November 18, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we strongly urge you to VOTE YES on the Reid and Byrd Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

As educators, NEA members are witnessing the impacts of the economic crisis firsthand. Schools are seeing record numbers of students who are homeless or poor enough to qualify for free school meals, and record numbers of students needing donated backpacks and school supplies, because their families cannot afford to buy them. Rising fuel costs are forcing school districts to take drastic measures, including trimming or eliminating bus service, cutting all field trips, and shortening the school week. Some states have already been forced to layoff school staff.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, at least 41 states faced or are facing shortfalls in their budgets for this and/or next year. Over half the states had already cut spending, used reserves, or raised revenues in order to adopt a balanced budget for the current fiscal year. Now, their budgets have fallen out of balance again. New gaps have opened up in the budgets of at least 31 states plus the District of Columbia just four months after they struggled to close the largest budget shortfalls seen since the recession of 2001. And these problems are expected to continue into next year. At least 16 states are cutting or proposing to cut K-12 and early education; several of them are also reducing access to child care and early education, and at least 21 states have implemented or proposed cuts to public colleges and universities.

The Reid and Byrd Economic Recovery Act would help address these urgent needs, including by providing:

• $37.8 billion to reduce the States' share of Medicaid costs by increasing the Federal share by eight percent. Such an increase is a proven, effective way to provide relief to states and protect the health care of millions of Americans.
  
• Job creation through investments in infrastructure, including school construction. The package includes $2.5 billion for school construction, an amount that would create tens of thousands of jobs.
  
• An extension of unemployment assistance to those who have exhausted their benefits.
  
• Increases in food stamp benefits and other nutrition assistance for families struggling to survive in the face of rapidly rising food prices.
  
• Funds for job training, including $600 million for youth training and dislocated workers, $200 million for the Community Services Block Grant, and $36 million for homeless education. These funds would provide 160,000 dislocated workers and youth with education, training, counseling, and job search assistance.

Again, we strongly urge your support for this package.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

November 13, 2008

Dear Senator:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge the Senate to take immediate action on pending pension protection technical corrections legislation.

NEA regularly advocates for the strengthening of the employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plan system. That system is now in crisis as a result of the combined impact of the dramatic market downturn and the implementation of the new funding rules imposed by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 ("PPA"), which are now beginning to go into effect. The current financial crisis not only impacts workers today, but also will have severe, short-term negative effects on the pension plans in which they participate, reducing benefits, undermining retirement security, and, if prompt action is not taken, causing significant job loss and impairing the national economic recovery.

If Congress does not intercede, NEA anticipates that benefit accruals provided through numerous defined benefit plans will be frozen in the coming year. Further, the immediate funding burden in some cases is likely to be sufficiently great to cause layoffs of many sponsors' employees, and even the bankruptcy of the sponsor. Smaller the employers with mature workforces are likely to be the hardest hit. To avoid these results, it is necessary to delay or modify the new PPA rules that are preventing plan sponsors from appropriately addressing - over a reasonable period of time - the funding implications of the recent severe and ongoing plunge in the market value of plan assets. Specifically, we urge the Senate to:

Delay the effective date of the PPA funding rules . Although there are a number of transition rules, the PPA funding rules generally went into effect for plan years beginning after 2007. This means that for most plans the rules relating to the new funding obligations are just now starting to take effect. By delaying those rules by two years - generally to plan years beginning on or after 2009 and adding two years to each of the transition rule effective dates - plan sponsors would be able to continue to fund their plans using the more flexible pre-PPA rules. Those pre-PPA funding rules would allow plan actuaries to take into account the current higher corporate interest rates in measuring the value of the plan's pension obligations, and to reflect a longer-term actuarial value of the plan's assets rather than the current severely depressed market values.

Modify the PPA funding rules --

To permit flexible funding elections for the next two years . Under PPA, plans are required to adopt a consistent funding method from year to year. Thus, if the plan actuary measured liabilities based on a 24-month yield curve average, the plan would not be permitted to measure liabilities on a spot yield curve in 2009 to take advantage of the recent spike in interest rates, without IRS approval. To address the unprecedented market conditions that plans are facing, plan actuaries should be permitted to change funding methods without IRS approval for plan years beginning before 2011.

To permit assets to be smoothed without limitation for the next two years . Under PPA, asset smoothing is permitted over 24 months and is limited to 10 percent of the market value. Prior to PPA, assets could be smoothed over 48 months limited to 20 percent of the market value. The pre-PPA rules on smoothing should be extended for plan years beginning before 2011. Further, PPA should be clarified to ensure that asset "smoothing" is available in all circumstances rather than the asset averaging concept described in recent IRS guidance, which would systematically undervalue plan assets.

To apply the transition rules even if the phased-in funding target is not obtained in 2009 . To take advantage of the PPA transition rules, a plan must satisfy a phased-in funding level of 94 percent in 2009. Because the recent market upheavals will make it difficult for many plans to attain a 94 percent funding level, the transition rules should be available to plans even if they do not satisfy the phase-in funding level for 2009. Further, for future years, funding level targets should be measured based on the previous year-end asset values.

To extend amortization of losses incurred in 2008 . Under PPA, losses may be amortized only over seven years. Losses incurred during 2008 should be permitted to be amortized over 10 years. Further, employer contributions designed to offset 2008 plan losses, which would otherwise cause benefits to be restricted under PPA rules, should be permitted to be taken into account for minimum funding purposes.

We also urge the Senate to make a needed technical correction to the PPA to ensure restrictions aimed at issues in the ERISA plan setting do not impose benefit cuts on employees in governmental defined benefit plans. Specifically, we strongly support a needed statutory clarification to ensure rates of interest established by or in accordance with State or local laws are treated as permissible methods of crediting interest.

At issue is a requirement in the PPA stipulating that in order to comply with age discrimination laws the rate of interest used by a defined benefit plan can be no greater than a "market rate of return."  This cap is aimed at issues that arise under ERISA. In the public plan setting - where benefit protections and plan designs are quite different - the application of an interest rate cap would cut employee benefits, may actually conflict with State and local benefit guarantees, and also undermine efforts to preserve underlying defined benefit features.

Most governmental pension plans credit interest in some fashion, whether on refunds of contributions, deferred retirement option plans (DROPs), survivor benefits, or other optional forms of benefit common in public sector plans. These plan features are set through public law to achieve different objectives. In some cases, the structure was designed to protect public plan participants from the ravages of inflation or downside investment risk, in others to allow members to share in the investment gains of the plan. Many apply solely to optional ancillary provisions added to provide flexibility or accommodate the needs of short-service employees while safeguarding the traditional pension as the primary plan benefit. Nevertheless, State statutes and/or local ordinances guaranteeing numerous types of interest credit, including set, underlying or minimum rates of return, could be in excess of a new federal limitation in any particular year.

Finally, we urge the Senate to protect multiemployer pension plans from insupportable contribution increases that could lead to the loss of covered jobs and devastating cuts in workers' pensions Specifically, we support amending ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code, as amended by the PPA to

• Give each multiemployer pension plan the option to elect to "freeze" its current funding zone certification status (including funding improvement plans and rehabilitation plans) through the end of the 2011 plan year;
  
• Provide for limited recognition of current market losses (and future market gains) in plan status determinations by amending the technical rules to require actuaries to base the projections on the actuarial value of assets as used for plan funding and temporarily expand the IRS- mandated restriction on the extent to which the smoothed actuarial value of assets can deviate from market values; and
  
• Add 5 years to the correction period - the Funding Improvement or Rehabilitation Period for a multiemployer plan that is in Critical or Endangered Status (Red or Yellow Zone), and provide that each such plan that has a pre-PPA amortization extension is deemed to meet any requirement of that extension that is based in whole or part on the value of plan assets.

These changes are essential to help employers deal with the extraordinary crisis in investment markets.

Thank you for your immediate attention to these urgent matters.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

October 2, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support the Senate-passed version of H.R.1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, because it addresses issues critically important to children and public education. As part of legislation addressing the nation's fiscal crisis, this bill would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for classroom supplies educators buy with their own money, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) for school modernization, the Child Tax Credit, and provide mental health parity.

