05/19/00
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SENSIBLE GUN SAFETY LAWS -- "GETTING REAL" ABOUT PROTECTING OUR KIDS

"There is nothing beyond the reach of ordinary citizens doing the daily work of democracy, and no problem too great to tackle with the power of active citizenship." (Joan Claybrook)

Wednesday, May 17, just days after last weekend's "Million Mom March," the Senate voted 50-49 to demand prompt Congressional approval of stronger gun legislation approved by the Senate last year. The House and Senate juvenile justice bills - including the Senate language (rejected by the House) on background checks for all sales at gun shows - are bottled up in conference committee.

The Senate also adopted by a vote of 69-30 a call for more aggressive enforcement of existing gun laws, tougher penalties for gun-related crimes, and protection for the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

The Senate was brought to a standstill Tuesday, until Leadership agreed to allow debate and a vote on juvenile crime and guns. While the resolutions are non-binding and largely symbolic, they focus attention on the fact that Congress has been stalemated on the issue since the Columbine school shooting over a year ago.

More than 1,700 NEA members from every state signed a full-page ad calling on Congress to pass sensible gun safety laws. The ad appeared in the May 9 Washington Post. The text of the ad and supporters’ names appear online. To add your name, send your full name and state to edimpact@list.nea.org.

SHAPING PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY BUDGET

The debate to shape public schools for the new millenium has focused - for months - on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). On one side are lawmakers who want to give governors broad authority over federal education funds, and little accountability. On the other, lawmakers who want funds targeted to proven programs such as class size reduction and professional development. The gridlock may result in no bill this year. "No bill," however, does not mean "no change."

The most powerful tool in the Leadership's campaign to reshape education policy is the budget. Congress does not have to act this year on ESEA reauthorization. If Congress fails to complete its assignment and ends the Session with an incomplete, the programs would limp along. Congress does, however, have to pass a budget, i.e. authorize spending. And the education spending bills can bundle the dollars for each program as block grants directed to governors.

($) About Money - the President threatens a veto. The budget process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 is in high gear. The House bill moves to full committee on May 24. The Senate bill will come to the floor in early June.

Neither the House nor the Senate bill measures up. The House proposal falls far short of the mark. It would increase funding for IDEA by essentially freezing ALL other programs. The Senate proposal would increase education elementary and secondary funding some six times more than the House bill, and slightly more than the President.

However, both bills include block grants and fail to provide funding targeted to critical programs, including class size reduction and school modernization - reflecting the Leadership's education policy agenda.

The Senate proposal would further undermine the current 21st Century Learning Center program that now supports after-school and summer extended learning opportunities. Community-based organizations would become equally eligible with schools to compete for 21st Century Learning Center grants, weakening the current program that promotes positive academic outcomes for all students.

NEA members, Parents and Students speak out on school modernization. The need to modernize our schools is real. Read stories about schools from teachers, parents and students across the country. www.nea.org/lac/modern

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ESEA?

The Senate reauthorization bill, S. 2, is on a "stop-and-start" schedule for consideration between Senate action on the spending bills. NEA-supported amendments on school modernization (Harkin-IA) and teacher quality (Kennedy-MA) still await votes. The latest wrinkle is the NEA-opposed Kyl (AZ) LEP Amendment.

The Kyl Amendment would require parents of LEP students to follow a burdensome and unprecedented notification and consent procedure before schools could provide appropriate language and academic support services. The cumbersome process would delay the delivery of services that help children learn. The amendment is not about involving parents. It is about the politics of the English-only campaign, at the expense of children.

THE FIFTEEN MINUTE ACTIVISTS' RAPID RESPONSE [www.nea.org/lac/esea]

Make your response rapid! Tell your U.S. Senators by e-mail, fax or phone …

• that you oppose - and ask them to oppose - S. 2 in its current form;

• that the current 21st century Learning Centers program should be retained and funding increased to give all students the opportunity to maximize learning.

