NEA Members
Speak Out On Education Law

In video interviews, classroom teachers
warn against relying too much on test scores

Washington, D.C. -- Karla Bradley, a teacher at Asbell Elementary School in Fayetteville, Ark., says tests should measure students' skills, not punish their schools with negative labels. "It's a numbers game. It's a public relations game," Bradley says in a new video series featuring National Education Association (NEA) members.

Despite the allure of its name, the so-called "No Child Left Behind" law, the latest version of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, focuses on punishments rather than help, federal mandates rather than local flexibility, and one-size-fits-all requirements rather than teacher-led solutions that meet each child's individual needs.

Effective education reforms demand the valuable input of those who are in the classroom.  Unfortunately, teachers' – and parents' – voices were ignored by officials and politicians in Washington, D.C., who constructed the new law.  Schools are now reeling from the excessive paperwork and bureaucracy the law has created.  NEA is seeking improvements that will help ensure that every child attends a great public school.

NEA members are speaking out in video clips that are now on the NEA Web site.  The brief video clips highlight interviews with dozens of educators.

NEA, on behalf of 2.7 million members, supports the goals of the new law: improving student academic achievement, ensuring that every classroom has a quality teacher and holding high expectations for all children.  However, the new law's testing mandates present real obstacles to helping every student succeed.

"Every minute we spend testing is a minute not spent on the instruction of students in the subject area," says Jack Williamson, a teacher at Lafayette High School in Wildwood, Mo.

"We know that children have different learning styles, and as educators we have to find good teaching styles to meet those learning styles," says Paula Brown, an educator from Knox County, Tenn.

Interviews were taped at NEA's summer 2003 annual meeting in New Orleans.  The Web site will be updated frequently with new video clips.

For more information, contact:

Anjetta McQueen, NEA Public Relations            202-822-7251                     amcqueen@nea.org

Kathleen Lyons, NEA Public Relations            202-822-7213                     klyons@nea.org

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

News Release

NEA Backs High Expectations,
Fair Assessments
for Special Needs Students

'Quality Counts 2004' report
reflects educators' push for standards

Washington, D.C -- The National Education Association (NEA) believes that all children must be included in school accountability systems, but in a way that is accurate and appropriate.  In a report released today, Education Week's "Quality Counts 2004" shows that teachers overwhelmingly support high expectations and fair measurements for special needs students.

"All children, whether disabled or not, can make great achievements," said Reg Weaver, NEA president.  "But in order to make great public schools for every child, we need to remember that we're teaching individual children-each with his or her own needs and abilities.  And any assessments we use should reflect those differences."

With the increased testing requirements of the "No Child Left Behind" law, Weaver called on states to provide high-quality "alternate assessments" for students with disabilities who need these forms of assessment to accurately measure their achievement.  "Quality Counts" found inadequate testing accommodations for many students with disabilities.

NEA, on behalf of its 2.7 million members, is urging Congress and the states to increase support for professional development programs, which will lead to educators having sufficient training and time to appropriately assess their students.

Congress plans to rewrite the federal special education law this year.  NEA asks lawmakers to ensure the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act emerges with full funding, clarification that state-licensed special educators are "highly qualified" teachers under federal law, improved services for students and their families, enhanced educator training and improved learning conditions for students.

Jan. 7, 2004

For more information, contact:
Anjetta McQueen, NEA Public Relations   202-822-7251
Barbara Parker, NEA Public Relations       202-822-7261

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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.

News Release

Local Schools To Benefit
from National Urban Grants 

National Education Association awards
$125,000 to help boost student achievement 

Washington, D.C. - – Educators in 19 states and 24 large school districts are the lucky recipients of $5,000 grants from the National Education Association (NEA) to fund creative approaches to bridging the gap between state budget cuts and the needs of students.
 
The NEA Urban Grants program annually funds 25 grassroots projects initiated by local affiliates of NEA. The 2003-04 grant winners were announced at the December 2003 meeting of the National Council of Urban Education Associations in Atlanta, Ga.

In presenting the awards, NEA President Reg Weaver spoke from the heart:  “Just saying thank you for all you do to meet the incredible challenges you face every day in our nation’s schools seems to fall short. But, NEA is proud to offer what we can to support the difficult work and outstanding creativity demonstrated by these local affiliates.  These 25 locals serve as wonderful examples for other challenging school districts.” 

The winning projects focus on closing the achievement gap, with a number of projects concentrating on enhancing instruction for the increasing population of students who are learning English.  Plans call for Spanish language survival courses for teachers and school employees to better connect with Hispanic parents and curricula revised for increased relevance to students of color.

Also in the works are a Web site to engage business and community stakeholders in supporting their local public schools, support systems for teachers seeking National Board Certification, and formation of community coalitions to advocate for changes in unfunded requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as the No Child Left Behind law. 

Alabama scored the highest number of grants this year with three winning programs. Arizona, Connecticut, New Jersey and Illinois followed with two winners each.  Other grant winners hail from Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio, Tennessee and Utah.

The urban grant awards are part of a larger NEA effort to make public schools great for every child. Over the past decade, NEA has invested more than $150 million in public school improvement projects that empower teachers and school employees to enhance their work. More than 225 grants have been awarded since the program’s 1985 inception.

December 19, 2003

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

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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.

News Release

Tommy O'Briant Freeman, II Receives NEA Foundation Award
for Teaching Excellence

North Carolina Teacher Honored at Foundation Gala

Washington, D.C. -- The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE) congratulates Tommy (Brian) O’Briant Freeman, II, a second-grade teacher at Peterson Elementary School in Red Springs, North Carolina, for receiving The NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence for 2003.  This annual award recognizes, rewards, and promotes excellence in teaching and advocacy for the profession, and honors public education and the 2.7 million dedicated members of the National Education Association (NEA).  Freeman received the award last night at the Foundation’s 9th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala, and was presented with a personalized commemorative gift and a check for $25,000. 

Freeman, nominated by the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), was among five finalists selected earlier this year as recipients of The Horace Mann–NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence.  These five received a cash award of $10,000 and financial support to attend the gala from The Horace Mann Companies.  All nominees for The NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence received The I CAN Learn®–NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence, made possible by a gift from the I CAN Learn® Education Systems, which funds the other nominees’ travel to the gala. 

An elected town commissioner for his hometown, Freeman makes learning fun for his students, one day playing the Nutty Professor, the next Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother.  “Within his classroom, Brian addresses diverse learners through hands-on teaching and a variety of techniques that support different learning styles,” notes Carolyn O. McKinney, president of NCAE.  Freeman incorporates reading, drawing, singing, writing, and even dancing into daily lessons.  One of his projects, Celebrity Adventures with Flat Stanley, challenged students to read almost 7,000 books and caught the attention of celebrities such as Halle Berry, Tim McGraw, and Shaquille O’Neal, who wrote letters to encourage the students to continue reading.  Says Freeman, “I will do whatever it takes to make sure my students are inspired to learn and challenged to excel.  I try to make school magical and comfortable for all students.”   

Freeman holds certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  His unique teaching style has garnered him many awards, including the National Second Grade Teacher of the Year award, The Terry Sanford Award for Creativity and Innovation in Teaching and Administration from the NCAE, the District Teacher of the Year award, a state finalist honor for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and the WBTW-TV 13 Golden Apple Award.  USA Today twice named him one of the top 40 teachers in the nation.  He is a past recipient of an Innovation Grant from The NEA Foundation, and helped his school's Literacy Team to secure almost $1 million for his district through the Reading Excellence Act, the largest grant ever received in the school system.  Freeman obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications in 1992 and a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education in 1997 from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. 

The NEA Foundation also congratulates the other four finalists for The NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, as well as all of the awardees, grantees, and NEA members who work so hard every day to teach, to learn, and to make public schools great for every child.  The other finalists are:

Wendy Doromal, an alternative education teacher at Timber Creek High School in Orlando, Florida nominated by the Florida Education Association;

Marian Galbraith, an eighth-grade reading teacher at West Side Middle School in Groton, Connecticut, nominated by the Connecticut Education Association;

Jolene Moreno Hyatt, a kindergarten teacher at La Junta Primary School in La Junta, Colorado, nominated by the Colorado Education Association; and

Vaughn Tokashiki, a fifth-grade teacher at Benjamin Parker Elementary School in Kaneohe, Hawaii, nominated by the Hawaii State Teachers Association. 

Last night’s award ceremony also included the presentation of The NEA Foundation Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education to Mary Hatwood Futrell, Dean of The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development and Past President of the National Education Association.  This award is given annually to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to public education.  Past recipients include Richard W. Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education; the late Fred Rogers, creator and host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood; and LeVar Burton, host and co-executive producer of Reading Rainbow.
 
