[BHS Etree] PTSA: Interview with new BFT President, former BHS teacher

[BHS Etree]

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PTSA Interview with Matt Meyer, new BFT president, former BHS teacher

Last spring, Matt Meyer, who taught 12th grade macroeconomics and government at Berkeley High for over 12 years, was elected president of the Berkeley Federation of Teachers (BFT). This fall he successfully negotiated their new contract and salary increases, which are dependent upon the passage of a new measure on the March 2020 ballot.

How did you come to teach at Berkeley High?

My first 3 years of teaching were in Washington DC. I taught 9th grade at a charter school with a good mission but it wasn’t happening. Teacher turnover was 50% every year and teachers had no voice in decision-making. In 2006, after moving to California, I came to BHS to teach seniors completely different subjects than I’d taught before. I had great mentors at Berkeley High and the principal was very helpful. Within 3 years I was a teacher leader in BIHS. Without the mentorship of veteran teachers at BHS, I would not have become the leader that I am today. 

How do teacher leaders impact a school site?

More is needed than just having teachers who have mastered pedagogy in the classroom. Schools need teachers who’ve made their careers in teaching in order to develop new teachers and leadership at a given site. Having worked in a school with a high rate of teacher turnover, I know what it’s like to start from scratch every year. You’re constantly re-inventing the wheel. You don’t make any progress toward your long term goals for your school or your students. Teachers are critical to maintaining a vision for the school and keeping students and equity at the center of decisions.

At this time how big of an issue is teacher turnover in BUSD? 

Teacher turnover is higher, but what is more striking is that we’ve had difficulty hiring new teachers. This has been most acutely felt in Special Education. But we’ve had trouble hiring across all subject areas, and it’s even harder to attract teachers of color. Hiring mid-year is pretty much impossible.

What's been the impact of all the changes in the District office?

Having a new superintendent and new people in decision making roles is an opportunity to rethink and rebuild structures that focus on teaching and learning while creating more efficiencies. New people have brought a fresh perspective. I don’t think our Special Education wins in the new contract would have happened otherwise. We were able to get better traction because everyone agreed on the problems to solve and the methods to solve them.

How will this revise Special Education at Berkeley High?

Berkeley High Special Ed case managers are going to have smaller caseloads; they will decrease over the next 3 years. Also there will be a limit on the number of assessments case managers do each year which will allow them to be able to work more directly with students and more closely with teachers. Caseload and assessment limits translate to having more Special Ed teacher positions which will bring about improvements in working conditions and student support.  

Is Berkeley’s ballot measure to fund educator salaries unprecedented?

No, other districts have done this. San Francisco has passed one, so has Oakland, and like us, Alameda is putting one on their March 2020 ballot. School parcel taxes, like BSEP, have typically provided funding to create programs and hire teachers for them or to have smaller class sizes. They’re great progress, but they don’t pay for necessary salary increases which are needed to keep our great teachers in our district. 

How is it that Berkeley teachers are now among the lowest paid in the Bay Area?

The State’s education funding formula doesn’t factor in a District’s location or higher need. Because Berkeley is more affluent than many surrounding districts, it doesn’t get California’s Concentration Grant funding. Districts like Oakland and West Contra Costa receive more money per student than we do because of their higher percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged students. The money goes into their General Fund, and over time they can better compensate their teachers. 

In a nutshell, what’s in the new measure?
 
This measure will mostly go towards employee compensation allowing BUSD employees to be on par with compensation in surrounding districts. Also, a small amount of money will go directly to recruiting and retaining teachers in hard to staff areas.

There are 3 school measures on the March ballot, what are the other 2?

Our school bond measures pay for improvements to facilities for a 10 year period. At Berkeley High, the expiring bond measure paid for the M building, A building improvements, the new sports fields and the bleachers, essentially everything south of Donahue Gym. Although the School Board has not voted yet, the next bond measure could pay to fix the heating in the C building and to renovate the Little Theater. The maintenance parcel tax is a renewal that pays for the cost of maintaining the District’s buildings. If it doesn’t pass, around $7 million a year budget hole will be created that the General Fund will have to absorb.

How can BHS benefit from having one of its teachers become the BFT president?

Berkeley High is a mini city. I have a deep understanding of how Berkeley High works. I know where the issues are. I’ve already worked on many as a teacher leader and as the BFT vice president.  I understand the politics and have many preexisting relationships which allows me to jump on a problem quickly without any learning curve.  

Are there any specific goals you hope to accomplish at BHS?

I am working with Site Reps to build union power at BHS to improve teacher voice in decision-making and increase activism locally and state-wide towards the goal of getting  our schools appropriately funded so we can best meet our students’ needs and make sure they are getting the best education possible.

Thanks Matt, best of luck with the upcoming campaign and any future negotiations.

At its November meeting, the PTSA voted to endorse all three ballot measures. 
You can donate to the campaign at this link: committeeforberkeleypublicschools.org <http://committeeforberkeleypublicschools.org/>
Contact this committee to help on the campaign: committeeforberkeleypublicschools.org <http://committeeforberkeleypublicschools.org/>

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