News Release

Congress Strips Billions from Public Education

NEA President Reg Weaver Condemns 'Mixed Messages' From U.S. Congress, Historic Cuts to College Student Aid and No Child Left Behind, and First Taxpayer-Funded National Voucher Plan

WASHINGTON--National Education Association (NEA) President Reg Weaver issued the following statement, denouncing congressional action this week on the Department of Defense appropriations bill, the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, and the budget reconciliation bill.

"We have witnessed this week the worst assault on public education in American history, with record-setting cuts to student aid, cuts to the so-called 'No Child Left Behind' Act (NCLB/ESEA), and the first taxpayer-funded, nationwide voucher program in the guise of hurricane relief.

"The irresponsible actions of the Republican-controlled House and Senate will touch the lives of every American. In its rush to leave town for the holidays, the Senate and House passed two bills that, if approved by President Bush, will severely injure public education.

"For the first time ever, taxpayers will be forced to pay for a nationwide voucher program as outlined in the Department of Defense appropriations bill. Religious schools will be allowed to receive taxpayer dollars and proselytize, and discriminate in hiring on the basis of religion.

"In a separate action, the Senate passed by voice vote the funding bill for the U.S. Department of Education which CUTS education funding for the first time in a decade. The House again concurred with little debate.

"As a result of these two bills, the federal share of special education will fall from 18.6 percent to 17.8 percent, or a total of $7 million. Funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) or the so-called 'No Child Left Behind' will be cut by $1 billion.

"While many members of Congress have praised the so-called 'No Child Left Behind Act' (NCLB) in their stump speeches, they clearly have little regard for it in this budget. When it came time to match money to their priorities, they cut it by $1 billion, which brings funding below the level provided THREE years ago.

"At a time when we need greater commitment to public education, and more investment in our children, both the Senate and House retreated from their promises, and didn't support the very Act they touted.

"Finally, the Senate made the largest cut in student aid in history, eliminating $12.7 billion over the next five years, making it more expensive for students to borrow for college. Pell Grants, targeted to aid disadvantaged and underprivileged college students, will be frozen for the fourth year in a row.

"This sends a mixed message: Congress cannot ask students to strive for college while it cuts the funding they need to attend college. We must ensure the House hears us loud and clear when it reconvenes. They must stop the raid on student aid and reject the Senate's version of the budget reconciliation bill.

"Great public schools are a basic right of every child. Senate and House action this week, coming mere hours before adjournment for the holiday season and with little debate, steals the promise of a quality public education and a great public school from America's students. This is public policy at its worst. Today is indeed a sad day for children and students, and a devastating blow to public education."

Dec. 23, 2005

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NEA Contact:

Cecil Cahoon, Public Relations, (202) 822-7756

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators, education support professionals, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

News Release

Senate Robs Billions from College Student Aid, Largest Cut in History  

NEA President Reg Weaver Condemns 'Mixed Messages' From Congress

WASHINGTON — National Education Association (NEA) President Reg Weaver issued the following statement, denouncing the Senate adoption of its Fiscal Year 2006 budget reconciliation package:

“On behalf of the Bush Administration, Vice President Dick Cheney led the Senate to squander a chance to help countless college students work their way out of poverty and into America’s workforce today.  With the adoption of a flawed budget reconciliation package, Cheney and 50 Senators approved cuts in college student aid, totaling $12.7 billion over the next five years. And if this isn’t bad enough, within the next few days, the Senate may vote to freeze the maximum amount of Pell Grants to low income students for the fourth consecutive year and may approve a first-ever taxpayer-funded national voucher plan.

“This potentially devastating vote comes at a time when average tuition and fees at four-year public colleges and universities have increased by almost $2,000 or 57 percent over the past five years. The message that the Bush Administration is sending to college students in America who need tuition assistance is loud and clear.  ‘Get an education, but do it yourself.’

“The cuts to student aid are unconscionable not only because they are the biggest in 12 years, but also because they take excessive fees from low-income students and give these proceeds, in the form of tax cuts, to the wealthiest Americans. It is shameful to finance tax cuts for millionaires with the hard earned dollars of students. The cost of college is increasingly out of the reach of many Americans, federal policy should help students get an education. Instead, this misguided federal policy robs the poor to pay the rich.

“Previously, Congress has  worked hard  to make it easier for students to borrow money to obtain a  higher education, while the 109th Congress appears to be doing all it can to make it difficult for poor students to attend  college. When the lawmakers who voted in favor of this bill meet students who are eager to enter college and realize the American dream, but can’t shoulder the costs to do so, those lawmakers should remember that it was their vote that robbed them of the promise of a college education—and perhaps the American dream.

“This Senate vote, just mere hours before adjournment for the holiday season, steals the promise of education from America’s students."

Dec. 20, 2005

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NEA Contact:

Cecil Cahoon, Public Relations, (202) 822-7756

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators, education support professionals, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

News Release

House Packages Rob Billions from Education  

NEA Calls on Senators to reject massive cuts and protect schools, students

WASHINGTON, DC— The Senate is poised to cut billions of dollars from public schools and poor students, and create a national voucher scheme that would divert public school money to private schools, as part of sweeping proposals to be finalized this week. The National Education Association is urging lawmakers to reject the voucher plan and oppose the cuts, which would reduce spending for public schools to levels not seen in years and drastically cut other education programs.

“Public schools were already under-funded, and this proposal guts a budget that was already inadequate to meet the education needs of our children,” said Reg Weaver, NEA president. “This is a 180-degree turn from where our country should be heading. Our schools, our teachers and our students need more support from lawmakers, not less.”

