1. Elevating and Modernizing the Teaching Profession in the Trump/DeVos Era
Catherine Brown – Vice President of Education Center for American Progress
Good Morning.
My name is Catherine Brown and I am the Vice President of Education Policy at the Center for American Progress. Welcome to Washington! It is truly a privilege to be with you today.
Even though we are in our nation’s capitol, I cannot imagine a room of more powerful people. I know, it may sound cliché but I truly believe that in a country filled with distrust, anger, and division, teachers remain the most trusted voice and important influences in the lives of children and their parents. Every action, every word – no matter how offhand – from teachers has an impact on the students they serve.
A few too many people in this town like to think of themselves in that way, but for teachers it is true.
Teachers have always had a deep role in my life. My mother was a public-school elementary teacher in New Jersey. I learned from her just how challenging but rewarding the profession can be.
And when I look back at what put me on the path to where I am today, it was my teachers, like Mr. Mooney in 4th grade who walked across the room to give me a hug when I was struggling and on the verge of tears and embarrassment trying to understand long division. Or Mrs. Lynch my high school Spanish teacher who to this day shows an interest in my life, my kids, and who I’ve become.
I suspect you have heard many stories like this before and that you are in this room because of your ability to connect with and motivate students, and I suspect you all realize and appreciate how powerful you are in the lives of children and families.
What I’m not sure you realize, is how powerful you can be in impacting policy. I’ve worked in policy at the federal and state level for almost twenty years now and I can tell you with confidence that teachers’ voices are both respected and needed at the table. NNSTOY provides a powerful platform to allow that to happen, and what Katherine has done to build this organization is remarkable. At CAP and other places like it, we can listen and learn, conduct research, propose new ideas, and advocate. But our voices can only go so far.
The truth is – you understand how these policies will impact students and what is needed to advance all schools to a higher level.
And we need your voice in Washington, in state houses, and in districts more than ever. Because we are seeing numerous threats to teachers and public education and they present a troubling trend.

2. Threats In The Current Environment: Budget Cuts & Vouchers
The budget priorities of President Trump and Secretary DeVos and what we’ve seen from Republican leaders in Congress recently present multiple threats to our public schools, teachers and most importantly, students.
First, the budget and values represented by it would undermine public education directly through significant cuts to education. Second, the budget and other policy proposals would result in significant cuts to areas that states invest heavily in such as housing assistance, health care, and more. If these cuts are realized they will force state and localities to divert funds away from education and into areas where states must meet their obligations.
In addition to funding, this Administration has revealed an ideological vision of a world where public schools are dismantled and replaced with a privatized system, and where the federal government plays a minimal role in protecting vulnerable students. Their vision is on display through their proposals and emphasis on private school vouchers as well as their plans to dramatically scale back the role of the Office of Civil Rights and the protections it affords to students of color, gay and transgender students and others.

3. Threats In The Current Environment: Budget Cuts
Let’s first look at the education budget. Trump and DeVos proposed a $9 billion cut to education, an amount that is more than double the size of any cut in history – from a Democratic or Republican Administration going all the way back to the 1980s.

4. Threats In The Current Environment: Budget Cuts
These cuts would bring the education department funding to well below the 2010 level in absolute dollars. Therefore the amount in real dollars, which takes into consider inflation, would be even lower. We know of course that the cost of living has gone up over the past 7 years, that too few teachers have received a salary increase and that this budget if realized would only exacerbate those fiscal challenges.

5. Threats In The Current Environment: Budget Cuts
Eliminate Title II
Eliminate 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Phase Out Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Create $250 Mil Nationwide Private School Voucher Program
What specifically are they proposing to cut?
The budget calls for eliminating the $2.4 billion in funding for Title II or the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants Program and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program that funds afterschool programs for over 1.2 million kids.
It calls for phasing out public service loan forgiveness, which erases student loans after 10 years of employment for the government or a qualifying nonprofit. Has anyone in this room benefitted from student loan forgiveness? Almost half a million people are enrolled in this program, and teachers are some of the largest beneficiaries.
The Administration also proposed substantial cuts to career and technical education, literacy and even the Special Olympics.
All the while creating a new $1.250 million school choice program, including a $250 million private school voucher program.
Many people dismissed these cuts as extreme and promised they would be “Dead on Arrival” once they got to congress. However, this past week, when house appropriators unveiled their budget, it eliminated the entire Title II-A teacher program and cut nearly $200 million from 21st Century CLC. These represent drastic cuts to some of the only initiatives directly targeted at helping teachers. As the Senate begins to take up their appropriations process, it is unclear what programs will be safe from cuts.

