Friday, March 9, 2012

Why Invest in Public Education? Hmmmm...


Some Food for Thought from the good people at Great Alaska Schoolsa citizen coalition:
Q: Why invest in public education ?
…hmmm….
A: My son/daughter deserves a great education. We live in the wealthiest state in the nation and should not compromise on this investment.
A/addendum: It is my understanding we have ~ $19 billion in various savings accounts (not including the permanent fund), so we’re not exactly broke, nor likely to be for quite some time.
A: Education is one of the best investments that can be made given today’s globally uncertain economics; increasing human expertise and capacity are fundamental in building a prosperous, dynamic economy.
A: The capacity to think, problem solve, work with diverse groups of people, and communicate remain valuable commodities in today’s globally competitive marketplace.  These skills are developed and honed in our public schools.
A: The cuts now proposed in the ____________School District undermine the quality of the education my son/daughter deserves  (give example of what’s being cut that will impact your family or son/daughter).
A: There are a lot of good things happening in our local schools (give an example).
Commentary:  Providing a steady, solid base of support for public education is one of the best investments you can make.
Commentary on local governance: I hold the local school board accountable for wise use of state and local resources.  It is the Legislature’s job to ensure adequate resources are available to do the job well.
Sincerely,
Name, contact information, home community.

How to Contact Your Legislators


NEWS FLASH!
Gov. Parnell announced this week that he is supporting an amendment to the budget that includes $30.3 million to help defray the rising costs of energy and student transportation across the state.  This is a great first step and the result of pressure from real people across the state who care about our children's education.  Tell the Legislature that you support this compromise proposal.


All legislators need to hear from constituents about the importance of adequately funding Alaska's schools.  In particular, the House Finance Committee and Governor Sean Parnell need to know that Alaskans care about our schools.

1. Send an email to your legislator (find out who represents you here).

2. Send another email or CC the House Finance Committee (see email addresses below) and Governor Sean Parnell.

Rep_Bill_Stoltze@legis.state.ak.usRep_Bill_Thomas@legis.state.ak.usRep_Anna_Fairclough@legis.state.ak.usRep_Bryce_Edgmon@legis.state.ak.usRep_Mark_Neuman@legis.state.ak.usRep_Tammie_Wilson@legis.state.ak.usRep_Mia_Costello@legis.state.ak.usRep_David_Guttenberg@legis.state.ak.usRep_Les_Gara@legis.state.ak.usRep_Mike_Doogan@legis.state.ak.usRep_Mike_Hawker@legis.state.ak.us

Need Talking Points?  

The folks at the citizen coalition Great Alaska Schools have put together some good advice on how to tell your story to policy makers.  They say, "The important ingredient is the human story – how the proposed education budget impacts real people in communities across the state.  It is not just a statistics game.Find their talking points here.