In his State of the State Address, Governor Bredesen asked lawmakers to make education this year's "fundamental priority." The key education improvements include:
1. $90 million to increase teacher pay for more than 66,000 teachers
2. $50 million to fully fund Tennessee's Basic Education Program
3. $8 million for pre-kindergarten and early childhood learning
4. $2 million for new classroom technology
According to a statement by National Education Association President Reg Weaver, President Bush is proposing a 1.8 percent increase in "No Child Left Behind " funding. This increase does not meet the federal government's obligation to fully fund the new law. In fact, it falls short of promised levels by more than $9 billion for the coming year.
Obviously, our Governor wants to fund Tennessee's future by supporting public education, but the administration is not willing to commit the necessary resources.
Now is the time for Shelby County to get politically active. We must email our state legislators, our federal senators and congressmen, and let them know we want the state and congress to fully fund Tennessee's future. Go to the NEA web site www.nea.org/lac and you can find how to send your emails to our lawmakers. We want their commitment to fund education first.