June 12, 2008
Representative Margaret Kaiser Helps Charters Compete For The Best Teachers
Representative Margaret Kaiser of Georgia is a DFER hero for her tenacious support of House Bill 1277, which enables charter school teachers to be eligible for Georgia’s health care plan. House Bill 1277 passed the General Assembly two years ago, but was then vetoed by Governor Sonny Perdue. Still, Representative Kaiser persisted and reintroduced the bill earlier this year. It passed on May 13, 2008, and will go into effect in July.
House Bill 1277 is a huge step forward for charter schools in Georgia. It allows charters to compete with other public schools for the best teachers by allowing teachers to receive the same level of health care as their public school counterparts. Additionally, the state funding is a big boon to the charters, who would have otherwise had to dig into their own resources to provide health care for faculty.
Rep. Kaiser has always been an active voice in progressive education. She was a founding member of the Neighborhood Charter School in Atlanta in 2002. The elementary school has a unique take on early education, offering a “constructivist” educational philosophy that promotes human interaction and participation.
Rep. Kaiser was recently appointed by George Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson to serve on the House Study Committee on Georgia's Pre-K Program. Keep up the good work, Rep. Kaiser!
