Some Good News For Schools 
The U.S. Department of Education announced today that California is a finalist for the second round of funding in the Race to the Top program. This means that California is in the running to take home a share of $3.4 billion to fund innovation in our public schools. The money is far from certain, but California wouldn’t be in this position without education supporters like you.
Thousands of letters from grassroots education advocates across the state pushed the Legislature to pass monumental reforms earlier this year. As a result, kids stuck in public schools that have failed their families and communities for decades will have a way out to attend a better public school in a different zip-code. Real recognition and support for effective educators will be mandatory in school turnarounds. Parents now have power to drive change in their neighborhood schools. And courageous California school districts and educators no longer satisfied with the status quo are in the hunt to bring home new resources to help demonstrate how real accountability and innovation can benefit kids and effective educators alike.
Your voice has been invaluable as no step along the way has come without challenge from opponents of reform. Months after California and other states across the country changed laws and policies and submitted plans to improve schools for kids, politicians in Washington D.C. made a play to cut hundreds of millions of dollars promised to help implement change. But education supporters like you said no and sent hundreds of letters to the U.S. Senate to fight the cuts proposed by the House. Thanks to your effort, the funding for innovation and accountability reforms was saved.
The battle for great public schools is far from over, but one thing is clear - when you make your voices heard, big things are possible. Forward this update to friends and family and encourage them to visit http://edvoice.org/join-us to join EdVoice and fight for better California public schools.
Race to the Top winners will be announced in late August or early September. Click here for more information.
Fight Cuts to Public School Reform Funding
The politicians just keep slashing funding for public school reform. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the latest round of cuts takes $800 million dollars from some of the only programs that show promise for California kids trapped in low-performing schools.
But it's not too late to stop it. The proposal now heads to the U.S. Senate and you can click here to ask Senator Boxer to help stop the cuts.
Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to break a promise to children across the nation. The federal "Race to the Top" program was created to encourage states to enact innovative reforms and receive funding to get started. Schools are counting on these dollars to pay effective teachers and implement critical reforms to provide kids with the best possible education. But now, with the race underway, after 46 states and the District of Columbia have submitted applications, the House has voted to slash the funding.
Click here to stand up for schools and ask Senator Boxer to follow Senator Feinstein and President Obama's courageous step in opposing the cuts.
This misguided proposal by Representative David Obey of Wisconsin cuts public education reform dollars under the guise of saving jobs. But these cuts will leave schools unable to pay for highly effective teachers and proven reforms. And public school students across the nation will pay the price. That’s a lost opportunity for kids and our nation's future economic growth.
Click here to take action and send a letter. It's easy and will only take a few moments of your time.
A big win for kids - thanks to you
Thanks to thousands of letters from education supporters like you, the latest assault on public schools has been defeated. AB 1950 would have tied teachers up with new red tape and cost schools $50 million of vital funding. But thanks to an outpouring of opposition, Assemblymember Brownley, the bill's author, pulled it from consideration last night. Your letters, along with Senate Education Chair Romero's resolve to stand up for schools, made this happen.
It's again clear that, together, we can push our elected leaders to do the right thing for kids. But, as we all know, the battle for great public schools has only just begun. Ask friends and family members to join the fight by signing up to receive opportunities to take action at www.edvoice.org/join-us.
It's easy to do - simply let people know how EdVoice makes it easy to act and tell them to visit the site to sign up.
Thank you for taking the time to make a difference for our kids
