There are currently several opportunities for you to “take action” and support excellence in education in District 279.  Choose to get involved on the issues that resonate with you!

*A great opportunity for ECFE parents to become involved!

*When:  Thursday March 17 – Starting at 9:30 with Story Time with Legislators.

*What: Join parents, teachers, early education professionals and others for a morning of kid-friendly fun and community building.

*Please visit this website for more information    http://www.voicesforchildrenmn.org/

Currently the House, the Senate and Governor Dayton have all pledged to keep Early Childhood and K-12 Funding as a priority during the upcoming budget battle.  As the realities of the cuts that will be needed to balance the budget are debated it will take a bipartisan effort to protect education funding from cuts.

Representative Pat Garofalo (R), Chair of the House Education Finance Committee, spoke at the AMSD sponsored “Day at the Capital” for legislative groups similar to our PLN and encouraged parent leaders to have our members contact their legislators and ask them to continue the bipartisan support of EC and K -12 education funding as a top priority.  He felt that as the budget battle intensifies the communication from constituents in support of public education will be critical.

Click here to find contact your legislator:  http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/ Send a quick email thanking them for their work thus far and asking them to continue to work together to keep Education Funding a top priority.  Make sure to state you are a constituent and to give your address.

*U. S. Representative John Kline (R), chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee introduced a bipartisan measure to increase special education funding.  One of Rep. Kline’s legislative priorities since arriving in Congress has been ensuring the federal government fulfills its commitment to pay its share of special education costs.  In 1975 Congress committed to providing 40 percent of the excess cost of educating children with disabilities, but funding currently stands at 17 percent.  This results in states and school districts shifting dollars from their general funds to cover what was promised but has never been paid by the federal government.

*Contact Rep.Kline to thank him for his efforts to increase Special Education funding and to encourage him to continue his work in this area.    http://kline.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=4

This federal law requires 100% of students test at grade level in Math and Reading by the year 2014.  Everybody agrees with the premise of the law that in education no child should be left behind.  However there is significant debate on the effectiveness of the law and the appropriateness of using punishments to schools as a way to attempt to increase student achievement.  The law is up for renewal, revision or possibly repeal.

Diane Ravitch , a historian of education, educational policy analyst and Research Professor of Education at New York University examines NCLB in her book;  The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education (2010).  Based upon the findings discussed in her book she recently requested those that agree with her contact Congress to support the repeal of NCLB and all of its punishments.  If you agree with Ms. Ravitch and want to contact your Congressman or Congresswoman click here: