For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 5, 2002

Alabama

Mobile County Education Association
The Mobile County Education Association will establish a Professional Educators Resource Center (PERC) where Association members create materials that will enhance student achievement. PERC will be filled with a variety of equipment, materials and resources used to produce classroom activities.

Alaska

Anchorage Education Association
The Anchorage Education Association (AEA) believes that highly qualified teaching professionals promote better teaching, better learning, and better schools. This project seeks to provide sustained professional development and support for teachers seeking National Board Certification in the Anchorage School District. Through a National Board Candidate Support Network, the project will encourage high quality, intensive and classroom-focused professional development for teachers.

Arizona

Washington District Education Association
The Washington District Education Association is going to research, design, and implement a program that focuses on community awareness of school district effectiveness. A number of residents in the Washington Elementary School District community don't have school-aged children, and while parents of children are pleased with the results of the school system, the Association wants to address the needs and concerns of the greater community. The grant will help develop a program that highlights the positives aspects of the schools and the district while developing resources to show how schools and communities should work together.

California

Fremont Unified District Teachers Association
The Fremont Unified District Teachers Association will offer professional development for teachers with less than five years teaching experience. A series of workshops will be presented that focus on working effectively with students and families in an ethnically diverse community. The goals of this initiative are to provide meaningful, practical, professional development, create and maintain relationships with families and community, and to retain highly qualified teachers in the Fremont Unified School District.

Connecticut

East Hartford Education Association
The East Hartford Education Association (EHEA) will start a program focusing on supporting and retaining new teachers. This will be done through workshops, peer mentor support, and retired teacher mentor support. EHEA is a priority school district-- most of the children come from low income or at-risk families. The urban grant will help EHEA give teachers full support and help them feel that East Hartford is a great place to teach.

Florida

United Teachers of Dade
United Teachers of Dade (UTOD) is dedicated to quality instruction in the classroom. The UTOD believes that the National Board Certification initiative helps provide teachers with important skills and support needed to be successful. UTOD has developed a program that targets those eligible for certification through a wide range of recruitment efforts including support sessions, mentors, financial incentives and leadership opportunities.

Georgia

Organization of DeKalb Educators
The Organization of DeKalb Educators (ODE) wants to encourage a love of reading among students in the DeKalb County School System, where there are a large percentage of high priority schools. ODE will use a variety of community resources to encourage reading activities in a wide variety of settings from schools to local libraries to businesses. A highlight will be a program established at a priority high school that will give older students the opportunity to read to elementary school children.
(The ODE has received 5 previous awards.)

Illinois

Schaumburg Education Association/Schaumburg Educational Employees
The Schaumburg Education Association (SEA), along with the Schaumburg Educational Employees and the Bilingual Division of the Schaumburg School District 54 in conjunction with the Anti-Defamation League will continue a comprehensive three-year training program on how to handle diversity issues in the school system. The program was created last year due to tensions between students, staff members and the community. The Association will expand the program this year and require third year teachers to participate and enlist eight more schools to the list of program participants. (The SEA is a six-time grant winner.)

Iowa

Des Moines Education Association
The Des Moines Education Association would like to create a new curriculum entitled, "Teaching in an Urban Environment". The curriculum will be shared with the teacher education programs from five area universities that provide the majority of new teachers to Des Moines public schools. The materials will highlight the problems and the benefits of working in an urban environment and help develop survival strategies for teachers who are working or going to be working in those types of environments.

Kansas

Blue Valley NEA
Due to the competitive environment of America, there is a growing number of educational options to parents and community leaders. Members of the Blue Valley NEA want to help educators learn how to market themselves, their programs, and public education so that they receive the support they deserve. The Blue Valley NEA will also help teachers establish relationships with parents that will allow students to be more successful in their classrooms.

United Teachers of Wichita
The implementation of the school district's new law that all teachers teach to standards has resulted in a high amount of teacher stress. United Teachers of Wichita's project will survey teachers to identify specific workload items that can be targeted for improved efficiency or elimination. The project aims to increase student achievement by incorporating standards-based lessons into current teacher workload.

Kentucky

Fayette County Education Association
The Fayette County Education Association (FCEA) wants to retain and recruit as many members as possible, since they are losing significant numbers due to retirements and resignations. FCEA's new project, "Survive and Thrive", addresses the need to get teachers of Fayette County and surrounding areas to want to be part of their winning team, which is dedicated to providing support and assistance to all educators.

Jefferson County Teachers Association
The Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA) and the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) have engaged in a collaborative endeavor to support and assist early career educators. A major focus is teachers who hold emergency certificates. The goal of this new project is to expand the support and assistance provided by JCTA and the New Teacher Mentoring Program via the Internet. Gathering information from websites has been common, and often preferred by early career educators due to demands on their personal time. The goal of this project will be to address the needs of these teachers. (The JCTA is a four-time grant winner.)

Maryland

Frederick CountyTeachers Association
The Fredrick County Teachers Association (FCTA) is working in partnership with Frederick County Public Schools to engage its teaching staff in school change. Together the two groups are conducting a series of focus groups to better understand barriers to achievement within the district's minority population. Focus group questions will explore teacher's perceptions relative to expectations for student achievement, cultural competency, resources and school climate. The project will give, from the teacher's perspective, valuable information on what teachers need to know and do in order to eliminate achievement gaps. With this valuable information FCTA and FCPS can work together to secure adequate resources and relevant training for these school communities.

Missouri

Rockwood NEA
Rockwood NEA (RNEA) wants to continue its T.A.P. (Teacher's Assisting Peers) program. T.A.P is a teacher-mentoring program, through which consulting teachers help new and struggling teachers work to improve their instructional practices by peer evaluation and performance-based teacher evaluation. The Rockwood School District will retain 10 percent more of its new teachers after four years than it did in before T.A.P. was started showing members of the RNEA its success. T.A.P. was in danger of losing all funding, and while it appears that the program will be restored, a long waiting list remains for the program. (RNEA is a two-time grant winner.)

New Jersey

Franklin Township Education Association
The Franklin Township Association wants to combat anti-social behaviors of intolerance and bullying with a new initiative called "Don't Laugh at Me" (DLAM). Unlike present individual school based programs, DLAM would be a district-wide training program for faculty and students. The program will target and help curb negative behaviors associated with bullying, student ostracism, and intolerance and work towards their elimination while emphasizing the skills, abilities, and values of a compassionate learning community.

Oregon

Eugene Education Association
Four Eugene Education Association (EEA) teachers with less than eight years of teaching experience will be mentored by current Association leadership to foster and develop the next generation of Association management. Each mentee will be tutored on EEA's nine standing committees, governance, and District/Association joint contract management, and insurance committees.

Salem Education Association/Salem-Keizer Association of Classified Employees
The Salem Education Association (SEA) wants to reach out to members of its community about school funding. The Association will organize a community forum that includes 70 community leaders including district administration, school board members and SEA representatives to talk about support for stable and adequate funding for Salem's schools.

The Salem Education Association believes in uniting community service with school curriculum efforts. The Houck Middle School Social and Environment Responsibility program strives to develop a learning framework where all students have the opportunity to not only learn but also to apply what they have learned while helping others in the community. Service learning is a unique volunteer program that promotes the application of student classroom skills and knowledge to solve real community problems. The urban grant will help students work through a planning process to generate solutions to community concerns, creating a plan of action for making a difference in their community.

Tennessee

Blount County Education Association
The Blount County Education Association wants its students and staff members to learn about their community, through the "Carpenters Middle Community Exploration Project". Students will participate in researching various aspects of the community that surround the school and present their findings via computerized slide shows, video presentations, and literary magazines. The Community Exploration Project will help the 750 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders develop critical team building skills, increase community involvement, and improve student motivation.

