila Jackson Lee voted to restore funds to community schools. Jackson 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. Jackson 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. Sam 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. Eddie Bernice 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. Kenny Marchant voted not to restore funds to community schools. Marchant 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. Marchant 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. Michael McCaul voted not to restore funds to community schools. McCaul 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. McCaul 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. Beto O'Rourke voted to restore funds to community schools. O'Rourke 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'Rourke 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. Pete Olson voted not to restore funds to community schools. Olson 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. Olson 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. Ted Poe voted not to restore funds to community schools. Poe 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. Poe 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 Ratcliffe voted not to restore funds to community schools. Ratcliffe 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. Ratcliffe 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. Pete Sessions voted not to restore funds to community schools. Sessions 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. Sessions 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. Lamar Smith voted to restore funds to community schools. Smith also voted to cut funding for professional development and class-size reduction, supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Smith did not vote on the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy
Rep. Mac Thornberry voted not to restore funds to community schools. Thornberry 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. Thornberry 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. Marc Veasey voted to restore funds to community schools. Veasey 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. Veasey 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. Filemon Vela voted to restore funds to community schools. Vela 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. Vela 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 Weber voted not to restore funds to community schools. Weber 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. Weber 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 Williams voted not to restore funds to community schools. Williams 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. Williams also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In TX, voter participation dropped 47 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 1 AFT members running in TX.
TX | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 9,818,262 | 1,533,690 |
Presidential Turnout | 8,891,719 | 1,905,243 |
Midterm Turnout | 4,710,319 | 575,024 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 4,181,400 | 1,330,219 |
Gov
Solid R: Abbott - R
Sen
Likely R: Cruz - R
House
Republican Toss Up: 07 - Culberson
Lean R: 23 - Hurd / 32 - Sessions
Likely R: 21 - Open
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.
63 percent of educators and school staff in UT 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 25 percent of UT 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 81 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
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 UT 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. 75 percent of educators in UT 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, 25 percent of educators in UT said they are not able to get them.
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 UT, educators reported getting an average of 6.8 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. UT teachers and school staff also reported an average of 14 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 44 percent of educators in UT agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 UT, 50 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $7,132
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 51
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 22.85
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 49
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $47,604
Rank of State for 2018: 48
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,310
Rank of State for 2017: 30
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $6,788
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 49
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,753
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 34
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -9.4%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 34
(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 Utah, 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. Orrin G. Hatch voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Hatch also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Hatch also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Mike Lee voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Lee also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Lee also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Rob 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. Jason Chaffetz did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Chaffetz also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction, the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy, and changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack. Chaffetz supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Rep. John Curtis did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Curtis also did not vote on funding for professional development and class-size reduction, 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. Curtis was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy.
Reps. Mia Love & Chris Stewart voted not to restore funds to community schools. Both senators 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.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In UT, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 8 AFT members running in UT.
UT | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 1,283,738 | 279,004 |
Presidential Turnout | 1,138,951 | 249,956 |
Midterm Turnout | 590,636 | 85,487 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 548,315 | 164,469 |
Sen
Solid R: Open - R
House
Lean R: 04 - Love
Ballot
Choice Amendment
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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $18,332
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 5
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 10.54
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 1
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $58,527
Rank of State for 2018: 16
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $4,016
Rank of State for 2017: 48
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $16,043
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 2
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,980
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 1
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 4.2%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 1
(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 Vermont, 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. Patrick J. Leahy voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Leahy also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Leahy also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Bernie Sanders voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Sanders also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Sanders also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Peter Welch voted to restore funds to community schools. Welch 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. Welch also opposed changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In VT, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in VT.
VT | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 352,425 | 66,758 |
Presidential Turnout | 313,353 | 56,533 |
Midterm Turnout | 195,648 | 20,476 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 117,705 | 36,057 |
Gov
Likely R: Scott - R
Sen
Solid D: Sanders - D
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 VA 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 42 percent of VA teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 68 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.
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 VA 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. 22 percent of educators in VA said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 7 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 VA said they are not able to get them.