Specifically, we are concerned about:

• Substantial and devastating funding cuts for 4,400 rural schools in 42 states. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program, created in 2000 to ensure a consistent funding stream for rural schools near national forests, has already expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund the program immediately has already resulted in school closings and further curtailed essential educational services.
  
  
• Making it possible for educators to continue purchasing essential classroom supplies with their own money. Educators are spending more of their own money each year to buy pencils, glue, scissors, facial tissues, and other essential classroom supplies. Most recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent an average of $826 for supplies and $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
  
• Meeting the pressing need for renovation, repairs, and 21st century technology in disadvantaged communities through the QZAB program. QZABs are an efficient and cost-effective financing mechanism in urban and rural areas alike. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
  
• Extending the Child Tax Credit to working families who don't earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many are young families, simultaneously struggling to make a living and care for their children.
  
  
• Providing mental health parity. One in five Americans-children as well as adults-suffers from a mental or brain-based illness, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Access to great public schools is a basic right for every child. By the same token, every child deserves the chance for a healthy start in life, including treatment for mental as well as physical conditions that impair the ability to learn and succeed in school.

NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely to be sure these critical issues are addressed. We urge Congress to act on them now.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

October 1, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association’s (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support H.R.1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, because it addresses issues critically important to children and public education. As part of legislation addressing the nation’s fiscal crisis, this bill would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for classroom supplies educators buy with their own money, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) for school modernization, the Child Tax Credit, and provide mental health parity.

Specifically, we are concerned about:

• Substantial and devastating funding cuts for 4,400 rural schools in 42 states. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program, created in 2000 to ensure a consistent funding stream for rural schools near national forests, has already expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund the program immediately has already resulted in school closings and further curtailed essential educational services.
  
  
• Making it possible for educators to continue purchasing essential classroom supplies with their own money. Educators are spending more of their own money each year to buy pencils, glue, scissors, facial tissues, and other essential classroom supplies. Most recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent an average of $826 for supplies and $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
  
• Meeting the pressing need for renovation, repairs, and 21st century technology in disadvantaged communities through the QZAB program. QZABs are an efficient and cost-effective financing mechanism in urban and rural areas alike. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
  
• Extending the Child Tax Credit to working families who don’t earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many are young families, simultaneously struggling to make a living and care for their children.
  
  
• Providing mental health parity. One in five Americans—children as well as adults—suffers from a mental or brain-based illness, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Access to great public schools is a basic right for every child. By the same token, every child deserves the chance for a healthy start in life, including treatment for mental as well as physical conditions that impair the ability to learn and succeed in school.

NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely to be sure these critical issues are addressed. We urge Congress to act on them now.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

October 20, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our support for the Citizen's Educational Equity Commission Act. We thank you for your leadership in introducing this bill, which provides a much needed focus on inequities in the education provided by different schools within states, counties, and even within a single school district.

As you know, eliminating educational disparities is critical to ensuring all students a great public school and the opportunity to excel. Simply put, students' ability to succeed should not depend on where they live. Rather, all children should have access to rigorous academic curricula, smaller classes, quality teachers, up-to-date textbooks and technology, and other needed elements of a quality education.

By empowering The Citizens' Educational Equity Commission to gather insights and public opinions about how the government can improve education, your bill will help move toward reducing and eliminating funding disparities. We thank you for your leadership on this important issue and look forward to continuing to work with you in support of great public schools.

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

October 8, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we thank you for the opportunity to submit comments regarding issues under the Higher Education Act to be considered for action by negotiating committees.

The National Education Association has a strong interest in a range of issues relating to the Higher Education Act. We will be submitting under separate cover at the appropriate time a formal request to participate in the negotiated rulemaking, given the importance to our members of the issues outlined below. We would particularly like to be at the table to provide input on provisions that affect our educator members, student members and prospective members.

We also have an interest in working with the Department on issues outside the scope of this rulemaking that impact not only our higher education faculty and student members, but the millions of NEA members personally impacted by higher education issues in their own families or in their role in k-12 education. We have provided some additional detail on some of these issues at the end of these comments.

Issues for Negotiated Rulemaking

Teacher Quality Partnership Grants
We have a strong interest in this new program, which authorizes the Secretary to award competitive five-year grants to partnerships that include a high-need local educational agency, a high-need school or consortium of high-need schools, an institution of higher education, its school of education as well as its school of arts and sciences, and a "public or private educational organization." Of particular interest are the requirements of these new partnerships relative to teacher preparation programs, teaching residency programs, mentoring, induction, the roles of faculty, schools that host clinical experiences, and numerous others.

Collective Bargaining Rights
The law includes a "savings clause" to protect collective bargaining rights under the provisions of Title II. Implementation of this provision is of great interest to NEA.

Adjunct Teacher Corps
A new Adjunct Teacher Corps program is authorized in Title II. The Secretary is authorized to award competitive grants, for not longer than five years, to LEAs or other eligible entities "to identify, recruit, and train qualified individuals with subject matter expertise in mathematics, science, or critical foreign languages to serve as adjunct content specialists." The law stipulates that such specialists are "not the primary providers of instructional services to a student, unless the adjunct content specialist is under the direct supervision of a teacher…" This is a program of great concern to NEA

Preparing General Education Teachers to More Effectively Educate Students with Disabilities
These new five-year, competitive "Teach to Reach" grants would be awarded to eligible partnerships to improve the preparation of general education teacher candidates to ensure that they "possess the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively instruct students with disabilities in general education classrooms."

Graduate Fellowships to Prepare Faculty in High-Need Areas at Colleges of Education
This new program provides competitive grants to institutions to offer graduate fellowships to address current and future faculty shortages in schools of education. Priority is given to the fields of elementary and secondary school mathematics and science, special education, and English language learners.

TEACH Grants
Title IV of HEOA includes changes to the new TEACH Grant program. NEA has concerns regarding provisions that would allow TEACH Grant recipients to teach in the shortage field in which they are prepared, even if that field is no longer a "shortage" or "high need" area once they complete their preparation or service requirement.

Loan Forgiveness
Changes to Title IV include a number of new loan forgiveness benefits for certain public sector employees, school counselors, school librarians, school administrators, teachers and other professionals who choose various arenas of public service. NEA welcomes this relief for these professionals and looks forward to working on behalf of our education workforce members to ensure that implementation fulfills the intent of the new provisions.

Other Issues

Affordability
We are very pleased with the steps that have been taken to make college more affordable for low- and middle-income families, particularly the increases in the Pell Grant maximum award. However, much more needs to be done to ensure that everyone who wants to can pursue higher education. For example,

• Restoring the lost purchasing power of the Pell Grant so that students are not overburdened with loan debt;
• Making student loans more affordable by lowering interest rates, limiting the percentage of income students spend repaying loans, increasing the availability of direct loans, and reinstating the refinancing of existing loans;
• Retaining and expanding campus-based educational support programs such as TRIO, Upward Bound and Gear-Up to ensure that educationally and financially disadvantaged students have the support they need to succeed in postsecondary education;
• Providing more federal aid to states to support all higher education institutions - from community and technical colleges to doctoral institutions, encompassing all two and four year institutions.

Teach for America (Title VIII)
NEA has a strong interest in the required study comparing TFA teachers to their colleagues who completed traditional teacher preparation programs. The required study must meet peer review standards of the education research community with reviewers having expertise in a number of areas, including assessment and instruction.

Textbooks
Provisions in the Act aim to ensure that every student in higher education is offered better and timely access to affordable course material, by balancing students' abilities to manage textbook costs through advanced planning with respect for faculty's legitimate academic freedom concerns.

College Partnership Grants
This new program provides financial incentives for institutions and states to develop articulation agreements. This is a prudent investment, assuming these agreements include significant input from educators, and preferable to imposing new regulatory frameworks or mandates in this area.

Transfer of Credit
The law requires that institutions adopt clear policies on credit transfer with the intent of making it easier for students to transfer their credits from institution to institution. NEA supports these as long as the academic validity of the transferred credit is academically appropriate.