The NEA Foundation and the NEA jointly created The NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence in 2000, and partnered with The Horace Mann Companies and I CAN® Learn Education Systems to establish additional awards to honor the excellence in teaching exemplified by millions of NEA members across the country.  

The NEA Foundation was created by NEA members in 1969 and is sustained by their continuing support.  For more information about the Foundation’s gala, teaching excellence awards, and grant programs, please visit www.nfie.org.

Dec. 12, 2003

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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.

News Release

Hats Off for Dr. Seuss!

NEA's Read Across America urges YOU
to wear the Hat of the Cat on March 2

Washington, D.C. -- Whatever hat you usually wear -– or even if you’ve never worn one –- the National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America has plans for you on March 2, 2004. The day will mark what would have been the 100th birthday of Theodor Geisel, better known to millions as Dr. Seuss, and the plan is to bring the entire nation under one hat -– the familiar red and white stovepipe chapeau made famous by the good doctor himself.

Park rangers at Mt. Rushmore, coal miners in West Virginia, showgirls in Las Vegas, and sailors in Virginia -– all will be swapping their usual headgear -– for The Hat that shows their love of reading.  On March 2, they will be joining teachers, librarians, education support professionals, kids, and parents and wearing The Hat that illustrates the importance of reading -– and honoring the author whose books have taught millions just how much fun it is to read.

NEA President Reg Weaver says: "For the seventh year, NEA is the proud sponsor of the nation’s biggest reading party.  And it’s a party with a purpose -– to show young and old alike not only the importance of the written word, but the joy of reading as well. No one better illustrates the pleasure and the power of learning to read than Dr. Seuss."

Among events planned for NEA's Read Across America '04: a reading rodeo in Kansas; a parkrangers' read-in at Mt. Rushmore; and a salute to the Cat (and his Hat) by West Virginia coal miners. For a sampling of other happenings, keep an eye on NEA's Read Across America section of the NEA Web site.

Since the first celebration of Read Across America in 1998, the event has become a national tradition that annually attracts young and old alike in communities across the nation.  Last year more than 45 million adults and children participated in reading events that ranged from green eggs 'n ham breakfasts and pajama parties to reading extravaganzas featuring politicians, pundits, sports celebrities, and stars of television and movies.

December 10, 2003

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202-822-7200

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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.

News Release

New Regulations for Special Needs Students Under "No Child Left Behind" Offer Flexibility

Statement by
NEA President Reg Weaver

Washington, D.C. -- NEA is pleased that the Bush administration has finally recognized how building much greater flexibility into the ESEA/"No Child Left Behind" education law is essential to improving overall student achievement and closing the achievement gap.

These much-needed changes in assessing special-needs students were strongly urged by NEA, teachers, parents and many others across the country over the last two years. Now we call on the Department of Education to work with schools, school districts, and states to reevaluate schools that were unfairly labeled as not meeting annual standards due to one-size-fits-all tests being used for students with disabilities and to reexamine many other areas of the law that require additional flexibility.

Unfortunately, many schools and school districts around the country may have been unfairly labeled as "in need of improvement" because their special education students did not perform at a level consistent with their age group.  We call on Secretary Paige to work with states to re-evaluate these schools' "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) scores.  Such a review is needed to ensure that no school is inappropriately labeled as having not met AYP now that the regulations have changed.

We also call on the Department to establish the same flexibility for states and schools in other areas of assessment, especially for English language learners, as well as for additional changes to the law to ensure that schools are not measured just on test results on one day.

We urge Secretary Paige to work with NEA in developing user-friendly materials and training for teachers that will put this policy into effect and help provide teachers the full range of assessment options for students with disabilities.  We want every child to be given the tools that he or she needs to be successful.

We are pleased that some of our suggestions have been incorporated in the Department's new regulations.  We are hopeful that our other suggestions for the "No Child Left Behind" law will also be implemented.  NEA has drafted legislation, the Great Public Schools for Every Child Act, that puts much-needed improvements in place.

December 10, 2003

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202-822-7200

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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.

News Release

NEA Successfully Challenges Colorado Voucher Law

Decision protects local control of public schools

Washington, D.C. -- The National Education Association (NEA) and the Colorado Education Association (CEA) today won a victory in blocking Gov. Bill Owens' attempt to impose vouchers on the state's public schools.

The Denver District Court said the voucher program violated the guaranteed right of public school districts to control education under the state's constitution.
 
"This decision is a victory for the children of Colorado, the state of Colorado and all of public education," NEA President Reg Weaver said.

"The children of Colorado need highly-qualified and certified teachers and smaller class sizes, better discipline and programs that get more parents involved," Weaver said.  "Anything that diverts resources from providing these tools is wrong.  And that is what vouchers do."

NEA and CEA sponsored the suit Colorado PTA v. Owens on behalf of Colorado parents, educators and taxpayers in the 11 school districts forced to participate in the voucher program. 

State budget officials estimated that public schools could have lost more than $190 million over four years to the voucher program.

December 3, 2003

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202-822-7200

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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.

NEA Supports 
Education Civil Rights Bill

Proposal protects rights of educators,
students in federal education programs

Washington, D.C.  -- The National Education Association, on behalf of 2.7 million member-educators, supports the "Every Child is Created Equal Act" introduced by U.S. Reps. Robert Scott (D-Va.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). 

The proposed legislation would protect educators who provide supplemental education services such as tutoring from employment discrimination, and protect the rights of the students they serve.

The bill is the latest effort to make much-needed changes to the latest revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as the "No Child Left Behind" law.

The bill recognizes that discrimination has no place in federal funded and protected education programs.  The proposal (H.R. 3582) would overturn current Education Department regulations that allow religious organizations providing supplemental education services to discriminate in hiring.  The bill also closes a loophole that allows supplemental service providers to refuse students with disabilities or limited English language ability.

The NEA and its affiliates remain committed to the goal of leaving no child behind, by continuing to improve academic achievement, ensure all students a highly qualified teacher, up-to-date textbooks and technology.  We urge Congress and the Administration to support reforms that we know will work, rather than allow discrimination to leave children and dedicated educators behind.

November 24, 2003

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202-822-7200

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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.

America's retirees deserve lower prices for medicines and guaranteed, defined benefits under Medicare. This plan would essentially turn Medicare into a voucher program, forcing seniors who choose to stay in traditional Medicare to pay higher premiums.

Educators and other employees who have labored all their lives will be at the mercy of privatized health plans that increase costs and force employers to choose which retired workers to cover.

NEA believes that providing seniors affordable prescription drugs is a laudable goal. However, the plan before Congressional negotiators would threaten full coverage for millions of retirees.

NEA strongly urges lawmakers to oppose this ill-conceived agreement.

--Dennis Van Roekel, Vice President
   National Education Association

November 19, 2003

For more information, contact:
Anjetta McQueen, NEA Public Relations 202-822-7251 amcqueen@nea.org
Kathleen Lyons, NEA Public Relations 202-822-7213 klyons@nea.org

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

Lawmakers support D.C. students
by blocking end run around legislative debate

Washington, D.C. - The National Education Association welcomed the Nov. 18 decision by the United States Senate to strike a proposed school voucher program from legislation funding District of Columbia public schools and other operations. NEA praised Senate leaders for sending a strong message to the House of Representatives that such schemes do nothing to improve education opportunities.

Research clearly demonstrates that vouchers have little effect on improving student achievement. Vouchers, which offer no real "choice" for the overwhelming majority of students, also go against the will of the D.C. electorate.

Senate lawmakers, recognizing that they have never put D.C. vouchers to a vote, wisely concluded that inserting the plan in a must-pass funding bill would create an end run around the legislative process.

Rather than experimenting with programs found to make no real difference in student achievement, Congress should focus on providing students with the proven tools for success, including small class sizes, more parental involvement, up-to-date books and technology and quality teacher training.

NEA remains deeply committed to a final funding package for fiscal 2004 that would reject unproven voucher schemes, protect our nation's workers and close gaps in funding for critical education programs.

November 18, 2003

For more information, contact:
Anjetta McQueen, NEA Public Relations 202-822-7251 amcqueen@nea.org
Kathleen Lyons, NEA Public Relations 202-822-7213 klyons@nea.org

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

News Release

NEA Releases
Reading List To Celebrate
Native American Heritage Month

List includes titles for pre-kindergarten through high school

Washington, D.C. - To mark the 13th anniversary of Native American Heritage Month (November), the National Education Association (NEA) has released a recommended reading list that includes titles ranging from such pre-K classics as Mama, Do You Love Me? to Tony Hillerman’s Joe Leaphorn Series that has been thrilling young – and older – adults for more than a decade.

