Please consider these important actions as you begin your summer vacation:
1. Rep. Terry Brown (D-Pigeon), the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that has oversight over the K-12 budget, composed a letter to Gov. Granholm opposing using school aid dollars for anything but K-12 funding. Legislators from both sides of the aisle have signed this letter. Please encourage your state legislators to do the same.
“Michigan’s schools are the cornerstones of our communities and the building blocks of our future. Although safeguarding funding may require difficult decisions, diverting resources away from educating our children in order to fund other programs in the state budget is irresponsible. As such, we the undersigned oppose any transfer or appropriation of School Aid Fund dollars away from K-12 public schools.“
2. Attend candidate forums this summer before the primary and ask candidates how they intend to fund public education. Ask if they support restoring funding to our public schools to the 2008-09 level.
Sample Questions
- Many people feel that our elected leaders in Lansing have let partisan differences get in the way of working together when it’s really needed. What would you do to help promote problem solving over politics?
- Does Michigan need to change how it currently funds schools? Why or Why not?
- In the past few years Michigan reduced funding for pre-school education. Would you support increasing state funding for public pre-schools for at-risk children?
- What specific measures would you support to help create jobs in Michigan? What role do you believe education can play in addressing the employment problems in Michigan?
- Do you believe that Michigan is facing an education funding crisis?
- What is your number one funding priority and why?
- What specific proposals do you have to fund education in Michigan? Should the state raise more revenue? If so, what measures would you support to raise that revenue? (For example, new taxes and which ones, eliminating tax credits, which ones, etc.)
- What roles do you see charter schools and private schools playing in Michigan’s education system in the future? Do you support charter schools? Do you support private school vouchers?
3. Contact your United States Congressman and ask him or her to sign on to the Family Engagement in Education Act (H.R. 5211). The Family Engagement in Education Act ensures shared responsibility between families, communities and educators for closing the achievement gap.
4. Share this info with someone else!
With all of these actions, identify yourself as a concerned parent, educator, voter, & public education supporter! For more information on how this affects UCS, please visit www.uticak12.org !
Your action does make a difference!!