Thank you again for the opportunity to comment on these important issues.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

October 2, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support the Senate-passed version of H.R.1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, because it addresses issues critically important to children and public education. As part of legislation addressing the nation's fiscal crisis, this bill would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for classroom supplies educators buy with their own money, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) for school modernization, the Child Tax Credit, and provide mental health parity.

Specifically, we are concerned about:

• Substantial and devastating funding cuts for 4,400 rural schools in 42 states. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program, created in 2000 to ensure a consistent funding stream for rural schools near national forests, has already expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund the program immediately has already resulted in school closings and further curtailed essential educational services.
  
  
• Making it possible for educators to continue purchasing essential classroom supplies with their own money. Educators are spending more of their own money each year to buy pencils, glue, scissors, facial tissues, and other essential classroom supplies. Most recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent an average of $826 for supplies and $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
  
• Meeting the pressing need for renovation, repairs, and 21st century technology in disadvantaged communities through the QZAB program. QZABs are an efficient and cost-effective financing mechanism in urban and rural areas alike. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
  
• Extending the Child Tax Credit to working families who don't earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many are young families, simultaneously struggling to make a living and care for their children.
  
  
• Providing mental health parity. One in five Americans-children as well as adults-suffers from a mental or brain-based illness, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Access to great public schools is a basic right for every child. By the same token, every child deserves the chance for a healthy start in life, including treatment for mental as well as physical conditions that impair the ability to learn and succeed in school.

NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely to be sure these critical issues are addressed. We urge Congress to act on them now.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

October 1, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association’s (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support H.R.1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, because it addresses issues critically important to children and public education. As part of legislation addressing the nation’s fiscal crisis, this bill would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for classroom supplies educators buy with their own money, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) for school modernization, the Child Tax Credit, and provide mental health parity.

Specifically, we are concerned about:

• Substantial and devastating funding cuts for 4,400 rural schools in 42 states. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program, created in 2000 to ensure a consistent funding stream for rural schools near national forests, has already expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund the program immediately has already resulted in school closings and further curtailed essential educational services.
  
  
• Making it possible for educators to continue purchasing essential classroom supplies with their own money. Educators are spending more of their own money each year to buy pencils, glue, scissors, facial tissues, and other essential classroom supplies. Most recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent an average of $826 for supplies and $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
  
• Meeting the pressing need for renovation, repairs, and 21st century technology in disadvantaged communities through the QZAB program. QZABs are an efficient and cost-effective financing mechanism in urban and rural areas alike. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
  
• Extending the Child Tax Credit to working families who don’t earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many are young families, simultaneously struggling to make a living and care for their children.
  
  
• Providing mental health parity. One in five Americans—children as well as adults—suffers from a mental or brain-based illness, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Access to great public schools is a basic right for every child. By the same token, every child deserves the chance for a healthy start in life, including treatment for mental as well as physical conditions that impair the ability to learn and succeed in school.

NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely to be sure these critical issues are addressed. We urge Congress to act on them now.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 26, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we strongly urge you to VOTE YES on the economic stimulus package scheduled for floor debate today. We also encourage the House to add provisions to the package to extend the critical Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, as included in the Senate stimulus package.

As educators, NEA members are witnessing the impacts of the economic crisis firsthand. Schools are seeing record numbers of students who are homeless or poor enough to qualify for free school meals, and record numbers of students needing donated backpacks and school supplies, because their families cannot afford to buy them. Rising fuel costs are forcing school districts to take drastic measures, including trimming or eliminating bus service, cutting all field trips, and shortening the school week. Some states have already been forced to layoff school staff.

As many as 27 states are predicting deficits for FY09 of at least $25 billion. A growing number of states have made or are considering harmful cuts in health care, education, and other vital services. Congress must act now before states are forced to make further devastating cuts.

The proposed stimulus package would help address these urgent needs by providing,

• A temporary increase in the federal Medicaid match. Such an increase is a proven, effective way to provide relief to states and protect the health care of millions of Americans.
  
• Job creation through investments in infrastructure, including school construction. The package includes $3 billion for school construction, an amount that would be sufficient to create tens of thousands of jobs.
  
• Increases in food stamp benefits and other nutrition assistance for families struggling to survive in the face of rapidly rising food prices.
  
• An extension of Unemployment assistance to those who have exhausted their benefits. Specifically, the package extends unemployment benefits by seven weeks in all states and another thirteen weeks in high unemployment states.

We do encourage the House to add to the package an extension of the Secure Rural Schools program. These funds are critically urgent to over 775 rural counties and 4,400 schools nationwide that are facing permanent cuts to teaching positions and school and road improvement programs. Nearly 7,000 teachers and educational staff across the country have received pink slips.

Thank you for your immediate attention to these urgent matters.

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 26, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we strongly urge you to VOTE YES on the economic stimulus package scheduled for floor debate today.

As educators, NEA members are witnessing the impacts of the economic crisis firsthand. Schools are seeing record numbers of students who are homeless or poor enough to qualify for free school meals, and record numbers of students needing donated backpacks and school supplies, because their families cannot afford to buy them. Rising fuel costs are forcing school districts to take drastic measures, including trimming or eliminating bus service, cutting all field trips, and shortening the school week. Some states have already been forced to layoff school staff.

As many as 27 states are predicting deficits for FY09 of at least $25 billion. A growing number of states have made or are considering harmful cuts in health care, education, and other vital services. Congress must act now before states are forced to make further devastating cuts.

The proposed stimulus package would help address these urgent needs by providing,

• A  temporary increase in the federal Medicaid match. Such an increase is a proven, effective way to provide relief to states and protect the health care of millions of Americans. The package includes $19.6 billion to increase the Federal share of Medicaid costs by four percent.
  
• Job creation through investments in infrastructure, including school construction. The package includes $2 billion for school construction, an amount that would be sufficient to create an estimated 32,300 jobs.
  
• A one-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools Act. These funds are critically urgent to over 775 rural counties and 4,400 schools nationwide that are facing permanent cuts to teaching positions and school and road improvement programs. Nearly 7,000 teachers and educational staff across the country have received pink slips and will otherwise not have a job when the new school year begins this September.
  
• Increases in food stamp benefits and other nutrition assistance for families struggling to survive in the face of rapidly rising food prices.
  
• An extension of Unemployment assistance to those who have exhausted their benefits. Specifically, the package extends unemployment benefits by seven weeks in all states and another thirteen weeks in high unemployment states.

Again, we strongly urge your support for this package.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 25, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we strongly urge the House of Representatives to include in the final tax extenders package provisions to extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. These issues are critically important to children and public education. NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely.

We are very disappointed that provisions to extend the Secure Rural Schools program were not included in the House-drafted tax extender bill, despite inclusion of such provisions in the Senate-passed bill. The program is absolutely essential to the survivability of over 800 rural counties and 4,400 schools near national forests in 42 states across the country. It has made a real difference for schools in rural, timber-dependent counties, by ensuring them a consistent funding stream. Since its creation in 2000, the program has been an enormous success. Prior to implementation of this program, schools in forest counties were in crisis, experiencing dramatic reductions in funding. The program has restored critical educational services for students in rural schools and prevented the closure of numerous isolated rural schools.

Unfortunately, the program has expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund it immediately will result in a substantial and devastating funding cut for rural counties across the country. In fact, a number of counties around the country have already sent out pink slips notifying employees of potential layoffs.

We urge your immediate attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 25, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to thank you for your strong leadership in pushing for inclusion of an extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act in the Senate-passed tax extender bill (H.R. 6049). Your support has been critical in moving this vital extension forward, and has given hope to thousands of educators in rural communities across the nation. We would like to now ask your assistance in urging the House to adopt similar provisions as part of their tax extender package.

Unfortunately, provisions to extend the Secure Rural Schools program are not included in current House-drafted tax extender bill drafts. As you well know, failure to reauthorize and fund the program immediately will result in a substantial and devastating funding cut for rural counties across the country. Simply put, the program is absolutely essential to the survivability of over 800 rural counties and 4,400 schools near national forests in 42 states across the country

We hope that you will strongly insist on inclusion of provisions to extend the Secure Rural Schools program in the final tax extender package. Thousands of rural Americans are counting on your continued leadership to save their communities.

