Tell Congress: Listen to Teachers, Fund Our Public Schools

As teachers head back to their classrooms, Washington is debating its role in supporting public schools and public school students. Teachers might not have a seat in that room (yet), but we believe they are exactly who should be shaping the investments and decisions that impact our classrooms.

What's happening: We asked more than 2,000 public school teachers across the country what they think about the federal government’s role in education. Our newly released federal brief, Teachers Hold Onto the Promise of Equal Opportunity Amid Disruption, shares their answers and what’s at stake if Congress doesn’t listen to them. 

Why it matters: Nearly 9 out of 10 of you say the federal government has an obligation to protect students' rights and direct resources toward students with the greatest needs. Only 3% support slashing federal K-12 grant funding, 8% support gutting the offices that protect students' rights, and a mere 11% support closing or shrinking the Department of Education. Cutting funding doesn't make the need disappear — it shifts the cost onto states and districts already stretched thin, and students pay first.

What you can do: Tell your members of Congress what’s happening in your classrooms. Ask them to read the brief, listen to teachers, and fully fund public schools — and keep the federal government's role in protecting students' rights and directing resources to the kids who need it most.