"The books on this list," said NEA President Reg Weaver, "reflect the rich culture and heritage of Native Americans and the contributions that Native people have made to the development of our country.  Learning about the history, traditions, and cultures of the many populations that make up today’s classrooms helps to create the sense of community that builds great public schools for every child."

The list includes collections of short stories by and about Native American children, such as Children of the Sun by Beverly Hungry Wolf; Dancing Teepees, a compilation of poems of young American Indians by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneave; a picture book biography of America’s first prima ballerina Marie Tallchief; and the new classic, Skeleton Man, by Joseph Bruchac.

Compiled by Association staff, the Native American booklist is the sixth list to be released as part of NEA’s Read Across America, a year-round program that culminates with a nationwide reading party held annually on or near Dr. Seuss's birthday (March 2).   

November 3, 2003

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

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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.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2003

News Release

"Books Your Kids Will Talk About!" 

New Book from the NEA Professional Library Helps Teachers, Parents and Kids Create a Buzz About Books

Washington, D.C. – With the holidays just around the corner, if you’re looking for ‘the perfect book’ to give a favorite child, Books Your Kids Will Talk About! A Guide to Children's Literature for Teachers and Parents (K-6), can make your quest easy, fun, and educational. NEA's first book for both parents and teachers, Books! is a multicultural annotated booklist that makes reading choices easier in the classroom and the family room.

Children’s literature specialists Susan Hepler and Maria Salvadore teamed up with the National Education Association’s (NEA) Professional Library to create this helpful guide to books that children will not only love to read, but talk about as well. Just as talking about a book can make reading more fun and memorable for adults, the same holds true for kids. "The thrill of talking about what you’ve read," say the authors, "is a powerful tool for learning."

Divided into 10 child-centered themes, each chapter discusses important topics, such as living in a family, going to school, making friends, making a difference, and getting through tough times. Suggested titles include old and new classics, award winners, parents' and teachers' choices, and children's favorites--a rich variety of books to tempt even the most reluctant readers.

Much more than an annotated bibliography, Books Your Kids Will Talk About! also features conversations with authors and illustrators and contains tips from teachers and parents on making reading for pleasure a part of every child’s life. Alison Ward, a Wilmington, N.C., assistant principal, for example, writes about “Bus Buddies,” a reading program that teamed older students with younger ones on a once-rowdy school bus.  The result: no more discipline problems on the school bus, and increased reading skills, to boot.

Regie Routman, reading and writing specialist and author of Reading Essentials, says " . . . what the authors manage to do brilliantly is distill the essence of a well-selected book, tie it to an important theme, and in one sentence give great suggestions for reading, writing, discussing, and extending the book. I love the way this book looks and is arranged--lovely graphics and easy-to-access topics. . . This is just the book teachers, parents, and librarians need!"

Books Your Kids Will Talk About! is available only through the NEA Professional Library and can be ordered online at www.nea.org/books or by calling 1-800-229-4200. Bulk discounts are available.

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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.

Censorship in abstinence-only
programs is placing youth at risk

Washington, D.C. -- The National Education Association (NEA), with the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), is hosting an October 9^th breakfast briefing on the impact of abstinence-only education on teachers and students.

The federal government spends more than $120 million on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.  Yet, these programs restrict classroom discussions and censor teachers’ ability to respond to student questions on vital issues such as contraception and disease prevention.  NEA, through its Health Information Network, stresses medically accurate sex education that includes information on abstinence, family planning, and problems associated with preteen and teenage pregnancies.  NEA urges increased federal funding for such comprehensive programs.

"We know the students most likely to avoid sexual activity are the ones who receive factual, complete information from adults they can trust," said Jerald Newberry, executive director of the health and safety arm of the NEA.

Mary O'Brien, a high school teacher from Brick, N.J., will discuss how providing quality information and having honest conversations with her students improves their health and well-being.

The hour-long briefing, which will highlight recent reviews of abstinence-only programs, begins Thursday, October 9^th at 9 a.m. in Room B-339 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

For more information, contact:

Anjetta McQueen, NEA Public Relations            202-822-7251                     amcqueen@nea.org

Kathleen Lyons, NEA Public Relations               202-822-7213                     klyons@nea.org

October 8, 2003

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

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2003

News Release

NEA President Reg Weaver Applauds "Graduation for All" 

Legislation Would Provide Academic Interventions for At-Risk Students

Washington, D.C. - “NEA applauds Reps. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) and Susan Davis (D-CA) on the introduction of H.R. 3085, ‘Graduation for All.’ The bill will provide schools and districts with resources to increase graduation rates.  The legislation promotes interventions that have been proven to be successful in improving student achievement, decreasing dropouts, and promoting college attendance.
 
“This legislation is important since failure to graduate from high school has serious economic and social consequences for individual students as well as the country.  Recent studies show that each class of high school dropouts costs the nation more than $200 billion. These costs include losses in earnings and tax revenue as well as spending for social support programs.  High school dropouts have an earnings disadvantage that tends to remain with them throughout their lives.  Among inmates of state and federal prisons, nearly two-thirds failed to complete high school.
 
“NEA believes this legislation will provide support that is long overdue to older, at-risk students.  The nation cannot say it is improving education while continuing to ignore the needs of older students.” 

# # #
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.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2003

News Release

NEA: Misplaced Priorities
and Political Tactics
Steal D.C. Voucher Vote 

Razor-thin passage in House
is won on politics, not good policy for children

Washington, D.C. - The National Education Association today strongly criticized the political maneuvering of Congressional leaders in the narrow passage of a voucher plan for the District of Columbia Public Schools.

The $10 million voucher plan passed by a single vote after the Republican leadership extended official voting time by a half-hour.

The margins on Congressional voucher votes have narrowed over the years as more lawmakers recognize the hypocrisy of placing mandates on public schools while diverting resources to private schools.

"The House leadership demonstrated a poor display of democracy by allowing the clock to keep ticking on the vote in order to contrive the passage of a voucher scheme requiring an investment of scarce dollars that our children and public education cannot afford," said Reg Weaver, NEA president.

The House leadership was not the only hand in Tuesday's disappointing vote.  A number of Members who missed the vote had been on record opposing this legislation. 

Weaver expressed his keen disappointment in their misplaced priorities.  "Our lawmakers speak boldly of 'leaving no child behind,' but then fail to deliver on that promise by shortchanging public schools," Weaver said.

"We must begin to hold Congress accountable for failing to honor its commitments," Weaver said. "When the Senate's turn comes to vote on vouchers, we ask Senators to be there when it counts and to consider giving District of Columbia schoolchildren what they really need to succeed in their classrooms: smaller class sizes, quality teaching, and up-to-date books and technology."

NEA also praised the 14 Republican Members who held firm against their party's leadership and chose to do the right thing for D.C. children by voting against the proposal. 

# # #
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.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2003

News Release

NEA Supports Proposals to Improve 'No Child Left Behind'  

Congressman's plan would bring fairness to measures of student progress 

Washington, D.C. - The National Education Association, on behalf of 2.7 million member-educators, supports the Student Testing Fairness Act introduced by U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio). The proposed legislation would make much-needed changes to the latest revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as the `No Child Left Behind' law.

The Strickland bill recognizes that there is no one-size-fits-all prescription for student achievement. The bill would end reliance on a single test as a measure of a student's achievement, give schools credit for improving student academic growth over time, and create reasonable ways to measure the skills and progress of students with disabilities and limited-English language proficiency.

Under the proposal (H.R. 3049), public school choice and supplemental services would be targeted specifically those students in subgroups that have failed to improve.

"Clearly there is a problem with the rigid and unrealistic rules of the so-called 'No Child Left Behind' law when 87 percent of schools in Florida and 51 percent in Pennsylvania failed to meet federal standards this year," said Reg Weaver, NEA president. "Many of these schools are high-quality schools that have shown progress in improving student achievement."

"Unless the new law is fixed, virtually all public schools will likely be labeled as failing to meet new federal standards over the next few years," Weaver said.  "The Strickland bill still insists on holding schools accountable, but does so in a realistic and workable manner."

The NEA and its affiliates remain committed to the goal of leaving no child behind by continuing to work on improving academic achievement, ensuring all students have a highly qualified teacher,  up-to-date textbooks and technology.  We urge Congress and the Administration to support reform efforts that we know will work, rather than impose unfunded mandates that hinder the progress and lower the standards that schools have already set for themselves. 

# # #
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.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2003

News Release

Despite Long Hours, Low Pay, Teachers Love Their Profession 

New NEA Survey Paints a Groundbreaking
Portrait of Today's Public School Teachers 

Washington, D.C. - A national survey released today shows that America's public school  teachers spend much of their own time expanding their knowledge and skills, and hundreds of their own dollars purchasing classroom supplies, books, and materials for their students.  And not surprisingly, in spite of the long hours and low pay, a majority would return to the classroom if they had it all to do again.