Thank you for your assistance in this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 24, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support the tax extenders bill (H.R. 6049), passed by the Senate yesterday and scheduled for floor debate in the House this week. This bill includes important provisions that would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for educators' out-of-pocket classroom supply expenses, the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) school modernization program, and the Child Tax Credit. These issues are critically important to children and public education. NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely.

• The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program is essential to the survivability of over 800 rural counties and 4,400 schools near national forests in 42 states across the country. It has made a real difference for schools in rural, timber-dependent counties, by ensuring them a consistent funding stream. Since its creation in 2000, the program has been an enormous success. Prior to implementation of this program, schools in forest counties were in crisis, experiencing dramatic reductions in funding. The program has restored critical educational services for students in rural schools and prevented the closure of numerous isolated rural schools.

Unfortunately, the program has expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund it immediately will result in a substantial and devastating funding cut for rural counties across the country. Congress has only a short time to act before counties have to start implementing cuts to schools and services. In fact, a number of counties around the country have already sent out pink slips notifying employees of potential layoffs.

• The educator tax deduction helps recognize the financial sacrifices made by teachers and paraprofessionals. Studies show that educators spend more of their own funds each year to supply their classrooms, including purchasing essential items such as pencils, glue, scissors, and facial tissues. For example, NEA's 2003 report Status of the American Public School Teacher, 2000-2001 found that teachers spent an average of $443 a year on classroom supplies. More recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent out of their own pockets an average of $826.00 for supplies and an additional $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
  
• The QZAB program has proven to be an efficient and cost-effective way to help disadvantaged communities address pressing renovation and repair needs. QZABs assist school districts in rural and urban communities by providing a financing mechanism to renovate buildings and invest in equipment and technology. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
  
• The Child Tax Credit provisions would extend the credit to working families who don't earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many of these are young families, struggling to balance child care and work and who are scraping together a living, while trying simultaneously to make time for their young children.

Again, we urge your support for this important legislation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 23, 2008

The National Education Association (NEA), representing 3.2 million educators across the country, urges Congress to stay in session until passing an economic stimulus package that helps working families. Such a package is critical to the well-being of millions of families struggling to make ends meet.

As educators, NEA members are witnessing the impacts of the economic crisis firsthand:

• With the frightening rise in mortgage foreclosures, schools are seeing record numbers of students who are homeless or poor enough to qualify for free school meals.
  
  
• Many districts are being forced to raise prices for school meals due to escalating food costs. Schools report a steady stream of anxious parents, often in tears, pleading for free meals for their children because they do not have 70 cents a day for reduced price meals.
  
  
• Schools also report record numbers of students needing donated backpacks and school supplies, because their families cannot afford to buy them.
  
  
• Rising fuel costs are forcing school districts to take drastic measures, including trimming or eliminating bus service, cutting all field trips, and shortening the school week.
  
  
• Some states have already been forced to layoff school staff. For example, Detroit has laid off 700 teachers; Los Angeles has laid off 500 administrators; and Miami-Dade County has laid off hundreds of school psychologists, maintenance workers, and custodians.

As many as 27 states are predicting deficits for FY09 of at least $25 billion. A growing number of states have made or are considering harmful cuts in health care, education, and other vital services. Congress must act now before states are forced to make further devastating cuts.

While Congress is focused on bailing out Wall Street, Main Street communities are in dire need. We urge Congress to pass a stimulus package that includes:

• A temporary increase in the federal Medicaid match. Such an increase is a proven, effective way to provide relief to states and protect the health care of millions of Americans.
  
  
• Job creation through investments in infrastructure, including school construction. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) has pointed to more than $100 billion in needed repairs to U.S. public schools - well-defined projects that can be quickly implemented. EPI estimates that $20 billion in such infrastructure repairs would create 280,000 jobs.
  
  
• Increases in food stamp benefits and other nutrition assistance for families struggling to survive in the face of rapidly rising food prices.
  
  
• An extension of Unemployment assistance to those who have exhausted their benefits.

Please do not leave town without addressing these urgent needs.

Sincerely,

Dennis Van Roekel

President

September 24, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to sign the attached letter being circulated by Senators Rockefeller and Snowe calling for a temporary increase in the federal Medicaid match as part of a stimulus package.

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia are projecting deficits for 2009 or 2010. A growing number of states have made or are considering harmful cuts in health care, education and other vital services.

A temporary increase in the federal Medicaid match is a proven, effective way to provide relief to states and protect the health care of millions of Americans. In 2003, a similar temporary increase successfully staved off drastic cuts in Medicaid funding and eligibility.

The cutoff for signing the Rockefeller-Snowe letter is close of business today. Again, we urge you to add your name to this very important letter.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 24, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we strongly urge you to include in tax extenders legislation provisions to extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. These issues are critically important to children and public education. NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely.

We are very disappointed that provisions to extend the Secure Rural Schools program are not included in current House-drafted tax extender bill drafts, despite inclusion of such provisions in the Senate-passed bill. The program is absolutely essential to the survivability of over 800 rural counties and 4,400 schools near national forests in 42 states across the country. It has made a real difference for schools in rural, timber-dependent counties, by ensuring them a consistent funding stream. Since its creation in 2000, the program has been an enormous success. Prior to implementation of this program, schools in forest counties were in crisis, experiencing dramatic reductions in funding. The program has restored critical educational services for students in rural schools and prevented the closure of numerous isolated rural schools.

Unfortunately, the program has expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund it immediately will result in a substantial and devastating funding cut for rural counties across the country. In fact, a number of counties around the country have already sent out pink slips notifying employees of potential layoffs.

We urge your immediate attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 18, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support the tax extenders bill (H.R. 6049), scheduled for possible floor debate this week. This bill includes important provisions that would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for educators' out-of-pocket classroom supply expenses, the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) school modernization program, and the Child Tax Credit. These issues are critically important to children and public education. NEA members across the country will be watching congressional actions closely.

• The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program is essential to the survivability of over 800 rural counties and 4,400 schools near national forests in 42 states across the country. It has made a real difference for schools in rural, timber-dependent counties, by ensuring them a consistent funding stream. Since its creation in 2000, the program has been an enormous success. Prior to implementation of this program, schools in forest counties were in crisis, experiencing dramatic reductions in funding. The program has restored critical educational services for students in rural schools and prevented the closure of numerous isolated rural schools.

  Unfortunately, the program has expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund it immediately will result in a substantial and devastating funding cut for rural counties across the country. Congress has only a short time to act before counties have to start implementing cuts to schools and services. In fact, a number of counties around the country have already sent out pink slips notifying employees of potential layoffs.

• The educator tax deduction helps recognize the financial sacrifices made by teachers and paraprofessionals. Studies show that educators spend more of their own funds each year to supply their classrooms, including purchasing essential items such as pencils, glue, scissors, and facial tissues. For example, NEA's 2003 report Status of the American Public School Teacher, 2000-2001 found that teachers spent an average of $443 a year on classroom supplies. More recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent out of their own pockets an average of $826.00 for supplies and an additional $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
  
• The QZAB program has proven to be an efficient and cost-effective way to help disadvantaged communities address pressing renovation and repair needs. QZABs assist school districts in rural and urban communities by providing a financing mechanism to renovate buildings and invest in equipment and technology. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
  
• The Child Tax Credit provisions would extend the credit to working families who don't earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many of these are young families, struggling to balance child care and work and who are scraping together a living, while trying simultaneously to make time for their young children.

Again, we urge your support for this important legislation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 18, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to vote YES on passage of the No Child Left Inside Act (H.R. 3036), scheduled for floor debate today. We also urge you to OPPOSE TWO AMENDMENTS expected to be offered that would:

• Cut funding for the National Environmental Education Act; and
  
• Strike language regarding the new environmental education grant program administered by the Department of Education under the National Environmental Education Act.

