Little Rock, Arkansas– Today the Arkansas State Teachers Association (ASTA), the state's largest non-union teachers association released a member survey about the rising cost of health care in the state for public school teachers. Survey results show that many of Arkansas' teachers are experiencing financial hardship over the projected 20% increase in health care costs.
While policymakers champion new and innovative ideas to improve education in the state, it's critical that educators' opinions and experiences are taken into account as these reforms are considered and implemented. In order to attract and retain quality educators in the state, Arkansas must strike a delicate balance between education reform, quality of life for educators, and efficient funding. As a member-driven organization, ASTA brings an authentic teacher voice to this critical dialogue, rendering valuable input from well-informed teachers across the state.
"This member survey provides an authentic look at the cost of being an educator in the state," stated ASTA Executive Director Dr. Michele Ballentine-Linch. "Our respected professionals deserve innovative pay structures that provide quality benefits and rewards for their success."
With regard to cost of health care and district contributions, ASTA members stress their financial hardships under the current system and call for equity among state employees:
- A majority of those surveyed believe public school employees should not be asked to pay more than 10-15% of the actual premium cost.
- A majority of respondents report the percentage deducted from their take home pay for health care premiums is 20-40%. The range was 1%-85%. The smaller the district, the greater cost for health care premiums.
- A common theme from the comments was the expressed concern that districts had not raised salaries in 2-4 years, yet health care premiums had risen each year.
- Arkansas's two-parent educator families and single parent homes appear to be taking some of the biggest hits and there were many reported cases of children having to be dropped from insurance plans.
The issue of rising health care costs in Arkansas is particularly timely. According to a legislative panel facilitated by the Arkansas Public Resource Center (APSRC) on October 30, 2012, policymakers indicated that the state would reach a point where the "cost of health care premiums would impact our ability to hire and retain quality teachers." Based on the ASTA survey, 65% of member respondents agreed that the state has already reached this point.
According to survey commentary, take-home pay will be cut considerably under the current system. "Our district doesn't contribute anything. This is one reason our secondary schools can't retain qualified teachers, especially those with math and science degrees," remarked one educator. "These teachers find employment in the private sector or other districts who offer better salaries and benefits."
In order to retain and attract quality education employees, this issue needs to be addressed at the state level as soon as possible. Public school employees are currently not classified as true state employees and are given only a fraction of the state's contribution into health care premiums. There has been no increase in health benefit contributions from the state since 2004 for public school employees.
"Because of the critical role public school employees play in the economic development and sustainability of this state, investing in the health and well-being of our teachers and other school employees, in a fair and equitable manner, will be of great benefit to the state of Arkansas," stressed Dr. Ballentine-Linch.
Click here to view the results of the full survey.
The Arkansas State Teachers Association is a statewide non-union, professional educator organization advancing the profession by offering a modern approach to teacher representation and educational advocacy while promoting professionalism, collaboration and excellence without a partisan agenda. ASTA, a state chapter of the Association of American Educators, is the fastest growing professional education association in Arkansas and provides benefits, viewed by many educators as critical, including liability insurance, professional development, advocacy, access to legal resources and scholarships and grants. www.astapro.org
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