2008 Briefing Book

Early childhood education. Healthy students. Quality teaching. Comprehensive learning. Testing and accountability. Students with disabilities. English Language Learners. Parent-Family-Community involvement. Class size. Before- and afterschool programs. Modern schools. Charter schools. Career and technical education. Rural education. College affordability. Health care. Penalties for public service.

These are some of the education-related issues that deserve our attention in this fall’s election. Find out where NEA stands on these issues in the 2008 Campaign Briefing Book.

• Healthy Students - Children need a broad array of services so they are ready to learn every day at school. (, 2 pp) 
• Early Childhood Education - The benefits of quality early childhood education are significant and long lasting. (, 2 pp)
• Quality Teaching - Research has proven what most teachers have always understood -- that what teachers know and can do are among the most significant influences on student learning. (, 2 pp)
• Comprehensive Learning - All students should have access to a rigorous, comprehensive curriculum that includes preparation for the skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. (, 2 pp) 
• Testing and Accountability - Accountability and assessment systems should focus on improving student learning. Tests should be used to identify student needs, monitor progress, and inform instruction to help close achievement gaps rather than to label and punish students and schools. (, 2 pp)
• Students with Disabilities - Access to a free, quality education is the key to the uniquely American promise of equal opportunity for all. (, 2 pp)
• English Language Learners - Improving the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) is a big job that requires collaboration and commitment, starting with schools of education that must better prepare all teachers to work effectively with this booming student population. (, 2 pp) 
• Parent Involvement - Parent-family-community involvement is a key to addressing the school dropout crisis. (, 2 pp)
• Class Size The number of students in a classroom can make a real difference for students. While the cost can be considerable, the cost of not reducing class size is even greater. (, 1 pp)
• Afterschool Programs - For students who need extra support to be successful academically, what happens before and after school can be as important as what happens during the school day. (, 2 pp)
• Rural Education - Rural schools need help. Students in rural schools deserve equal access to academic supports, and these schools need the fiscal resources to make investments to improve the quality of education within rural communities and states. (, 2 pp) 
• School Modernization - The average age of America’s public schools is close to 50 years – and it shows. America’s public schools are in desperate need of repair and renovation. Communities need federal support to repair, rehabilitate, and modernize school buildings. (, 2 pp)
• Charters - Even though more than a million students in 40 states now attend some 4,000 charter schools, the jury is still out on whether this is an effective school improvement strategy. (, 2 pp)
• Career and Technical Education - Funding for career and technical education (CTE) is the largest source of federal funding for high schools and a critical source of program support money to community colleges. (, 2 pp) 
• College Affordability - The soaring cost of higher education is closing the door of opportunity to millions of young Americans.   (, 2 pp)
• Health Care  - It is not hard to understand families’ struggle to pay for health care, with premiums rising faster than wages and inflation, and with employers shifting ever-greater out-of-pocket costs to plan members. (, 2 pp)
• Social Security  - Two little-known sections of the Social Security Act penalize people who have dedicated their lives to public service by taking away benefits they have EARNED. (, 2 pp) 

Download the entire Briefing Book as PDF