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 VA, educators reported getting an average of 6.4 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. VA teachers and school staff also reported an average of 16 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 47 percent of educators in VA agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 VA, 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,726
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 25
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 14.22
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 21
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $51,265
Rank of State for 2018: 34
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,524
Rank of State for 2017: 36
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $12,820
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 7
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,127
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 9
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -4.9%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 9
(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 Virginia, 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. Tim Kaine voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Kaine also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Kaine also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Mark Warner voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Warner also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Warner also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Donald S. Beyer Jr. voted not to restore funds to community schools. Beyer 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. Beyer 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. Dave Brat did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Brat 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. Brat 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 Comstock voted not to restore funds to community schools. Comstock 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. Comstock 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. Gerald E. Connolly voted to restore funds to community schools. Connolly 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. Connolly 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 Garrett did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Garrett 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. Garrett was in favor of the Trump/Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and supported the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte voted not to restore funds to community schools. Goodlatte 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. Goodlatte 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. Morgan Griffith voted not to restore funds to community schools. Griffith 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. Griffith 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. A. Donald McEachin voted to restore funds to community schools. McEachin 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. McEachin 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. Robert C. 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. Scott Taylor voted to restore funds to community schools. Taylor 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. Taylor 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. Rob Wittman voted not to restore funds to community schools. Wittman 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. Wittman also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In VA, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 11 AFT members running in VA.
VA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 3,262,309 | 572,729 |
Presidential Turnout | 3,953,662 | 879,817 |
Midterm Turnout | 2,180,837 | 297,641 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,772,825 | 582,176 |
Sen
Solid D: Kaine - D
House
Republican Toss Up: 10 - Comstock
Lean R: 02 - Taylor / 05 - Open / 07 - Brat
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 WA 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 38 percent of WA 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 95 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
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 WA 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 WA 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, 45 percent of educators in WA said they are not able to get them.
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 WA, educators reported getting an average of 6.5 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. WA teachers and school staff also reported an average of 13 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 46 percent of educators in WA agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 WA, 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,830
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 22
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 18.76
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 46
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $55,175
Rank of State for 2018: 25
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $7,809
Rank of State for 2017: 22
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $9,480
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 26
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,376
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 23
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -5.7%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 23
(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 Washington, 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. Maria Cantwell & Patty Murray 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. Both also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Suzan DelBene & Denny Heck voted to restore funds to community schools. Both representatives 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. They 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. Jaime Herrera Beutler voted to restore funds to community schools. Beutler 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. Beutler 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. Pramila Jayapal voted to restore funds to community schools. Jayapal 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. Jayapal 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. Derek Kilmer & Rick Larsen voted to restore funds to community schools. Both representatives 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. They 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. Cathy McMorris Rodgers voted not to restore funds to community schools. Rodgers 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. Rodgers also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In WA, voter participation dropped 37 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in WA.
WA | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 2,830,237 | 473,370 |
Presidential Turnout | 3,313,920 | 702,719 |
Midterm Turnout | 2,103,624 | 291,099 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 1,210,296 | 411,620 |
Sen
Solid D: Cantwell - D
House
Republican Toss Up: 08 - Open
Lean R: 05 - McMorris, Rogers
Likely R: 03 - Herrera Beutler
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 WV 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 49 percent of WV teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 68 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.
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 37 percent of WV 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 WV 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, 46 percent of educators in WV said they are not able to get them.
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 WV, educators reported getting an average of 6.2 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. WV teachers and school staff also reported an average of 15 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 WV agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 WV, 33 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,581
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 27
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 14.11
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 19
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $45,642
Rank of State for 2018: 50
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,909
Rank of State for 2017: 31
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $7,887
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 42
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,299
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 25
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 1.2%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 25
(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 West Virginia, 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 Manchin III voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Manchin also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Manchin also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Moore Capito also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Moore Capito also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Evan 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. David B. McKinley voted not to restore funds to community schools. McKinley 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. McKinley 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. Alex X. Mooney voted not to restore funds to community schools. Mooney 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. Mooney also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In WV, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in WV.
WV | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 863,379 | 115,365 |
Presidential Turnout | 712,292 | 132,252 |
Midterm Turnout | 444,412 | 46,622 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 267,880 | 85,630 |
Sen
Toss up: Manchin
House
Likely R: 03 - Open
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 WI 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 35 percent of WI 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 94 percent did not feel respected by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
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 65 percent of WI 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. 55 percent of educators in WI 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, 45 percent of educators in WI said they are not able to get them.