Utah

Salt Lake Teachers Association
The Salt Lake Teachers Association will receive an urban grant that provides opportunities for training in an Internet-based approach in negotiations, problem solving, and organizational development, consensus building, dispute resolution and conflict management. These skills will be utilized in advocating for quality education in the Salt Lake City Public School system and in the shared governance format embraced by the Salt Lake School District. (SLTA is a three-time grant winner.)

Weber Education Association
The Weber Education Association wants its teachers to have more help with classroom management skills. The grant will be used to train new teachers in the California Teachers Association training program "I Can Do It!" The Weber School District currently does not provide any classroom management training for its new teachers. By adding the extra support for teachers, teachers will be better equipped in the classroom.

Virginia

Fairfax Education Association
In 1999, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) identified 20 low-performing schools. Fairfax County Education Association offered a new program entitled "MegaSkills" to help teachers perform better in these high priority schools. The MegaSkills program is designed to help teachers increase parental involvement, improve student achievement, and to help them get FCPS to add Character Education to the curriculum. (The FEA is a three-time grant winner.)

West Virginia

Kanawha County Education Association
The Kanawha County Education Association (KCEA) wants to ensure that all of its employees live healthy and fit lives. KCEA will coordinate the effort to offer school employees access to wellness programs that are available from various healthcare and fitness organizations. Obesity, for example, is a major problem in West Virginia. KCEA wants its employees to lead by example through healthy eating habits, exercise, and by working on weight loss through established programs that work not only for weight loss but also in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. School employees should be role models for their children.

Wisconsin

Green Bay (WI) Education Association
The Green Bay Education Association (GBEA) and the Green Bay Area Public School District (GBAPSD) with the assistance of a research firm want to find out what members of the community think about the public school system. Their grant will be used to conduct 625 interviews with residents to address the community's perceptions about the public schools, teachers, and the Association.

# # #

The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 1999

Statement

Statement by NEA President
Bob Chase On Public Agenda's
Report On Thin Ice

We applaud Public Agenda and the Charles A. Dana Foundation for looking more deeply at Americans' views on private school tuition vouchers, charter schools, and efforts to improve public education. They have performed a true public service by shedding light on an issue that fascinates "national experts" and is far removed from the concerns of most parents.

The debate over vouchers is an argument the public and most parents aren't involved in. Parents don't want vouchers. They want good schools in their neighborhoods.

Given a choice between improving public education and trying more experiments, like vouchers, Americans want policy makers to concentrate on improving public schools -- with things like high standards, improved discipline, smaller classes, and additional resources.

Polling data that is based on language intended to influence people -- such as voucher descriptions that call them "opportunity scholarships" -- aren't very meaningful.

Public Agenda presented Americans around the nation with substantive information about vouchers. And they found that most people recognize that vouchers don't address the issues parents really care about. They are simply a way to subsidize private education for a select few.

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11, 1999

Statement

NEA Supports Religious Rights

Statement from Bob Chase, President
National Education Association
on the release of
"The Bible and Public Schools"

The National Education Association is pleased to add its endorsement to The Bible and Public Schools: A First Amendment Guide. The rights of the nation's children to religious expression must be protected, and we welcome this common-sense guide for teachers, school administrators, and others on how to treat religion and religious conviction with fairness and respect.

Studying about religion is an important part of a complete public education, and NEA supports that practice. This guide provides direction on how to keep the study of religion in an educational, not devotional, context.

NEA is pleased to work with a diverse group of religious, educational, and other organizations in distributing the guide. We encourage the nation's educators to review this important publication and work within their schools and communities to ensure that all students' religious and constitutional rights are protected at school.

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 1999

Statement

The Nation's Educators Mourn the Loss of U.S. Senator Chafee

"He has left a proud legacy for his state and the nation."

Washington, D.C. -- "The National Education Association (NEA) expresses deep sadness at the loss Sunday of a true friend of public education, U.S. Senator John H. Chafee," said NEA President Bob Chase. "We join the Senator's family and the people of Rhode Island in recognizing the profound loss in his death. His staunchly principled positions to put children and education ahead of politics will be remembered forever."

During his terms as governor, state representative, and U.S. Senator, Chafee championed bipartisan initiatives to expand health insurance for children and families and improve services for the disabled. As a U.S. Senator, Chafee supported sensible gun control efforts to ensure student safety, was an ardent civil rights advocate, and was a strong opponent of private school vouchers, believing that all children have a right to quality public education.

"His fierce commitment to seeking bipartisan solutions to problems can be an inspiration to all of us," said Chase. "He has left a proud legacy for his state and the nation. The nation's educators will miss his leadership, wisdom, and compassion. We offer our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 1999

Statement

NEA President Bob Chase Praises Work on Education Summit

Palisades, N.Y. -- Bob Chase, president of the nearly 2.5 million-member National Education Association (NEA), issued the following statement in response to the summit on education convened by many of the nation's governors and business leaders.

"The education standards movement is alive and well -- and healthier after this summit. I am pleased that participants recognized that we can't just set high standards without giving teachers the resources to help children reach them. And we realize that smaller classes, quality teachers, and modern schools are all a part of the formula for helping all students meet high standards.

"It takes involved parents, engaged communities, and responsible elected officials to build a world class educational system.

"The members of the NEA will do our part. And we will continue our partnerships with governors, legislators, parents, and others to ensure quality programs in America's public schools. We will continue to work to make sure every student gets what he or she needs to be successful."

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 1999

News Release

NEA President Bob Chase Comments On Gov. Bush's Voucher Plan

Washington, D.C. - Bob Chase, president of the 2.4 million-member National Education Association (NEA), issued the following statement in response to today's voucher proposal by George W. Bush:

"If Governor Bush wants to help every child, he ought to put forth serious proposals that do that. His voucher proposal is simply off the mark. Every child can learn, but children in disadvantaged schools need extra help, extra attention, and more resources to make the progress we know they can make.

"Public schools should be held accountable, and so should politicians. Governor Bush says he wants to invest in programs that work, but he's willing to waste millions of tax dollars on vouchers, which don't work. Instead, let's put our children in modern schools, with smaller classes and certified teachers, all of which will help improve these students' performance. For example, in Milwaukee, students in the SAGE class size reduction program are strongly outperforming the city's voucher students in both reading and math - and SAGE costs less than vouchers.

"Governor Bush's proposal to withdraw funding from struggling schools and use it on vouchers is out of touch with the American people. Just last month, the annual Gallup Poll on education found that three-quarters of Americans would rather improve their public schools than provide vouchers for private and religious schools.

"For a fraction of the cost of a voucher, we can put struggling students in smaller classes, where all of them - not a select few - will learn to read, write, and compute at higher levels."

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 1999

Statement of Bob Chase, President, National Education Association On Progress in SAT Scores

The release of The 1999 SAT scores for college-bound high school students is More evidence that America public schools are making progress in efforts to maintain standards. results a decade emphasis on standards -- with taking rigorous courses and states raising expectations have paid off. better prepared college many ways.

When one considers that the standard for SAT scores was set in 1941, based on the results of 10,000 college-bound students, it is quite remarkable that 2 million students taking the test today perform about as well. It is particularly impressive when you take into account the economic and social diversity of students attending America's public schools.

