CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the WVEA holding its annual state conference in Charleston this weekend, funding for PEIA remains a top concern among state educators.
There’s still no budget for the coming fiscal year, so as it stands the PEIA is being forced to consider what it called “draconian” cuts to make up for a $120 million shortfall.
“The average family plan will face a 12.5 % percent pay cut due to increases if the proposed plan goes through without help,” said Independence Middle School teacher Fred Farris.
The proposed cuts would mean higher out-of-pocket costs for members and increased premiums for retirees, something that Jessica Morgan, a young teacher at Princeton Middle School, said would throw off her tight budget.
“I’m on a single plan. My deductible alone is going to go up $500 if this goes through,” she said. “I’m still paying student loans; I’m still paying for the education I got to become an educator.”
Morgan said many of her friends in teaching have left the Mountain State or are searching for jobs elsewhere for better insurance coverage, but she hoped not to do that.
“Not at the moment. I love West Virginia. I was born and raised in West Virginia, educated (here) at Concord University,” she said. “I don’t want to leave. I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Other topics at the this year’s conference will include more effectively administering the Smarter Balanced Assessment, which is entering its second year, and school calendar issues due to inclement weather.