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 WI, educators reported getting an average of 6.7 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. WI teachers and school staff also reported an average of 18 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 32 percent of educators in WI agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 WI, 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $11,750
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 24
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 14.91
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 24
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $55,895
Rank of State for 2018: 24
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $6,858
Rank of State for 2017: 32
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,962
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 30
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $4,394
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 21
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: -9.8%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 21
(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 Wisconsin, 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 Baldwin voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act. Baldwin also voted no to the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, opposed the tax plan and opposed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Baldwin also voted no to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Ron Johnson voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Johnson also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Johnson also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Sean P. Duffy voted not to restore funds to community schools. Duffy 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. Duffy 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 Gallagher voted not to restore funds to community schools. Gallagher 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. Gallagher 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. Glenn Grothman voted not to restore funds to community schools. Grothman 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. Grothman 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 Kind voted to restore funds to community schools. Kind 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. Kind 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. Gwen Moore voted to restore funds to community schools. Moore 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. Moore 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 Pocan voted to restore funds to community schools. Pocan 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. Pocan 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 D. Ryan voted not to restore funds to community schools. Ryan 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. Ryan 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 Sensenbrenner voted not to restore funds to community schools. Sensenbrenner 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. Sensenbrenner also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In WI, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in WI.
WI | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 4,132,355 | 545,796 |
Presidential Turnout | 2,964,011 | 442,562 |
Midterm Turnout | 2,402,468 | 322,558 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 561,543 | 120,004 |
Gov
Lean R: Walker - R
Sen
Likely D: Baldwin - D
House
Lean R: 01 - Open
Likely R: 06 - Grothman
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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $16,864
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 7
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.38
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 8
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $58,578
Rank of State for 2018: 15
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $16,643
Rank of State for 2017: 3
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $5,217
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 51
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: $3,154
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018: 41
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 6.6%
Rank of State for Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 41
(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 Wyoming, 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. John Barrasso voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Barrasso also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Barrasso also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Sen. Michael B. Enzi voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Enzi also voted yes on the Republican/Trump proposed budget cuts, supported the tax plan and backed Betsy DeVos’ nomination. Enzi also voted yes to ending requirements that would remove the incentive for companies to pay workers fairly and protect their health and safety.
Rep. Liz Cheney voted not to restore funds to community schools. Cheney 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. Cheney also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board that will hurt workers’ ability to organize as part of the Janus v. AFSCME attack.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In WY, 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in WY.
WY | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 371,720 | 54,123 |
Presidential Turnout | 254,753 | 30,412 |
Midterm Turnout | 171,240 | 16,268 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 83,513 | 14,144 |
Gov
Solid R: Open - R
Sen
Solid R: Barrasso - R
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 DC 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.
While educators felt most respected by colleagues, students and parents, 57 percent of DC teachers and school staff did not feel treated with respect by their local school boards. 73 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.
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 DC 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 DC said they had either “moderate” or “a great deal” of influence in setting performance standards for students. Just 19 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 DC said they are not able to get them.
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 DC, educators reported getting an average of 6.3 hours of sleep per night — less than the seven to eight nightly hours recommended for adults. DC teachers and school staff also reported an average of 19 days per month when they worked hours beyond their regular schedules.
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 22 percent of educators in DC agreed that their schools had a good mentoring program, especially for new teachers.
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 DC, 54 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
Per-Pupil Spending 2015-2016: $19,651
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 2
(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.
2015-2016 Student Teacher Ratio: 12.38
Rank of State for 2015-2016: 8
(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."
Average Teacher Pay for 2018: $76,486
Rank of State for 2018: 4
(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."
State Support for Higher Education per Full-Time Enrollees for 2017: $11,519
Rank of State for 2017: 6
(1st corresponds to highest level of state support; 51st corresponds to lowest level of state support.)
Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: $8,060
Rank of State for Cost of Higher Education, Four-Year College, for 2017-2018: 39
(1st corresponds to most expensive; 51st corresponds to least expensive.)
Cost of Higher Education, Two-Year College, for 2017-2018:
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.
Change in Tax Effort between 2008 and 2015: 2.4%
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 D.C., 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 representative vote?
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton did not vote in the decision to restore funds to community schools. Norton 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.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. In DC, voter participation dropped 42 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in DC.
DC | General Public | Millennials |
# of Unregistered Voters | 415,325 | 72,397 |
Presidential Turnout | 308,685 | 68,317 |
Midterm Turnout | 178,034 | 45,647 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | 130,651 | 22,670 |
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
We're still gathering data for this selection.
Check back at http://aft.org/map2018 after Convention.
In February 2018, Congress provided $89.3 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to help states, communities, businesses and individuals respond to and recover from recent hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters.
Much of this money is still being allocated. Here are some highlights of federal money that has been delivered so far to Puerto Rico specifically to help rebuild and recover after the hurricanes:
Education: $589 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations program, to the Puerto Rico Department of Education.
