A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose - Education Votes

A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose - Education Votes

A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose

By Amanda Menas

Over the last 10 years since the passage of Act 10 in Wisconsin, educators have been organizing and advocating for pro-public education candidates at every level to ensure their students have safe and healthy learning environments.

Now, students and educators can celebrate the election of Dr. Jill Underly as the next State Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction. Throughout her campaign, Underly showed voters her commitment to public schools and her passion for education equity. WEAC members canvassed virtually and in person, fundraised, and sent information to over 100,000 voters across the state. This victory shows that the political momentum is clearly on the side of those who believe in great public schools and public investment in helping students succeed.

“Dr. Underly has committed to working toward repairing or replacing the school funding formula so it is equitable to all students regardless of their ZIP code,” said WEAC President Ron Martin. Underly is currently the District Administrator Pecatonica Area School District and has decades of classroom experience.

Deb Kerr, Underly’s opponent in the race, spent her campaign attacking LGBTQ+ students, educators, and the labor movement. Her loss was a direct rejection of Senator Ron Johnson, Scott Walker and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Instead, by uniting against anti-worker billionaires, educators across Wisconsin voted for Underly turning out at higher rates CONTINUE READING: A Decade After Act 10, Wisconsin Students Win, Betsy DeVos and Scott Walker Lose - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress April 11, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress April 11, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress April 11, 2021

President Biden calls for historic investment in Title I

On Friday, President Biden released a blueprint for next year’s budget that calls on Congress to increase U.S. Department of Education funding by more than 40 percent. Title I funding for high-poverty schools would rise by $20 billion—the biggest year-over-year increase since the program’s inception in 1965—and the annual Pell Grant maximum by $400 with access expanded to Dreamers. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) would also receive significant increases. The upcoming budget is also expected to propose historic increases to Full-Service Community Schools, a significant boost for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding, and a large investment in school counselors.

“President Joe Biden and his administration are making good on the promise to lift our most vulnerable families out of poverty with a budget that truly prioritizes students. The historic investment in Title I funding is a continued commitment to building a better America for all,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “We also commend President Biden and his administration for proposing significant investments in special education, full-service community schools, school counselors, affordable housing and healthcare while extending Pell Grants to Dreamers.”

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Biden’s infrastructure plan is a good start for schools; Congress can improve it

America spends more on public schools than any part of our infrastructure except roads and highways. Our 100,000 public school buildings house more than 50 million students and educators. Yet many of those buildings are poorly equipped or in poor physical condition—so poor it undermines student learning.

President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, released March 31, includes $100 billion to modernize K-12 public school facilities, $12 billion to upgrade the community college infrastructure, and $25 billion to improve child care facilities—a good start that leaves room for further improvement and increased investment.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the best estimates indicate an annual funding gap of at least $38 billion for public school facilities. And no wonder: half our school buildings are more than 50 years old. More than 40 percent had issues with their HVAC systems even before the pandemic. Many public schools, especially in rural areas, still do not have access to high-speed broadband sufficient for digital learning.

Modernizing public schools is an investment in our nation’s future—the best investment we can make. NEA supports the Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act (S. 96/H.R. 604), which would create a $100 billion grant program and $30 billion tax-credit bond program targeting high-poverty schools whose facilities pose health and safety risks to students and staff. It would also restore Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs) that can be used to finance school renovations, repairs, and investments in technology at below-market rates—sometimes, as low as zero. TAKE ACTION

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Controversy over voting rights intensifies

As the Senate prepares to take up the For the People Act, fallout continues to mount from voter-suppression measures signed into law in Georgia on March 25 beneath a photo of a slave plantation tweeted by Governor Brian Kemp. Several Georgia-based corporations voiced opposition to the law while Major League Baseball moved the All-Star Game out of Atlanta in protest. In contrast, supporters of the law are perpetuating the lie that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election due to massive voter fraud. Meanwhile, more than 360 bills with provisions to restrict voting have been introduced in 47 state legislatures—a 43 percent increase between Feb. 19 and March 24, 2021, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice.