Our country is facing a host of well-documented, complicated environmental challenges that will require our citizenry to be more educated than ever before about our personal and civic choices. At the same time, due to the No Child Left Behind Act, we have seen a narrowing of school curricula, as schools are forced to spend more and more learning time preparing for high stakes testing. This trend is most exaggerated in the schools of our poorest communities.

NEA strongly supports the rich, challenging, authentic experiences that comprise environmental education for all children. Furthermore, we submit that in order to reach this goal, teachers and schools systems must have greater authority, flexibility, and support to incorporate environmental education into core subject areas. Additionally, states in partnership with LEA's and other stakeholders must develop plans to ensure that all children are provided the learning experiences they need to become environmentally literate.

The No Child Left Inside Act would help address these challenges. Specifically, it would expand the National Environmental Education Act by providing grants to:

• Ensure that teachers have the have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach environmental education; and
  
• Enhance national, state, and local capacity for environmental education.

Grants would be available to nonprofit organizations, state educational agencies, local educational agencies, or institutions of higher education with expertise in environmental education.

In 2008, environmental literacy cannot be a privilege reserved for a few; it is a right and a responsibility that every one of us must undertake. The No Child Left Inside Act represents a critical step in ensuring environmental literacy for all. We urge your support for this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 18, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you not to pass the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act (S. 1518) without:

• Broadening the HUD definition of homelessness to be more closely aligned with the statutory definition used by the Department of Education, and
  
• Rejecting any arbitrary restrictions such as time limits or requirements for multiple moves.

Schools undertake considerable effort and expense to serve homeless children and youth. These endeavors are undercut by HUD's narrow definition of homelessness, and would continue to be undermined by the definition included in S. 1518.

The Department of Education definition of homelessness reflects the realities of family and youth homelessness. Public schools are the cornerstone of communities; no other entity has the same level of daily contact with children, youth, and families. Schools see the scope and the depth of housing problems in every community in the nation, and therefore are among the most accurate barometers of family and youth homelessness. Schools serve children whose families cannot get into shelters because they are full, or non-existent. Schools also serve children and youth who are excluded from shelters because of eligibility rules.

Homeless children and youth are at grave risk of educational failure and dropping out of school. Children who are moving from place to place - and are tired, hungry, sick, and traumatized - face significant barriers to academic success. Yet, the narrow definition in S. 1518 will undercut public school efforts to help these children. The definition will make it harder for schools and other agencies to work together and will prevent vulnerable children and youth from receiving the services they need to come to school ready and able to learn.

Schools across the country are seeing increases in homeless students due to foreclosures, natural disasters, and the downturn in the economy. We call on the Senate to broaden HUD's definition and more closely align it with the Department of Education - without arbitrary restrictions such as time limits or requirements for multiple moves - so that homeless children and youth can receive the services they need to come to school ready and able to learn.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 18, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to join with NEA and Health Care for America Now (HCAN) by signing the attached "Which Side Are You On?" statement.

HCAN is a national grassroots campaign fighting for quality, affordable health care for all. NEA is a proud member of the HCAN steering committee. We are working in coalition with more than 135 national and state-based groups - representing public educators, labor, community organizations, doctors, nurses, women, small businesses, faith-based organizations, think tanks, and others - to fight for access to health care for all.

Health care is likely to be at the top of the domestic congressional agenda in 2009 - a year in which we hope we will finally find a solution to the current health care crisis. We proudly endorse the HCAN principles (see attached), which call for quality, affordable health care for all.

We strongly encourage you to add your name as a supporter of the HCAN principles by signing on to the "Which Side Are You On?" statement. For more information on the HCAN campaign, visit http://HealthCareforAmericaNow.org/.

We look forward to your support!

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 17, 2008

On behalf of the 3.2 million members of the National Education Association (NEA), we urge you to support the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (S. 3406), scheduled for floor consideration today. This important legislation, already passed by the Senate, will reconfirm Congress' original intent in defining a "disability" under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In an historic move, Congress passed the ADA with overwhelming bipartisan support in 1990. At that time, it was Congress' intention to ensure people with disabilities protection from discrimination in the same manner as individuals are protected from discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, or age.

When Congress passed the ADA, it adopted the definition of disability included in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The congressional record made it clear that a disability was to be assessed without regard to the availability of mitigation measures, such as medication or assistive devices. However, through a series of decisions related to employment, the U.S. Supreme Court has narrowed the definition of disability in three main ways:

• Requiring that mitigating measures, such as medication , hearing, aids, and prosthetics, be considered in determining whether a person has a disability under the ADA;
  
  
• Ruling that there must be a demanding standard for proving one's disability by applying a very strict interpretation of the terms "substantially limited" and "major life activity" as only covering activities that are of a "central importance" to most people's lives; and
  
  
• Requiring people who allege they are being regarded as substantially limited in a major life activity of working to show that their employer believed them incapable of performing not just the job they had been denied, but also a broad range of jobs.

The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (S. 3406) would rectify this situation and confirm Congress' original intent. Specifically, S. 3406 maintains the ADA definition of a disability, requires modifications of policies so that they align with Congress' intent, moves to remedy the adverse court decisions, and clarifies that the purpose of this protection is to broaden application for the broad range of individuals.

Again, we urge your support for this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 15, 2008

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge your support for the School Safety Enhancements Act (H.R. 2352), scheduled for floor consideration today. We believe this bill will help strengthen the already successful Secure Our Schools grant program, while increasing efforts to enhance school safety at both the k-12 and higher education levels.

NEA believes that a secure, positive learning environment is a critical component of a quality education. Safe and orderly schools facilitate effective teaching and learning, while violence or the threat thereof diverts attention and resources away from education. Students cannot learn and educators cannot teach when threatened by physical violence or harassment.

We are pleased that H.R. 2352 would:

• Require institutions of higher education to develop and campus safety assessment and implement a campus emergency response plan . Last year's tragedy at Virginia Tech underscored the need to focus increased resources and attention on postsecondary institutions.
  
  
• Increase the federal share of funding for elementary and secondary school security upgrades , thereby ensuring that even localities facing funding crises will be able to institute appropriate safety measures.
  
  
• Allow funding for creation of hotlines - an effective tool for reporting of dangerous situations.

We thank you for your consideration of our views on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

September 8, 2008

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge your support for the No Child Left Inside Act (H.R. 3036), scheduled for floor debate this week.

Our country is facing a host of well-documented, complicated environmental challenges that will require our citizenry to be more educated than ever before about our personal and civic choices. At the same time, due to the No Child Left Behind Act, we have seen a narrowing of school curricula, as schools are forced to spend more and more learning time preparing for high stakes testing. This trend is most exaggerated in the schools of our poorest communities.

NEA strongly supports the rich, challenging, authentic experiences that comprise environmental education for all children. Furthermore, we submit that in order to reach this goal, teachers and schools systems must have greater authority, flexibility, and support to incorporate environmental education into core subject areas. Additionally, states in partnership with LEA's and other stakeholders must develop plans to ensure that all children are provided the learning experiences they need to become environmentally literate.

The No Child Left Inside Act would help address these challenges. Specifically, it would expand the National Environmental Education Act by providing grants to:

• Ensure that teachers have the have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach environmental education; and
• Enhance national, state, and local capacity for environmental education.

Competitive grants would be available to nonprofit organizations, state educational agencies, local educational agencies, or institutions of higher education that have expertise in environmental education.

In 2008, environmental literacy cannot be a privilege reserved for a few; it is a right and a responsibility that every one of us must undertake. The No Child Left Inside Act represents a critical step in ensuring environmental literacy for all. We urge your support for this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

August 6, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our support for the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act (H.R. 1228).

Too many of our nation's young people lack the basic knowledge required to understand the world outside our country's borders. This general lack of knowledge impedes our nation's ability to compete in the global economy of the 21st Century. Simply put, students need to learn about and understand the countries and cultures that are or could become our political and economic partners.

