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Dear JCTA Teachers:
Nothing has shaped the education debate in Washington, D.C. more than the voices of our teachers. Over the past year, you have sent letters, made phone calls, and participated in public events to inform government leaders of the challenges facing our school systems. Thanks to your effort, it is now understood in Washington that another five years of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is unacceptable. Now we are working hard to craft legislation that addresses your concerns and establishes a positive learning environment for our children.
However, we need your help once again. On April 22nd, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced a major rulemaking initiative to change NCLB. Some of her proposals will offer relief; others will add more requirements to the system. The public will have 60 days to comment on these ideas before the Secretary issues final regulations in the Fall. Given the sweeping nature of this proposal, I strongly encourage you to review these regulations and participate in the public comment period.
The Secretary’s regulations encompass 16 different policy areas, ranging from assessments to school restructuring. One of the most controversial proposals would require states to establish a new uniform graduation rate that would be used to hold schools accountable for reducing dropouts. Additionally, parents would have to receive notification of their right to transfer students out of failing schools two weeks before the start of each school year, and schools would be required to explain more fully the opportunities for federally financed tutoring that are available to students attending troubled schools.
You may access information on the regulations at the Department of Education’s website at: http://www.ed.gov. The Department of Education will accept comments until June 23, 2008. You may submit your comments electronically at www.regulations.gov or may mail them to:
The Honorable Margaret Spellings
Secretary U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I intend to play an active role in the debate involving our K-12 education system. I am deeply concerned about the inequities in our school system and believe we must make significant changes to NCLB to help our children reach proficiency in math and reading -- without penalizing disadvantaged schools or compromising other critical subjects such as history and the humanities. Most importantly, we must restore our commitment to learning by empowering teachers to educate the whole child. Our education system will fail if we continue to emphasize repetitive test preparation over a creative learning environment that truly provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in life.
Thank you for your commitment to improving the quality of education in this country. I am proud to have so many teachers in Louisville involved in this important policy debate. Your input is invaluable.
Sincerely,
John Yarmuth
Member of Congress
To view NEA's Preliminary Analysis of the Proposed Regulations, click here.
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