• that you oppose - and ask them to oppose - the Kyl Amendment and any "parent opt-in" provisions in S. 2 that delay services to children.

• that you support - and ask them to support - amendments that strengthen proven programs and modernize schools, not create block grants. Note: The most effective messages share what ESEA programs mean to your students.
  

05/12/00
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Budget

**Policy by Budget

The budget is the newest tool in the Leadership’s push to reshape education policy.

In late breaking news, the Senate Appropriations Committee, by voice vote, made community-based organizations equally eligible with schools to compete for 21st Century Learning Center grants, undermining the current program that promotes positive academic outcomes for all students.

** Fifteen-Minute Activists' Rapid Response

The budget is the one bill Congress must pass. Members of Congress on the campaign trail don't want to stay after class. Make your response rapid! Tell your U.S. Senators by e-mail, fax or phone…

• that you strongly oppose - and ask them to oppose - any proposal that undermines the current school-based 21st Century Learning Centers program.
• that school-based 21st Century Learning Center programs provide important extended learning opportunities for students who need an extra measure of help to master state academic standards.
• that the current 21st Century Learning Centers program should be retained and funding increased to give all students the opportunity to maximize learning.

About Appropriations($): The budget process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 kicked into high gear this week. Neither the House nor the Senate committee bill measures up. The House proposal falls far short of the mark. It would increase funding for IDEA by essentially freezing ALL other programs. The bill moves to full committee on May 24. The Senate bill, adopted by the full committee this week, is scheduled to come to the floor before Memorial Day. It would increase education funding some six times more than the House bill, and slightly more than the President recommended.

Both bills, however, appropriate some funds as block grants and fail to provide targeted funding for critical programs or emergency school repairs - a reflection of the Leadership's education policy agenda. The President threatens a veto.

ESEA

ESEA - Week Two - Voting Continues

The appropriations debate in committee and the ESEA reauthorization debate on the Senate floor echoed the core education issue before Congress: whether to give governors broad authority to direct how federal education funds are spent, rather than target the funds to proven programs like class size reduction and professional development. This week saw votes on two key amendments.

ESEA Votes - May 9
Gregg (NH)/Lott (MS) Amendment - Adopted 97-0
States and local school districts may divert professional development and class size reduction funds to address the shortage of "high quality teachers." Also included in the amendment: language that would give school personnel who discipline disruptive students protection from lawsuits.

Lieberman (CT)/Bayh (IN) Amendment – Rejected 84-13* The Lieberman/Bayh proposal, known as the Public Education Reinvestment, Reinvention, and Responsibility (Three R's) Act, was offered as a "compromise" amendment-by-substitution. NEA opposed the Amendment. "Three R's" would combine critical programs, including 21st Century Learning Centers, Gifted and Talented programs, education technology, Reading Excellence, and Safe and Drug-Free Schools; negatively impact the use of paraprofessionals in Title I programs, including limiting their hiring; and exempt charter schools from teacher licensure requirements.

*The 13 in support: Bayh (IN), Breaux (LA), Bryan (NV), Edwards (NC), Feinstein (CA), Graham (FL), Johnson (SD), Kohl (WI), Landrieu (LA), Lieberman (CT), Lincoln (AR), Moynihan (NY), Robb (VA).

Voting continues next week. NEA-supported amendments on school modernization (Harkin-IA) and teacher quality (Kennedy-MA) still await votes.

NEA opposes the newly filed Kyl (AZ) LEP amendment that requires parents of LEP students to follow a burdensome and unprecedented notification and consent procedure before schools could provide appropriate language and academic support services. The amendment is not about involving parents. It is about the politics of the English-only campaign at the expense of children.

**It's not too late to send your message! www.nea.org/lac/esea Urge your Senators to

• Oppose S. 2 in its current form; and
• Oppose the Kyl Amendment and any "parent opt-in" provisions in S. 2 that use education policy to promote a political agenda at the expense of children.
• Support amendments that strengthen proven programs; and modernize schools, not block grants. Note: The most effective messages share what ESEA programs mean to your students.

