Tag Archives: No Child Left Behind Act

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Our Kids Deserve a Better Bill

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AAUW Action Network
Congress is once again trying to reauthorize the federal law governing public education – but if we don’t speak up, it may not get done right.   After two years of “waivers” from the No Child Left Behind Act, 37 states have agreed to the president’s plan for education in their states. But this is not a long-term solution. Congress must act in a responsible, bipartisan way to permanently fix the problems of the No Child Left Behind Act by reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
Unfortunately, the House Education and the Workforce Committee stoked the partisan fires this week and approved a bill that is wrong in so many ways. For example, it would:

  • Virtually eliminate federal enforcement of narrowing the achievement gap;
  • Give a free pass to states and districts to define their own standards, assessment, and accountability systems;
  • Freeze the funding levels for K-12 education at a time when we need to invest in our children’s futures;
  • Ignore the urgent need for comprehensive bullying and harassment policies to protect all our children in public schools; and
  • Fail to provide adequate protections for civil rights of students.

To make matters worse, a few members of Congress have vowed to bring amendments to the floor which would weaken public education by diverting public funds to private or religious schools through vouchers schemes.
Now the ESEA reauthorization bill (H.R. 5) heads to the full House floor – and that’s where you come in.

The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) finally gives us a chance to update the flawed and outdated No Child Left Behind Act, but H.R. 5 is not the solution. AAUW supports an ESEA reauthorization that would introduce needed flexibility while retaining a commitment to high standards, civil rights protections, and greater accountability in our nation’s public schools.
Earlier today, the AAUW Action Fund Capitol Hill Lobby Corps visited the House of Representatives, telling lawmakers that our kids deserve a better education bill: Contact your representative today and send the same message!
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Weekly Address: Strengthening the American Education System


Sep 24, 2011 by

President Obama explains that states will have greater flexibility to find innovative ways of improving the education system, so that we can raise standards in our classrooms and prepare the next generation to succeed in the global economy.

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a message from President Obama …”I will not let it happen”


President Obama said this week that any budget that sacrifices a commitment to education is a budget that sacrifices our future:

“And I will not let it happen.”

Here’s why he’s taking a stand:

The cuts in the House Republican budget to education would be devastating for teachers, students, and families — costing 55,000 jobs, slashing financial aid for 8 million college kids, and dropping hundreds of thousands from Head Start, an early-education program proven to help low-income children graduate high school.

This week, the House passed another short-term extension of the federal budget that will fund the government through early April — between now and then, we need to find common ground.

President Obama is committed to commonsense spending cuts that allow us to live within our means without sacrificing key investments that will help us win the future.

With your support today, we can redouble our campaign for a responsible budget as the deadline nears, with OFA volunteers calling lawmakers and hand-delivering petitions to congressional offices.

Together, we’ll work to make sure that every family, principal, teacher, and student across the country understands that critical funding for education is at stake — and what they can do about it.

Please donate $3 or more today to support Organizing for America and fight to protect our investments in education.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/m/55c111e3/6c0d017d/17b04a80c/1188251f/3026681374/VEsH/

House Republicans are proposing reckless cuts that would undo our progress on health reform, prevent the EPA from protecting our air and water, and hurt our economy and job creation.

The cuts are particularly bad for education, and when we’re talking about investing in children and schools, we’re talking about investing in our future.

If the House Republican budget cuts are adopted:

— More than 16,000 classrooms would close;

— 55,000 teachers would lose their jobs;

— Nearly 200,000 pre-kindergarten children would lose access to Head Start; and

— More than 8 million college students currently receiving tuition assistance would see their Pell Grants cut.

The budget the President signs must have bipartisan support, but he’s made it clear it also must invest in — not sacrifice — education.

Anything less is irresponsible and not worthy of our children.

Your support today will ensure all Americans understand what’s at stake. We’ll stand together and support the President as he tries once again to reach common ground with Republicans.

But we need your help.

Please donate $3 or more to support Organizing for America today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Stand-Up-For-Education

Thanks for standing up for teachers, kids, and jobs.

Mitch

Mitch Stewart

Director