The effort to improve our public schools is best described by President Obama in his acceptance speech.
“When it comes to giving every child a world class education, the choice is not between more money and more reform – because our schools need both.”
Well — just two days ago in Washington State — we took a huge step in that direction with the passage of a bill that makes long-overdue changes to the way we educate our kids and how we fund our schools. After years of studies and spirited negotiations among stakeholders and elected officials — a majority of lawmakers finally said YES to kids.
We need your help to maintain the momentum that has been created over the last year. We won’t have this opportunity again. Please take at least ONE ACTION today!
1. Make a $50 contribution to buy 10 Ready for Life t-shirts for youth advocates.
2. Make a $100 contribution to fund 250 activist tool kits.
3. Make a $250 contribution to help pay for a bus to transport parents and advocates to Olympia.
4. Sign up to be part of key activist monthly call-in updates.
We need your support to ensure that the changes promised in the new education bill become reality. Our kids are counting on us and we can’t let the current climate stand in the way of progress. Our policy makers took the first step two days ago when, in these difficult times, in a world full of “no”, our legislators said YES.
- YES to a full school day for kindergartners, rather than the half-day that the state now pays for.
- YES to six classes a day for middle- and high-school students rather than five so they have the opportunity to take the classes they need.
- YES to early learning for low-income children to give them the start they need to succeed in school.
- YES to higher graduation requirements that will prepare all our students for life after high school whether they choose a career and technical college path, university or career.
We applaud our elected officials for their vision and courage. BUT, the fight for excellent public schools has just begun. The League of Education Voters Foundation, along with partners that include the PTA, the State Board of Education and activists from around the state, will continue to push for policies that:
- Ensure every child reads by the third grade;
- An excellent teacher in every classroom;
- Diplomas that get kids ready for college, work and life;
- Math and science that help our kids lead the way in a changing, high-tech economy; and
- More investment in our kids’ education, and more accountability to ensure success.
Please help us continue to build the movement for excellent public schools so that our kids have a better shot at getting the education they deserve and our employers demand. Together we can make it happen.
Thank you and with appreciation for all that you do,
Chris Korsmo
Executive Director