These findings are among the thousands of fascinating facts about the professional and personal lives of today's teachers contained in Status of the American Public School Teacher (PDF, 1.2M, 384 pages ).  The survey, conducted by the National Education Association (NEA), represents the most comprehensive look at today's public school teaching force. 

"This survey takes you inside some typical public school classrooms and introduces you to the dedicated professionals who are working there," said NEA President Reg Weaver.  "I'm proud to say that children attending public schools today are being taught by the best educated, most experienced teachers ever.  And that's just the start of the good news within this report."  

Some key findings  of Status of the American Public School Teacher include:

• The average teacher has 15 years of classroom experience and more than half of today's teachers (56 percent) hold a master's degree or 6-year diploma.  Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) began full-time teaching within the past five years.
  
• Teachers spend an average of 50 hours per week on instructional duties, including an average of 12 hours each week on non-compensated school-related activities such as grading papers, bus duty, and club advising.
  
• More than three-quarters of teachers (77 percent) participated in system-sponsored professional development activities during the school year; more teachers than ever (35 percent) participated in such activities during the summer.  
  
• Teachers spend an average of $443 of their own money each year to meet the needs of their students.
  
• Three-fifths of teachers (60 percent) said they would become teachers again. More than one-fifth  (21 percent) said they would not choose teaching as a career if they could start over again. 

NEA has produced Status of the American Public School Teacher every five years since 1961, providing a chronicle of the teaching profession over four decades.  For the first time, the survey sought to identify the reasons for teachers not remaining in teaching until retirement.  The largest segment of teachers (37 percent) cited low salaries.  Minority teachers (50 percent), male teachers (43 percent), and teachers under 30 (47 percent) were most likely to claim low pay as the reason they will not stay in teaching.

The report also reveals a profession that is struggling to provide role models of both sexes and all races within a teaching workforce that is predominantly white (90 percent) and female (79 percent).  Since 1981, the ratio of male to female teachers has steadily declined - it now stands at a 40-year low (21 percent). 

"While the news in this report is encouraging on many fronts, the survey also includes some warning calls that can't be ignored," said Weaver.  "People are leaving our profession because of the low pay, and we're struggling to recruit and retain male teachers and teachers of color.  These are areas that we must address and correct." 

# # #
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.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2003

News Release

NEA Seeks Release of Education Department Documents 

Washington, D.C. - Faced with stonewalling by the U.S. Department of Education to its request for government documents that deal with certain provisions of the federal education law, the National Education Association (NEA) went to court today to force the department to comply with federal law.

The complaint notes that NEA filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request April 10 with the Department of Education asking for all written material that details why the department retreated from its previous interpretation of a provision of the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as the "No Child Left Behind" Act.  The provision [Section 1116(d)] ensures that ESEA mandates regarding school improvement and corrective action cannot override the rights of school employees under federal, state, or local laws or collective bargaining agreements.

By law, the Department of Education was required to deliver these documents to NEA by May 8, or else explain why it could not comply.  The department missed the statutory deadline, and despite repeated attempts by NEA to obtain the documents, and multiple promises by the department that it would cooperate, the documents have yet to be released.

"This was a very simple request, and the law is absolutely clear that the Department of Education must respond," said NEA President Reg Weaver.  "At a time when there are so many crucial education issues to discuss and debate, we would have preferred not to file a lawsuit, but millions of teachers and other school employees deserve to know why the Department has suddenly changed its mind and decided to silence their voices.

"While everyone speaks about holding schools, teachers and students accountable, we also believe that the Department should be held responsible for meeting its legal obligations," added Weaver.

NEA filed the complaint today in the U.S. District Court for D.C.  Attached is a chronology of the NEA's FOIA requests and efforts to acquire the documents from the Department of Education. 

CHRONOLOGY OF NEA's FOIA REQUEST
 
April 10, 2003 - The National Education Association (NEA) makes a request under the federal Freedom of Information Act to the Education Department for documents related to the revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB).

May 8, 2003 - The Education Department misses statutory deadline for responding to request.

June 6, 2003 - NEA sends a follow-up letter, noting missed deadline and reiterating request.

July 31, 2003 - NEA files suit, seeking a court order compelling the Education Department to respond to the request for NCLB documents.

- National Education Association, July 31, 2003

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2003

News Release

NEA Annual Meeting Takes Aim at
'No Child Left Behind' Flaws

New Orleans, La. -- Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association (NEA), opened the Association's 2003 annual meeting with a vow to fight politicians' attempts to hold schools accountable without holding up their end of the bargain. Nearly 10,000 delegates left here today mobilized to meet the laudable goals of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as the No Child Left Behind Act.

NEA took aim against the flaws and broken promises in the No Child Left Behind Act. NEA also announced plans for a lawsuit challenging unfunded mandates imposed on the states by the law's federally mandated corrective actions, including the costs of open enrollment and private tutoring for schools designated as in need of improvement.

"NEA has always been dedicated to leaving no child behind -- that is nothing new to us," Weaver said in Thursday keynote address. "The stated goals of NCLB -- closing the achievement gap, ensuring highly qualified teachers, improving academic achievement -- are a page from our very own book. NEA's concern with this legislation lies with the implementation of, and the lack of adequate and equitable funding for, these laudable goals."

Weaver also told delegates, "Our members are angry, and they're frustrated. But behind all of that is emotion. There is energy. I have seen it...It is our job to help our members unleash that energy."

In his first Representative Assembly as NEA president, Weaver set the tone for NEA's efforts to improve educational opportunities for children. Weaver emphasized the organization's commitment, energy and expertise as crucial to closing the achievement gap and making public schools great for every child.

"Team NEA, we would love to stay out of politics and in the classroom, but as long as Washington favors millionaires over children, we have to fight," said Weaver, a middle school science teacher from Harvey, Ill.

Educators from every state, the District of Columbia, and overseas came here as delegates to the NEA's Representative Assembly to set policies for the coming year. NEA represents 2.7 million teachers, education support professionals, higher education faculty, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

As part of an organized lobbying effort, delegates sent more than 13,000 e-mails and made more than 1,000 phone calls to Congress and state legislators over six days. They urged support for revisions in the federal elementary and secondary education law -- including provisions to ensure that over-reliance on standardized testing not interfere with teaching and learning. Members also expressed their concerns that school improvement plans focus on helping students, teachers, and schools, and not undermine the ability of public schools to be effective. Delegates also wrote postcards to Bush administration officials that support the law's goals but urge that it be fixed and fully funded.

NEA delegates shared stories of how the law's sanctions and unfunded mandates threaten to leave the nation's most vulnerable children behind. For example, one Michigan teacher spoke of an elementary school where art, music, physical education, and recess all had fallen to the budget ax. Hundreds of members told similar stories about their concerns for the children with whom they work.

Delegates elected Lily Eskelsen, an elementary school teacher from Salt Lake City, to her first full term as secretary-treasurer. She will oversee the Association's multi-million dollar budget for a three-year term beginning Sept. 1.

In addition, delegates elected two members of the NEA Executive Committee. Carolyn Crowder, an elementary school and music teacher from Mustang, Okla., and Wayne Nadeau, a high school social studies teacher from South Burlington, Vt., and were each elected to three-year terms beginning Sept. 1.

The NEA Executive Committee consists of nine members -- three executive officers and six members elected at large by the Representative Assembly.

Policy Actions

Delegates adopted a new early childhood education policy, urging that every child should be required to attend full-day kindergarten and should be offered free pre-kindergarten education. They also voted to draft and support model legislation to be proposed in state legislatures.

The early childhood education policy was developed as the result of a year-long study of kindergarten and pre-kindergarten practices by a special committee chaired by Michael Marks, a Hattiesburg, Miss., drama teacher and a member of the NEA Executive Committee. The committee report emphasized that quality, full-day kindergarten programs and pre-school education programs boost student achievement and help children throughout their school careers.

Each year, delegates to NEA's Representative Assembly take action on three types of policy statements -- amendments to the Legislative Program, Resolutions, and New Business Items. In addition, they vote to approve the organization's budget. Delegates overwhelmingly adopted a strategic budget that directs resources to enhance teaching and learning, advocate for children and members, and build partnerships with organizations and individuals who support public education.

NEA adopted language in its Legislative Program calling for legislation that would prohibit employment discrimination in organizations that receive federal funds, such as religious organizations that act as "supplemental services providers," or tutors under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Changes to the Resolutions included language that specified that standardized tests be used as a supplement to other assessments developed and conducted by teachers and schools, and that tests be used primarily to evaluate student learning. New provisions also deplore test preparation that impedes teaching and learning or testing regimes that limit opportunities for students.

