Statement of NEA President Bob Chase on Modern Schools, Class Size Legislation
March 4, 1998

The National Education Association urges all members of Congress to support the school modernization and class size initiatives being introduced today.

These proposals address two of the major concerns that parents, students, and teachers all share. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a classroom that is modern, and equipped with the latest in educational technology. Too many students -- one in three, according to the U.S. General Accounting Office -- attend classes in schools that fail to meet these criteria. If we want our students to learn the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century, they deserve classrooms that tell them their futures are a priority.

The kind of school modernization legislation filed by Reps. Rangel (D-NY) and Lowey (D-NY) and Sen. Moseley-Braun (D-IL) enjoys broad, bipartisan support among Americans in every state, from rural, suburban, and urban communities alike. In January, NEA commissioned a national poll of registered voters, and it showed that 75 percent of voters from both parties support federal legislation "to help local school districts pay for repair, renovation, and modernization of their schools."

Alleviating overcrowded classes is a key goal of school modernization efforts. That's why the class size legislation proposed by Rep. Clay (D-MO) and Sen. Kennedy (D-MA) is so important. By hiring 100,000 new teachers to help reduce class sizes in the early grades, and providing teachers with the professional development to teach smaller classes with maximum effectiveness, this legislation will have an impact where the most reliable research shows it will do the most good. The highly regarded Tennessee STAR research shows that students who are taught in small classes in the early grades enjoy greater academic success; follow-up research strongly suggests that the benefits of smaller class sizes continue to pay dividends throughout those students' educational experience.

For all of these reasons, NEA is proud to support these initiatives, and we urge Members of Congress from both parties to join in a commitment to modern schools, smaller classes, and better learning for America's children.