FORD ENDS MSTA TERM

Increased membership, helping lead an aggressive campaign against Amendment 7 and forging a better retirement package for teachers are among Doris Ford's accomplishments as Missouri State Teachers Association president.

When Ford, who is a teacher at Clippard Elementary School, talks about any of these achievements, however, she uses the word we.

"As president, I felt it was important that we not lose any members, because that happens when you have dues," Ford said. "We increased membership 6.5 percent and, as of last Saturday, now have two delegates from Southeast Missouri instead of one."

Ford officially completed her reign as president on Nov. 5, when a new president, Louetta Floyd, of Carthage was named her successor.

One reason membership increased is the new $1 million liability insurance that was offered this year. An increase in the minimum monthly benefit for retirees with 25 years or more of service has also become a key issue that lured new members into the fold.

"In the past, teachers who worked for 25 years retired with only $600 to live on," Ford said. "We increased that to $800, which could become the difference of someone paying for utilities or finding a better place to live."

The bill also gives authority to the Public School Retirement System to increase the contribution rate to 11.5 percent.

A bill, which is called SB757, clarifies language concerning buy-back of work experience for vocational-technical teachers. It also allows the buy-back of up to three years of private school teaching.

Fighting Amendment 7 was yet another important project, Ford said.

"Amendment 7 would make us vote on Proposition C again, which is something voters already passed in the early '80s," Ford said. "MSTA membership raised over $70,000 of its own money to try to defeat Amendment 7."

The money was used, in part, for television and radio advertising. However, most of the money was used to distribute 200,000 brochures, 90,000 yard signs, 100,000 buttons, 30,000 bumper stickers and 700 videos throughout the state.

According to a fiscal analysis by James Moody, former state budget director, the state government would be forced to refund $516.7 million for fiscal year 1995 and $507 million for fiscal year 1996 if Hancock II passed.

Ford also helped work on a cleanup bill that clears up some of the loopholes in Senate Bill 380. MSTA responded to members' concerns about money available for teacher salaries by pushing for better salary security.

Now, in SB676, teachers are also guaranteed a percentage of revenue growth with no expiration date. In most districts that should translate into continued growth in the money available for teacher salaries and benefits.

"What SB676 does is define the money that may be used for capital projects," Ford said. After the money is separated from the rest of a school district's budget, a percentage of revenue growth is to be added to the non-administrative, certified staff's compensation.

Ford said, "The MSTA has been actively involved in what happens in the legislature, which is how it is supposed to work. The more teachers who become involved in this, the better our chances of opposing bills that need clearing up or changing."