The most comprehensive democracy bill in decades, the For the People Act rests on three pillars: reaffirming and expanding voting rights, strengthening oversight to end big money in politics, and ensuring an ethical government. To achieve these goals, the bill would, among other things, institute automatic voter registration and voluntary public financing of campaigns, place new limits on partisan practices like gerrymandering and purging voter rolls, and require candidates for president and vice president to release their tax returns for the previous 10 years. The For the People Act also makes a strong argument for the District of Columbia to become the 51st state.

Tell your senators to support the For the People Act to ensure access to the ballot box and prevent states from restricting and suppressing the vote as Georgia has done. TAKE ACTION

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Include healthy school meals in the American Families Plan

NEA is advocating for inclusion of healthy school meals for all students in President Biden’s forthcoming American Families Plan. America’s infrastructure is not just roads and bridges; it includes our food distribution system and our methods for getting nutritious meals to all those who need them. During the pandemic, food insecurity has grown dramatically. In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided waivers to schools, allowing them to offer meals to all students at no charge—an approach that should not be rolled back after the pandemic.

The last year has underscored what educators and nutrition and anti-hunger advocates already knew: Many students need a nutritious breakfast and lunch at school, but do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Additionally, some eligible students are not certified or fall through the cracks. What’s more, students often feel a sense of shame about needing free or reduced-price meals and, because of the stigma, opt out as they get older. Children also bear the brunt of the unpaid school meal debt facing families and schools. Healthy school meals for all would be life-changing for students, their families, schools and communities. TAKE ACTION

EdAction in Congress April 11, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress April 4, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress April 4, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress April 4, 2021

‘Build back better’ includes public schools and campuses

President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, unveiled March 31, includes modernizing public schools and investing in the community college infrastructure. Current conditions can be hazardous to the health of students and educators alike: Half our schools are more than 50 years old, and were built when windowless classrooms, asbestos, and lead pipes were commonplace. “By investing in public schools—the beating heart of every community—President Biden’s bold plan will power America’s economic recovery and pay dividends down the road. Congress must come together to build this better path forward that creates good jobs, invests in communities and makes America more competitive,” said NEA President Becky Pringle.

 

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Cancel the student loan debt of teachers with 10 years of public service

NEA is urging Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to cancel the student loan debt of qualified public sector workers on the frontlines of our response to COVID-19—teachers, nurses, and other essential workers serving communities all across America.

Created in 2007, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) was designed to encourage college graduates to pursue careers in education, health care, firefighting, and other forms of public service. The program promised to wipe away federal student debt after 120 qualifying monthly payments—10 years’ worth of payments.

Instead, under the failed leadership of Betsy DeVos, the Department of Education rejected 98 percent of the PSLF applications filed since 2017, when the first public sector workers became eligible for relief. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg—for every qualified borrower whose application has been rejected, tens of thousands more have been knocked off course or never sought relief.

A letter to Cardona signed by more than a dozen leading public sector unions, including NEA, urges immediate relief for qualified borrowers who already have a decade of public service. TAKE ACTION 

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Fully fund programs for low-income students and students with disabilities

The Keep Our Pact Act (S. 72/H.R. 764) would create a mandatory 10-year path to fully funding both Title I of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—critical programs for the students most in need. Title I programs for low-income students and schools were shortchanged by nearly $30 billion in the 2019-20 school year. Congress promised to pay 40 percent of the excess costs of special education services when IDEA was first passed, but has never come close—the federal share is now less than 14 percent.

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the unfortunate consequences of these funding gaps, draining resources from cash-strapped schools and reducing access to support programs. Students from low-income households ill-equipped for remote learning have been hit especially hard, as have students with disabilities who need extra support. Now is the time to fulfill America’s promise of equal opportunity for all our students. TAKE ACTION

 

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Cheers and Jeers

Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Reps. Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) introduced the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act (S. 435/H.R. 2099) to help fund public education and community services in 770 rural counties located near national forests.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the For the 99.5% Act, which would make the estate tax more progressive and raise $430 billion in revenue.

Rep. Richie Neal (D-MA), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee for reintroducing the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act of 2021, to fix the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) for future retirees and provide meaningful relief to current WEP retirees.

