SLATE Newsletter, August 2007

First Person
Susan Houser, Thurgood Marshall Middle School, St. Petersburgh, Florida
NCTE Middle Level Representative-at-Large

Advocacy Day, April 26, 2007

This Advocacy Day was truly a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively! As a member of the Governance Committee on the Executive Council of NCTE, I have attended Advocacy Day for two years now. As a committee, we also meet in Washington in January each year to work on NCTE platform statements and meet with aides and lobbyists who can help us know what the issues are that will be forthcoming in the next votes or in the next year in Congress. This year, even in January, we could tell that the tides were changing. And, in our favor.

When we met in January, none other than Secretary Spelling’s official representative came and gave us her attention for a brief time. While it is no secret that we are not always in agreement with the present administration on educational views, those of us who participated last year noticed how she listened to our concerns and suggestions about NCLB, and was communicative with us about Secretary Spelling’s hopes for that legislation. There was also discussion on the Pell Grant issues and higher education costs in general.

The group that came together in Washington in April was pleasantly surprised at how positive and receptive the new climate on the Hill seems. On Advocacy Day, we all visit our own representatives and or senators if we can get appointments, but we are also very happy to talk with their educational aides. Again, most of our contacts were receptive and willing to listen to our concerns and suggestions on legislation coming up for reauthorization or passage.

One of those bills is a piece of legislation called "Striving Readers," a bill that would give federal funds to aid middle school and secondary levels in reading, much like “Reading First” for elementary schools. We had major concerns when we first heard about this legislation in light of the problems that have occurred with Reading First, but when we read the actual bill, and heard from those who had been a part of writing the bill discuss it, we soon learned that it could be very positive for us in that two major changes were addressed in the legislation. One is that the language from NCLB on “scientific based research” was replaced with “scientific valid research” which is a whole other interpretation. Scientific valid research is defined as research that employs experimental, quasi-experimental, or qualitative research methods to be included in evaluating literacy programs that can be funded under this bill. What that means for us as classroom teachers is that all types of research can be used as basis for funding programs. The other area of change would be in the assessment of programs which would be based on more than just one type of test. This is huge for us in the classroom! Funding based solely on more than just the state assessment!

What does all this mean for you and me as classroom teachers? What I have experienced in my 25 years in the classroom is that even a slight change in wording, can help us tremendously. It can help to open doors for us. What we want to be are the real voices in the legislation that is currently so restrictive to us. But we must know what we are talking about and we must talk about it -- to everyone, particularly legislators, and we must make our desires known.

The most positive experience I have had came this year on Advocacy Day. While talking with Representative Bilirakis from Tampa, Florida, he asked what I would do if I could change NCLB. A bit dumbfounded, I hope I recovered quickly enough to respond with something that made sense. I can’t remember exactly what I said. But I do remember that when I said that I had been a classroom teacher for 25 years, he put his pen down, stopped what he was doing and he looked me in the face and listened. I will not quickly forget that moment.

So, you can make a difference. You can be a part of changing things that you feel strongly about and you can help our profession by attending next year’s Advocacy Day. Check with your local affiliate about how you can get involved and how you can come to Washington next year. Better that that, you can organize a local grass roots campaign in your area or state to do the exact same thing we are doing in Washington!