Delegates passed a number of New Business Items, including a number of actions related to strengthening teacher retirement systems and expanding access to health care. Other New Business Items urged NEA to plan a lobby day to influence the government pension offset and windfall elimination provision -- federal policies that reduce the pensions of public employees and to participate in the anticipated 40^th anniversary of 1963 March on Washington.

NEA Honors

The late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) received the Friend of Education Award, NEA's highest honor. Wellstone was a tireless champion of meaningful federal support for public education. He died in a plane crash during his reelection campaign last fall. Education Minnesota President Judy Schaubach accepted the accepted the award on behalf of the Wellstone family, calling the senator a "politician who voted his conscience and lived his beliefs."

NEA also honored 18 leading advocates for human and civil rights, including three educators who pioneered the 1966 merger between NEA and the American Teachers Association, an organization that primarily represented African American teachers. Elliott Palmer, Joe Reed and Horace Reed were among those recognized at NEA's annual Human and Civil Rights dinner on Wednesday July 2.

And delegates heard from a number of inspirational education leaders.

Betsy Rogers of Alabama, the 2003 National Teacher of the Year, told delegates, "I want to live in a country where our legacy to the world is how well we take care of our children." Rogers is a first and second grade teacher in Jefferson County, Ala.

Martin "Marty" Meyer, the NEA National Education Support Professional of the Year, spoke of his commitment to children, their education, and their quality of life. "My job description is about a building, but my job is about people," said Meyer, the head custodian at an elementary school in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Delegates also paid tribute to the late Fred Rogers, creator and star of the popular children's educational television show "Mister Rogers Neighborhood."

Pre-Conference Activities

NEA preceded its Representative Assembly with forums on a variety of topics, including the No Child Left Behind Act. In a symposium about legal and bargaining ramifications of the law, General Counsel Bob Chanin announced NEA's intention to file suit challenging the unfunded mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act. Chanin cited a number of analyses that projected that per pupil expenditures would increase -- ranging from 16 percent in New York State to 84 percent in South Carolina.

"We intend to pursue every avenue to make sure that federal education policy helps further the needs of children, the cause of public education, and rights of public education employees," said Weaver. "NEA is working to get clarity on the huge disconnect between the reality of law and the rhetoric used in promoting it."

At NEA's Joint Conference on the Concerns of Women and Minorities June 28 and 29, speakers included Kerry Kennedy Cuomo. She described the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, which addresses the problems of social justice in the spirit of her late father.

And in NEA's annual public service activity, NEA's student members -- together with retired and active members -- painted, pruned and planted in a beautification project at St. John Child Development Center in Garyville, La., as part of the Association's Outreach to Teach program.

Patriotism and a Commitment to Children

NEA celebrated America's independence with a display of a copy of the Declaration of Independence that is even older than the famous one housed at the National Archives. Leaders participated in dramatic readings of the Bill of Rights, and President Weaver recognized Association members who served in the military and Association members related to military personnel involved in the Iraqi war.

At last count, delegates raised almost $1 million in voluntary contributions to the Fund for Children and Public Education, which is used support efforts to elect candidates who support children and public education.

The NEA Representative Assembly offers an opportunity for leaders to gather to discuss common goals, concerns and challenges.

The 2004 NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly will be held in Washington, D.C.

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 2003

News Release

Oklahoma Teacher Wins Position on NEA Executive Committee

New Orleans, La. - Carolyn Crowder, an elementary and vocal music teacher from Mustang, Oklahoma, was elected today to the National Education Association (NEA) Executive Committee. She was elected to lead the nation's largest professional employee organization by nearly 10,000 delegates attending the Association's Representative Assembly, meeting July 3-6 in New Orleans.

A strong advocate for providing schools with adequate resources, Crowder currently serves as president of NEA's affiliate, the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA).

"I can't wait to get started working on the Great Public Schools Action Plan," said Crowder.  "I'm highly enthusiastic about the Executive Committee's commitment to organizing on issues that are important to students and education employees.  My experience in Oklahoma as state president has prepared me for the challenges that are facing us today."

With two decades of teaching experience, Crowder has been a champion for public education and school employees at the state and local levels.  As a classroom teacher, she received a grant from the Oklahoma Reading Council and an award from the State Economic Association.  In addition to serving as OEA President, Crowder served as a member of the OEA Board of Directors for six years, on various state committees, and as Chair of the Oklahoma Education Coalition for 99-00.  She also held a number of offices at the local Association level including president, delegate and negotiator.

The NEA Executive Committee consists of nine members - three executive officers and six members elected at large by the Representative Assembly.  Crowder will serve a three-year term starting in September. 

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 2003

News Release

NEA Delegates Call for Universal
Pre-K and Full-Day Kindergarten 

'Attempts to close the achievement gap are starting too late'

New Orleans, La -- The National Education Association (NEA) today put the muscle of 2.7 million educators behind a push for full-day kindergarten and universal preschool.

The vote by nearly 10,000 delegates at NEA's Annual Meeting here approved a new Association policy that calls on states to provide full-day kindergarten for all children. The new policy also supports the creation of publicly funded, universal preschool programs for all three- and four-year olds. The preschool programs would be optional for interested families.

"We know that a high quality education before a child turns five yields lifetime benefits," said NEA President Reg Weaver. "We know that children who attend full-day kindergarten are better prepared intellectually, socially, and psychologically than children who attend kindergarten for half-days. We know that attempting to repair reading skills in the fourth grade is far more expensive and risky than guaranteeing good pre-reading skills in preschool and good beginning reading skills in kindergarten.

"If no child is to be left behind, we need to start earlier with every child.  Attempts to close the achievement gap are starting much too late."

The newly adopted policy calls for:

• Free, publicly funded, quality kindergarten programs in all states.  Nine states still do not require districts to offer kindergarten, though every state subsidizes kindergarten in at least some districts or for a portion of the school day.  (Education Week, Quality Counts 2002)
• Mandatory full-day kindergarten.  Just 14 states require school districts to offer full-day kindergarten.
• Optional free, publicly funded, quality "universal" pre-kindergarten programs for all three- and four-year-old children whose parents choose to enroll them.  Three states are moving toward such a program - Georgia, New York and Oklahoma.
• Federal funds to make pre-kindergarten programs available for all three- and four-year-old children from disadvantaged families.  State and local governments should provide the additional funds necessary to make pre-kindergarten available for all three- and four-year old children.
• Dedicated funding for early childhood education.  Public schools should be the primary provider of pre-kindergarten programs, and additional funding must be allocated to finance them in the same manner as K-12 schools.

The report also recommends that NEA develop and make available to its state affiliates model legislation providing for mandatory full-day kindergarten and optional full- or half-day pre-kindergarten.

The Special Committee on Early Childhood Education comprises 17 members, who broadly represent NEA's membership and have particular expertise in early childhood education.  Executive Committee Member Michael Marks serves as chair of the committee. 

The NEA Annual Meeting continues through July 6. 

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 2003

News Release

NEA Elects Utah Teacher as Secretary-Treasurer

Lily Eskelsen wins third-highest post at nation's largest teacher's union

New Orleans, La. - Lily Eskelsen, an elementary school teacher from Utah, won her first full term as the secretary-treasurer of the National Education Association. She was unopposed. 

As secretary-treasurer of the nation's largest teacher's union, Eskelsen ranks third on the organization's leadership pole, making her one of the highest-ranking labor leaders in the country, and one of its most powerful Hispanic educators. Her responsibilities include oversight and maintenance of the group's multi-million dollar budget and fiscal integrity.

"I'm so proud of the confidence shown in me and the direction we are moving - building our own campaign to explain to the public our vision of Great Public Schools," Eskelsen said. 

Eskelsen's commitment to children and public education propelled her to leadership positions within the NEA, beginning with her 1990 write-in election as president of the 18,000-member Utah Education Association. She served in this post until 1996, when she was elected to the nine-member NEA Executive Committee. 

In 1989, Eskelsen was recognized as Utah Teacher of the Year. She won her party's nomination for U.S. Congress in 1998 and served as a member of President Clinton's White House Strategy Session on Improving Hispanic Education in 2000, all the while providing education advice to parents in newspapers and magazines, such as Women's Day, Working Mother and Time.

Eskelsen's education career began as a lunchroom worker and later a kindergarten aide. She worked her way through the University of Utah as a part-time legal secretary and folk singer, graduating magna cum laude in elementary education in 1980 and later earning a master's degree in instructional technology from the same institution. 