We will not declare victory yet, and we will never stop working for better opportunity for students. This is compelling evidence that public schools can do better when we have the commitment, the will, and the resources to improve.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 1999

Statement of Bob Chase, President, National Education Association On Selection of Betty Castor as New President of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has chosen an eloquent and enthusiastic advocate for teachers and teacher professional development by appointing Betty Castor as its new president. Ms. Castor brings to her new post a broad range of experience in the field of education and a broad knowledge of state education policy, important attributes for a National Board leader. She is a proven consensus builder who clearly understands teachers and the teaching profession.

Ms. Castor inherits from founding president James Kelly an organization that has revolutionized the teaching profession by identifying accomplished teaching and recognizing those who practice it. What began 12 years ago as a concept to reward teaching excellence has grown today into the nation's finest system of judging superior classroom practice. As the millenium approaches and we welcome a new century, Ms. Castor will lead the National Board to greater heights marked by unprecedented numbers of National Board candidates, unprecedented numbers of Board Certified teachers, and unprecedented levels of support from states and school districts for teachers taking this professional challenge.

We look forward to working with Ms. Castor as she continues the National Board's legacy as a powerful driving force in teacher professionalism.

(Editor's note: Bob Chase served on the National Board search committee that recommended Ms.Castor's appointment.)

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 1999

Excerpts from Remarks by NEA Vice President Reg Weaver To CEF Rally Supporting Federal Education Spending

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- National Education Association (NEA) members -- including teachers, school support personnel, vocational educators, and higher education faculty -- know what parents, students, and the American public know -- that federal education spending is an essential investment in our economic strength and our national security.

Polls show that the American public overwhelmingly supports increased funding for education. But, we don't need polls to tell us what we see every day in classrooms across America. Our nation's schools are committed to raising academic standards and student achievement. Yet, schools across the country are facing record levels of enrollments, aging and overcrowded school buildings, and teacher shortages. We cannot prepare our children to meet the challenges of the 21st century without increased federal investment in education.

Congressional leaders routinely express support for education. Yet, the current proposed funding framework requires just the opposite -- the largest education funding cut in history! Without an increase in spending caps to allow additional education funding, support for education amounts to nothing more than empty rhetoric.

The proposed education cuts are unacceptable. They represent a significant step backward from our national responsibility to provide all our children with the best education possible. They will jeopardize efforts to raise academic standards, to provide assistance for teacher education, and to provide a vast array of essential services to students. Taking funds away from students, schools, and communities will inevitably lead to a decline in educational progress, economic opportunity, and the strength and productivity of our future workforce.

Instead of proposing cuts, Congress should be focusing on increased investment in programs proven to increase student achievement -- including raising the level of academic standards for all children, reducing class sizes, and modernizing school facilities.

NEA calls upon Congress to fulfill the promise of a quality public education for all our children.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 1999

NEA President Urges House To Make School Modernization a 'Top Priority'

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Bob Chase, president of the National Education Association (NEA), today urged House Speaker Dennis Hastert to heed the call of freshmen legislators to bring public school construction and modernization to the House floor this year for debate.

"The need to modernize our public schools has never been more apparent, and the severity of the crisis deepens by the day," Chase said. "Clearly, the time is at hand for a federal partnership with the states in addressing this crisis.

"The condition of America's classrooms is a bipartisan concern, just like the conditions of our bridges and highways," Chase said. As proof, he cited proposals by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT), both of which would subsidize zero-interest bonds to finance up to $25 billion in school modernization.

"The condition of America's public schools should be a top priority for Congress," said Chase. "Modern schools, small class sizes, and educational technology will all enhance student achievement. The time is now to act on this problem, because the cost of school modernization and construction costs facing the states already exceeds $200 billion. Any further delay in modernizing our schools will only increase the final cost of this monumental effort.

"NEA applauds the freshmen legislators for making a strong statement in support of modern schools, and we urge Speaker Hastert to bring the Rangel and Johnson proposals to the floor for full debate," Chase said.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 1999

Statement by Bob Chase, NEA President, on the 1999 Metropolitan Life Survey of the American Teacher: Violence in America's Public Schools - Five Years Later

The Metropolitan Life Survey of the American Teacher for 1999 bolsters our call for parents and other adults to become more engaged in the lives of their children.

We have persistently advocated for measures to enhance school safety -- including expanding peer mediation and conflict resolution programs, increasing the number of school counselors, and limiting access to weapons. I hope we will find ever greater support for school-based, family-based, and community-based solutions.

The MetLife survey finds that most students feel safe at school. There is good reason for this, because statistically children are more secure in school than anywhere else. Now we must all work together to make all schools even safer.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 1999

Statement of Bob Chase
President, National Education Association
On Supreme Court's ruling on Sexual Harassment

We are pleased with the Supreme Court's ruling today on student-to-student sexual harassment. The National Education Association and its more than 2.4 million members have long advocated for the right of every child to attend school free of harassment. NEA supported the young student in this case by filing an amicus brief in coalition with the National Partnership for Women and Families.

We believe, as the Court ruled, that school districts should take prompt and effective action to stop known instances of peer sexual harassment. The lesson here is that school districts should work to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the first place through education and training programs for students and staff. The National Education Association is working diligently to provide information to our members - to teachers and other education employees - about preventing harassment of all kinds. We are pleased that schools nationwide have begun to raise awareness about this problem and have taken steps to reduce and prevent it through guidelines and training.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 1999

Statement of Bob Chase
NEA President
on Georgia Shooting
and Need for Stricter Gun Laws

Our hearts and prayers go out to the students, teachers, parents and families of the victims of the shooting today at Heritage High School, outside Conyers, Georgia. We join all Americans in hoping for a complete recovery of the injured children.

We all hoped against hope that the tragic shooting at Columbine High School one month ago today would be the last time this nation had to see the faces of children fleeing from a school in panic. The last time we would hear horrific stories of children shooting classmates. The last time we would have to comfort parents, children and teachers in the aftermath. We hoped. But we feared it wouldn't be the last. For despite the good intentions, the discussion about safety precautions, the coming together of law enforcement, schools and the community in search of answers, the bottom line is that today, guns in America are still much too easily falling into the hands of children.

Congress cannot continue to throw up roadblocks to passage of desperately needed, common-sense gun laws. How many more students - children - must be maimed or killed before sensible gun laws are passed?

Today, the National Education Association and its 2.4 million members call on Congress to take immediate action on the Children's Gun Violence Prevention Act of 1999 and other pending legislation to keep guns out of the hands of children. Congress must:

• Establish a Federal Child Access Prevention (CAP) law holding adults responsible if a child gains access to a loaded firearm that has not been properly stored and uses it in the commission of a crime;

• Require that child safety locks and devices be sold with all new handguns purchased in the United States;

• Outlaw the transfer to and possession of semi-automatic assault rifles and large capacity ammunition magazines by juveniles;

• Reinstitute the Brady Law's minimum three-day waiting period for handgun purchases;

• Close the "gun show," "pawn shop," and all other loopholes by mandating background checks of gun purchasers at these venues;

• Raise the age of handgun possession to 21 years of age;

• Extend the Brady Law's background check requirements to the purchase of explosives;

• Reduce illegal gun trafficking by limiting gun purchases to one per month;

• Create anonymous tiplines so that students will feel free to alert adults to potential problems.

For too long, Congress and our state legislators have been cowed by the gun lobby. Now is the time for them to show some courage. No excuses. No loopholes. They owe it to the students of Springfield, Edinboro, Jonesboro, West Paducah, Pearl, Bethel, Moses Lake, Littleton, Conyers, and children in every community. So do we.

