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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2000

News Release

Parent, Community Involvement Crucial For Successful Education

American Education Week to Invite Community Members to Join Schools in Boosting Student Achievement

Washington, D.C. -- Immediately following the 2000 elections that raised the education issue to the national stage, American Education Week (AEW) will give a call to action, encouraging community members to play a role in helping students succeed. November 12 - 18, 2000, thousands of schools will conduct activities around the theme "Children-Schools-Parents, Helping Students Achieve" that celebrate the achievements of America's students and schools and invite participation from community members.

"American Education Week 2000 will celebrate the cooperation and dedication of all education staff and the parents, community and business members who help students excel," said Bob Chase, president, National Education Association (NEA). "We're committed to excellence for all students. So during AEW, schools will reach out to their communities and literally open their doors to increase community involvement and student achievement."

Good News About Student Achievement

AEW presents an optimum time to review the achievements of America's public schools. And the news is encouraging:

• Since 1994, reading scores have increased for students in all grades on national standardized tests.
• There was also an increase in math scores on standardized tests for students in all age groups during the 1990s. The percentage of students who perform above their grade level increased by 60 percent for fourth and eighth graders.
• At the same time, the percentage of students performing below their expected grade levels decreased by five percent for fourth graders, 13 percent for eighth graders and eight percent for high school seniors.
• In just the last five years, the percentage of graduating seniors earning high scores (over 600) on the SAT increased by 18 percent.

For state-specific education statistics, visit http://www.nea.org/publiced/goodnews/.

Recognizing Education Support Personnel

Teachers are frequently viewed as the focal point for students' academic achievement. But, in fact, a larger team creates an educational environment in which children know they are secure and expected to excel. Since 1987, the Wednesday of AEW is Education Support Personnel (ESP) Day, established to recognize the thousands of teachers' aides, security officers, health care personnel, administrative staff, food service employees, custodians, security officers, and transportation personnel who daily interact with school children. Whether tutoring, monitoring a child's attendance, or providing cold milk or a warm smile, ESPs augment the days of the nation's nearly 53 million school children.

Schools' AEW celebrations vary widely and include activities as diverse as book drives, open houses in classrooms, poster and essay contests, clothing drives, assemblies, youth mentoring activities and career fairs.

"We know it takes the involvement of numerous caring adults for a child to succeed," said Chase. "Teachers and other school personnel provide much of the support for kids. We look forward to partnering more frequently with parents and community members to improve children's academic performance and adult future."

The NEA co-founded American Education Week with the American Legion in 1921 to raise awareness about the importance of education and to encourage public support for it. The organizations took action after discovering that one-quarter of the nation's World War I draftees were illiterate. This year, 13 organizations co-sponsor AEW, including NEA, the PTA, the American Legion, the American Association of School Administrators and the National School Boards Association.

For More information on American Education Week activities, visit our home page at http://www.nea.org. AEW coincides with International Education Week, November 13 - 17, a project of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. State Department. Visit http://exchanges.state.gov/iep/infokit.htm for more information.

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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.