EdAction in Congress April 4, 2021 - Education Votes

American Rescue Plan makes biggest education investment in U.S. history, cuts child poverty in half - Education Votes

American Rescue Plan makes biggest education investment in U.S. history, cuts child poverty in half - Education Votes

American Rescue Plan makes biggest education investment in U.S. history, cuts child poverty in half

President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law on March 11, the day after Congress finally passed it. The $1.9 trillion stimulus package will provide critical funding for public schools, create and support millions of jobs, cut child poverty in half, make health care more affordable, and put this pandemic behind us.

“This historic legislation not only provides the resources to help every school building put in place the effective measures needed to keep students and educators safe; it also makes extraordinary investments that will lift countless children and families out of poverty and works to address the immense inequities that have systematically affected the most vulnerable students and communities of color,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. The bill provides economic relief, updates vaccination efforts, and helps educators and students return to in-person learning.

Over the past months, NEA members and activists wrote hundreds of thousands of messages and placed thousands of calls to their senators and representatives advocating for Congress to pass this package that will include the single largest investment ever in education funding, providing nearly $170 billion to public schools. READ MORE American Rescue Plan makes biggest education investment in U.S. history, cuts child poverty in half - Education Votes

Educators cheer new push in Congress for more community schools - Education Votes

Educators cheer new push in Congress for more community schools - Education Votes

Educators cheer new push in Congress for more community schools

A new bill in Congress looks to increase federal support for a school model that reimagines how to help students learn—by first making sure their basic needs are met. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) introduced the Full-Service Community School Expansion Act on Tuesday.

Research supports what educators know from experience: Students living in poverty do not have the same opportunities because they face barriers that their wealthier peers do not.

Children who are hungry, experience homelessness, or bear other stresses of their family’s financial hardship can’t always focus, participate in class, or complete assignments—and that’s if they can make it to school at all. Students of color are more likely to experience these conditions—the result of inequities built into a system that protects white supremacy.

Some districts are working to counteract these factors by establishing community schools, in which educators, administrators, students, and families work together to achieve their vision for the schools and communities.

That collaboration results in schools that might provide medical, dental, and mental health care on-site; a food pantry or backpack nutrition program; clothing; after-school tutoring and mentoring, culturally relevant curriculum that reflects the diversity of the student body; and supported educators that have the resources and tools they need to educate their students. They might even serve entire families, with job placement assistance, English classes, referrals to social service agencies, and nutrition and health services.

“We have learned from decades of school improvement efforts that there isn’t one single powerful lever or magic bullet that will generate equitable outcomes in schools.,” said Kyle Serrette, a senior policy analyst in NEA’s Teacher Quality department. “Instead we’ve learned that education equity requires the identification of hundreds of specialized levers that, when CONTINUE READING: Educators cheer new push in Congress for more community schools - Education Votes

5 things we learned from Miguel Cardona’s confirmation hearing - Education Votes

5 things we learned from Miguel Cardona’s confirmation hearing - Education Votes

5 things we learned from Miguel Cardona’s confirmation hearing

By Amanda Menas 

Dr. Miguel Cardona, President Biden’s nominee for Education Secretary and the first Latino to hold the position, spoke with the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions during a hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Educators across the country were excited to hear from the former educator and union member; they know Cardona will ensure educators’ voices are heard in the Department of Education.

“Miguel Cardona’s experience as an educator was on full display today at his Senate confirmation hearing. He demonstrated deep knowledge of the many challenges our students and educators face and the just, equitable solutions we need,” said NEA President Becky Pringle.

Throughout the hearing, Secretary-designate Cardona walked the Senate Committee through his priorities for the Department of Education and students across the country, bringing his classroom experience to bear on a variety of topics. Specifically, Cardona committed to bridge gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and continue the work after all students and educators are vaccinated and return to school buildings.

“If we really want to recover, we really need to invest now, or we’re going to pay later,” said Cardona.

Here are five things educators heard Cardona commit to during his confirmation hearing:

Cardona will bring students back to classrooms, support mental health resources

“We will work to reopen schools SAFELY, so that students can return to classrooms,” said Cardona. Students are resilient in times of crisis, noted Cardona, but they need to have the necessary support structures in place to receive the best education possible.