Our children need moral direction. But they need more. Our children need a safe and healthy environment in which to grow. At the end of the day, a good moral upbringing will not stop a bullet. Today, we must all take responsibility and personal action to stop gun violence.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 1999

Statement by NEA President Bob Chase in response To Vice President Gore's Remarks on Education

"Vice President Gore sends a strong, positive message to Americans that education is the key to our national aspirations. He clearly understands that the success of our schools and our students will play a major role in determining America's economic, social, and intellectual leadership in the world.

"We strongly concur with the Vice President's proposals to attract and retain talented teachers into the profession, because the single most important determinant in a child's education is the quality of the classroom teacher. His belief in a combination of high entrance requirements, professional compensation, rigorous performance evaluations, lifelong professional development, and periodic recertification will go a long way toward creating a teaching force of the highest caliber.

"Equally important, the Vice President wants those talented teachers working in safe, modern schools, with small class sizes, good working conditions, and access to the latest educational technology. Those are goals that all Americans support for their children, and they will have a demonstrable and positive impact on student achievement."

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 1999

Statement of Bob Chase
President, National Education Association
On ETS/ACT Report
The Academic Quality of Prospective Teachers

It has become the biggest hoax since the Loch Ness Monster that teachers are low scorers on standardized tests. We applaud ETS and ACT for joining forces and putting an end to this myth. The report released today confirms that SAT and ACT scores and college grade point averages for prospective teachers seeking certification are as high, if not higher than, their college peers. This remains constant even in high-need areas such as mathematics and science.

"The Academic Quality of Prospective Teachers: The Impact of Admissions and Licensure Testing" examines the qualifications of new teachers and their performance on licensing exams and finds what we've known all along: America's teachers are current in their knowledge and competent in their skills.

The study also shines a light on another common misconception. As the report's authors illustrate, teacher licensing is only part of the equation in the national quest for better teachers. The report presents some challenges for how we continue to recruit a high-quality and diverse teaching force. NEA is working to increase the supply of teachers through targeted recruitment that preserves teacher quality and improves diversity. To prepare the next generation of teachers, we must also focus on better pay, mentors for new teachers and more opportunities for professional development for all teachers.

Most importantly, the report validates the notion that "Those who can, teach" by documenting the success of teacher candidates from institutions accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which NEA has long supported and endorsed. NCATE graduates consistently perform better on teaching licensing exams when measured against graduates from unaccredited schools. With an emphasis on pre-teaching performance and quality, NCATE is ensuring a quality teacher in every classroom by first ensuring quality candidates enter the profession.

Every child deserves a quality education delivered by a qualified teacher. The findings unveiled in this report prove we are moving steadily toward meeting this goal.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 1999

Statement by NEA President, Bob Chase, On the Florida Private School Tuition Voucher Plan

The private school tuition voucher plan proposed by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will make it harder for Florida public schools to improve. It says to parents and the community, "When schools are struggling, just walk away."

Parents don't want vouchers. They want good schools. They want assurance every child will be helped. And Florida teachers, administrators, and other school employees are working closely with parents and community leaders to do the difficult work necessary to improve school quality. We know what works: smaller classes, more professional development, and modern schools with the latest technology. By diverting public money to private schools, the Florida voucher plan makes it more difficult to make those things happen.

It's ironic that Florida would show how school reform can and should work, and then throw a monkey wrench in the works. In recent years, the state established a process for identifying low-performing schools which prompted local officials to action. Over the past two years, 33 schools revamped programs, enhanced parental and community involvement, and worked hard to get off the "needs improvement" list. They succeeded. Private school tuition vouchers take off the pressure to make needed changes, and take money away from those very schools that need to change most.

The Florida voucher has been described as a pilot, but the Florida Department of Education projects that it may affect 180 schools within the next two years. If only one-fourth of the eligible students used a voucher -- and were able to find a school that would accept them -- it would cost public schools $180 million in state aid by the 2000-01 school year. This plan represents the largest diversion of public money from public schools in the United States.

Rather than ensuring a better education for our children, the voucher plan will allow public funds to send students to schools with no standards, no track record, and no accountability.

In short, the Florida voucher plan sets up a two-tiered education system where public schools get more state scrutiny and less state money and private schools get no state scrutiny and more state money.

Voucher plans in Cleveland and Milwaukee show no clear indication that they improve educational opportunity for students who use them, and they have certainly done nothing to improve opportunities for those who don't.

NEA and its state and local affiliates will continue and expand our efforts to work with parents and community members who care about the students in America's public schools.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 1999

Littleton Tragedy is a National Wake-up Call to Renew our Commitment to Every Child

Statement of Bob Chase, National Education Association President

The tragic shooting at Columbine High School must serve as a national wake-up call to every citizen to renew our commitment to the safety and welfare of every child. We can no longer afford as a civilized nation to continue business as usual. The responsibility for safeguarding our children lies not with somebody else, rather it is a responsibility that every adult in every community must embrace if our country is provide a future for our children.

The National Education Association (NEA) calls for an immediate ratcheting up of efforts to implement a comprehensive planning process that involves parents, schools and law enforcement to identify ways of ensuring the safety of our children in our communities and in our schools. Additionally, Congress must step up to the plate and take action. The association of 2.5 million teachers and education support personnel calls upon Congress to move forward immediately in passing legislation that controls youth's access to automatic weapons. Reasonable legislation has been languishing in Congress for over a year since the tragic Jonesboro shootings. Congress must put partisan politics aside and act now for our children's sake.

The media must accept its responsibility as a partner in protecting the children and stop the endless violence paraded before our eyes night after night on television and in the movies. Violence begets violence. We must raise our voices in a collective cry of outrage: Enough is enough, or this year's observance of "National Turn Off TV Week" may become a new national pastime.

As educators and school support personnel, we call on Congress to set national standards for school safety. A child must be safe in every school, not just in those communities with the foresight to address safety issues through curriculum and staff training. Clearly, every school must implement mediation and conflict resolution programs. Administrators have a responsibility to train all school employees in identifying warning signs of violence and mental health problems. Guidance counselors must be brought back into the school at a ration per student that allows them to do more than pass out college brochures.

As I watched the drama unfold yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the sheer size of Columbine High School. While the high school is new, in our quest to save money, we have created schools larger than some towns across the country. Just as it is difficult for teachers to teach students in large classrooms, it is equally difficult for schools to create a sense of community and give teachers, counselors, bus drivers, parents and students the chance to know each other and reach out to each other.

NEA and the American Federation of Teachers are preparing a state by state study on school safety guidelines to be released this year.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 1999

Colorado Tragedy Demands a Renewed Commitment to Every Child

Statement by Bob Chase, President, National Education Association

On behalf of our 2.4 million members, the National Education Association extends its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims, the students and staff of Columbine High School. For those of us in education, this has been an especially difficult time.

We share the personal sorrow of everyone in the community, including the family of heroic teacher Dave Sanders, an NEA member who lost his life during the tragic episode.

The horrific events in Littleton demand a renewed commitment on the part of every adult in America to help stop our young people from killing other children. None of us can afford to be bystanders any longer. The children of America count on us to keep them safe, to teach them, and to help them grow, and each of us - whether parents or not - must be part of a national movement to ensure the safety and welfare of every child.

The National Education Association calls for an immediate ratcheting up of efforts to implement a comprehensive planning process that involves parents, schools, and law enforcement agencies to identify ways of ensuring the safety of our children in our communities and in our schools, such as:

• Implementing effective mediation and conflict resolution programs, so that children are taught to settle differences in non-violent ways.

• Providing training to every school employee -- teachers, bus drivers, and administrators alike -- to identify and report warning signs of violence and mental health problems.

• Making sure that guidance counselors and school psychologists are brought back into the school at a ratio per student that allows them to provide personal attention to every child.