6. Threats In The Current Environment: Budget Cuts
Title II Funding
Teacher Prep
Class Size Reduction
Professional Development
Teacher Recruitment
I’d like to specifically raise Title II because as I mentioned, it’s the largest federal program aimed specifically at supporting teachers. How many people are aware of Title II and what it funds? How many people have benefitted from this program?
This $2.4 billion program is most at risk. Dig up a few state numbers.
Title II supports a wide array of initiatives aimed at elevating teachers. It can be used towards teacher prep, teacher salaries to help reduce class sizes, professional learning, and teacher recruitment to high need areas, among other things.
With the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2014, the funding formula for these dollars has shifted towards greater weighting based on the levels of poverty. By 2020 the law established that 20% of the funding would be based on population and 80% would be based on poverty. This means cutting this funding hurts areas with the highest levels of poverty – that incidentally have the lowest local tax bases, most severely.
At CAP we found that the elimination of Title II funds would translate to a loss of 40,000 teachers.
One thing the research has proved definitely over the past twenty years is that teachers are the most important in-school influence on student outcomes. It is troubling that rather than reforming or modifying it, it has been destined for elimination.

7. Threats In The Current Environment: Private School Vouchers
In addition to the really critical threats posed to education budgets, this Administration has an ideological commitment to dismantling public schools and instead creating a system through which students receive a voucher to attend a private school.
Betsy DeVos has been a stanch advocate for private school vouchers throughout her career. She has invested millions of dollars in lobbying efforts in Michigan and around the country to create voucher programs.
What the research tells us is that vouchers do not work to improve student outcomes. In fact, the largest studies – statewide studies out of Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana and here in Washington, .D.C. have found that students who received vouchers performed much worse in reading and math than similar students who remained in the public schools.
Even parent satisfaction has not increased as a result of vouchers, and the latest study out of D.C. found that parents who received vouchers were no more satisfied with their children’s schools than those in the public system.
Most importantly, from a civil rights standpoint, vouchers provide no protections for students who get them, and the schools taking vouchers can select who to admit, who to expel, what to teach, and more without transparency or accountability.
Yet across the country, private school voucher schemes are continuing to expand to include students from higher income families, those who were attending private schools previously and have never tried public schools.. When these programs expand, they siphon critical funding away from public schools and towards private schools.

8. Threats In The Current Environment: Non-Education Policy Proposals
In addition to the education-specific threats to public schools, there are several other efforts underway that would have a substantial impact on the well-being of vulnerable students and their families as well as on education budgets.
First, the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which is currently under consideration in the Senate includes over $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid. This plan would jeopardize the health-coverage of 25 million low-income individuals and over 3.5 million children. Years of research indicates that access to health care has a clear positive impact on education outcomes. So, schools would have to pick up the slack of the affected population.
Further, school districts access Medicaid dollars to pay for medically necessary services for students with disabilities, and 1% of Medicaid dollars go directly to schools in the form of personnel like school nurses and services like therapy. With less funding for Medicaid, states and districts would have to siphon money from other education funding streams to afford necessary medical services or cut the personnel supported by these dollars.
Additionally, the administration has proposed massive cuts to food stamps, housing assistance programs, low-income home energy assistance, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and other critical elements of the safety net. I don’t have to tell you how important the safety net is to ensuring that all kids come to school ready to learn and grow.
Finally, the massive tax cuts for the wealthy that will be proposed by this administration would only lead to further and future cuts to education. As revenue from these taxes dry up, the federal government would be faced with a growing deficit they would need to offset. With the priorities of this administration clear, it is apparent that these cuts would come at the expense of education and other programs critical to academic growth.
The key point I want to make is that the budget’s impact on education expands well beyond the direct cuts to education. And taken as a whole, the proposals are drastic and pose a devastating threat to education.

