Read about NCTE's literacy education advocacy efforts
and opportunities for you to become involved!
On behalf of students and teachers, NCTE members took action in November to stop the de-funding of the National Writing Project, Reading Is Fundamental, and other programs by asking their sentators to opposed the Coburn amendment. The Coburn amendment proposed a moratorium on earmarks beginning with the 2011 budget. This moratorium would impact directed funding programs across departments of the federal budget. Both the National Writing Project and Reading Is Fundamental are considered earmarks even though they are authorized programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
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On September 29, 2010, the Senate passed S.R. 668 declaring October 20, 2010, the National Day on Writing!
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NCTE Speaks Out on Arizona Department of Education Ruling on Teacher Speech: Evaluate Teachers on Their Competence, Not on Their Accents.
On June 7, 2010, NCTE sent a statement to the Arizona Department of Education about its recent ruling that teachers whose spoken English it deems to be heavily accented or ungrammatical must be removed from classes for students still learning English.
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NCTE recently gave feedback to Congress regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA):
Apply to join the conversation about the ESEA reauthorization on the NCTE Ning.
Learn about how NCTE takes positions on literacy education issues.
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Here Are More Ways for You to Take Action:
NCTE's Action Alerts ask members to contact policymakers to request their support for legislation affecting literacy education. Your voices have been heard! On October 8, 2009, after NCTE members had sent several hundred letters to their Senators, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution declaring October 20 as the National Day on Writing.
SLATE is NCTE's grassroots advocacy network that seeks to influence public attitudes and policy decisions affecting the teaching of English language arts at local, state, and national levels; seeks to implement and publicize the policies adopted by NCTE; and serves as NCTE's intellectual freedom network.
NCTE's National Gallery of Writing has more than 29,000 compositions in nearly 2,300 galleries. If you haven't already done so, be sure to add your piece(s) to the Gallery today!
Celebrate the third National Day on Writing with NCTE on October 20, 2011!
Should you find yourself at the center of a censorship challenge, use the online "Report A Censorship Incident" form or call Millie Davis, NCTE Division Director of Communications and Affiliate Services, at 800-369-6283, ext. 3634.
Take part in the Twenty-Second National African American Read-In, during the month of February 2011! Tell us about your event by completing this online form.
NCTE is an organization made up thousands of teachers working with teachers to improve literacy education. The educators who volunteer their time and expertise make it possible for NCTE to provide professional development opportunities, publish books and journals, and serve as a leader in the professional community.
Six NCTE Members from Florida Attended the 2009 Advocacy Day
(left to right, above: FCTE's Clarissa West-White, April Blaze, Joan Kaywell; Clint Cates, legislative aide to Senator Bill Nelson; FCTE's Christiana Succar, Susan Houser, and Kathleen Blake Yancey)