Your bill will help improve our children's understanding of their world both within and beyond our country's borders by authorizing federal funding to improve student achievement, increase teacher training, encourage education research, and develop effective instructional materials and strategies for geography education. We believe your bill will help prepare America's students to move forward and succeed in a rapidly-changing, competitive, global economy.

We thank you for your leadership on this important issue and look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure great public schools for every student.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

August 4, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our support for the Time for Innovation Matters in Education Act.

NEA supports innovative proposals to increase learning time, such as through an extended school day, school week, or school year. Increasing learning time not only helps maximize student achievement, but helps ensure students access to a full and rich curriculum that includes art, music, physical education, and other subjects necessary for a well-rounded education.

By funding planning and implementation grants for pilot extended learning time initiatives, your bill would help districts explore options for increasing learning time that best fit the needs of their students. We are particularly pleased that your bill would require that any such programs be implemented with the input and consent of school employees - including teachers and education support professionals - and would also protect educators' collectively bargained rights.

We thank you for your leadership on this important issue and look forward to continuing to work with you in support of great public schools for every student.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 30, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support the tax extenders bill (S.3335), scheduled for vote today. This bill includes important provisions that would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for educators' out-of-pocket classroom supply expenses, the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) school modernization program, and the Child Tax Credit. These issues are critically important to NEA members across the country, who will be watching congressional actions closely. Specifically, we urge you to

• Vote YES on cloture, and
  
• Vote YES on final passage

Votes associated with this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.

• The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program is essential to the survivability of over 800 rural counties and 4,400 schools near national forests in 42 states across the country. It has made a real difference for schools in rural, timber-dependent counties, by ensuring them a consistent funding stream. Since its creation in 2000, the program has been an enormous success. Prior to implementation of this program, schools in forest counties were in crisis, experiencing dramatic reductions in funding. The program has restored critical educational services for students in rural schools and prevented the closure of numerous isolated rural schools.

  Unfortunately, the program has expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund it immediately will result in a substantial and devastating funding cut for rural counties across the country. Congress has only a short time to act before counties have to start implementing cuts to schools and services. In fact, a number of counties around the country have already begun sending out pink slips notifying employees of potential layoffs.

• The educator tax deduction helps recognize the financial sacrifices made by teachers and paraprofessionals. Studies show that educators spend more of their own funds each year to supply their classrooms, including purchasing essential items such as pencils, glue, scissors, and facial tissues. For example, NEA's 2003 report Status of the American Public School Teacher, 2000-2001 found that teachers spent an average of $443 a year on classroom supplies. More recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent out of their own pockets an average of $826.00 for supplies and an additional $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
• The QZAB program has proven to be an efficient and cost-effective way to help disadvantaged communities address pressing renovation and repair needs. QZABs assist school districts in rural and urban communities by providing a financing mechanism to renovate buildings and invest in equipment and technology. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
• The Child Tax Credit provisions would extend the credit to working families who don't earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many of these are young families, struggling to balance child care and work and who are scraping together a living, while trying simultaneously to make time for their young children.

Again, we urge your support for this important legislation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 31, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge the Senate to take up and pass the Pension Protection Technical Corrections Act (H.R. 6382), as passed by the House of Representatives. NEA supports this bill, including the important "smoothing" technical correction provision. Votes associated with this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) radically changed the rules for funding single-employer defined benefit pension plans, including requiring a plan's assets to be valued at fair market value, rather than, as under prior law, by any reasonable actuarial method that takes fair market value into account. These new rules are having a serious negative impact on the sustainability of single-employer defined benefit plans. And, the impact could be exacerbated by fluctuations in the market value of plans' assets. Such additional volatility could lead plan sponsors to freeze or terminate defined benefit plans rather than face the unpredictable impact of changing contribution requirements based on the short-term fluctuations of market values.

H.R. 6382 would address some of the concerns raised by the PPA rules, by allowing employers to moderate the impact of radical changes in market values that occur over short time periods by taking such changes into account only gradually, over a longer period of time. This technique, known as "smoothing" would make future contributions to single-employer defined benefit plans more predictable and therefore more sustainable.

Even though most NEA members work in the public sector - where traditional defined benefit pension plans continue to constitute a key part of the overall compensation structure - they have a keen interest in the universal recognition of traditional defined benefit pension plans as extremely valuable components in the fight against retirement insecurity. Moreover, some NEA members do work in private sector jobs where their interests are directly affected by pension legislation; as are the interests of NEA's and its affiliates' employees, who also participate in traditional defined benefit plans. Therefore, NEA strongly supports H.R. 6382, including the "smoothing" technical correction provision.

Again, we urge your support for this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 29, 2008

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge your support for Michelle's Law legislation (H.R. 2851), scheduled for floor debate this week. This important legislation would increase access to health insurance for college students required to take a medical leave of absence from their studies in the event of medical crisis.

The Michelle's Law bill was inspired by the tragic circumstances faced by Michelle Morse, the daughter of an NEA member, who was forced to maintain a full college course load while undergoing debilitating cancer treatment or risk losing her health insurance. Currently, dependent students between the ages of 19 and 24 lose their eligibility for dependent healthcare coverage if they do not maintain full-time student status because of illness. As a result, these students must purchase an expensive COBRA plan or continue classes in the face of a potentially debilitating or even deadly illness.

The bill would allow college students to take medical leave while battling a serious illness and still maintain eligibility for their parents' health insurance. In so doing, it would ensure that seriously ill students can take the time necessary to undergo treatment and recovery before returning to their academic studies.

Again, we urge your support for this important bill.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 30, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge your support for an amendment to be offered by Representatives Biggert (R-IL) and Davis (R-KY) to the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act (H.R. 840) that would align HUD's definition of homelessness with the statutory definition used by the Department of Education. Specifically, the amendment would include in the HUD definition children and youth verified as homeless by public schools. Actions in committee on this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.

The Department of Education definition of homelessness reflects the realities of family and youth homelessness. Public schools are the cornerstone of communities; no other entity has the same level of daily contact with children, youth, and families. Schools see the scope and the depth of housing problems in every community in the nation, and therefore are among the most accurate barometers of family and youth homelessness. Schools serve children whose families cannot get into shelters because they are full, or non-existent. Schools also serve children and youth who are excluded from shelters because of eligibility rules.

Homeless children and youth are at grave risk of educational failure and dropping out of school. Children who are moving from place to place - and are tired, hungry, sick, and traumatized - face significant barriers to academic success. Yet, the narrow definition proposed in the mark will undercut public school efforts to help these children. The definition will make it harder for schools and other agencies to work together and will prevent vulnerable children and youth from receiving the services they need to come to school ready and able to learn.

By aligning HUD's definition more closely with the Department of Education, communities will be better equipped to serve these vulnerable children and youth. Again, we urge the Committee to adopt the Biggert-Davis amendment to include in the HUD definition children and youth who are verified as homeless by public schools.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 31, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to offer our views on the conference report for the Higher Education Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4137). We commend the conferees for including a number of positive provisions that will strengthen post-secondary education. However, we strongly object to the inclusion of "academic bill of rights" (ABOR) language in the conference agreement.

We are very pleased with a number of provisions in the agreement, including those regarding:

• Pell Grants - increasing the purchasing power of Pell Grants by raising the maximum award to $6,000 in the upcoming academic year (from $4,310), followed by incremental increases of $400 in subsequent years to reach a maximum grant of $8,000 in academic year 2014-2015.
  
• Textbooks - addressing the growing crisis of affordable course materials by balancing students' abilities to manage textbook costs through advanced planning with respect for faculty's legitimate academic freedom concerns.
  
• TEACH Grants - making positive changes to clarify and strengthen the program, including addressing" extenuating circumstances" that might affect repayment, and helping teachers deal with changes in high-need designations while they fulfill their service requirement. The bill also requires a study that will provide useful information on the program and its efficacy.
  
• Patsy T. Mink Fellowship Program - providing awards to assist highly qualified minorities and women to acquire the doctoral degree, or the highest degree possible, in certain academic areas, thereby helping more women and underrepresented populations entering the professoriate.
  