Medicaid: $4.9 billion to increase Medicaid caps for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands for two years, along with program requirements. In addition, 100 percent of the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage is applied to these funds, meaning that Puerto Rico does not need to provide its own funding to match this amount from the federal government.
Emergency Recovery: As of May 30, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance program has approved $2.2 billion to help the government of Puerto Rico and municipalities with debris removal and emergency protective measures, including:
Housing: $104 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration to finance and modernize public housing on the island.
Health: $52 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration to support health centers on the island.
While Puerto Rico does not have any election this year, we must continue to engage our members and the general public to build power for working people and fight to defend public education. And, as the island continues to recover, we cannot let those in power use the hurricane to line the pockets of their friends by giving away the resources our kids need to thrive. We can stop privatization of and disinvestment from public education in Puerto Rico.
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, we can shift power from the elite to regular working people.
As we continue to work to recover from the hurricane, we must also remember that many of our friends and family will be voting at new addresses and maybe in new states. While we may not be voting in Puerto Rico, we can call our friends and family living in the 50 states and urge them to register and vote this year in their local elections. They can help elect a Congress that treats Puerto Rico fairly and helps provide the support it needs to rebuild after Hurricane Maria. It’s part of our duty for our students' futures.
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
We're still gathering data for this selection.
Check back at http://aft.org/map2018 after Convention.
Despite investing in military construction in Guam, the Trump Administration’s budget cuts would hurt working families by decimating federal funding. His proposed budged would have included drastic cuts in discretionary spending.
Fortunately, through advocacy by AFT and others, we were able to beat back many of the cuts. For fiscal year 2018, Guam received at total of $46,839,828 in elementary and secondary education and $16,474,226 in higher education aid from the federal government.
Here are some highlights:
Elementary and Secondary Programs | |
Title I | $20,936,271 |
Title II (supporting Effective instruction) | $3,877,822 |
Impact Aid | $6,383,000 |
21st Century Grants | $1,471,992 |
Rural & Low Income | $809,126 |
Student Support/Reading Enrichment | $1,847,391 |
English Language Acquisition | $1,340,535 |
Homeless | $29,594 |
Special Education(grants to states) | $14,120,991 |
Special Education (infants and children) | $1,520,218 |
Career and Technical education | $673,150 |
Higher Education Programs | |
Federal Pell Grants | $15,700,000 |
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity | |
Grants | $250,396 |
Federal Work-Study | $526,830 |
Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants | $2,938,405 |
There are no deductibles or co-payments under the Guam Medicaid program and it does not administer a Medicare Part D Plan; the program receives an additional grant through the Enhanced Allotment Plan (EAP) which must be utilized solely for the distribution of Part D medications.
For the perod of July 1, 2011 through September 30, 2019, Guam received an additional $268,343,113 in Medicaid funding.
As of January 2015, 38,482 people are enrolled in the Medicaid and CHIP program in Guam.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in GU.
Guam | General Public |
Presidential Turnout | 35,854 |
Midterm Turnout | 37,373 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | N/A |
Gov
Open - R
House
GU-01: Bordallo - D
Leg
Guam Legistlature
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
We're still gathering data for this selection.
Check back at http://aft.org/map2018 after Convention.
In February 2018, due to advocacy by the American Federation of Teachers and other allies, Congress provided $89.3 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to help states, communities, businesses and individuals respond to and recover from recent hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters.
Much of this money is still being allocated. Here are some highlights of federal money that has been delivered so far to the U.S. Virgin Islands specifically to help rebuild and recover after the hurricanes:
Education: $13 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations program to help restart schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Medicaid: $4.9 billion to increase Medicaid caps for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands for two years, along with program requirements. In addition, 100 percent of the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage is applied to these funds, meaning that Puerto Rico does not need to provide its own funding to match this amount from the federal government.
Housing:
Emergency Recovery: The U.S. Small Businesses Administration has approved more than $515 million to homeowners, renters and business owners in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Voting historically drops off between a presidential election year and a nonpresidential election year. 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.
More than 300 AFT members nationally have stepped up and are running for office this election. There are 0 AFT members running in US VI.
US VI | General Public |
# of Unregistered Voters | 48,723 |
Presidential Turnout | 20,967 |
Midterm Turnout | 27,897 |
# of Drop-Off Voters | N/A |
Gov
Mapp - I
House
Plaskett - D
Leg
Legislature of the Virgin Islands