Legislative Hot Topics: Blog

• Rich Long, Director of Government Relations: legislative update
• Suzanne Clewell, Government Relations Chair: Orlando session summary 

April 28^th National Call-in Day: Call your Senators and ask them to support the introduction of the LEARN Act.

This Thursday, April 28^th the IRA is joining with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Center on Learning Disabilities, and the National Council of Teachers of English to promote federal legislation to provide funds to state and local school districts to improve their literacy instruction by asking you to call your Senators and ask them to support the introduction of the LEARN Act.

The LEARN (Literacy for Every American, Results for the Nation) Act would provide for support for schools to improve their literacy instruction.  The bill provides support for literacy instruction for grades K – 12 and for early literacy instruction for children age 0 - 5.  It is comprehensive in nature and provides funds for states to develop comprehensive state literacy plans and the means to improve teacher knowledge so that that instruction may be enhanced in schools with large numbers of students living in poverty.

On, Thursday April 28^th please call your United States Senator at 202-224-3121 (the Capitol Hill switch board) and ask to be connected to your senators’ offices.  When the aide answers the phone please:

1.      Ask them to support Senator Murray’s introduction of the LEARN Act (by co-sponsoring the legislation);

2.      Give them information on how your state, community, or school could benefit from expanded instruction in literacy;

3.      Inform them that this proposal is unique in that it is comprehensive in nature, helps more teachers to continually improve their instruction in literacy; and that

4.      It will help more students to become effective learners in a cost effective manner.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the IRA Washington Office at IRAWash@reading.org. Thank you for your time and help.

Richard Long, Ed.D.

Director of Government Relations

International Reading Association

202-624-8800

The purpose of the Predominantly Black Institutions Undergraduate Program is to support the strengthening of predominantly Black institutions to carry out programs in the following areas:

• Science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM)
• Health education
• Internationalization or globalization
• Teacher preparation; or
• Improving educational outcomes of African-American males

TYPES OF PROJECTS

Four-year projects that establish or strengthen programs at predominantly Black institutions that are designed to increase the institution's capacity to prepare students for instruction in the above noted fields.

Grant deadline: April 25, 2011

For details see:

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/pbi/applicant.html