The New Year is ushering in new challenges for the nation’s schools, thanks to the president’s health care law.
Following reports of schools forced to cut hours for substitute teachers, limit classes for adjunct professors, or reduce pay to manage higher costs as a result of ObamaCare, the House Education and the Workforce Committee
called for feedback from education stakeholders nationwide. Professors, teachers, and administrators are responding with stories of the hurdles they are now struggling to overcome:
In an effort to learn more about how the law is affecting students, K-12 classrooms, and college campuses, the House Education and the Workforce Committee is calling for feedback from education stakeholders nationwide. Professors, teachers, and administrators are responding with stories of the hurdles they are now struggling to overcome:
I am currently adjunct faculty at a community college and have been since 2008… The courses I teach total 10 credits per semester… I have been informed that I cannot carry that load because it puts me over the hours and makes me full-time. – Cathy, Arizona
At our community college district we have many employees working without benefits who prefer to work, sometimes part time hours…and do not need health benefits from their employment. We are now having to restrict their hours more to comply with [the health care law] and we end up hiring more [part-] time workers to get the work done. This impacts our ability to properly serve students. – Kate, California
Many of our affiliate faculty have been disappointed to find their course loads restricted. It also hurts the university because we must now have a wider pool of affiliates teaching fewer courses that previously were taught by trusted affiliates on a regular basis. – Mellani, Colorado
I received word today that my teaching load for the rest of the school year will be cut by four credits--a difference of thousands of dollars in my paycheck. Because this non-profit school cannot afford to offer health care to its adjunct faculty, we are now limited to teaching 18 credits per school year. – Helienna, Minnesota
The insurance rates for my tiny district will increase by almost 60% for the coming year…The size of the increase will either destroy our budget or it will cut our benefits to the point where the staff will have a shell of previous insurance. – Phillip, Missouri
ObamaCare is raising costs for my school…Obviously this cost is going to ultimately be on students and the citizens of Pennsylvania. Students' hours are also being cut. – Rami, Pennsylvania
Feedback from educators, students, and administrators is crucial to understanding how ObamaCare is affecting our education system. As Chairman Kline recently said, “We need to hear from the American people – in their own words – how the health care law is changing their everyday lives.” To share #YourStory visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov/YourStory or e-mail the committee at TellYourStory@mail.house.gov.
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