• Urging every adult to reconnect with children and with the community as a whole. Our children need role models and mentors, and adults to listen.

• Working with Congress to immediately pass legislation that promotes safety, order and discipline, and prevents violence in and around schools and campuses.

• Demanding that the media and the entertainment industry stop the endless violence paraded before children night after night on television, in the movies, in video games, and in music.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 1999

Statement of
NEA Vice President Reg Weaver
On the
Education Testing Service Report
How Teachers Compare

The Education Testing Service report turns conventional wisdom on its head and provides the first objective evidence of what we have known all along. Teachers are capable, intelligent, well-qualified, and highly committed people who could perform well in any number of fields.

The myth that teachers are generally not well-qualified is perpetuated to keep compensation low, to diminish the value of the profession, and to minimize teachers' voice in essential decisions regarding quality schools, quality teaching, and quality learning. That strategy has worked well in the past, and is the wrong course for America's future.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 1999

NEA supports legislative relief for Social Security offset
'grossly unfair to retired women,' says Weaver

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Reg Weaver, vice president of the 2.4-million member National Education Association (NEA), today urged Congress to enact legislation filed by Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) that would limit the government pension offset provision of Title II of the Social Security Act. In a prepared statement, Weaver said:

"The pension offset is grossly unfair to a narrow class of individuals, most of whom are retired women. More than a third of teachers and education employees are not covered by Social Security. It is unconscionable that those who survive their spouses should see their retirement incomes reduced by thousands of dollars just because they are public employees.

"Right now, a school secretary with a government pension of $600 and a $645 monthly Social Security survivor benefit loses an amount equal to two-thirds of that pension -- $400 a month -- from the Social Security survivor benefits her husband worked all his life to provide. A retired bank teller with a private pension of $600 per month gets to keep all of her Social Security survivor benefits. Why should one retiree receive $1,245 per month, and the other only $845 per month, just because she worked as a public employee? By guaranteeing retirees the first $1,200 of combined benefits, the Jefferson proposal will strike a strong blow for equity.

"The offset provision has the harshest effect on those who can least afford it: lower-income women. These women have worked hard for years, and they should not be punished at the most vulnerable time of their lives in such an unfair fashion. Their spouses should be able to expect their survivor benefits to be there for their partners, and any fair-minded person would agree.

"Right now, some 200,000 individuals are losing an average of $3,600 a year because of the pension offset provision. That can mean the difference between paying the rent or being forced onto the street. It can mean the difference between fending for oneself or forced eligibility for food stamps and other even more costly forms of public assistance. But ultimately, it is the difference between what is right and what is patently wrong. I urge Congress to enact the Jefferson proposal, and to stop punishing people whose only transgression is a life spent serving the public."

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 1999

Statement by Bob Chase, NEA President
On Public Agenda Survey of Parents' and Teachers' Attitudes on Parental Involvement

The National Education Association (NEA) welcomes Public Agenda's latest contribution to the research base of parent involvement in schools. The data provides valuable statistical evidence to validate familiar anecdotes and teachers' gut instincts. The data also reveals that parents and teachers are more often in agreement than disagreement.

We need a new compact that puts the public back into the public schools. We need every citizen involved and engaged.

To parents, this compact is very simple: Regardless of your child's challenges or special needs, we will educate your child to the best of our ability. That is our duty and responsibility as public educators. But parents can make a huge difference by sending their children to school ready to learn -- and by that I mean children who behave, children who respect adult authority, and children who are taught at home that education is important. These core values can make a critical difference in a child's ability to achieve in school.

Not surprisingly, today's survey reveals parents are inclined to defer to teachers on curriculum, hiring practices, and school management, while teachers recognize that parents are critical to ensuring that children come to school prepared to learn.

There is even common ground in identifying obstacles to student achievement. Parents and teachers alike believe discipline problems and incivility are major deterrents to learning.

The big news today is not poverty, hunger, language barriers, fad teaching programs or uninvolved parents. The lesson we need to act upon is simple: greater discipline, follow up on homework, and turn off the television.

And while parents and teachers may differ in degree, the essence of that message remains the same. Parents and teachers are partners in our children's education.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 1999

Statement by NEA President Bob Chase
In Response to Senate Refusal to
Fund Class Size Initiative

We are deeply disappointed with the House and Senate votes to reject authorizing full funding to hire 100,000 new teachers to reduce class sizes nationwide. We are equally disappointed with the Senate's approval of Sen. Lott's amendment allowing class size funding to be diverted to special education.

The Senate is asking America's schools to make a false choice between smaller class sizes and additional funding for special education. In fact, both are important priorities, and both need additional funding in order to best serve our students. Forcing school districts to choose between smaller class sizes and special education will only dilute the effort to strengthen both programs.

Smaller class sizes should be a non-partisan issue. Yet today's Senate vote rejecting full authorization of class size funding is a strong indication that a majority in Congress apparently are willing to renege on last fall's promise to reduce class sizes in America's public schools.

School districts are already making plans to hire new teachers for next year, but today's votes tell them Congress may leave them hanging without the resources needed to employ those new teachers after the first year. NEA continues to support the Ed Flex proposal, but we will work tirelessly to convince House and Senate conferees to authorize full funding for smaller class sizes for the nation's students.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 1999

NEA Backs 'Ed-Flex' Legislation to Fuel Education Innovation in the States

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Education Association (NEA) announced its support for "Ed-Flex" legislation to be introduced in the U.S. Senate today, commending the legislation's ability to boost student achievement with more innovative school reforms at the state and local level.

"As the nation's largest professional education organization dedicated to raising the quality and performance of education, NEA believes the 'Ed-Flex' legislation introduced by Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Bill Frist of Tennessee is a step in the right direction," said NEA President Bob Chase. "The bill has been much improved through the addition of increased accountability and coordination measures and a public comment period that permits parents and members of the community to participate actively in education reforms."

The Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999, S. 280, can be a catalyst for increased education innovation in the states by freeing school districts from some federal and state regulations without losing critical accountability and quality controls. "Teachers know that the best ideas for reforming education often percolate up from the state and school district level," said Chase. "We need to do all we can to foster this creativity and innovation for the benefit of our students."

NEA urged Congress to include the bill as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization, the essential legislative vehicle for nearly all major education programs. "Congress should resist the temptation to rush legislation and miss the opportunity to truly deploy flexibility in education reforms through ESEA," said Chase. "The maximum benefit of 'Ed-Flex' can only be realized when addressed in the larger context of ESEA reauthorization."

NEA also expressed concern that the targeting of Title I funds for disadvantaged schools and students may not be sustained in legislation passed outside the confines of ESEA. "These programs were developed and funded under ESEA, they ought to stay there," said Chase.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 1999

Statement by NEA President Bob Chase On 'An Educators' Guide to Schoolwide Reform'

Foremost on the agenda of the National Education Association, today and every day, is student achievement. That is the most compelling reason why the NEA joined these four other national organizations in pursuing the development of An Educators' Guide to Schoolwide Reform.

To achieve success in education reform, we must know what works -- and we must direct our resources there. Teachers, principals, and administrators have a common need to identify programs that work. And parents need the confidence to know that the programs in place in their schools truly work.

The five sponsors of this guide share a sense of urgency to improve our schools. Over the years educators have been pushed and pulled into any number of "silver bullet" solutions that ultimately fell short of their promise.

That's why we hired the independent research and development organization American Institutes for Research to look at 24 promising programs and amass the available evidence about the programs' effectiveness in increasing student achievement.