Cardona prioritized increasing mental health resources as central to school responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Educators take on the stressors that students are experiencing,” said Cardona. He noted specifically that President Biden endorses tripling funding for Title I, which would increase wraparound supports for students during and after the pandemic. Cardona also supported full federal funding for IDEA, which he called a “game changer” for schools and communities.

Cardona will support all LGBTQ+ Students

“It’s non-negotiable to make sure that our learning environments are places that are free of discrimination and harassment for all learners, including our LGBTQ students,” said Cardona. When asked by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) about allowing students to compete in sports regardless of gender identity, Cardona confirmed that he would uphold the civil rights of all students.

“I think that it’s critically important that the education systems and educators respect the rights of all students, including students who are transgender,” Cardona said. He continued, “[it is the] legal responsibility of schools to allow students to participate in extracurricular activities, including transgender students.”

Cardona reiterated again that discrimination based on gender is illegal. His commitment to CONTINUE READING: 5 things we learned from Miguel Cardona’s confirmation hearing - Education Votes

NEA’s top priorities in Congress - Education Votes

NEA’s top priorities in Congress - Education Votes

NEA’s top priorities in Congress

By Barbara Moldauer and Amanda Menas

Educators have high hopes for improving racial and social justice within school communities under the Biden-Harris administration during the 117th Congress. NEA, which represents 3 million educators nationwide, is calling on Congress to ensure that the lives of all of our students–Black, White, Latino, Native, LGBTQ+, and newcomers–are valued, and that all students have access to high quality public education and protections against discrimination.

NEA is dedicated to rebuilding public schools with an emphasis on equity, returning to the classroom safely, protecting vulnerable students, and helping educators navigate their rights and responsibilities during the pandemic.

“We will get into good trouble every day, in every state, in every community all across this nation to keep our students and educators safe and center our schools in equity and excellence during the COVID-19 crisis,” NEA President Becky Pringle has promised.

To ensure all students and educators are safe from discrimination, educators want Congress to pass the Equality Act. This bill would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Because all students deserve communities where they can live without fear, Congress should enact meaningful law enforcement reforms, for example by passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Another priority is comprehensive immigration reform that provides legal status and pathways to citizenship for Dreamers–people brought to the United States as minors who know no other CONTINUE READING: NEA’s top priorities in Congress - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress January 24, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress January 24, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress January 24, 2021

Biden / Harris administration charts new course

It’s been less than a week since Joe Biden was sworn in as president and Kamala Harris as vice president, and big changes are in the works. Already, President Biden has issued over 25 executive orders to address the pandemic, reverse some of the Trump administration’s most damaging policies, and help reopen most K-8 school buildings within 100 days. In addition, he is urging Congress to pass a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief and stimulus package that includes $130 billion in dedicated funding for schools, $350 billion in state and local aid, and $35 billion in emergency funds for colleges.

“No one wants to return to in-person learning more than the educators who have dedicated their lives to helping their students succeed, but reopening school buildings must be done safely and equitably,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Educators are encouraged not only by President Biden’s leadership, but also by knowing that there is finally a true partner in the White House who will prioritize students by working with educators in the decision-making process.”

President Biden also issued an executive order that restores collective bargaining rights to federal employees, including those in Department of Defense schools represented by the Federal Education Association, an NEA affiliate. Other executive orders prioritize racial and gender equity, roll back the Muslim travel ban, and halt construction of the wall on our southern border. Biden also moved to extend the suspension of student loan payments and interest through Sept. 2021, the federal moratoria on evictions and foreclosures until at least the end of March, and announced that the United States is rejoining the World Health Organization and the Paris climate accords.

This year’s inaugural celebration looked very different from previous inaugurations due to the need for heightened security, social distancing, and face masks to contain the pandemic that has cost 400,000 Americans their lives — more than World War II. Televised festivities featured Hollywood stars and former presidents, but it was kindergarten teacher Mackenzie Adams who stole commentators’ hearts. More than 14 million people have viewed her TikTok video on remote teaching and learning.

