The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind Act (ESEA/NCLB) is up for reauthorization in 2007, and we need to make sure our voices are heard. We need to make sure this deeply flawed legislation, which has had such an impact on our children's education and our ability to teach, is fixed.

Education Minnesota is forming a team of local NCLB Change Activists who will respond to developments in the law's reauthorization process, propose changes and help ensure that educators' stories are heard by federal lawmakers. Here's what a NCLB Change Activists will be asked to do:

• Send six to eight e-mails over a six-month period to your U.S. representative and/or senators when requested by Education Minnesota. We will e-mail you talking points and a link to a sample letter that you can personalize, or you can simply send the letter we provide. 
• Possibly make one or two calls to your U.S. representative and/or senators. Though it's unlikely you will be asked to do this, it is a possibility. Again, we will provide talking points and the phone numbers you need for the calls.
• Send us your stories on how the NCLB legislation affects your classroom.

Being a NCLB Change Activist will take very little time out of your busy schedule, but your actions could have a huge impact on how NCLB is reauthorized. Help us educate Congress on how to straighten out this misguided legislation

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jim Meyer at jim.meyer@educationminnesota.org.