Statement by Antonia Cortese, Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers,  on Public Agenda’s Survey of Parents and Educators

The full title of the report is Reality Check 2006:
Is Support for Standards and Testing Fading?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Put your money where your mouth is.  That is the message of a survey released today asking parents and educators about a range of education policies, including how candidates' positions on education affect their chances of winning elections.

The survey, conducted by Public Agenda, a nonprofit opinion researcher, confirms the AFT's long-held view that policymakers need to provide adequate resources for schools, particularly those serving disadvantaged students.  High academic standards continue to be a key component of the AFT's school improvement efforts.  But, as this report makes clear, standards alone are not enough.  We agree with the teachers and parents surveyed in this poll, who understand that it is patently unfair to expect students to meet higher and higher standards in schools that show the scars of chronic under-funding.

This survey finds that parents and educators alike have no use for quick fixes that do not fix anything; short-sighted, under-funded proposals; or scapegoating of public schools.  What they want — and what our children deserve — is smaller class sizes, more resources to address the pressing needs of kids who are behind even before their first day at school, and strong support to help students meet high standards.

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