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Biden immigration bill provides path to citizenship

On his first day in office, President Biden sent Congress the U.S. Citizenship Act, a comprehensive immigration reform bill that provides an eight-year path to citizenship for millions of undocumented people living in the United States on Jan. 1, 2021. The path to citizenship is faster—just three years—for those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protection or Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

To help keep families together, the bill would permit certain immigrants deported during the Trump administration to return if they previously lived in the United States for at least three years. It would also exempt spouses and children of green card holders from employment-based immigration quotas, expand the number of green cards available to employment-based immigrants, and scrap multi-year bars to re-entry for certain undocumented people who lived in the United States and then left.

The bill includes the NEA-supported NO BAN Act that prohibits discrimination based on religion. It would also change the word “alien” to “noncitizen” in U.S. immigration laws—a deliberate step to recognize that America is indeed a nation of immigrants. TAKE ACTION

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House to vote soon on democracy reforms

On Jan. 4, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) reintroduced the For the People Act (H.R. 1), the most comprehensive democracy reform bill in decades. The measure rests on three pillars: reaffirming and expanding voting rights, strengthening oversight to end big money in politics, and ensuring an ethical government. Measures to achieve these goals include automatic voter registration, voluntary public financing of campaigns, placing new limits on partisan practices like gerrymandering and purging voter rolls, and requiring candidates for president and vice president to release their tax returns for the previous 10 years. H.R. 1 also makes a strong argument for the District of Columbia to become a state.

Passed by the House nearly two years ago, H.R. 1 was among hundreds of measures consigned to the legislative graveyard of then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Democrats have renewed the push for action now that they control both the House and the Senate—albeit by razor-thin margins. The full House could vote on H.R. 1 the first week of February. TAKE ACTION

 

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7 changes to expect from Biden’s Department of Education led by Miguel Cardona

During the Biden-Harris administration educators will have new opportunities to advocate for policies at the federal level that will benefit the lives of students, families, and school communities. Issues such as decaying school infrastructure, the digital divide, and lack of access to school nurses and counselors—the results of unjust funding and white supremacy—will begin to be corrected.

President Biden’s nomination of  Dr. Miguel Cardona as his education secretary shows he is serious about investing in public schools and listening to educators on what students need to succeed.

Lauren Mancini-Averitt is a high school social studies teacher in the Meriden School District, the same district where Miguel Cardona taught 4th grade, served as an elementary school principal, and later was named Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning. READ MORE and TAKE ACTION

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Cheer

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is increasing Pandemic-EBT meals program benefits for low-income students by 15 percent.

EdAction in Congress January 24, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress January 10, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress January 10, 2021 - Education Votes

EdAction in Congress January 10, 2021

NEA calls for immediate removal of President Trump

Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), leaders of their respective caucuses, normally don’t agree on much. But they are of one mind when it comes to Donald Trump’s last-ditch attempt to stop Congress from certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and the insurrection fueled by Trump’s seditious rhetoric. Totally unacceptable.

January 6 “will live forever in infamy,” Schumer said. “This temple to democracy was desecrated, its windows smashed, our offices vandalized.” 

“The voters, the courts, and the states have all spoken,” McConnell said. “If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral.”

To protect our democracy, NEA is joining Democratic, Republican, business, and civil rights leaders in calling for Trump’s immediate removal from office.

“Our nation is based on a promise that every single person—Black, Latino/a/x, Asian, Native, White, regardless of wealth—can pursue a better tomorrow. That promise is in jeopardy because President Donald Trump and his allies refuse to accept the will of the people and have endangered Americans and American democracy,” said NEA President Becky Pringle.

In government and social studies classes, NEA members teach students about the Constitution and the duties of citizenship. They teach that our elections depend not only on citizens to exercise the right to vote, but also on our willingness to accept the results of elections. They teach that interested parties can and often do challenge election results. But once the challenges have been examined, those on the losing side concede defeat because they prize our democratic traditions over any single Election Day win or loss.

More fundamentally, we teach our children—even before they begin formal schooling—this basic concept of fair play: In any competition, someone wins and someone loses. Conveying this concept is challenging when our children are getting a lesson from some elected “leaders” in what NOT to do: Throw a temper tantrum, discredit the process, attempt to delay the inevitable, and if none of that works, sow as much discord as possible before you exit the field.

