March 2005

VOL. 15 NO. 8

Human Dental replaced Delta Dental as the provider of dental services for administrators effective January 1, 2004. Since the change in plan provider, CCASAPE has expressed through the Unifier a number of concerns with Humana’s performance. CCASAPE and its broker, Tim DeRosa, have spent a considerable amount of time working with Humana to rectify the performance concerns. Unfortunately, Humana performance problems continue to occur for our membership.

The concerns have been primarily in two areas. First, the Humana plan specifies that preventive procedures are covered at 100%. However, there continue to be instances reported to CCASAPE where the patient has been balance billed by the provider dentist because Humana did not cover the cleaning or preventive service at the agreed upon 100%. Secondly, there have been situations where oral surgery claims are initially rejected by Humana with the member being asked by Humana to submit the claim to the medical provider, Sierra Health, for payment as a medical procedure. This practice is not correct or reflective of the contract between Humana and CCASAPE. In each instance where CCASAPE has been advised by the member of this billing practice, a correction was made by Humana. However, CCASAPE’s concern is that there may be administrators and their dependents who are being billed for oral surgeries and are paying the bill rather than calling the CCASAPE office for assistance.

In an effort to address and correct these concerns, CCASAPE has recently negotiated a performance guarantee with Humana which will result in financial penalties being assessed to the company if the identified performance level is not met. CCASAPE will continue to work with Humana to make corrections in the instances where we are aware of the underpayment. However, if you have been balance billed by a dental provider for preventive services or if Humana has refused to provide a benefit for a covered oral surgery, please contact the CCASAPE
office for assistance with processing your claim correctly.

Article 18 of the Negotiated Agreement between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees allows for the annual payment for up to five vacation days in excess of 85 as of June 30. The following procedure is being provided for your information.

Administrators will be compensated at the administrator’s daily rate of pay for up to five (5) of the vacation days in excess of 85 as of June 30. Payment will be made in the July 25 check and it is not subject to PERS payment. Administrators not desiring to be compensated for these days may stop the payment by notifying Dr. Rice on or before July 1, 2005.

Vacation days in excess of 85 as of June 30 for which compensation is not provided must be used on or before August 31, 2005, or these days will be deducted from the total vacation days on September 1, 2005. Administrators may use the vacation days earned in July and August without impacting the days in excess of 85 on June 30. Additionally, the vacation days earned in July and August are not deducted on September 1.

All administrators are reminded that personal leave must be used during the contract year that it is granted. Contracts end for secondary deans on June 10 and for all other administrators on June 30. Elementary assistant principals working in year round schools end their contract on June 30 and then work a supplemental contract during July. The use of personal leave is NOT available to year round elementary assistant principals during the month of July.

With the writing of this Unifier, the 73rd Session of the Nevada Legislature is approaching the half way point. The session opened on Monday, February 7, 2005, and is scheduled to conclude on June 6, 2005. CCASAPE has to date analyzed 121 bills. It is critical that every CCASAPE member take the time to become familiar with proposed legislation and contact legislators to convince them of the need to increase funding for K-12 education and to not pass legislation which would be harmful to administrators and to education. To assist with communication with legislators, included in the Unifier is a listing of email addresses for each legislator. Email addresses and other information may also be found at www.leg.state.nv.us.
While CCASAPE is currently tracking 105 bills, the following bills are being provided for your information at this time. If a CCASAPE position has been developed, it is listed at the conclusion of the bill. Members are encouraged to provide additional feedback to CCASAPE regarding each of the bills that are being tracked:

On March 10, 2005, the CCASAPE Representative Council held its regular monthly meeting. The major items discussed and/or actions taken during the regular meeting included the following:

1. The revenue, expenditures, and balances within the CCASAPE Association and Trust Fund Accounts were reviewed;

2. A review of the status of:

A. Negotiations – The topics of informal discussions with Dr. Rice were reviewed and an additional item related to Article 5 (Mileage) was discussed. The first work session of the CCASAPE Negotiations Committee is scheduled for March 30, 2005;

B. CCASAPE Retreat Expenditures – Total expense for the February Representative Council all day business meeting in Mesquite was $2,786.38. The expense was well below the $3500 budgeted for this activity;

C. February 15, 2005, Administrators’ Advisory Council Meeting – Agenda items and the superintendent’s discussion of those items were reviewed;

D. Salary Calculation – A written correspondence from a current Education Services principal expressing concern that a newly appointed principal in that division was continuing to receive the $2,000 secondary activity stipend from the principal’s former position as a high school assistant principal was reviewed;

