COVID-19, teacher retention, state literacy act discussed at legislative forum

If and when a vaccine for COVID-19 becomes available in the state of Alabama, several state legislators from Jefferson County won’t vote for it to be mandated for schoolchildren and teachers.

“It would be hard for me to believe the people of Alabama would accept a mandated vaccine,” said state Rep. David Wheeler, whose comments were echoed by state Rep. David Faulkner, state Rep. Jim Carns, state Sen. Dan Roberts and state Sen. Jabo Waggoner.

The legislators talked about several issues, including a possible vaccine, at the annual PTO Legislative Forum, held by the PTOs of Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook on Nov. 17.

Wheeler and other representatives said they don’t believe the state legislature would pass any sort of law mandating a vaccine for students or teachers.

The novel coronavirus dominated much of the conversation during the forum. One PTO representative asked if the legislature would consider not basing teacher funding on average daily membership, as is usually done, because of the impact on those numbers by COVID-19. Roberts said the state could look at other states’ plans, trying to come up with a solution. The legislature will also deal with broadband access and ensuring students are logging into virtual learning if they are receiving their education virtually.

The funding of school nurses was also discussed. A PTO representative said there currently isn’t enough funding for a nurse in every school in the state.

Faulkner said the state put $34 million toward a school nurse in each school system, and said more funding is needed, though the answer isn’t more legislation, but simply more money. 

Waggoner said he suggested schools using the CARES Act funding to pay for more nurses but said State Superintendent Eric Mackey opposed that move.

The possible expansion of school funding was discussed, with legislators being asked about whether a higher percentage of the state’s online sales tax revenue should go toward the education trust fund. Currently, of the 50% of the total amount of that revenue that goes toward state funds, 25% of that amount goes into the education trust fund, with the other 75% going into the general fund. The other 50% of total online sales tax revenues is disbursed to counties and cities.

“That’s really a local issue,” Faulkner said.

Faulkner said cities and counties can use their portion of revenue for their school system if they so desire. As online tax revenues continue to rise with the pandemic, schools could benefit from those growing revenues.

Next, the legislators discussed the retention and recruitment of teachers, with Faulkner saying he supported the Tier III retirement system, as opposed to the current Tier I and Tier II system, which mandates teachers to work longer before receiving retirement. That, plus the high cost of higher education and the lower starting salaries of teachers, makes it hard to recruit, Faulkner said.

“All of us know teacher retention is going down,” Waggoner said.

Carns said it’s important to fully fund the state’s retirement system.

While $30 million was given toward funding the Alabama Literacy Act, which calls for schools to offer summer school for K-2 students in need of reading help for 70 hours by certified teachers, Faulkner said the state should continue to increase funding.

Also in the area of funding, several of the legislators agreed there is a need for mental health help in schools, with Carns saying it will be a great need in rural areas where some families cannot afford outside help.

Lastly, the legislators discussed the idea of open enrollment, a form of school choice where students can go to whichever school they want. Roberts said it’s still being evaluated, but school systems should know whether they could handle that and be able to decide whether to accept those students. Faulkner added if that was allowed, it could overwhelm well-regarded school systems such as Vestavia and Mountain Brook.