• Community Colleges - authorizing a pilot program to increase college persistence and success. Part of this program targets funds for scholarships, support programs, and counseling for community college students to ensure persistence and, when possible, matriculation to a four-year school.
  
• Business Workforce Partnerships for Job Skill Training in High-Growth Occupations or Industries" program - authorizing a grant program for partnerships between institutions of higher education and businesses to develop programs that would give students the skills necessary for employment with local businesses.
  
• Teach for America (TFA) - requiring a study that will allow for a meaningful comparison of TFA teachers to their colleagues who completed traditional teacher preparation programs. The required studies must meet peer review standards of the education research community with reviewers having expertise in a number of areas, including assessment and instruction.
  
• Collective Bargaining Rights - applying the "savings clause" to protect collective bargaining rights to all of Title II.
  
• Adjunct Teacher Corps -stating that Adjunct Teacher Corps teachers cannot displace current teachers or reduce the number of teachers who otherwise would be hired, and specifying that an adjunct teacher is not the primary teacher and must work under the supervision of a regular, highly qualified teacher.

We are also very pleased that the conference agreement contains no Teacher Incentive Fund or other "merit pay" provisions.

We do, however, strongly object to inclusion in the conference report of the "academic bill of rights" - a critical issue for NEA's higher education members. NEA has consistently and ardently opposed the inclusion of ABOR in any higher education bill. Although the agreement language is framed as a "sense of the Congress," we believe it raises major concerns. Essentially, the mere presence of this language in the bill opens the door for unwarranted government intrusion into the classroom and the curriculum.

We thank you for your consideration of our views on these important issues.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 29, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to offer our views on the conference report for the Higher Education Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4137). We commend conferees for including a number of positive provisions that will strengthen post-secondary education. However, we strongly object to the inclusion of "academic bill of rights" (ABOR) language in the conference agreement.

We are very pleased with a number of provisions in the agreement, including those regarding:

• Pell Grants - increasing the purchasing power of Pell Grants by raising the maximum award to $6,000 in the upcoming academic year (from $4,310), followed by incremental increases of $400 in subsequent years to reach a maximum grant of $8,000 in academic year 2014-2015.
  
• Textbooks - addressing the growing crisis of affordable course materials by balancing students' abilities to manage textbook costs through advanced planning with respect for faculty's legitimate academic freedom concerns.
  
• TEACH Grants - making positive changes to clarify and strengthen the program, including addressing" extenuating circumstances" that might affect repayment, and helping teachers deal with changes in high-need designations while they fulfill their service requirement. The bill also requires a study that will provide useful information on the program and its efficacy.
  
• Patsy T. Mink Fellowship Program - providing awards to assist highly qualified minorities and women to acquire the doctoral degree, or the highest degree possible, in certain academic areas, thereby helping more women and underrepresented populations entering the professoriate.
  
• Community Colleges - authorizing a pilot program to increase college persistence and success. Part of this program targets funds for scholarships, support programs, and counseling for community college students to ensure persistence and, when possible, matriculation to a four-year school.
  
• Business Workforce Partnerships for Job Skill Training in High-Growth Occupations or Industries" program - authorizing a grant program for partnerships between institutions of higher education and businesses to develop programs that would give students the skills necessary for employment with local businesses.
  
• Teach for America (TFA) - requiring a study that will allow for a meaningful comparison of TFA teachers to their colleagues who completed traditional teacher preparation programs. The required studies must meet peer review standards of the education research community with reviewers having expertise in a number of areas, including assessment and instruction.
  
• Collective Bargaining Rights - applying the "savings clause" to protect collective bargaining rights to all of Title II.
  
• Adjunct Teacher Corps -stating that Adjunct Teacher Corps teachers cannot displace current teachers or reduce the number of teachers who otherwise would be hired, and specifying that an adjunct teacher is not the primary teacher and must work under the supervision of a regular, highly qualified teacher.

We are also very pleased that the conference agreement contains no Teacher Incentive Fund or other "merit pay" provisions.

We do, however, strongly object to inclusion in the conference report of the "academic bill of rights" - a critical issue for NEA's higher education members. NEA has consistently and ardently opposed the inclusion of ABOR in any higher education bill. Although the agreement language is framed as a "sense of the Congress," we believe it raises major concerns. Essentially, the mere presence of this language in the bill opens the door for unwarranted government intrusion into the classroom and the curriculum.

We thank you for your consideration of our views on these important issues.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 24, 2008

Dear Senator Clinton and Representative Honda:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our support for the Strengthening Communities through Education and Integration Act. We thank you both for your leadership in introducing this important legislation, which will make a real difference in enhancing English proficiency for both children and adults.

According to the Census Bureau, over 19 percent of the population (54.8 million) speaks a language other than English at home. Over the past 15 years, English language learner (ELL) student enrollment has nearly doubled and experts predict that one quarter of the total U.S. public school population will be made up of ELLs by 2025. ELL students present a growing educational challenge for our public schools. For example, in the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 29 percent of ELL students scored at or above the basic level of reading, compared with 75 percent of non-ELLs.

Given this need, we are pleased that your bill will:

• Provide additional investments for programs such as the Even Start Family Literacy Program;
  
• Enhance recruitment and retention of ELL teachers through a tax credit; and
  
• Establish a grant program for middle and high schools to provide additional learning time for ELL students.

We also strongly support provisions that would invest new resources in adult education and literacy and employee training programs. Increasing adult literacy and fluency in English is critical to helping adults further their education and ensuring their financial stability as well as maximizing the academic success of children in those households.

We thank you both again for your work on this issue. We look forward to continuing to work with you to secure passage of this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 22, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to support the tax extenders bill scheduled for debate before the August recess. This bill includes important provisions that would extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, the tax deduction for educators' out-of-pocket classroom supply expenses, the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) school modernization program, and the Child Tax Credit. These issues are critically important to NEA members across the country, who will be watching congressional actions closely. Specifically, we urge you to

• Vote YES on cloture, and
• Vote YES on final passage

Votes associated with this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.

• The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program is essential to the survivability of over 800 rural counties and 4,400 schools near national forests in 42 states across the country. It has made a real difference for schools in rural, timber-dependent counties, by ensuring them a consistent funding stream. Since its creation in 2000, the program has been an enormous success. Prior to implementation of this program, schools in forest counties were in crisis, experiencing dramatic reductions in funding. The program has restored critical educational services for students in rural schools and prevented the closure of numerous isolated rural schools.
  
  Unfortunately, the program has expired. Failure to reauthorize and fund it immediately will result in a substantial and devastating funding cut for rural counties across the country. Congress has only a short time to act before counties have to start implementing cuts to schools and services. In fact, a number of counties around the country have already begun sending out pink slips notifying employees of potential layoffs.
  
  
• The educator tax deduction helps recognize the financial sacrifices made by teachers and paraprofessionals. Studies show that educators spend more of their own funds each year to supply their classrooms, including purchasing essential items such as pencils, glue, scissors, and facial tissues. For example, NEA's 2003 report Status of the American Public School Teacher, 2000-2001 found that teachers spent an average of $443 a year on classroom supplies. More recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent out of their own pockets an average of $826.00 for supplies and an additional $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
  
  
• The QZAB program has proven to be an efficient and cost-effective way to help disadvantaged communities address pressing renovation and repair needs. QZABs assist school districts in rural and urban communities by providing a financing mechanism to renovate buildings and invest in equipment and technology. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
  
  
• The Child Tax Credit provisions would extend the credit to working families who don't earn enough to qualify for the current credit. Many of these are young families, struggling to balance child care and work and who are scraping together a living, while trying simultaneously to make time for their young children.

Again, we urge your support for this important legislation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 21, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to include funding for the following priorities in the supplemental appropriations economic stimulus bill scheduled for mark-up this week:

• The Public School Renovation and Repair Act (S. 1942), which would support the repair, renovation, and building of thousands of public schools, while leaving decision making about the schools at the local level. Funding for S.1942 will generate thousands of jobs in the construction industry, and among the many suppliers, ranging from architects and engineers to roofing contractors and other workers, who design and build our nation's schools.
  