From 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, the House rushed through a series of proposals that attack public education. The rushed schedule, NEA noted, did not even allow many lawmakers enough time to read all of the bills. Those proposals are now before the Senate for consideration and approval early this week.

The proposed cuts come as public schools along the Gulf Coast are rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Lawmakers are neglecting public schools hit hard by the hurricanes, NEA said, and are instead diverting money to private schools under the House proposal.

NEA noted that proposed cuts in education spending will have a devastating affect on public education.  Last week’s adoption of the Labor-HHS Conference Report includes funding cuts of more than $1 billion for the so-called No Child Left Behind Act alone, reducing spending on the controversial law below levels provided three years ago.  No Child Left Behind has come under increasing attack from schools, teachers and state lawmakers across the political spectrum who say that the law is already unfunded to the tune of $27 billion: the budget cuts in the packages before the Senate will make it more difficult for schools to meet the across-the-board standards in the law.

Before adjourning for the holidays, Senators will consider three spending packages that include massive cuts in funding for education, including: 

- A $12 billion reduction in funding for student aid over the next five years, representing the largest cut in history. 

- Freezing Pell Grants for needy students for the fourth year in a row.

- Cutting federal support for special education from 18.6 percent to 17.8 percent.

- Providing federal taxpayer-funded vouchers to private and religious schools, under the guise of hurricane relief.
 
NEA pointed out that cuts to student aid will hit poorest students the hardest. Other proposals affecting education that the Senate will consider before going home for the holidays include allowing religious schools to accept taxpayer dollars and proselytize, and allowing religious schools to discriminate in hiring on the basis of religion.

“This bill makes a bad situation much, much worse,” Weaver said. “There’s a reason the House passed these proposals in the middle of the night, hoping that Americans aren’t paying attention to a raid on our future. At a time when our public schools are already under-funded and experiencing teacher shortages, Congress is poised to use taxpayer dollars to help private schools with teacher recruitment and enrollment. When it comes to education, lawmakers should be answering to students and schools in the light of day, not stealing from them in the dark."

Dec. 19, 2005

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NEA Contact:

Will Potter, Public Relations, (202) 822-7223

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators, education support professionals, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

News Release

National Meeting Focuses on Political, Community Involvement in Public Education 

NEA President Reg Weaver Leads Discussion

MONTGOMERY, TX—At the ACORN national meeting, Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association, addressed the need for political and community involvement in public education.

This year’s meeting focused on the 2006 elections and building partnerships between teachers, public schools and communities.

“We are at a critical crossroads,” Weaver said.  “As we step forward into the new year we need to build upon our victories and elect officials that understand the challenges facing today’s public schools.”

In November, thousands of voters across the country turned out to the polls in contentious political battles to stand up for children and quality public education.  In California, voters defeated propositions that would have severely impacted the recruitment of quality teachers. In New Jersey and Virginia, voters elected public education advocates to the office of governor.

Weaver addressed more than 1,000 ACORN leaders and staff members from across the country.  Established in 1970, ACORN promotes social justice and stronger communities in the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Weaver urged the audience to build a partnership between communities and public schools.  This partnership is outlined in Weaver’s “six areas of mutual responsibility,” which focuses on providing teachers and public schools with the necessary resources to help every child succeed. 

“With the support of the community and local leaders, our public schools will succeed in providing every child with a quality education,” Weaver said.  “It is our responsibility as concerned citizens, as parents, as teachers, and as community members to take on this shared responsibility and ensure that every child has access to a great public school."

Dec. 17, 2005

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NEA Contact:

Jasmine Lyons, Public Relations, (202) 822-7228

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators, education support professionals, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

News Release

Save the Date -- Mark Your Calendars:
'You're Never Too Old, Too Wacky, Too Wild
To Pick Up A Book and Read With a Child!'

NEA's Read Across America Day Is March 2, 2006

March 2, 2006, is the ninth annual NEA's Read Across America Day, sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA) and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P., when millions of readers-both young and old-will be in the company of a good book.

Originally created as a one-day event to celebrate the joy of reading, NEA's Read Across America Day-which culminates every year on the birthday of the beloved children's author Dr. Seuss-has grown into NEA's Read Across America, a nationwide initiative that promotes reading every day.

Next year marks a very special NEA's Read Across America as millions from coast-to-coast will join NEA for an extraordinary cause:  to bring the gift of reading to children who have been affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. NEA's Read Across America will launch the National Book Drive for Gulf Coast give reading relief by replenishing public school libraries.

Every year, parents, teachers, school employees, students and community members participate in the nation's largest reading celebration by engaging in a wide range of local activities that help excite and encourage children of all ages to pick up a book and read-on March 2 and throughout the year. Last year, a new Spanish language program, "Lea con La NEA!" ("Read with NEA"), was launched to reach out to the Latino community.

More information is available online in the Read Across America section NEA's Web site /readacross/index.html, including:

• Suggested reading lists for all ages.
• Downloadable tools, resources and press materials.
• Listings of NEA's Read Across America activity, reading and event ideas.
• Up-to-date local and national events.

Please mark NEA's Read Across America Day on your publication's calendar because, "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild to pick up a book and read with a child!"

Dec. 19, 2005

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For More Information, Contact:

Staci Maiers, NEA Public Relations, (202) 822-7150 or (202) 270-5333 cell 
Christiana Campos, NEA Public Relations, (202) 822-7261

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.