PROTECTING EDUCATOR PREP AND PLANNING TIME

September 15, 2022

Thanks to FEA advocacy, DoDEA educators will be provided dedicated time to complete Mandatory Annual Training outside of planning time and other essential work time for educators.

By Wednesday, September 14th, DoDEA Director Tom Brady had issued memos to the Directors of Student Excellence in the Pacific, Europe and Stateside areas, telling them to designate time within the Duty Day for mandatory trainings on topics such as the DoDEA Records Management and No Fear Act. A total of six hours are to be provided for the mandatory training, but Director Brady has now told management the time cannot come out of preparation and planning periods or the pre-instructional and post-instructional time.

After significant advocacy from FEA President Brian Chance, the DoDEA Director has instructed his Area offices to provide the dedicated time for mandatory training. These collaboration periods will be within the Duty Day, during time normally used for focused collaboration. School principals will let educators know when these trainings will be scheduled.

Director Brady’s memo stipulates that:

“The six (6) hours must be provided during the dedicated time typically used for Focused Collaboration, faculty meetings, professional learning activities or other approved release time, as appropriate. Educator planning time, preparational time or time normally spent supporting end-of-day dismissal activities should not be used for Mandatory Training.”

Additionally, Director Brady’s memo to the Areas stipulates that if educators have already completed this training for this school year, they can use these new time blocks for planning time.

FEA asks our members to inform your Division or Country leaders if mandatory trainings continue to be scheduled inappropriately.

FEA continues to advocate that all educators are provided dedicated training time that does not conflict with class preparation, and that all trainings are useful for employees in providing an excellent education to students.