SCHOOL SAFETY

"Getting real" about protecting our kids

More than 1700 NEA members from every state signed a full-page ad calling on Congress to pass sensible gun safety laws. The ad appeared in the May 9 Washington Post. The text of the ad and supporters’ names appear online at http://www.nea.org/issues/safescho/ad. To add your name, send your full name and state to edimpact@list.nea.org.

05/05/00
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ESEA

** Fifteen-Minute Activist

S. 2,the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization bill, is now before the U.S. Senate. The fractious debate resumes on Monday, May 8 and will continue for at least another week. www.nea.org/lac/esea.

Urge your Senators:

• to oppose S.2 in its current form
• to oppose the Lieberman (CT)/Bayh (IN) Substitute
• to support amendments that eliminate block grants and voucher schemes, modernize schools, and strengthen proven programs.

Help Congress get it right. Share your personal experiences with the need for smaller classes, professional development, and modern, safe schools.

* *NEA and other education groups fight S.2 --
ESEA now targets resources to what we know works for children: qualified, well-trained teachers; smaller classes, and safe, modern schools. Instead, S. 2. offers

• Block Grants with NO guaranteed funding stream for proven programs, such as class size reduction and professional development. S. 2 would allow states to use federal tax dollars for any education-related purpose. Governors would control where the money is spent.

• "Portability," allowing states to turn Title I into a voucher program.

• "Testing current teachers, tenure reform, and merit pay. [Abraham/Mack ]

The Senate approved the Abraham(MI)/Mack(FL) Amendment (May 4, 2000), allowing the use of federal funds for teacher testing, tenure reform, and merit pay, by a largely party-line vote of 54-42. Three Democrats voted for the amendment (a wrong vote): Byrd (WV), Feinstein (CA), and Hollings (SC). Two Republicans voted against the amendment (a right vote) and merit thanks: Snowe (ME) and Voinovich (OH).

The Senate defeated amendments to substitute program funding with strict accountability (Daschle-SD) and to ensure a funding stream for class size reduction (Murray-WA).

**Still to come: the Lieberman (CT)/Bayh (IN) Substitute --
Urge your Senators to vote NO.

MODERNIZING OUR SCHOOLS -- WHAT WILL IT COST?

A new NEA report released this week documents what public schools need for repairs, modernization, and adequate educational technology: a whopping $322 billion. The report, the first state-by-state estimate of the potential cost of school modernization, is available online at www.nea.org/lac/modern.

States are spending more than ever on school modernization, but the crisis is eclipsing state efforts. NEA data shows that our nation’s schools are facing a facilities crisis, and demonstrates the critical importance of a partnership -- federal/state/local -- to ensure every student a safe, modern, well-equipped learning environment.

NEA is calling on Congress to pass meaningful school modernization assistance and has urged all House members to join sponsors Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and Charles Rangel (D-NY) as cosponsors of the bipartisan America's Better Classrooms Act (H.R. 4094). This bipartisan effort can provide safe, modern schools for all students. “We often fail to recognize that where our students learn can have a dramatic effect on what they learn,” NEA President Bob Chase said. “Research reveals that students learn best in safe, modern schools, with smaller classes and up-to-date technology.”

Visit www.nea.org/lac/modern for data on your state and current cosponsors.

THE END GAME -- THE BUDGET

Education programs that work for children need dollars. Senate and House committees are scheduled to draft appropriations bills that set out specific program funding levels on May 10 and 11.

Congress’ spending blueprint, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 Budget Resolution, provides less that half the increase proposed by President Clinton for education and related programs. NEA has contacted every Representative and Senator advocating substantial increases for critical education programs, including special education, Title I, school modernization, class size reduction, and teacher quality programs. The President’s proposal offers a starting point.

Public opinion polls show the American public consistently ranks education as a top priority for federal investment. Congress can make our schoolchildren the winners in the end game by making education a true priority this year. Stay tuned…

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