A plug for parental involvement
Public backs federal role in education
AFT, NEA join forces with NAACP

A plug for parental involvement

The AFT's New York affiliate, New York State United Teachers, made a big push this fall to promote the value of parent-teacher conferences. In late October, before most conferences were held, NYSUT issued a press release urging all parents to "demonstrate to their children the high value they place on education by making appointments to attend the parent-teacher conferences."

NYSUT president Thomas Y. Hobart Jr. suggested tips for parents to make the conferences as productive as possible, including preparing questions on such topics as homework and grading policies, tests, the child's reading and writing skills and the child's social development.

Hobart and first vice president Antonia Cortese also appealed to the state's business community to make it as easy as possible for parents to take time off from work to attend parent-teacher conferences. Although most businesses in the state appear to recognize the importance of parental involvement, some do not, says NYSUT. "We would like to see all businesses adopt an attitude of maximum flexibility," says Hobart.

Public backs federal role in education

A new poll by the Center on Policy Attitudes (COPA) shows that the American public is looking to the federal government to play an active, but not punitive, role in strengthening public schools.

There is strong support for a federal role in testing, but the majority opposes using such tests as a basis for withholding federal funds from schools that perform poorly. While about half support the idea of vouchers, this support collapses if the money is to be taken away from the existing public school budgets, the poll shows. A strong majority believes the federal government should ensure at least a minimum level of spending per pupil in public schools, with nearly half saying the government should ensure an equivalent level of spending for all students. Overall, support for increased spending is strong. Education ranks as the top issue that Americans say will influence their vote in the 2000 election.

The poll was conducted in June and July 2000; a complete analysis of the findings is posted on the COPA Web site at www.policyattitudes.org.

AFT, NEA join forces with NAACP

The AFT and the NEA have forged a joint working relationship with the NAACP that all three groups hope will bolster support for public education and focus attention on efforts to turn around low-performing schools. A memorandum of understanding signed by the presidents of the three organizations calls for, among other things, jointly sponsored education issues workshops for NAACP leaders and activists and more collaboration between NAACP state and local chapters and respective AFT and NEA state and local affiliates.

At the request of the NAACP, the AFT and NEA conducted a one-day training program in October for members of the civil rights organization's education committee. Held in Philadelphia, the training included sessions on vouchers and charter schools, high-stakes testing, redesigning low-performing schools, and technology. Teams of presenters from the AFT and NEA led the workshops. The committee members also received a binder put together by the two unions that included articles, research papers, reports and other materials related to the workshop topics.

NAACP education committee members received "a wealth of information on some of our most important educational issues," NAACP education committee chair Maxine Smith said following the training.

American Federation of Teachers, AFL•CIO - 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW - Washington, DC 20001