  
• The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. This program, which has expired, provided a guaranteed payment to rural, timber-dependent counties. Failure to reauthorize and fund it immediately will be devastating for many rural counties. In fact, impacted counties have already sent out layoff notices to school staff and other public service employees. In addition, many have closed libraries, curtailed sheriff patrols, released prisoners from jails, ceased search and rescue operations, eliminated mental health care services, and several are considering declaring bankruptcy and giving up their county status.
  
  
• Increased Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentages (FMAP). During the last economic downturn, the Federal Government temporarily increased federal Medicaid payments to states. This prevented extensive reductions in healthcare for poor children, the disabled, pregnant women, and the elderly who depend on Medicaid. If the current economic downturn continues, states will again be forced to deny Medicaid coverage and/or reduce payments to providers unless relief is provided. According to a 2005 study, every $1 million of funds invested in Medicaid generates 33 new jobs and $1.23 million in new wages annually.
  
  
• General State Fiscal Relief. In addition to increasing FMAP, Congress also needs to provide general state fiscal relief. As our nation faces a possible recession, state fiscal conditions are deteriorating. At least 29 states plus the District of Columbia, including several of the nation's largest states, faced or are facing an estimated $48 billion in combined shortfalls in their budgets for fiscal year 2009. States facing such significant shortfalls are likely to institute hefty cuts in education, health care, education, and other priorities.
  
  
• Repeal of Social Security Offsets. The Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision unfairly reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for hundreds of thousands of retirees across the country. Addressing these offsets will provide immediate relief for retirees and will enable them to spend more money in their local economies.

We thank you for your attention to these important issues.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 21, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our support for the School Safety Enhancements Act (H.R. 2352). We believe this bill will help strengthen your already successful Secure Our Schools grant program, while increasing efforts to enhance school safety at both the k-12 and higher education levels.

NEA believes that a secure, positive learning environment is a critical component of a quality education. Safe and orderly schools facilitate effective teaching and learning, while violence or the threat thereof diverts attention and resources away from education. Students cannot learn and educators cannot teach when threatened by physical violence or harassment.

We are pleased that your bill would:

• Require institutions of higher education to develop and campus safety assessment and implement a campus emergency response plan. Last year's tragedy at Virginia Tech underscored the need to focus increased resources and attention on postsecondary institutions.
  
  
• Increase the federal share of funding for elementary and secondary school security upgrades, thereby ensuring that even localities facing funding crises will be able to institute appropriate safety measures.
  
  
• Allow funding for creation of hotlines - an effective tool for reporting of dangerous situations.

We thank you for your leadership on these important issues and look forward to continuing to work with you in support of great public schools.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 16, 2008

Dear Senator:

On behalf of the 3.2 million members of the National Education Association (NEA), we urge you to vote to override the President's veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 6331). This bill will result in much improved access to affordable, high quality medical care and pharmaceutical services in rural and urban areas. Votes associated with this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.

We were pleased that both the House and Senate passed this important legislation, which would:

• Delay for 18 months a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician fees scheduled to take effect on July 1 and increase payments by 1.1 percent. Many physicians already turn away Medicare patients because reimbursement rates for some services are so low they do not cover the cost of providing them. In fact, nearly half the medical groups that participate in Medicare are accepting fewer Medicare patients or have stopped accepting them altogether, according to a recent survey conducted by the Medical Group Management Association. Reducing reimbursements even further will increase the number of physicians refusing to treat Medicare patients. In addition, physicians are considering steps such as laying off staff or postponing purchases of needed technology that could compromise the quality of care.

• Protect seniors and disabled citizens from marketing fraud and abuse by salespeople working for private Medicare plans. Specifically, it would ban abusive marketing and sales practices in Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug programs.
  
  
• Expand rural health care programs. In so doing, the bill will improve access to affordable, high quality medical care in underserved areas.
  
  
• Reduce copayments for mental health services from 50 percent to 20 percent. Too many Medicare beneficiaries are unable to afford the higher copayments associated with behavioral health treatment for illnesses such as depression and anxiety. NEA recommends reducing the copayments for behavioral health treatment so they are on par with medical services.
  
  
• Cut payments to private Medicare Advantage benefit plans, which currently receive payment at a rate 13 percent higher than traditional fee-for-service providers. In doing, so, the bill alleviates the cost of this special deal to taxpayers and beneficiaries.

We are very disappointed that the President has vetoed this bill. We urge Congress to stand by this important legislation by overriding the President's veto.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 17, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our support for the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (S. 3140).

NEA strongly supports your proposal to offer paid leave to federal employees following the birth or adoption of a child. We believe such leave is essential to the health and well-being of families and children. Specifically, in addition to relieving family burdens, allowing new parents to take leave from work helps ensure the parental involvement so essential to a child's physical, emotional, and intellectual development.

By providing four weeks of paid leave, your bill would ensure that families have the necessary time for bonding with new children without worrying about the financial consequences of lost work time. We thank you for your leadership on this important issue and look forward to continuing to work with you in support of children and families.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 16, 2008

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge the House Appropriations Committee to include in the FY09 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill compromise language regarding the District of Columbia "Opportunity Scholarship Program that has been incorporated into the Senate version. While we continue our strong opposition to the voucher program, we believe the Senate language offers a reasonable compromise that will eventually lead to the program's end.

NEA consistently has urged that this program end, as was initially intended, at the close of the 2008-2009 school year. Over the five year span of the program, its effectiveness has not been proven and it is clear that the funding could have been spent in far more useful ways to serve all students in the DC public schools.

The bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee would provide one additional year of funding (for the 2009-2010 school year). However, the bill also stipulates that no funding beyond the 2009-2010 year will be provided, absent an authorization of the program. We appreciate the intent of this provision, which will require a comprehensive look at the program before any future funds are considered. We are certain that a thorough examination will make clear the program's ineffectiveness and inappropriateness, which should ensure that it is not reauthorized.

We also appreciate provisions included by the Senate Committee that preclude the use of vouchers for schools lacking a certificate of occupancy for the District and for schools in which teachers teaching core subjects do not have college degrees.

Again, we urge the House Appropriations Committee to include the Senate language in the House FY09 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill. We thank you for your consideration of our views on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 14, 2008

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge the House to strip from the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act (H.R.3221) a provision that would prevent localities from raising tax rates to help compensate for shrinking property tax revenues resulting from declining home values. NEA strongly opposes this potentially dangerous Senate-passed provision, which could force localities to cut funding for schools, police, and other vital public services and will have other unintended consequences. Votes associated with these issues may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.

Property taxes are a major funding source for schools in most state. They also support vital services such as police and fire departments, road maintenance, libraries, parks, and social services. In the areas hardest hit by the housing crisis, property values are falling. If values are falling, property tax revenues will fall unless the rates are raised.

The number of children who must be educated does not drop just because property values fall. Nor do the costs of providing police and fire protection, maintaining roads, and other services. If localities do not have the flexibility to offset even a portion of this revenue loss by raising property tax rates, they may have to lay off teachers or take other drastic action to cut K-12 education, as well as cut police forces and close fire stations.

If the federal government limits the ability of localities to raise property tax rates, states will face pressure to make up the revenue that localities need to maintain services. At the current time, more than half of the states face deficits that average nine percent of their expenditures. Some states are cutting various forms of aid to localities in order to meet their own balanced budget requirements; states experiencing fiscal stress are in no position to replace lost property tax revenue. In short, this proposal could squeeze state and local services from both ends.

We urge you to protect education and other vital public services by stripping this dangerous provision from H.R. 3221.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy

July 14, 2008

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our disappointment that the manager's amendment for reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act does not align HUD's definition of homelessness with the statutory definition used by the Department of Education. Specifically, we urge the Committee to include in the HUD definition children and youth verified as homeless by public schools.

The Department of Education definition of homelessness reflects the realities of family and youth homelessness. Public schools are the cornerstone of communities; no other entity has the same level of daily contact with children, youth, and families. Schools see the scope and the depth of housing problems in every community in the nation, and therefore are among the most accurate barometers of family and youth homelessness. Schools serve children whose families cannot get into shelters because they are full