I’m at the Tiverton School Committee meeting, and three of our General Assembly representatives are reporting on goings on at the State House: Rep. Jay Edwards, Sen. Walter Felag, and Senator Louis DiPalma. Some highlights of interest to Anchor Rising readers:

• During pension discussion Superintendent Bill Rearick mentioned that the savings on teacher pensions last year are swinging the other way, with an 18% increase, this year, and other municipalities should expect the same.
• Edwards has heard that binding arbitration for teachers’ unions is back on the table, this year.
• He has also heard that a statewide teacher contract is also making its way toward the legislature.
• DiPalma noted that the union-heavy healthcare consolidation committee will be putting forth its recommendations in June. (For information about why that’s bad see here.
• Edwards further noted that he believes House Speaker Gordon Fox Majority Leader Nicholas Mattiello to be “conservative” on issues related to teachers’ unions.

ADDENDUM:
This is barely related, but I”m squirming in my seat, so I’ve got to express the thought to somebody. After an administrative presentation of the high school’s activities related to New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation, the committee is discussing all of the factors related to all of the usual priorities of education: academics, civic awareness, and so on. All well and good, but I can’t help but wonder what this has to do with 31% proficiency in math and 21% proficiency in math.
Everybody’s very animated and interested in the discussion of how to provide a “21st Century Education,” but I think the tendency is to skip past the basics.
ADDENDUM II:
Per Mr. Edwards’s correction in the comment section, I’ve corrected the last bullet point above. See here for elaboration and video.