CEA has been working on your behalf for months to get the administration to make needed changes to the LLI program, specifically at the kindergarten level.

In the fall, CEA filed a grievance. We prevailed, but the administration did not comply with the relief granted. So, in January, CEA hired an outside facilitator and convened two meetings, bringing together teachers, instructional assistants (IAs), tutors and the reading supervisor. Each participant was asked to respond to four questions about the LLI program. The facilitator then brought them together for focus-group discussions about the training and implementation processes. We found that the LLI program was implemented in as many ways as there were schools.

Finally, at our last Joint Labor-Management Committee meeting, the administration agreed to make changes to the LLI program that will support teachers and kindergarten instructional assistants. These are the agreements:

* Train kindergarten teachers and IAs together
* Respond timely to requests for materials
* Copy lessons early in the year and make them available
* Provide implementation support, including hiring highly trained hourly teachers and TOSAs where needed
* Collaborate at all levels, from the basics through college and career readiness

We thank our elementary personnel for hanging in there as we worked to get changes that benefit students and are fair to adults. We also thank the administration for working with us to improve implementation of this program, which will help our students considerably.