She is on leave of absence from her teaching position at the Christmas Box House Children's Shelter, a one-room school and residential facility for K-6 children awaiting placement in foster homes.
 
She and her husband Ruel now live in Washington, D.C. and frequently visit their two sons and a grandchild in Utah. 

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2003

News Release

NEA President Rallies Members for Great Public Schools for Every Child 

Reg Weaver calls for renewed attention to fixing and funding NCLB

New Orleans. La. - While giving a rousing endorsement to the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), NEA President Reg Weaver today called on the Association's 2.7 million members to organize, mobilize and maximize their energies to fix the flaws in the federal law that are negatively affecting students and classrooms.  Delivering his inaugural keynote speech to the NEA's Representative Assembly, President Weaver urged NEA members to take a lead role in reminding policymakers that reform without resources equals rhetoric.

"NEA has always been dedicated to leaving no child behind - that is nothing new to us," said Weaver.   "The stated goals of NCLB - closing the achievement gap, ensuring highly qualified teachers, improving academic achievement - are a page from our very own book.  NEA's concern with this legislation lies with the implementation of, and the lack of adequate and equitable funding for, these laudable goals."

Weaver deplored the unintended consequences of the legislation that is impacting teachers, parents and administrators across the country.  As the law is currently written, Weaver said that NCLB is "setting up public schools to fail" and will "force many teachers to do nothing more than teach to the tests and drive inspired and experienced teachers and paraprofessionals from the classroom."

Weaver urged politicians to listen to those who hold the responsibility for educating students.

"We know the needs of public education and of public educators," Weaver said.  "We also know that creativity and flexibility are necessary ingredients for an education reform plan to be successful, and these are ingredients that are missing in this plan."

President Weaver announced NEA's antidote to NCLB - the Great Public Schools for Every Child Action Plan - that is designed to fix and fund the new federal law.  The legislative effort will focus on communicating directly with Congress to facilitate improvements to NCLB.  Specific action steps include closing the loopholes in the definition of a "highly qualified" teacher, granting flexibility to states and school districts, ensuring paraprofessionals have resources to pay for required professional development, and most critically, fully funding No Child Left Behind programs.

"We will make sure that our elected officials know that we are monitoring their 'adequate yearly progress.'  And when they don't measure up, we will hold them accountable on Election Day," said Weaver. 

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2003

News Release

National Education Association To Challenge Provisions of No Child Left Behind Act

Litigation to focus on the impact of unfunded mandates

New Orleans, La. - The National Education Association is preparing a lawsuit to challenge the unfunded mandates imposed on states and school districts by the No Child Left Behind Act as contrary to the intent of Congress. 

The basis for the lawsuit would be a provision in the No Child Left Behind Act stating in relevant part that "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government to...mandate a State or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds or incur any costs not paid for under this Act."

NEA General Counsel Robert Chanin announced the impending action at a symposium on implications for NEA members and affiliates on the eve of the opening day of NEA's Annual Meeting.

"We intend to pursue every avenue to make sure that federal education policy helps further the needs of children, the cause of public education, and rights of public education employees," said NEA President Reg Weaver.  "NEA is working to get clarity on the huge disconnect between the reality of law and the rhetoric used in promoting it."

Chanin cited a General Accounting Office study that estimates that states will be required to expend between $1.9 and $5.3 billion of their own money to implement the testing provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act between 2002 and 2008.

"The GAO study does not include state funds that would be required to comply with school choice [public school transfer provisions], teacher and paraprofessional qualifications, or other provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act," Chanin explained.  Several states have conducted their own analyses, with increases in per pupil expenditures estimated between 16 percent in New York State to 84 percent in South Carolina.

"We intend to determine if it was the intent of Congress to impose unfunded mandates on states in enacting the No Child Left Behind Act," Weaver said.  "We are consulting with several state and local governments who are affected by these unfunded mandates regarding possible participation in the lawsuit." 

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2003

News Release

Statement of NEA President Reg Weaver on President Bush's Call for Federal Tuition Vouchers 

The baseline for any education reform proposal ought to be whether or not it improves student achievement.  After numerous experiments and millions of dollars, there is no consistent evidence that private school tuition vouchers improve educational opportunities for students in private or public schools. 

Members of the National Education Association support high standards for students, teachers, and schools, and we support accountability systems that help address needs and spur improvements.  Research confirms what parents and teachers know:  reducing class size and enhancing teacher quality make a real difference in the quality of education and the lives of children.

NEA hopes that the President and other elected officials will turn their attention away from vouchers and join us in helping make public schools great for every child. 

# # #
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.

For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2003

News Release

Kids Got the Summer Blahs? Here's Something to Give them a Kick! 

NEA and Major League Soccer Team Up to Get Kids Scoring Big with Books

New York, NY - The National Education Association (NEA) and Major League Soccer (MLS) know that shared activities are good for the entire family-whether it involves a soccer ball or a good book. That's why the NEA and MLS with the support of Honda created "Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo!" a bilingual, multicultural program that educates not only children, but families on the importance of reading. MLS, NEA and a roster of supporting organizations are working together to integrate the sport of soccer into activities that help to change attitudes about reading and deliver positive messages about its fun and its value.
 
Joining MLS teams and NEA affiliates are affiliates of National Council of La Raza, National Association for Bilingual Education, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), ASPIRA, the American Library Association and Random House Children's Books.  Working together, these organizations will bring bilingual, multicultural reading activities to select groups of children in MLS team cities. 
 
Many of these activities kick off this month, including a "Summer Reading Challenge" sponsored by local MLS teams and NEA affiliates, a dedicated Web site at www.getakickoutofreading.org and www.leeymarcaungolazo.org  as well as thousands of new books donated to needy children.  A national television and radio public service campaign featuring players from all ten MLS teams has already hit the airwaves. 
 
The Summer Reading Challenge invites children (grades K-6) to earn the Readers' Shield Certificate over a six week challenge period where children must read (or be read to) 90 minutes a week for fun-not for homework or for other incentive programs. Children who meet the Challenge return their completed Score Sheets to be rewarded with Readers' Shield Certificates and/or other prizes from teams and/or local sponsors.
 
For those kids who need more than motivation to read, Random House Children's Books will help them shoot for success.  Random House is committed to helping kids who have little or no access to books. Through the Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo! program, 10,000 new children's books donated by Random House Children's Books will be distributed to needy children in MLS communities. 
 
Says NEA President Reg Weaver, "Educators want kids to have fun during the summer, but also want learning to continue.  Parents should remember that even when a child is having fun at his/her favorite sport, he/she is still learning.  Kids just might find reading's a real kick!"

"As our first League-wide community initiative, MLS is thrilled to team-up with the NEA and the nearly three million teachers and educators in our country for working tirelessly to get kids across the United States excited about reading.  The Reading challenge is a perfect tie-in with the sport-both take place during the summer months!" said MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

Families don't need to live in an MLS team community to help their children get a kick out of reading.  Anyone can use the free resources at www.getakickoutofreading.org or www.leeymarcaungolazo.org  to involve kids in a soccer-themed reading challenge, discover soccer-themed titles for readers of all ages, and find out favorite books of some favorite MLS players.  Families living in an MLS community should be sure to have a look at their local team's Web site for special reading events with players and more opportunities to get a kick out of reading!

About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City and in the midst of its eighth season, Major League Soccer features many top stars from the United States and around the world.  The ten teams that comprise MLS are: the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, Dallas Burn, D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, MetroStars, New England Revolution and the San Jose Earthquakes.  For the latest headlines and official information on MLS, log onto www.MLSnet.com .

About American Honda Motor Company
Headquartered in Torrance, CA, Honda has supported soccer programs for more than a decade and has played a part in the growth of this exciting sport in America.  With the debut of Major League Soccer in 1996, Honda became the Official Automotive Sponsor and Official Vehicle of MLS.  MLS also annually awards the Honda Most Valuable Player trophy to one player from each team and one league Honda MVP overall.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. employs more than 19,000 associates in the United States in the areas of design, development, engineering, assembly and sales of Honda and Acura products.  Honda operates 10 manufacturing facilities in North America that produce automobiles motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, power equipment, transmissions and engines using domestic and globally sourced parts. 

# # #
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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2003

News Release

Crescent City: Here We Come!

NEA Delegates Head to New Orleans for 2003 Convention 

Washington - More than 9,000 delegates are starting to gather in New Orleans this week for the 2003 NEA Annual Meeting.  The six-day event will focus on the No Child Left Behind Act and other timely education issues.

Highlights of the 2003 NEA Annual Meeting and Pre-Convention Activities:

June 27

"Outreach To Teach" Project. More than 250 NEA Student Program members, retired educators, education support professionals, and current teachers will converge on a local school to do landscaping, painting, cleaning and repairs.  The event represents NEA's ongoing commitment to boosting student achievement in urban/rural communities, and is sponsored each year in the city hosting the RA.
Location: St. John Child Development Ctr., 117 Stebbins St., Garyville, La., 8 a.m.

