Legislative Hot Topics: Blog

On May 10th Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) reintroduced the Literacy for Every American Results for the Nation into the Senate (LEARN).  Discussions are now focused on how LEARN will become part of the rewriting of the Elementary and Secondary Act in the Senate.  In the House, the expectation is that LEARN will be introduced the week of May 23rd.

On May 25th the House Committee on Education and the Workforce will be marking up their first of three to five bills that will constitute their thinking on rewriting the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  It is HR 1891, a measure that will drop 43 programs from the statute.  Among the sections to be cut out will be Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy, Reading is Fundamental, the National Writing Project and others. 

In the Senate there will be a series of votes on the Senate version of the budget.   All of the votes are expected to go down to defeat, including the House version which would cut funding by 18%; and the president's proposal of Feb. 14th.  The president's proposal has been replaced with a new set of guidelines.

On May 25th at 8 PM Eastern join Suzanne Clewell, chair of IRA's government relations committee and Richard Long, IRA government relations director in a webinar (see the IRA home page to register) for an update on IRA's government relations program and an update on what is happening in DC that might impact literacy.

• Rich Long, Director of Government Relations: legislative update
• Suzanne Clewell, Government Relations Chair: Orlando session summary 

April 28^th National Call-in Day: Call your Senators and ask them to support the introduction of the LEARN Act.

This Thursday, April 28^th the IRA is joining with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Center on Learning Disabilities, and the National Council of Teachers of English to promote federal legislation to provide funds to state and local school districts to improve their literacy instruction by asking you to call your Senators and ask them to support the introduction of the LEARN Act.

The LEARN (Literacy for Every American, Results for the Nation) Act would provide for support for schools to improve their literacy instruction.  The bill provides support for literacy instruction for grades K – 12 and for early literacy instruction for children age 0 - 5.  It is comprehensive in nature and provides funds for states to develop comprehensive state literacy plans and the means to improve teacher knowledge so that that instruction may be enhanced in schools with large numbers of students living in poverty.

On, Thursday April 28^th please call your United States Senator at 202-224-3121 (the Capitol Hill switch board) and ask to be connected to your senators’ offices.  When the aide answers the phone please:

1.      Ask them to support Senator Murray’s introduction of the LEARN Act (by co-sponsoring the legislation);

2.      Give them information on how your state, community, or school could benefit from expanded instruction in literacy;

3.      Inform them that this proposal is unique in that it is comprehensive in nature, helps more teachers to continually improve their instruction in literacy; and that

4.      It will help more students to become effective learners in a cost effective manner.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the IRA Washington Office at IRAWash@reading.org. Thank you for your time and help.

Richard Long, Ed.D.

Director of Government Relations

International Reading Association

202-624-8800