Words from Washington: PSEA President Jim Testerman attends national meeting to discuss ESEA reauthorization

Nearly 100 PSEA members responded to a call for comments in early March as PSEA President Jim Testerman prepared for a meeting with Secretary Arne Duncan and other education leaders regarding ESEA reauthorization. Quick responses and thoughtful, compelling comments sent Jim to Washington armed with your ideas, concerns, and suggestions.

Message from President Testerman about the meeting

We got a glimpse of where the Administration is headed with the reauthorization of ESEA. It appears that they have been listening, and are making meaningful improvements in several areas, but there is still a need for them to understand the impact on the school employee and student.  As you know, it will be the details that matter and we will have our work cut out for us.

Before the meeting, I read each comment that was posted and left a complete compilation of your comments with the Secretary’s Chief Policy advisor. In the meeting, I referenced Mary Lee Madigan-Davis’s comment. “Why is it that the people furthest away from the classroom make the decisions?” They asked if we would be willing to facilitate additional conversations with members and of course we said yes!

Your contributions helped me to make sure your voices were at the table for this meeting. I am impressed by how many of you responded so quickly, and am reminded how important it is to continue this conversation as I represent you in meetings in Washington and Harrisburg.

What’s Next

The General Assembly and the Governor have made significant investments in education over the past seven years – with increased investments in the past two years with the school funding formula – investing in smaller class sizes, technology in the classroom, new textbooks, after school programs, full day kindergarten, expanded foreign language offerings, and other projects.

As Jim meets with Governor Rendell and leaders in the General Assembly this April to ensure that we continue these critical investments, he wants to make sure that the stories from your classrooms and work sites provide concrete examples to advance the interests of our students and members.

So Jim asks you to let him know:
What would you tell Governor Rendell and state leaders about your classroom? Would additional resources make a difference for the children you teach? Share your experiences at www.psea.org/YourSuccess