June 28-29

The Joint Conference on Concerns of Minorities and Women will feature signature speakers including Kerry Kennedy Cuomo of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, a nonprofit organization that addresses the problems of social justice in the spirit of her late father, and Delores Huerta, a former teacher and co-founder of the United Farm Workers.  In addition, the annual conference will offer dozens of workshops focused on cultural diversity and teaching minority students.
Location: New Orleans Marriott Hotel  

July 1

• The NEA News Room opens in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Hall F - Level 2, La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom II.  A filing center for credentialed news media will include telephones, fax machines, modems, and a television monitor from which the media can view the action on the floor of the Representative Assembly. Seating will also be provided near the stage for media who want to cover the Assembly up close.
• NEA's Read Across America "Read-In."  Hundreds of local elementary school children will get ready to read, Mardi Gras style, at this annual event.  NEA members will help them "jazz" up their reading while the children enjoy local entertainment and a mini Mardi Gras parade.
  Location: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Hall E, 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.; 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• The International Forum. Education leaders from across the globe will share an overview of educational trends and issues in their respective countries, providing a basis for dialogue among guests.
  Location: Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Cambridge Room, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• The Declaration of Independence will be in New Orleans.  Delegates will get to see a copy of the Declaration of Independence that's even older than the famous one housed at the National Archives.  The document will be on display July 1 and July 2, along with teaching tips that members can take back to their classrooms.
  Location: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Hall G

July 2

• No Child Left Behind Symposium.  The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) will be the focus of a two-session forum where RA delegates will address the effect of the law to date on students, educators and schools.  The morning session will feature Gary Orfield, co-director of Harvard University's Civil Rights Project, and Jill Morningstar, co-director of Education and Youth Development at the Children's Defense Fund.  In the afternoon, NEA General Counsel Bob Chanin will address the role of the Association in implementing NCLB, followed by comments from state affiliate experts.
  Location: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Auditorium A
• NEA holds its 37th Annual Human and Civil Rights Awards Dinner.
  Twelve pioneers and leaders in the pursuit of equality and social justice will be honored this year.  Included among this notable group of educators, public servants and activists are U.S. Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis of California, for her tireless fight to maintain the legacy of César Chávez and the farm worker movement; Joseph Bruchac, an American Indian storyteller and noted children's author; and Dick Molpus, co-founder of Parents for Public Schools, which started in Jackson, Miss., and now boasts chapters in 53 cities and 22 states.   
  Location: New Orleans Marriott Hotel

The NEA Representative Assembly will take place July 3-6.  All of the following events will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

July 3

• Representative Assembly opens, 11 a.m., Hall F.
• President Reg Weaver will hold a media availability to preview the hot topics at this year's Annual Meeting.
• President Weaver will deliver his inaugural keynote address during the morning session.

July 4

• NEA delegates will go to the polls to elect new leaders - two positions on the NEA Executive Committee will be decided.  Election results will be announced during the morning business meeting.
• The Independence Day celebration will feature a patriotic mix of songs and speeches, including a live reading of The Bill of Rights by chosen delegates.
• Delegates will consider a recent report from the NEA Special Committee on Early Childhood Education.  The discussion will focus on current NEA policies with regard to kindergarten and pre-kindergarten and the committee's recommendations.

July 5

• The 2003 Friend of Education Award will be presented posthumously to Minnesota U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone.  Until his death in 2002, Wellstone was a strong defender of public education, a tireless advocate for poor and special needs students, and a powerful ally in the fight for increased federal investment in education.
• The 2003 National Teacher of the Year will address the delegates.  Dr. Betsy Rogers, a first and second grade educator at Leeds Elementary School in Leeds, Alabama, has made raising awareness about the needs of and perceptions of schools in less-affluent neighborhoods her national platform.

July 6

The NEA Education Support Professional of the Year will address the delegates.  Martin (Marty) Meyer, head custodian at Fernan Elementary School in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, earned NEA's highest honor for professionals in the field of educational support for his work on behalf of children, his school, his community and his fellow educators.

For more information on this year's Annual Meeting and details about the Representative Assembly 2003, visit the NEA 2003 Annual Meeting website.

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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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2003

News Release

NEA Honors Pioneering Educators Who Desegregated Teachers' Unions  

First Ever Sankofa Award to Honor African-American executives instrumental in landmark NEA, ATA merger

Washington, D.C. - Elliott Palmer, Joe Reed, and Horace Tate, three educators who were instrumental in the trailblazing 1966 merger between the all black American Teachers Association (ATA) and the National Education Association (NEA), will be honored by the NEA with the first ever Sankofa Award on July 2 in New Orleans. The award will be presented during the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Dinner, a key part of the 2003 NEA Annual Meeting running July 1-6.

Sankofa, an Akan (Ghanaian) word that literally means "return and get it," was chosen because it signifies that African-Americans must reclaim their past in order to move forward, understanding why and how they came to be who they are today.  This special award best captures the steadfast commitment of Palmer, Reed, and Tate for the creation of something that has endured-two national associations merged into one.

Palmer, a native of Durham, N.C., has dedicated his life to promoting racial equality. He is credited with having entered into the courts more lawsuits challenging desegregation laws and protecting the rights of educators than any single person in history. In his early years as executive director of the North Carolina Teachers Association (NCTA), Palmer fought to desegregate the schools in his home state, in compliance with the landmark Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas ruling.  He also led the fight to protect the rights of educators while spearheading desegregation efforts throughout the United States and developed guidelines for integrating more black history into standard school textbooks.  During the 1966 ATA-NEA merger, Palmer was instrumental in shepherding the negotiations to success. Along with his wife Juanita, Palmer is also being honored this year with the 2003 Carter G. Woodson Memorial Award for co-founding the African American Cultural Complex, a treasure trove of Black Americana and educational programming in North Carolina.

As a native of Evergreen, Alabama, Joe Reed experienced firsthand the inequities of a "separate but unequal" educational system.  From having to walk six miles each day to get to his segregated school to learning from hand-me-down textbooks, Reed's motto became "there is nothing politically right that is morally wrong," and it has governed his life. At Alabama State University, Reed served as student body president and was active in student sit-in movements for civil rights and racial equality. He went on to serve as the associate executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association, where he proved a key force in uniting NEA and ATA. Since then, he has initiated legal action that successfully challenged discrimination in the appointment of blacks as poll officials, served as a member of the Montgomery, Alabama City Council for 24 years, and pushed through redistricting legislation that has increased black representation in Alabama's legislature and school districts.

The third award recipient, Horace Tate, carried the mantle for equality in education as a public school principal in Atlanta, as a state lawmaker, and as an NEA officer who knew when to fight and when to make peace.  Despite the personal danger, Tate challenged the segregationist policies and practices imposed by Jim Crow laws in the 1950s and proved to be a tough fighter who never accepted things as they simply were.  He was not above cooperation, however, and it was he who led the effort to unite the separate black and white Georgia Education Associations.  Proposing creative solutions to difficult problems, Tate succeeded in bringing the two strong organizations together as one entity under the name Georgia Association of Educators.  He used these same skills at the negotiating table to aid the merger between the NEA and the ATA.  Tate passed away in November 2002. His widow, Virginia, will accept the Sankofa Award on his behalf. 

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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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2003

News Release

NEA Applauds Supreme Court's Decision on Affirmative Action  

Court Rules Diversity Is an Important Educational Tool

Reg Weaver, president of the 2.7 million-member National Education Association, hailed today's U.S. Supreme Court decisions as a victory for affirmative action. 

"The Court recognizes the importance of diversity in education and of expanding access to educational opportunities," Weaver said.  "While clearly schools must be balanced in expanding opportunities, the Court acknowledged the value in allowing schools to have policies and procedures that promote diversity."

Weaver said those who consider affirmative action an issue only for women and minorities miss an essential point.  "Affirmative action benefits our whole society, and now the Court has ruled that schools may continue to explore effective ways to promote diversity," he said.

The Court ruled 5-4 upholding the University of Michigan's use of race as a factor in law school admissions, but said a point system that factored race in undergraduate admissions was unconstitutional.

"Diversity has clear educational, social, and economic benefits," Weaver said.  "If affirmative action is to be in place anywhere, it should be integral to schools at all levels."

The amicus brief NEA filed in the pair of affirmative action cases focused on research showing racial diversity in classrooms helps all students gain skills that are useful in the workplace and in life, such as skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and in understanding different points of view.

