John,
I had to make sure you saw Deborah’s email from earlier this week, calling on Congress to increase education funding.
Students have suffered greatly during the pandemic and it’s showing up in drastically decreasing test scores and enrollment numbers. These students represent the future of our country. It’s critical that we invest in them now so that they may be able to fully experience the bright future that they deserve.
Write to your members of Congress today and demand they stop the crisis in public education.
I am proud to be in this fight with you as we advocate for a better future for our children and communities,
Nicolai Haddal Field and Events Manager, Coalition on Human Needs
-- DEBORAH'S EMAIL --
John,
Public education is the bedrock of our society and it’s currently crumbling.
In 2020, school enrollment crashed to its lowest level since 1943.1 This drop directly impacts funding for public schools, student performance, and the prospect that many children will be left behind. And at the same time, schools are having difficulty hiring and retaining qualified teachers and support staff.
We are failing our students, as evidenced by the decline in test scores after the pandemic. These young people are the future of our society and economy, and if we don’t make up for lost ground, societal and racial income gaps are only going to increase.
We need adequate federal investments in public education―especially in rural and low-income communities. Join us in demanding Congress increase education funding now!
Tight budget controls have severely constricted education funding for years. As a result, ongoing education programs receive $7 billion less than they did a decade ago in inflation-adjusted terms. President Biden’s FY2023 budget for the Department of Education calls for a historic $40 billion investment in public school funding to strengthen children’s mental health care, invest in low-income, rural and urban communities, increase special education funding, teacher training, integrated supports, and provide free school meals.
This is a historic investment that is coming at a critical time. Please click the link to write to your members of Congress to encourage them to support the necessary funding.
Children have been deeply affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in numerous ways. It’s time we start investing in them and their recovery.
Thank you for all you do,
Deborah Weinstein Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs
1 https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-enrollment-crashed-in-fall-2020-the-steepest-drop-since-1943/2022/06
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