E. Office Copier Replacement – A new copier for the CCASAPE office was purchased from Nevada Business Systems. Authorization for the purchase was provided at the February Representative Council meeting; and

F. CCASAPE Staff – A summary of the directions provided to the CCASAPE Executive Director at the February meeting were outlined. Items included staff evaluation procedures, development of a job description for a second full time position and for the existing CCASAPE positions, establishment of staff salary procedures, and development of a market survey to determine appropriate compensation levels for all CCASAPE staff positions;

3. New Business:

A. Legislative Update – An overview of 19 of the 51 bills that have been introduced that CCASAPE is currently tracking was provided to the Representative Council. Two major areas of emphasis for this legislative session are to prevent legislation which is harmful to education and to influence legislators to pass legislation favorable to K-12 education and educators; and

B. Humana Dental – On going performance problems with Humana Dental were reviewed. The status of CCASAPE’s effort to negotiate a performance guarantee with financial penalties was outlined;

4. Committee Reports:

A. CCAESP – Cathy Conger provided an overview of discussions recently held with Dr. Orci regarding topics of interest to elementary principals, and announced that a social was currently being planned for elementary administrators. Additionally, she reported the year round manual was being reviewed and placed online;

B. CCASSP – Beth Howe, CCASSP President, provided a report on the National Secondary Schools Principals’ conference which was recently attended by a number of CCSD administrators. Additionally, CCASSP is currently working with the CCSD on the development of new training programs for newly appointed principals;

C. Legal Committee – Cathy Conger, committee chairperson, reported there was no Legal Committee activity; and

D. Special Education Committee – Joe Murphy, CCASAPE President, reported on the discussion of a recent meeting held with Charlene Green and the Special Student Services staff. Items discussed included IDEA guidelines, aversive intervention issues, and legislative topics;

5. Executive Director’s Report – Stephen provided a review of the accountant report, the membership report, and the various CCASAPE activities and the types of assistance provided to CCASAPE members.

As you know, the Clark County School District requires that all professional organizations communicate with their members through the U.S. Postal Service rather than the CCSD mail. In order for CCASAPE to ensure that you receive its communications, it is critical that we be notified when you have a change of address. If you have moved recently, please call Debbie or Sadie in the CCASAPE office (796-9602) and provide your new address. The District should also be notified since we purchase labels from the District for our large group mailings.

On March 22, 2005, CCASAPE filed a grievance against the District for violation of Article 20-11 (Classification and Reclassification) of the Negotiated Agreement between the District and CCASAPE.

Article 20-11 was negotiated with the District and outlines the specific procedures to be followed when new positions are created and existing positions are reclassified.

CCASAPE has filed three previous grievances against the District for violations to Article 20-11, Reclassification. Included in previous resolutions, the District indicated its intent to comply with the terms of the contract that specify the implementation procedures for Administrative Reclassification. CCASAPE is concerned that the District continues to violate the Negotiated Agreement. The District’s continued violation of the Negotiated Agreement may require CCASAPE to file an unfair labor practice with the Nevada Employee Management Relations Board.

Please be reminded that any administrator planning to retire on or before June 30, 2005, (will not begin employment in the 2005-2006 school year) must schedule a meeting with the CCASAPE staff and complete the form to participate in the retiree unused sick leave payout, retiree health insurance payout, and retiree life insurance / retiree long term care programs. THE FORM MUST BE COMPLETED AND FILED WITH THE CCASAPE OFFICE PRIOR TO MAY 1, 2005, IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JUNE 2005 PAYOUT. Please call the CCASAPE office at 796-9602 if you have any questions.

Also, as a reminder, any retiring administrator who is 55 or older or who will turn 55 in the calendar year of his/her retirement will automatically have the final vacation payoff deposited in the 401(a) qualified tax deferred plan at Bencor, Inc. Participating administrators will avoid the payment of Medicare tax and will postpone and possibly reduce the payment of federal income tax.

CCASAPE has joined with staff at AIG-VALIC to schedule quarterly administrator information meetings regarding the 401(a) Plan, related investment options, and other qualified tax plans. Mr. Paul Larson in the local AIG VALIC office will be assisting administrators with various investment options associated with the 401(a) Plan. Two information meetings have been held thus far this school year. The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for May 11, 2005, at 3:45 p.m. at the CCASAPE office. Please mark your calendars now! Since space is limited, please call the CCASAPE office to reserve your seat for this important meeting.

If you have questions regarding the scheduled meeting or any aspect of the 401(a) Plan, please do not hesitate to contact the CCASAPE office or Paul Larson at VALIC, 796-0047.