Weaver said the Court's ruling was consistent with the concepts set forth by Justice Lewis Powell that "leaders are trained through wide exposure to the ideas and mores of students as diverse as this Nation of many peoples."

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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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2003

News Release

NEA To Congress: Protect Success of Head Start  

Washington, D.C. -- The National Education Association (NEA) has asked Congress to protect Head Start, the nation's premier early childhood learning program, and reject plans that would undercut its effectiveness. The proposal now before Congress would undermine Head Start's standards, put comprehensive services and funding at risk, allow discrimination against caring, talented workers, and leave young children behind before they even begin school.
 
Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served more than 18.5 low-income million children and their families. The program currently serves nearly 1 million children. Research over the past four decades consistently shows that Head Start improves children's vocabulary, writing and letter recognition, social behavior, and other skills that prepare them for the rigors of school.
 
In a letter to the House Education and the Workforce Committee, NEA warned that the plan would tempt states to gamble with the future of millions of young people by diverting funds to other projects. The proposal before the committee would also allow states to avoid quality and accountability standards, reduce Head Start's emphasis on health care and teacher quality, and diminish parents' participation in Head Start programs. NEA also opposed the bill's plan to allow religious discrimination by employers.

"Today, there's a lot of talk about tougher standards, but it appears that this bill could lower standards for states entrusted with federal dollars - and young children's futures," said Reg Weaver, president of NEA, which represents 2.7 million educators. "Head Start cannot maintain its strong track record if states are allowed to bypass high performance standards through block grants. Young children who do not get a good Head Start will indeed find themselves left behind."
 
NEA urges Congress to resist the distraction of block grants and instead focus on proposals that enhance school readiness and teacher quality, promote collaboration at local, state and federal levels, and increase the identification and inclusion of eligible youngsters.

Currently, Head Start receives only enough funding to enroll 60 percent of eligible children. Quality preschool, studies show, improves the chances of students doing better in early grades, closing the achievement gap and graduating from high school.

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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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2003

News Release

NEA Announces Human & Civil Rights Award Winners for 2003  

Washington, DC - One dozen educators, public servants, and activists who have tirelessly fought to promote social justice and dignity for all will be honored by more than 2,000 educators at the National Education Association's 37th annual Human and Civil Rights Awards dinner on Wednesday, July 2 in New Orleans. 

Reg Weaver, president of the 2.7 million member National Education Association (NEA), will lead the celebration.   The dinner, an event that is held each year prior to the NEA's annual meeting will honor two Members of Congress, a well-known children's author, and several other individuals. They are being recognized for reaching out to all social, racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds, spanning the globe from the rural communities of the Deep South to predominantly Hispanic cities in the West, from the snowcaps of Alaska to the warm seas of the Pacific Islands.  

Each award is named after a prominent human and civil rights leader, and this year's esteemed honorees are: 

Representative Bob Filner, Calif., (Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award). Congressman Bob Filner showed a deep commitment to civil rights early on in life. First organizing his high school classmates to join the original Youth Civil Rights March on Washington in 1957, Filner then spent two months in a Mississippi penitentiary as one of the 300 or so "Freedom Riders," who traveled to Alabama and Mississippi to fight for integration in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Filner studied at the feet of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., worked for civil rights champions Eugene McCarthy and Hubert H. Humphrey, and won his first Congressional seat in 1993. In his ten years in Congress, Filner has championed causes large and small. He fought to restore equity to Filipino World War II veterans who were drafted into service and then stripped of their veteran benefits at the conclusion of the war.  Filner's commitment to civil rights is evident through his many efforts to open dialogues between Jewish and African-American students in his district and in his fierce battles with insurance companies to prohibit them from dropping policies with black churches due to fear of arson.   A white man representing a district less than 20 percent Anglo, Filner's commitment to civil rights is clearly appreciated by his constituents. 

Gary Watts and Millie Watts, Provo, Utah (Virginia Uribe Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights). Born, raised, and married in Utah as ardent Mormons, the last role Gary and Millie Watts expected to play in their senior years was that of gay activists. But when two of their six children "came out," the Watts were faced with a dilemma: love for their children versus love for their church, which views homosexuality as an unacceptable personal choice. After educating themselves about homosexuality, the Wattses made it their life's mission to share their new knowledge with the Mormon Church and local elected officials. They also created Family Fellowship, a volunteer organization focused on strengthening families with homosexual members. Gary is also a national board member of the nationally known group, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

Elliot B. Palmer and Juanita B. Palmer, Raleigh, N.C. (Carter G. Woodson Memorial Award). George Washington Carver's peanut butter jars and mementos of the legendary black cowboy Bill Pickett are just a few of the treasures visitors to the African American Cultural Complex (AACC) enjoy.  Co-founded by Elliot and Juanita Palmer in 1984, the AACC is a resource trove of documents and artifacts illustrating the legacy of African-Americans in the United States, with the Palmers serving as live-in curators, greeting visitors at their front door, and beginning tours in their living room. Their three-acre complex in Raleigh, N.C., is the culmination of their decades-long careers as educators and early fighters in the battles for desegregation. Last year alone, the AACC reached more than 1,200 schools with its educational programs.

Art Torres, Los Angeles, Calif. (George I. Sánchez Memorial Award). Former State Senator Art Torres's commitment to public service began over 30 years ago when he worked in the fields with César Chávez for the farm worker's wage of $1.50 per day. The difference was that Torres worked as a lawyer, helping to write the United Farm Workers Constitution. The experience led Torres to spend 20 years in the California State Legislature-eight in the state assembly and 12 as state senator-during which time he organized a demonstration at the 1972 Democratic National Convention that led to the inclusion of boycott language in the national party platform.  Known as a master consensus builder, Senator Torres promotes action informed by dialogue, inclusion, and diversity. 

Barbara Williams and the student cast and crew of The Laramie Project, Newark, Calif. (SuAnne Big Crow Memorial Award). When Barbara Williams, a drama teacher at California's Newark Memorial High School, decided to stage The Laramie Project in the fall of 2002, she knew there would be controversy. The play details the brutal 1998 murder of a gay university student, Matthew Shephard, in Laramie, Wyo. Williams knew that many leaders in the traditional suburban community would be outraged by the subject matter. She and the student cast and crew continued undaunted, until a 17-year-old transgendered student from a nearby high school was found beaten and strangled. The climate in the community snapped: the rhetoric of hate escalated and some parents and local leaders recoiled. Intent on delivering the play's message of tolerance and acceptance, Williams and her students worked through their grief and courageously crafted an epilogue for the play that turned a horrific event into an opportunity to educate the community.

Joseph Bruchac, Greenfield, N.Y. (Author-Illustrator Human and Civil Rights Award). When American Indian storyteller and writer Joseph Bruchac was in college, his writing teacher urged him to give up because he "would never be able to write a good poem."  Obviously proving his naysayers wrong, Bruchac is now one of the premier figures in children's literature, with over 70 books in print and with poems, articles and stories appearing in over 500 publications, including Cricket, National Geographic, and Smithsonian Magazine. His recent book Navajo Long Walk (2002) depicts the forced relocation of the Navajo people from their homelands in what is now Arizona to the Bosque Redondo Reservation in the New Mexico Territory between 1863 and 1865. Bruchac has long been recognized as a gifted individual unafraid to tackle the human rights struggle and the preservation of the Abenaki (the New England tribes of his ancestors) and other Native American cultures.

Byron Mallott, Juneau, Alaska (Leo Reano Memorial Award). Elected mayor of Yakutat in Southeast Alaska at the age of 22, Byron Mallott took to heart the charges given him by his elder Native leaders: preserve the land for future generations and educate the children. Throughout the years, Mallott has conscientiously worked to achieve both goals. As president and CEO of the First Alaskans Institute, Mallott presides over an organization that provides funding to augment the scholarship funds of 13 regional Native corporations.  The institute is also responsible for a program that creates more than 850 training, education, and employment opportunities for Alaska Natives. Central to Mallott's philosophy is the belief that for Native people, education should connect current generations to their history - a foundation that will then serve as a springboard from which they may take hold of the future.

Leonard H. Wesley, Jr., Wichita, Kan. (H. Council Trenholm Memorial Award-Black). A fixture in the Wichita public school system for 37 years, Dr. Leonard H. Wesley, Jr. started out as a 5th and 6th-grade teacher. He was eventually appointed school principal, becoming the first African-American administrator hired under Wichita's desegregation plan. Dr. Wesley spent much of his career promoting diversity and eliminating inequities in schools, establishing alternative education programs for minority and disadvantaged students as director of elementary education and as assistant superintendent for desegregation/integration. His relentless service has not gone unrecognized; he received the United Teachers of Wichita "Friend of Education" Award in 2001, and was named the