That is the bottom line for NEA. And, I'm sure, the bottom line for all the sponsors, as well as for parents and students and everyone else who has a stake in moving our public education system and our nation forward. Particularly, I hope this guide will serve as a valuable resource for all our members and other educators as they continue to work to improve the nation's schools.

I'd like to thank the leaders and staff of the associations that have worked with us so hard on this project, and to thank the American Institutes for Research for accomplishing its extremely complex task quickly and well.

I would also like to acknowledge the value of the federal Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program. This bipartisan program was created in 1997 legislation authored by Representatives David Obey and John Porter to boost our schoolwide reform efforts. Through the Obey-Porter bill, critical resources have been made available to schools throughout the nation to allow them to explore many, many programs that hold the promise of making educational success available to every student -- in communities where poverty prevails as well as middle-class and affluent ones.

This marks a beginning of what should be ongoing study of school programs.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 1999

Statement by NEA President Bob Chase On the 1998 Reading Report Card for the Nation

The 1998 Reading Report Card based on the latest test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals that our nation's public schools are on the right path. The nationwide testing of fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades represents a commitment to high standards, and the challenging NAEP test is our best yardstick to measure student performance in reading, our most precious resource.

While we as a nation can take pride in this achievement, we must not lose sight that many students still have some distance to travel in improving their reading skills. Achievement gaps between white students and minorities have decreased, but much work still needs to be done to improve the achievement of Black and Hispanic students. Our nation can not afford to leave anyone behind.

We're heartened by the finding that students are watching less television and reading more in school and at home. This is part of the reason why the NAEP scores are up.

The National Education Association and its 2.4 million members very clearly recognize the link between student achievement and reading. That's why NEA is targeting literacy as one of its primary objectives. We are working with communities and more than 10 million children throughout the U.S. in our annual Read Across America celebration on March 2, so that we can help shed a spotlight on the importance of reading. All of us -- teachers, school employees, parents, and the community -- must come together to reinforce the message that reading is every child's passport to a better future.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 1999

NEA President Expresses Concern Over 'Modest' Increase For Education in President Clinton's Budget Proposal

National Education Association (NEA) President Bob Chase released the following statement today in response to President Clinton's proposed budget for FY2000:

"While we share in President Clinton's overall vision for public education, NEA and its members are concerned about what we see as only modest increases in education funding in his FY2000 budget.

"An overall increase of less than four percent just doesn't go far enough to respond to public demand and growing pressures on our public schools to improve. Thanks to a healthy surplus and a robust economy, we now have a unique opportunity to address the educational priorities that the American people have clearly articulated.

"We are encouraged with the President's proposals to invest in smaller class sizes, modern schools, after-school programs, Head Start, Title I, and magnet schools. NEA has always applauded President Clinton's consistently positive vision of strong public education for America, most recently in his State of the Union address. We genuinely appreciate the priority he places on programs that will make a difference for our students.

"At the same time, we believe Congress can and should amplify on the President's proposals, while also addressing programs that the administration has chosen to freeze, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and vocational education. Even though we are disappointed in several of the President's funding proposals, they certainly set the table for what should be a lively and productive debate over federal policy and funding for K-12 and higher education. "Three months ago, candidates across America were elected to Congress in large measure because they supported small class sizes, modern schools, early childhood education, and expanding aid for college students.

"These are issues NEA strongly supports, and President Clinton's proposal puts them all up for debate. In each of the last three budget cycles, Congress has worked to provide even more funding than the president requested in his budget proposals, and we hope that trend continues for a fourth year.

"We look forward to working with the President and the 106^th Congress to provide appropriate resources to increase student achievement and to provide quality teachers, small class sizes, and modern schools for all of our students. The American public wants these things, and America now has the wherewithal to provide them. There should be no higher priority than the education of our children."

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 1999

Statement by Bob Chase
National Education Association President
In Response To Poll Released by
The Rebuild America Coalition

"The poll released today by the Rebuild America Coalition shows growing and overwhelming public support for modernizing America's schools.

"One year ago, NEA released a bipartisan poll showing that 74 percent of Americans supported a federal partnership to help states and local school districts modernize their schools. This new poll shows that support has climbed to 82 percent. I can't imagine a stronger message to Congress that this is an issue that deserves their bipartisan support.

"This poll shows that Americans are willing to pay for safe, modern schools for their children, with small class sizes and the technology to help them succeed in the future. With America's schools facing an estimated $200 billion price tag for repair, modernization, and new construction, this poll is a clear message to Congress that now is the time to act."

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 1999

Statement by
Eddie Davis, Member
Executive Committee, National Education Association
on the U.S. Dept. of Education's Family Partnership Conference

The National Education Association is proud to be a partner in this very important effort. We know there is no better way to encourage a child's growth and development than parents and teachers working together to achieve improved student learning. The training manuals unveiled today -- Partners for Learning: Preparing Teachers to Involve Families -- will complement NEA's public engagement efforts underway across the nation.

NEA has a long track record of galvanizing the support and involvement of parents in their children's education. We have produced books, videotapes and workshops to get the message out. To date thousands of parents, teachers, administrators, school support staff, and community members have been trained through NEA's Family-School-Community Partnership program.

For nearly a decade NEA's Urban Initiatives unit has been providing family-school-community training to school staff and communities on how to create effective learning environments in the home. The results have been compelling and infectious.

Parents and teachers learn how to work in tandem to spark a child's learning in the classroom and reinforce those lessons learned at home and in the community. Teachers learn how to tap parents' insights into how to reach their child and overcome obstacles to learning, and parents learn how to engage their child in fun, educational activities at home.

Parents in public housing projects in Nashville, Tennessee, are learning how to help their children with homework and become better learners. In Broward County, Florida, NEA trained parents in how to resolve conflict in the home. At Mauphin Elementary in Louisville, Kentucky, teachers are using the MegaSkills program to help children develop confidence, motivation, and self-esteem. After school, teachers train parents in how to teach MegaSkills at home. Evening workshops are offered and material is provided in several languages to make it easier for parents to participate. Many schools even provide transportation to and from workshops.

In Richmond, Virginia, the Whitcom Model School's parent coordinator meets parents and families on their own turf, often swinging by their neighborhoods, dropping by the recreation center, and even going door-to-door to invite parents to upcoming meetings and keep them informed about what's going on at their school.

A growing number of schools aren't letting language and cultural differences create a rift between parents and school staff. When parents call Phantom Lake Elementary School in Bellevue, Washington, they can listen to school announcements in Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Laotian, or Vietnamese. With help from a special software program, they can get regular messages from school in their native language, and they can register their kids with help from how-to-videotapes in six languages.

Schools are being transformed into inviting community centers where parents are welcome and cooperation thrives. When parents, teachers, support staff, and community members discover the power of working together and understand the roles they can each play to boost student achievement, public education becomes the cornerstone of progress in their communities.

NEA is committed to continuing these efforts to involve families in education. In 1999, NEA expects to train even more parents and teachers in the Family-School-Community Partnership program and coordinate these efforts through a liaison in every state. In a new year on the threshold of a new millennium, we are resolved to confront tough issues and make every school a welcoming place where parents can ask questions, get answers, and unite with school staff and their communities to give children the tools they need to succeed.

I hope you will visit NEA's Web site to find "Tools You Can Use" for boosting parental involvement in education -- http://www.nea.org/helpfrom/connecting/tools/involve.html.

# # #

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers. To fulfill the promise of a democratic society, the NEA promotes quality education and advances the profession of education.

