Oppose Obey Amendment Cuts to Obama Reform Initiatives

In The News

June 30, 2010

Oppose Reform-Gutting Obey Amendment to Supplemental Appropriations Bill

Dear Friend of Education Reform:

Last night Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee David Obey (D-WI) filed an amendment to a supplemental appropriations bill to cut funding for key Obama education reform initiatives to pay for an “education jobs” initiative. The amendment will likely be voted on today or tomorrow.

We need your help in getting members to oppose this divisive attempt to pit teacher jobs and salaries against reform efforts that will make sure precious educational resources are spent in a way that ensures all children – regardless of race, country of origin, or zip code – receive a high quality education that prepares them for college and the workforce.

The Obey amendment would cut:

– $500 million from Race to the Top, bringing the total available for state applications already submitted down from $3.4 billion to $2.9 billion;

– $100 million from the Charter Schools Program; and,

– $200 million from the Teacher Incentive Fund.

Call your Member of Congress via the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 225-3121 and tell them you oppose the Obey amendment, and that your are deeply disappointed that House leaders may put members in the position of having either to vote against teacher jobs and salaries or against the quality of education and public school choice options available to schoolchildren.

Tell them that the federal government must keep its promise to states like New York, California, Illinois, Louisiana, Florida, Maryland, and Colorado, that undertook bold education reforms with the understanding that they would get the resources needed to pay for them.

Tell them that you oppose this kind of inside-the-beltway gamesmanship that is out of touch with the collaborative efforts underway in your states and communities between parents, advocates, and other stakeholders, including teachers, to improve the quality of our nation’s public schools.