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September 2010

What More Can You Do?
by Clarissa West-White,
Editor, SLATE Update

This past year, NCTE’s advocacy efforts have included dialogue about such issues as the Common Core State Standards and the ESEA reauthorization. Each poses new challenges, and the 2010-2011 academic school year has arrived with many districts not fully understanding their roles in the new policies. Read more.

The future landscape of education will be determined, in part, by the decisions we make now and the roles we take.
Read more.

NCTE's National Day on Writing

October 20 is NCTE's second National Day on Writing!
How will you celebrate the day?

 

Mark Your Calendar!
2011 Literacy Education Advocacy Day: April 21

 

You're Doing an Outstanding Job Speaking Out
for Literacy Education!

You are advocating for literacy education, taking part in conversations on national and local issues, and sharing classroom stories with state and federal policymakers; in the past year you have:

  • written nearly 450 letters to your Senators asking them to pass a resolution (they did so on Oct. 8!) declaring October 20, 2009, the National Day on Writing;

  • sent more than 2,000 letters asking your Senators to sign on as cosponsors for the LEARN (Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation) Act;

  • written 831 letters asking your Members of Congress to support NCTE's recommended changes in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and took part in an online information session with representatives from the US Department of Education;

  • visited more than 70 congressional offices in Washington, DC, on NCTE's Literacy Education Advocacy Day, and in your home states throughout the year;

  • provided comments and talked with other NCTE members about the Common Core State Standards for K-12 English Language Arts; and

  • advocated for literacy education in more ways than we can count!

See the NCTE website for tips on speaking out and resources for taking action.

NCTE Annual Convention

Don't Miss NCTE's Annual Convention, November 18-21
On the program are sessions with a focus on advocacy and on intellectual freedom, several of which are sponsored by the NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee and the Standing Committee Against Censorship. 

SLATE is NCTE's grassroots network that (1) seeks to influence public attitudes and policy decisions affecting the teaching of English language arts at local, state, and national levels; (2) seeks to implement and publicize the policies adopted by the National Council of Teachers of English; and (3) serves as NCTE's intellectual freedom network, providing support for those facing censorship challenges. Every NCTE member will receive SLATE updates on a regular basis, will have an opportunity to participate in SLATE campaigns, and will occasionally be invited to support SLATE through voluntary contributions.

Contribute to SLATE:  Your donation to SLATE will help us to implement and publicize the policies adopted by NCTE, to support NCTE's anti-censorship work, and to influence public attitudes and policy decisions affecting the teaching of English language arts at local, state, and national levels. (NCTE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations are tax deductible. Donations received by December 31 may be deducted from your income taxes for that year.)

SLATE Update is distributed by email by the National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; 800-369-6283. This online newsletter is mailed to you at the email address NCTE has on file for you. If you would like to change your address, please email slate@ncte.org. If you do not wish to receive future SLATE emails, please send an email to slate@ncte.org.  If you have trouble viewing this email, please read this issue online.

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Share These Materials:  SLATE Newsletters are offered as resources for dealing with current issues affecting the teaching of English language arts. Reproduce these materials and use them to help promote better understanding of the goals of English teaching.  Copyright 2010 National Council of Teachers of English

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