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May 16, 2000

Statement

Statement Of Bob Chase, President, National Education Association On The Anniversary Of Brown Vs. The Board Of Education

Forty-six years ago, Brown vs. the Board of Education outlawed racial segregation in public schools, ruling that separate public education could never be made equal. Today, as we commemorate that pivotal Supreme Court ruling, we also recognize that millions of students of color are still segregated into run-down schools, with overcrowded classrooms, less experienced teachers, outdated textbooks, and outmoded technology. Separate is still not equal, race still correlates with high poverty rates, and poor children still suffer from discrimination that limits their access to the American dream.

Instead of correcting historical school finance inequities over the past 46 years, regressive political forces have designed new schemes to divert even more public money away from public schools. Instead of applying research that shows all students benefit from racially diverse schools, many of the more than 500 court-ordered and voluntary school desegregation plans have been eliminated in less than a decade.

The wise words of the Supreme Court are even more true in this Information Age than they were in 1954: "It is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education." We must make real the promise of Brown vs. the Board of Education -- that all children - Black, White, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian, and others -- receive a quality education. To do this, we must address the connection between race and poverty in the nation's segregated neighborhoods and schools. If we cannot integrate our schools, what can we expect for our nation's multicultural future?

We know what children need to achieve their full potential: small classes that allow individualized attention, with caring, competent teachers, in safe, modern facilities offering quality, up-to-date books and equipment. On this occasion, the NEA reaffirms its commitment to make these the right of every child, in every community, without exception.

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2000

Statement

Statement of Bob Chase, NEA President
May 9, 2000

Good Morning. As president of the 2.5 million-member National Education Association, I'm here today -- National Teacher Day -- because the nation's teachers and other education employees are sending a message to Congress: gun violence must end. It's time to stand up for the safety of America's children.

Today the National Education Association is running this full-page ad in The Washington Post. Signed by more than a thousand NEA members -- from every state in the nation -- it reads, "It's Time to Get Real About Protecting Our Kids. No More Delays on Common-Sense Gun Laws." More than 1600 NEA members took the time to personally sign on to this ad, despite the rush of wrapping up the school year. Because space would not allow us to include every person who wanted to be a part of this powerful message, we are listing all of the names on our website at www.nea.org.

America's teachers and other education employees are committed to challenging kids to reach new heights. Every day, we look for ways to get them to open their minds, instilling the joy of reading or giving them the tools to solve an algebra problem. We're dedicated to helping them grow up to be productive, healthy citizens.

But increasingly in the last few years, we've had to be dedicated to more -- we've found ourselves learning about crisis communications, grief counseling, and emotional first aid to prevent post-traumatic stress disorders. We've taken the lead on video programming to help communities work to prevent violence at school. And we've done this because we do not believe that we can simply shrug our shoulders and say, "school violence is a societal problem, not a school problem," and walk away.

Today we are not walking away. Too many of our members have watched children and colleagues senselessly gunned down. Too many of our members have had to comfort grief-stricken parents and children. Too many young lives have been lost. Twelve children will die today from gun fire. Another twelve tomorrow. And the day after and the day after. We cannot allow this to go on.

Today, on behalf of the entire NEA education family -- teachers, secretaries, bus drivers, teachers aides, school security personnel, cafeteria workers, and custodians -- we are calling on Congress to stand up for our students and for all children. No more delays. No more excuses. The time has come for every lawmaker to put kids and their safety first.

Schools must be safe havens for learning, for growing. Children need to concentrate on learning, not worrying about protecting themselves from guns.

Congress must act immediately to:

• Require locks or other safety devices on all guns
• Ban the sale of semiautomatic assault rifles
• Stop the sale and importation of high-capacity ammunition clips
• Require mandatory background checks
• Prohibit handgun possession by those under 21
• Establish tip lines for students to alert adults about potential violence

Today, a letter will be sent to every member of Congress signed by the country's leading education groups, also calling for this common sense legislation.

The NEA is doing its part to keep schools safe by doing what education employees do best: teaching and learning. We have collected the very best, absolutely proven safe school practices in the nation and we are training our members to use these techniques. We realize that teachers need to know not just how to teach reading, writing and arithmetic, but also how to spot early warning signs of troubled youth, how to promote tolerance of differences among students, and how to connect communities to schools. I encourage all of you to view the short clip of our video series that is in your press kit. It is called the NEA Safe Schools Now Network. Schools all over the country are receiving this program free, via satellite.

But, for all our work, we know that it alone can not solve the problems of a society that is awash in guns. As long as children can get access to these weapons, tragedies will occur. Nothing NEA can do alone can stop that.

Nothing we can do alone can stop a bullet. That's why we're calling on Congress to get real about protecting our kids. Act now. None of us should have to go to another child's funeral.

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2000

Statement

Statement from NEA President Bob Chase on Scholastic/CCSSO "Teacher Voices 2000" Survey

With a keen insight, veteran teachers have identified the serious cracks in the teacher pipeline and what our nation needs to do to attract and keep talented professionals in the classroom.

Of all the ingredients for good schools, a sufficient quality of talented teachers is the most basic. School recruiters today may offer signing bonuses and mortgage reductions to lure teaching candidates. But as this survey confirms, at the heart of the teacher shortage crisis is the fact that teachers often are badly treated, burn out quickly, and leave the profession.

There is a mounting crisis in both the quality and quantity of available teachers and these survey respondents - National Teachers of the Year and State Teachers of the Year - recognize the remedy. New teachers need formal mentoring from more experienced peers. Veteran teachers need more time with peers to broaden their subject knowledge. And all teachers need smaller classes and greater parental involvement to give students the best education.

Many of the suggestions in this survey have been an NEA priority for decades. We know that quality professional development strengthens teaching skills - that's why NEA members have negotiated for ongoing, sustained professional growth activities. And we know that when classes are small, students can learn more - that's why NEA members have worked at the national and state levels to support class size reduction efforts.

But as this survey also validates, the road to attracting and keeping qualified individuals begins with a salary that compensates teachers for their work. About 80 percent of those surveyed cite better pay scales as an answer to the teacher recruitment and retention challenge. That's why NEA members have fought for better compensation to raise teacher salaries to the level of professionals with comparable education. The current teacher shortage is bound to worsen until policymakers address this fact.

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
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April 28, 2000

Statement

National Education Association Hails Vice President's Call for Proven Programs in Nation's Schools

(NEA President Bob Chase issued the following statement today in response to a speech on education given by Vice President Al Gore in Dallas this afternoon.)

We endorse Vice President Gore's emphasis on programs that work and on the need for strong school leadership.

The Vice President's proposal to put resources into proven programs is a breath of fresh air in the midst of the debate about how best to help all children learn. Instead of focusing on ways to punish schools and children, Mr. Gore wants to invest where it counts: in programs that work. His proposal is vastly different from that of Governor Bush, who wants to strip program money out of schools and provide vouchers to a few students while hurting the majority. Teachers, parents, and Al Gore want the country to invest in programs that work: early childhood education, smaller class sizes, after-school programs, and measures to ensure that all children are taught by caring, competent professionals.

In addition to what Mr.Gore proposes, we would suggest that any analysis of low-performing schools should include a close look at other factors in the community that can have an impact on the school: changes in the student population, new kinds of demands on teachers, and other factors. The connection between school and community is real and undeniable. Let's find ways to have schools work in unison with communities to become good places for children to grow up and to learn.

# # #
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
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April 14, 2000

Statement

Statement from NEA President and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Chairman, Bob Chase on Teacher Preparation Report

"It's no secret that children learn best with a quality teacher in the classroom. As president of the National Education Association (NEA) and chairman of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), I can attest that teachers and other educators are vigorously involved in strengthening teacher preparation programs.

