Let Your Voices Be Heard
by Janice Suppa-Friedman, Educational Consultant
NCTE Liaison for Virginia Association of Teachers of English

April 2008 SLATE Update

Did I think that we could make a difference?  I was not sure before spending Advocacy Day on April 17 in Washington D.C., with almost 70 members of NCTE from across the nation. Nor was I aware what the key concern of legislators was.  Our sharp NCTE lobbyist, Ellin Nolan, apprised us that it was neither the war nor education, but the economic downturn our nation is facing.  Both House and Senate had just passed a budget resolution for an economic stimulus.  However, education funding had actually been cut five percent.  In the meantime our president is requesting 108 billion dollars in supplemental spending for the war in Iraq.

In spite of the above, our congressional leaders are concerned about the stumbling block that AYP is causing, teacher quality, student financial aid, and there is lack of consensus with the NCLB Act.  However, there is support in both houses for the Striving Readers Act of 2007 which is dedicated to dramatically increase resources for improving the academic achievement of secondary school students.
Alice Cain, Senior Education Policy Advisor to Chairman Miller (D-CA), Lindsay Hunsicker, SEPA to Ranking Republican Enzi (R-WY), and Roberto Rodriguez, SEPA to Chairman Kennedy (D-MA) also spoke with us and gave ample opportunity to ask questions. Some of the ideas they shared with us were that congress is looking for ways to improve the NCLB Act.  There is support in the House for the use of multiple assessments, such as writing portfolios and science labs and other performance tasks, and the use of formative assessments to help teachers while they are working with the students.  They expressed the need to “get away from punishing schools.”  States need to do more, particularly for students with disabilities.  We “need solutions for retaining the best and creative teachers.”  We need a “deeper sense of professional development.”  Teachers need sustained support versus one-time fixes.  We need to “promote collaboration and professional development to [meet the] needs of teachers.”  Teachers need “common planning time.” They also felt schools need better ways to collect data, monitor, and follow up.  Secondary school reform is needed for the lowest performing schools.

Congress is concerned with the turnover of teachers, the high drop-out rate in our schools, and the panic in school districts to meet the AYP measures.  Roberto Rodriguez surprised me when he said that the “social, emotional, and holistic needs of students need to be addressed in addition to core concentration.” Lindsay Hunsicker asserted that the “prime reason for the drop-out rate was that we were not meeting the needs of students” nor were we “getting them excited about instruction.” Rodriguez mentioned the diverse populations that need differentiation of instruction.  There is current funding for as many as 10 states to pilot programs for local educators to develop alternative assessments.  Discussion of the terminology of “highly qualified” or “highly effective” teachers was discussed briefly.

NCTE prepared us for our scheduled visits to legislative offices.  VATE board members Shelah Novak, Middle School Member-at-Large; Yvonne Maisel, Newsletter Editor; and I, NCTE Liaison, collaborated on our cogent focus for when we would meet our congressmen.  We were taken aback somewhat when we went to Frank Wolf, VA 10th District’s, office.  He was on his way over to the Capitol to vote and had three minutes to get there.  So, he told us to run with him over to the Capitol.  He set off at a very brisk pace with his Legislative Aide, Yvonne, Shelah, and me in tow.  Scampering along beside him, Shelah and Yvonne tried to talk about the platforms upon which we had agreed.  Finally, halfway up the steps of the Capitol, he left us behind with his aide.  When Congressman Wolf returned, we had a discussion, all of us standing on the Capitol steps under the sun’s rays and the eyes of the springtime tourists.  He talked, he listened, he questioned us, and, finally, he was concerned that Yvonne had difficulty getting away from work that day due to staff development funds having been depleted at her school.  He was ready to go to Loudoun County to speak with school officials.  Overall, I was left with the impression that if we ask for something or show a passion for what needs to be done, we would be heard.

This was followed by a visit to VA Senator John Warner’s office.  Senator Warner will be retiring at the end of this term.  Kristen R. Fallon, his Legislative Correspondent, spoke with us about our concerns and left us with the impression that she would keep them in mind when she moves to another legislator’s office next year.

At the end of the afternoon, all educators met to share their stories.  Overall, the consistent comment we heard or felt throughout the day was that the legislators wanted our input.  They would have this information to mull over until the new president takes office in January.  However, the revision of the NCLB would undoubtedly have to wait until this time.  Legislators want to hear from the classroom teachers, making it critical that we write letters voicing our concerns when new issues arise.  Better yet, if we could gather even a larger group from VATE next year and teachers from different districts, we could make a greater impact on policies.  I discovered that legislators did listen to us teachers.  Yes, indeed, our voices were heard.