National PTA Opposes S.2 Passed by the Senate HELP Committee
Bill Allows for Vouchers and Rejects Class Size Reduction and School Construction

National PTA President Ginny Markell has expressed the organization's opposition to The Educational Opportunities Act (S. 2) passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee today. S. 2 would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

"This bill is very discouraging to supporters of public education," said Markell. "Not only would it create and fund vouchers, reject class size reductions and school construction aid, but it eviscerates the Title I program with so-called portability."

While we support the inclusion of several provisions of the PARENT Act, a National PTA initiated bill sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), we oppose S.2 because it includes block grants that would weaken the impact of the federal programs, remove targeting of federal dollars to students and schools most in need, and lessen accountability for how the money is spent. The bill creates a professional development block grant that eliminates separate funding for class size reduction and no longer assures that funds will be spent to actually improve professional development opportunities. The bill also eliminates the school construction program that is in ESEA.

The committee also rejected important amendments to raise teacher quality, improve teacher training in technology, increase funding for school libraries, create child opportunity zones, and further improve parent involvement. The parent involvement measure offered by Reed would have ensured that parent involvement activities were outlined when states developed their ESEA plans, and state and local parent involvement proposals were reviewed annually for their effectiveness.

National PTA, founded in 1897, is the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the United States. Membership in National PTA is open to anyone who is concerned with the education, health, and welfare of children. For more information on National PTA membership, please call the Membership Department at (800) 307-4782, or visit National PTA's web site at http://www.pta.org/.

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