Many of the suggestions in a recent AFT report are already on a fast track. In fact, the performance-based standards developed by NCATE 2000 will be implemented this year. The result will be strengthened teacher preparation, higher standards for content knowledge, and enhanced classroom experience for student teachers.

Tests, like those recommended in the report, are in place in many states across the nation. What we need to have is all states implementing these tests and to set the bar high for passing them. The development of a new test may delay this progress.

Additionally, it is a sad fact that two-thirds of schools of education are not NCATE accredited. This must change. The need for rigorous, uniform standards is too urgent to defer action.

The NEA and NCATE are also working toward expanding classroom experience, raising entry standards, recruiting minority teachers, and enhancing schools of education with stronger curriculum.

To improve quality and attract the best and the brightest to the profession, we must also focus attention on compensating teachers for their work. Teachers are still paid less than professions that require comparable education and skills. Until this fact is addressed, all other attempts to improve the quality of teachers will ring hollow."

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2000

Statement

Statement of National Education Association President Bob Chase on the National Reading Panel Report on Reading Instruction

The National Education Association applauds today's report from the National Reading Panel and welcomes the attention that it focuses on the crucial role of teachers, parents, policymakers, and others in the teaching, learning, and love of reading.

Just as the panel found that there is no one way to teach reading, NEA's own task force of expert reading teachers agrees that reading success depends on the expertise of teachers and their ability to be flexible in making decisions about what instructional approaches to use, when, and with which students.

To ensure that the classroom experiences of teachers and students measure up to the expectations raised by the availability of clear, reliable, and tested reading research, NEA will continue its fight for smaller class sizes. Why? Because we know that student achievement in reading, as well as in other subjects, depends on the time and attention that teachers have to spend with each and every student.

The reading panel report highlights the need for high quality preservice and inservice professional development for reading teachers, as well as those in other subject areas. NEA agrees and is committed to quality professional development for teachers that starts with preservice education, continues with mentoring and other support for new teachers, and doesn't end until the teacher leaves the classroom.

We recognize that learning to read is the gateway to student achievement. But we also believe that the love of reading is a quality that can be nurtured as well. NEA will continue to advocate after-school and summer reading programs for students; provide parents with tips and advice for raising successful readers; and celebrate the joys of reading with NEA's Read Across America, which has become the nation's -- if not the world's -- largest literacy event.

Today's report is another exciting step in the challenge to create a nation of readers. We look forward to working with educators, health professionals, parents, students, businesses, community organizations, policymakers, and others in meeting this challenge.

Together we can make it a reality.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2000

Statement

Statement of NEA President Bob Chase Urging the U.S. Senate to Back an Increase in Minimum Wage

Every day, America's educators strive to help this nation's poor children overcome their circumstances. These students are the most challenging children to educate, because they lack so many of life's basic necessities.

That's why I urge the United States Senate to concur with the House's bipartisan passage of a one-dollar increase in the minimum wage, phased in over two years, instead of the three-year phase-in favored thus far by the Senate.

The difference for poor families under a two-year phase-in would be an additional $1,000 for their children. That could mean the difference between a full stomach and pangs of hunger; between a warm coat and a cold walk to school; or between reading a daily newspaper or getting no news at all.

America has never been more prosperous than it is today, yet millions of our children are innocent victims of crushing poverty. We all know that stable families produce stronger students. Let's make this sensible investment in strengthening millions of families, whose children can only benefit as a result.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2000

Statement

Statement of Bob Chase
NEA President
On the Ruling of the
Florida Circuit Court To Overturn the Florida Voucher Plan

In a tremendous victory for families and children, a Florida Circuit Court found today that the Florida state constitution means what it says -- that children are guaranteed the right to free, public education. As Judge Ralph L. Smith Jr. stated, "Tax dollars may not be used to send the children of this state to a private school."

This ruling puts a stake in the heart of the voucher movement. It sends a strong signal to states across the nation that vouchers are no substitute for a quality public education.

The ruling is the sixth court decision in a row during the past year that has struck down a private or religious school voucher plan: twice in Maine, and once each in Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The momentum is clearly on the side of public schools.

The court's ruling today reaffirms the bedrock principle that public money should only be used for public education. The State of Florida must take seriously its obligation to provide a free, quality public education to all children, and stop diverting public dollars to establish a separate system of private schools.

American parents don't want vouchers. They want good schools in their neighborhoods. Voucher schemes are a diversion from the things that parents and teachers know make a difference -- smaller classes, caring, competent teachers, and high standards. By diverting public money to private schools, the Florida voucher plan made those improvements more difficult to accomplish.

NEA will support the efforts of our Florida affiliate in helping realize true education improvement for all children in the state.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2000

Statement

Statement of Bob Chase
President, National Education Association
On HUD's "Teacher Next Door" Initiative

Washington, D.C. - The Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced a program, the "Teacher Next Door" initiative, which will enable thousands of teachers to purchase HUD-owned homes for half price in economically distressed neighborhoods in the school districts where they work. The initiative will offer an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 single family houses, townhouses and condominiums for sale to teachers at 50 percent discounts every year in HUD-designated revitalization areas. In addition to the 50 percent discount on the price of a home, teachers buying homes with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration can make the purchase with downpayments as low as $100 under the initiatives. FHA can also insure mortgages that cover cost of rehabilitating homes in need of repair. More information about the program can be found on the HUD web side: www.hud.gov/teacher and www.hud.gov/news/html. The site includes a list of communities.

NEA President Bob Chase made the following comments at a news conference to announce the program:

"I congratulate and commend Secretary Cuomo and the Clinton Administration for their efforts to support America's teachers.

"There is no question that we are facing a looming teacher shortage in this country. With retirements and the boom in our student population, we're going to need to hire more than 2 million teachers over the next ten years. The need is especially great in high-poverty urban and rural districts, where more than 700,000 teachers will be needed in the next decade.

"At the same time, we need to do a better job of keeping the good teachers we already have in the profession. It's a sorry commentary that nationally, 20 percent of new teachers leave within three years. It's even worse in urban areas, where 1 in 2 leave within their first five years in the classroom.

"There are many things we need to do to recruit and retain good teachers, because every child in America deserves a quality teacher in his or her classroom. One way is through more -- and better -- professional support, like mentoring for all new teachers. Another way, obviously, is to make sure teachers are paid as the professionals they are. And the National Education Association will continue to work hard for better salaries for all education employees.

"But we need to look at other incentives to encourage talented men and women to take on the enormously important job of educating our children. This new HUD program is an innovative way to help motivate talented individuals into the classroom. Too many of our teachers who rely solely on their own incomes cannot afford the American dream of owning a home. 'The Teacher Next Door' program not only offers educators a chance to achieve that dream, but it helps build important ties between teachers and their communities.

"When teachers are a part of the community in which they work, stronger bonds are built between schools and families. Relationships and trust are developed, and in the end, teachers, students, and communities all win.

"Secretary Andrew Cuomo's 'Teacher Next Door' initiative is smart, community-friendly government at its best. It says that HUD values our teachers in a special way and is ready to help them get a piece of the American dream. It's a program whose time has come, and I strongly encourage eligible teachers to apply. The National Education Association is proud to back this terrific initiative."

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

For More Information:
NEA Communications 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 29, 2000

Statement of Bob Chase
National Education Association President
on the Shooting Death of a Six-year-old
Michigan Elementary School Student

The life of a six-year-old was senselessly taken this afternoon -- the victim of unrestricted access to guns.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the parents, teachers, and friends of this little girl -- so young and so sweet with so much life ahead.

We also pray for comfort for the teacher and 22 students who witnessed the shooting, leaving them