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In This Issue / Feb. 16, 2015

Join the ESEA Week of Action, Feb. 16-20; tell Congress a new bill must mean more opportunities and learning for students

Four schools win state award for CTE programs

Sign up for BFCL training to better communicate with members

Join the ESEA Week of Action, Feb. 16-20; tell Congress a new bill must mean more opportunities and learning for studentsSince its adoption more than 12 years ago, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has made no significant progress in closing achievement and opportunity gaps for students. It hasn't leveled the playing field for students in poverty, students with disabilities or English-language learners so they can have an equal opportunity for a quality education. NCLB has only made it more impossible for educators to help students be successful.
Right now, Congress is moving fast on a rewrite of NCLB-also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). And from the looks of it, the reauthorization is no better than the original bill. It's focusing on more testing, labeling, and punishing schools for their test results, instead of concentrating on student learning and closing those achievement gaps.
We have a chance during NEA's ESEA Week of Action (Feb. 16-20) to influence Congress and tell them to pass a new ESEA bill that gets it right this time. That means a reauthorized ESEA must:

Create more opportunities for all students to receive a quality education by eliminating the one-size-fits-all and top-down approach to education reform.
Reduce the amount of time spent on testing so there's time for students to learn and more time for teachers to teach.
Ensure every student has qualified educators who have the authority to do their job and lead on behalf of their students.

NEA is calling for the new version of ESEA to include an "Opportunity Dashboard" that would hold states accountable for providing the resources and opportunities critical to student success. The Dashboard would identify gaps and inequities in resources and supports to help students, as well as suggest remedies states can implement.
Here's what you can do during this ESEA Week of Action:

First of all, sign NEA's petition to let Congress know it's time to create a new vision for ESEA and do what's right for students. Be sure to share the link with your colleagues so they can get involved too.
Go to www.getESEAright.com and send an email to your Congressman with the message about a new vision for ESEA. You can also call Congress today at 866-331-7233with the same message.
Use website and Facebook posts to get out the message. The official hashtags--#opportunityforall and #timetolearn-can be used for your tweets.
Next, enlist your members, parents and the community in the fight to give every child access to a great public education. NEA has created resources-flyers, talking points and information and action sheets-to help you mobilize public education advocates in your area.

Now is the time to take a stand for public education and make your voice heard.

Four schools win state award for CTE programs
Gov. Snyder has made career and technical education as a way of preparing Michigan students for jobs of the future one of his top priorities this year. He need look no further than four exemplary schools where MEA members and their students have been awarded the 2015 Excellence in Practice awards for preparing students for careers and higher education.
The awards are meant to recognize successful, exemplary state-approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and career initiatives. The programs have demonstrated outstanding outcomes, produced measurable results for students, and met the challenges of high academic rigor.
The following schools and programs have been recognized: the Bay Arenac Intermediate School District Career Center engineering/drafting program; the partnership between the Muskegon Area Career Tech Center and Muskegon Community College; the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District Career Tech-Center's Manufacturing Technology Academy; and the Wexford-Missaukee Career Technical Center Girls in STEM program.
According to State Superintendent Mike Flanagan, "These schools and their programs are helping our state and nation meet the very real and immediate challenges of student achievement, career and college readiness, and global competitiveness."

Sign up for BFCL training to better communicate with members
There's still time to register for the next Building Full Capacity Locals (BFCL) training, "Reaching Your Members" on Feb. 25 at the Bloomfield Hills MEA office, 43252 Woodward Ave., Suite 200.
The session will help local leaders stay up-to-date on the latest issues affecting them and their members. MEA members will learn about writing effective newsletters, creating relevant blogs and using social media.
Go to www.mea.org/bfcl to register.