An Important Word from NEA

 
WE DID IT!!!  WE WON!!!  A MAJOR VICTORY FOR EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND OUR NATION!!!

Recently, the House passed the education jobs/FMAP bill by a vote of  247-161 .  This means the bill only has to go to the President for signature and it becomes law!!!  The President will sign the bill this evening at 5:00pm, so that the implementation process can begin immediately!

New figures from the U.S. Department of Education estimate that some 161,000 educators who had received pink slips will be heading back to school this fall.

This victory is a result of an amazing team effort involving every level of this Association.  The participation by members, the multiple contacts with every single congressional office, the calls, e-mails, and personal visits by affiliate leaders and staff were unprecedented.  Together, we put together an unstoppable, persistent campaign that spanned the breadth of the Association, worked tirelessly on our members’ behalf, and overcame multiple pronouncements of the bill’s death by the press, advocates, and Members of Congress.  Our efforts were recognized as very impressive by congressional leaders, the media, our allies, and most importantly, by our members.

Our intergovernmental relations staff made countless contacts with intergovernmental organizations and state and local elected officials, including highlighting the issue at the National Conference of State Legislatures meeting, and working closely with the DGA.  The result was an unprecedented show of support from elected leaders, including letters from governors (NC, MA, OR, MD, IL, IA, KS, CO, OH, MI).  Letters from governors are posted on the NEA website (www.nea.org/lac).  In addition, three governors released press statements in support of the jobs package (NV, OR, IA); 25 governor s signed a letter supporting FMAP and an extension of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (AR, CO, DE, IL, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, TN, VI, WA, WI);  and 25 governors signed a letter in support of the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 (AR, CO, DE, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MT, NM, NY, NC, NH, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, VI, WA, WI, WV).
 
NEXT STEPS: We will be undertaking a number of steps in the coming days and weeks both to thank Members of Congress who supported us and to ensure that you have all the information you need regarding how states will receive the funds.  We will be sending you additional materials and information in future e-mails and ask that you keep an eye out for those communications. 
 
Distribution of Funds:  Governors have 30 days to apply for the money; otherwise, Secretary Duncan can distribute it to another entity/entities, such as school districts.  You should have received an initial e-mail from us yesterday with preliminary information about the bill and implementation issues.  It is very important that affiliates contact, preferably in writing, your state department of education and/or your governor’s office and urge them to apply immediately for the money and figure out which distribution method – the state funding formula or Title I formula – will save the most jobs in your state, based on the density of layoffs. 
 
NEA’s Education Policy and Practice Department will devote part of its standing monthly call for affiliates to provide guidance on steps to take in your state so you can follow the money and influence how it is spent.  Don’t miss it!  Call time is 2 PM EST on Thursday, August 12.  The call-in number is 1-800-207-7781 and the pass-code is 716643#.

 
We are also working with the U.S. Department of Education on guidance about the urgency of getting this money to flow.