Learning First Alliance Statement on National PTA Poll

Delivered by Judy Wurtzel, Executive Director, Learning First Alliance on February 24, 2004.

Washington, D.C. - I’d like to thank National PTA for conducting this important poll. My organization, the Learning First Alliance, is a permanent partnership among the nation’s 12 leading education associations, including National PTA. We are teachers, principals, administrators, school board members and, of course, parents dedicated to improving student learning in America’s public schools. Through our members, we work to enrich the national dialogue on education, trigger real improvements in education policy and practice, and ensure the academic success of all children.

Our 10 million members are people who see, and live, every day the realities of school budget cuts and funding challenges. I’m here to agree that education funding is a critical issue facing our public schools today.

Our public schools are being asked to educate every single child to high standards of achievement. Doing this requires effective teachers in every classroom, individualized attention for students, better curriculum materials and more. None of this is possible without adequate funding.

And when 90% of parents say education issues will be important to them when selecting a candidate, and education funding is parents’ top concern, its clear that this will be one of the most critical issues facing Congress this year.

Of course, education funding is not just an issue here on Capitol Hill. A strong education system is essential to the future health of our nation’s economy and civic society – and to the individual prospects of the millions of students who right this minute are in a public school classroom. Investing in education is the obligation we adults owe our nation’s children. As Benjamin Franklin wrote over 200 years ago, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

Thank you very much.

The Learning First Alliance, founded in 1997, is a permanent partnership of leading education organizations working together to improve student learning. The Alliance members are: the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Council of Chief State School Officers, Education Commission of the States, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Education Association, National PTA and the National School Boards Association. Learning First Alliance publications are available on this website.