NEA has developed materials to help you talk to kids about the violent attempt to stop Congress from certifying that President-elect Joe Biden won the election. Check them out!

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COVID-19 relief package doesn’t go far enough

Shortly before adjourning for good, the 116th Congress provided a $900 billion down payment on coronavirus relief. The package is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it provides some relief for students, educators, and working families. On the other, it does not include state and local aid that would help avoid laying off educators, firefighters, and other essential public servants—a top NEA priority. Other shortcomings include the lack of dedicated funding for the E-Rate program to help close the homework gap and the failure to extend the moratorium on student-loan payments that expires on Jan. 31.

Key provisions include:

• $82 billion to help equip schools and campuses to reopen safely and address budget shortfalls, as well as address personnel costs; $2.75 billion is earmarked for private schools with restrictions and public accountability requirements
• One-time $600 payments for eligible adults and dependent children
• Federal unemployment benefits of $300 per week through March 31 for eligible workers
• $7 billion for coronavirus testing and vaccine distribution
• Increases Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by 15 percent and expands the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program for families with children in childcare programs and meals for seniors
• Tax credits for private sector employers that provide paid emergency sick leave—a half-measure, at best, that does not guarantee workers who are sick or exposed to COVID-19 can safely stay home without losing pay

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Cheers and Jeers 

Democrats from the House Committee on Education and Labor wrote in opposition to a USDA proposal to roll back standards that have significantly improved the nutritional quality of school meals.

Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill (H.R. 51) that would grant the statehood to the District of Columbia. The bill, which was passed last Congress by the House, has 202 original cosponsors. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said, “For a city with such a large African American population, this denial of representation echoes a broader history of the suppression of voting rights in our country.”

147 Republicans—8 senators and 139 representatives—voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Arizona, Pennsylvania, or both, perpetuating lies told for months by Trump and his enablers in Congress and the right-wing media. They cast their votes hours after the deadly insurrection and attack on the Capitol fomented by those same lies.

EdAction in Congress January 10, 2021 - Education Votes

Five reasons educators are excited about Miguel Cardona - Education Votes

Five reasons educators are excited about Miguel Cardona - Education Votes

Five reasons educators are excited about Miguel Cardona

On Monday, President-elect Joe Biden announced former public elementary school teacher and union member, and current Connecticut Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona as his pick to lead the U.S. Department of Education. 

“When a record number of Americans turned out to vote for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, they sent a resounding message demanding justice, stronger public schools and more opportunities for all students — Black and white, Native and newcomer, Hispanic and Asian alike,” said former science teacher and NEA President Becky Pringle.

“In these tough times, students, educators, and families face unprecedented challenges — from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis to the systemic racism that has held back too many students for too long. We look forward to partnering with Secretary-designate Miguel Cardona in taking on these challenges together,” Pringle said.

Cardona will work as part of the Biden-Harris administration to invest in the nation’s public schools — because all students deserve a safe, welcoming, well-resourced school, no matter where they live. As a person of color, he is an inspiration to many, particularly students who will see in him a reflection of their own experiences. With a deep knowledge of the issues impacting students inside and outside the classroom, Secretary-designate Cardona knows that we must make improvements for our students by tackling issues such as housing insecurity, hunger, and economic instability, to help our students succeed. 

Here are five things you should know about Cardona’s policies that have educators excited:

Miguel Cardona has supported trauma-informed practices in schools.

He has experience teaching in public schools

Cardona began his career in education as a fourth-grade public elementary school teacher before becoming the youngest principal in the state at age 28. In 2012 he was named Connecticut’s principal of the year and served as co-chairman of the Legislative Achievement Gap Task Force. 

Cardona is someone who respects educators as the professionals that they are, will listen to our experiences as the people who know the names of our students, and will ensure that we have a voice in developing and implementing education policy. 

He will be a welcome change from Betsy DeVos

Unlike DeVos, Secretary-designate Cardona will ensure that the federal government’s role in education is to improve access and opportunity for every student. He is someone who will defend our CONTINUE READING: Five reasons educators are excited about Miguel Cardona - Education Votes