More Urgent Than Ever – Call Your Rep!

Dear CPS Members and Education Activists:

Action Requested
CPS urges our members to call their reps immediately and ask these House members to support amendments that provide better oversight of charters, fairer process for approval of charters, and lessen the impact on the students remaining in the sending school districts.  Sending school districts must have a role in the process rather than have outsiders impose schools that will reduce resources for the rest of the district. Teachers need to be part of the solution in improving schools.  Treating teachers and teacher-unions as the enemy, as some of the bill’s provisions do, is counter-productive.

We know that the procharter school forces are well organized and will be deluging the state house with phone calls and emai l- one only has to look at today’s Globe editorial page to see them at work. WE NEED TO HAVE OUR VOICES HEARD!

If you do not know the name of your Representative go to Where do I vote MA and click on Massachusetts: My Election Information.   → Read More

URGENT – Contact Your Rep Today!

Dear CPS member and education advocates:

Below is an analysis of the Ed Reform bill that is expected to be debated in the House the first week of January. However, the house Democrats will be caucusing this Wednesday about the bill.

If you are concerned about these sweeping changes, please contact your Rep. Tuesday or Wednesday morning (December 15 or 16) and urge them to consider the consequences of the changes outlined below. See also a sample letter below the analysis of the bill.

This is URGENT!

Marilyn Segal, Executive Director, CPS

CPS Analysis of the S2216

Education Reform Act of 2009

The “Education Reform Act of 2009,” already passed by the Senate, represents the most devastating changes ever proposed to public education in the Massachusetts. These “reforms” are being sold to the legislature as necessary to compete for federal “Race to the Top” funds, which, in any case, amount to barely $250 per student.   → Read More

Support Public Education, Support CPS!

Dear CPS Members and Education advocates:

I write to you to urge you to support CPS.

Last year when I retired after teaching for 32 years, I found myself, at long last, with time to advocate for and support public schools. I looked for a place where I could make a positive impact for the children and teachers in our public schools.

I found Citizens for Public Schools because I understand that they are the only ones in the state whose sole function is to support public schools. CPS does not have a vested interest when it works to promote, preserve and protect public schools and public education.

Volunteering steadily with CPS this year, I have been really amazed at the interconnections of CPS and so many organizations that directly or indirectly support our students, educators and communities.

I had never before spent time on Beacon Hill because I was always working during the hours that one could testify or visit legislators in their offices.   → Read More

A Good Thing: House Puts Brakes on Ed Reform Bill

Just when it looked like the Education Reform Act of 2009 was going to speed through the legislative process with virtually no time for public comment or scrutiny, the House of Representatives sensibly put the brakes on the bill’s progress and adjourned. This gives us all time to consider the original bill, Senate amendments and to let our state representatives know what we think.

Longtime Lincoln-Sudbury High history teacher Bill Schechter does a great job in his letter to the editor of the Boston Globe (published Nov. 27, 2009) of articulating why it’s a good thing that someone hit the pause button on this bill.

To the Editor:

A recent Globe editorial criticizes the state House of Representatives for adjourning and urges it to go back into session to pass a “landmark education reform initiative” so that Massachusetts can compete for federal education dollars (“Fix schools and budget – Legislature’s recess can wait,” November 20, 2009).

   → Read More

Education Legislation Alert: Act Now!

Dear CPS Members and Education Activists:

CPS will be delivering the memo below to all legislators. We urge you to read it and call your Senator and Representative immediately. The Senate is expected to take up the bill today, Monday, Nov. 16 (Tuesday at the latest). The House immediately after.

The legislation is on a fast track—The 65-page bill was released on Monday night, embargoed to the public, and passed without debate (no amendments allowed) by the committee by an email or vote by phone.

If you don’t know who are your legislators go to www.wheredoIvoteMA.com.

Best regards,

Marilyn J. Segal

marilyn@citizensforpublicschools.org

To:  Legislators

From: Marilyn J. Segal, Executive Director

Re: Proposed Education Reform Act of 2009

Date: November 13, 2009

Yesterday the Federal Department of Education released regulations for the Federal Race To The Top funds. These regs do not require expansion of the current cap on charter schools.   → Read More