Federal Legislative Update
March 2007

March 2, 2007
March 16, 2007 
March 23, 2007 

3/23/07

News from Capitol Hill...

Share with Congress NEA's Message on ESEA Reauthorization

As Congress moves toward reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, it is critical that Members know educators' priorities for changing the law. NEA has developed a simple message for Members of Congress asking for changes in three priority areas:

• Use more than test scores to measure student learning and school performance
  • Include multiple measures of student learning and school effectiveness instead of the current one-day snapshot based solely on standardized tests.
  • Reward progress over time to improve student achievement at all levels.
  • Recognize individual needs of students (Special Education; English Language Learners).
    
    
• Reduce class size to help students learn
  • Restore the class size reduction program.
    
    
• Increase the number of highly qualified teachers in our schools
  • Provide financial incentives to teachers who teach in hard-to-staff schools.
  • Allow teachers who have achieved certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to be deemed "highly qualified."
  • Provide flexibility for teachers of multiple subjects, including special education and rural educators.

Contact Your Members of Congress

Share with your Senators and Representative NEA's message on ESEA reauthorization.

3/16/07

News from Capitol Hill...

Tell Congress to Provide the Resources Necessary for Great Public Schools

Congress has begun work on the Congressional Budget Resolution for fiscal year 2008 — the blueprint for how federal funds will be spent in the coming year. The Budget Resolution represents the first step in ensuring that our nation's public schools will have the supports necessary to succeed.

Funding increases for proven but underfunded programs like Title I, IDEA special education, and Pell Grants are needed to help states, local school districts and higher education institutions meet the demands of increasing enrollments and higher levels of accountability.

The Senate Budget Committee — part of the pro-public education Congress you helped elect last year— has already taken a major step in the right direction. This week, the Committee rejected cuts proposed by President Bush and, instead, approved a budget that provides $6.1 billion more for education programs than requested by the President.

Contact Your Member of Congress

Tell your Senators and Representative to provide the resources necessary to ensure great public schools for every child.

3/2/07

News from Capitol Hill...

Tell Congress to Provide Emergency Funding for Rural Education and Children's Health Programs.

The House and Senate will soon take up emergency legislation to provide necessary "supplemental" funding for the current fiscal year. Two important programs -- the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act and the State Children's Health Insurance program (SCHIP) -- are in desperate need of emergency funding.

• The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act has made a real difference for schools in rural, timber-dependent counties by ensuring them a consistent funding stream. Prior to implementation of this program, schools in heavily timbered 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 expired at the end of 2006, and a number of counties around the country have already begun sending out pink slips notifying employees of potential layoffs.
  
  
• SCHIP funds grants to states to help provide health care for low-income children. This week, the National Governors Association warned that unless Congress acts immediately to address funding shortfalls, continued coverage for many children will be jeopardized.

Contact Your Representatives in Congress Today!

Tell the House and Senate to include emergency funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act and the State Children's Health Insurance program in the fiscal year 2007 supplemental appropriations bill.

Victory! House Passes Legislation to Protect the Right to Unionize

This week, the House of Representatives passed the NEA-supported Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800), which would restore workers' freedom to organize, including by establishing stronger penalties for harassment and other violations of employee rights when workers seek to form a union. See if your Representative voted in support of the Employee Free Choice Act. Thank Members of Congress who stood up for workers' rights!