2007 and the Difference that we made

With the New Year well under way, I wanted to reflect on the difference that UU advocates made in the lives of children last year. We had some successes that we can all be proud of and observe with an excited anticipation the brighter future that those successes will provide. Successes such as the $100 million dollar increase in afterschool funding that will provide the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program with much needed and long overdue funds, improving valuable afterschool learning and activity time. We can also be proud of the improvements in Headstart; improvements that go beyond dollars and into the much needed area teacher qualification. Thanks to a $6.9 billion increase over FY’07, our very youngest and most compromised will be met by a steadily improving program with strategic deadlines for teacher qualification to be met by 2013. The qualifying threshold for families was also raised expanding eligibility from 100 percent of poverty level to families at 130 percent of the poverty level.
We were also met with struggles that were frustrating. We put a great deal of effort into SCHIP as did advocates from varied organizations around the country. If any good came from the ongoing controversy it would be that SCHIP is now more understood by the general public and it’s need is more greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, it was not reauthorized but was merely extended until March 2009. While the extension will allow states to continue covering the 6 million children who are currently enrolled, it also contained a directive which places a eligibility cap of 250% of the federal poverty level, dramatically changing the original premise of the program. There are efforts underway to repeal the directive in 2008. Stay tuned.
The Farm Bill was finally passed in mid-December by the Senate with provisions that closely mirror those passed by the House in July. There were substantial increases made to the Food Stamp Program, ($3+ billion) and The Emergency Food Assistance Program, ($500+ million). It is vitally important that the Farm Bill get passed in early 2008 in order for the new increases to take effect and aid families in crisis.
Finally, we come to the issue of No Child Left Behind, a piece of legislation that this organization firmly believes is well founded but ill-directed. We have spent a great deal of our efforts this past year trying to raise awareness about the detrimental effects that this legislation has had on compromised populations. It is an effort that is moving like a wave across the nation as more and more teachers, (read about the NEA’s position on NCLB at www.nea.org) parents, and students voice their opinions about this policy and the impact it has had on their lives. It is within this wave that we will focus our attention in 2008 on equity in public education and the inequity that has become a reality in our public schools. There are ongoing efforts to educate the public and lawmakers on the current policy and the effect that it is having on the fundamental right of public education. We need advocates to succeed at this effort. We hope that you will continue your commitment to Promise the Children in 2008 and advocate for change in public education. Peace!