9. Threats In The Current Environment: State Budget Cuts
Worst Budget Battles Since the Great Recession
STATES IN CRISIS
AFTER NC’S TAX CUT FRENZY, DEFICITS LOOM
STATE BUDGET CUTS EXPECTED TO HURT VULNERABLE OKLAHOMANS
Budget cut impacts are real
STATE BUDGET CUTS DEAL MAJOR BLOW TO PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS
Projections Show Revenue Shortfalls
To make matters worse, across the country, state governments are facing increasingly difficult budget crises. This situation means they are not going to be able to absorb or mitigate against the cuts coming out of Washington. ‘
The headlines on this slide are real and pulled from local news sources over the past month.
We know that when a budget shortfall occurs, education is often the first thing to be cut.
A survey of state budget documents found that at least 23 states will provide less state funding for schools in the current school year than when the Great Recession took hold in 2008.
33 states reported lower revenues than initially projected in the latest fiscal year, the highest number of states to come up short since the recession blew a giant hole in state budgets in 2010, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers.
Many states facing budget trouble

10. Reasons for Optimism
While I know this presentation so far has sounded very doom and gloom, I actually am here with a very hopeful message: there are lots of reasons for optimism in the current context:
First, our education system is improving and on some important measures performing better than at any point in history. It’s also offering a greater variety of public school options that at any time in history.
Second, the new federal education law provides an opportunity for a refresh, and a new, more holistic way of assessing school quality.
Third, the proposals coming out of Washington are wildly unpopular.
And finally, you - teachers - have great authority and power to counteract all the negativity with a positive vision.

11. Reasons for Optimism: A System on the Rise
Despite what often gets portrayed in the media, the story of the American education system today is a story about a system on the rise.
Graduation rates at an all-time high and projected to grow to 90% by 2020.
The number of drop out factories – high schools that graduate less than 2/3 of their students -- has decreased by 40% over the past 8 years.
College going rates have increased by over 5 million since 2000
Achievement gaps, particularly among elementary and middle school students, have narrowed to the lowest point in history
The percent of students that is proficient or above in reading and math on the NAEP has continued to rise
42 states have adopted a new set of higher learning standards that are aligned to each other and drive towards deeper learning, more problem solving and greater critical thinking skill skills.
And we have a host of new public school options that have arisen over the past 20 years. Language immersion, Montessori public schools, more rigorous college prep, career and technical schools. Enrollment in charter schools has tripled over the last decade, and today close to 7,000 schools serve 3 million kids..

12. Reasons for Optimism: New Federal Framework
Senate Approves Overhaul of No Child Left Behind Law
Senate Plan to Revise No Child Left Behind Law Would Not Measure Teachers by Test Scores
Negotiators Come to Agreement on Revising No Child Left Behind Law
In addition we have a new federal policy framework for school accountability and improvement that was enacted into law in 2014.
Embodied in the new Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, states are creating new accountability systems, not just focused on testing. They are looking at broader measures of school quality, such as chronic absenteeism, measures of school climate, and even things like physical fitness and resource allocation.
The new law provides a greater focus on the social and emotional needs of all kids
And we have made leaps and strides in the research about what works to improve instruction and school performance.
President Obama Signs Into Law a Rewrite of No Child Left Behind

13. Reasons for Optimism: Public Belief in School Quality
Virtually All Voters Positive About Quality of Local Schools
African
American
Total
Hispanic
+38
+20
+36
+52
And you see the result of these improvements in polling.
Virtually all voters are positive about the quality of their local schools.
90% of students in the U.S. attend public schools and overwhelmingly people report liking them.
Excellent
Total excellent/good
Poor
Total just fair/poor

14. Reasons for Optimism: Public Support for Education
Broadly, the public rejects the vision of underfunding schools. In fact, 60% of voters want to see an increase in federal education spending, and education ranks highest on the list of investments that voters would like to see the federal government increase.

15. Reasons for Optimism: Cuts are Unpopular
In addition to voters wanting to see an increase in education at a high level, they largely reject the specifics that are being proposed in Washington. We recently conducted research on the budget and voucher proposals and I’m going to walk through some of the nitty gritty of what we found.
You can see here the topline proposal to cut education funding by $9 billion is opposed by 60% of voters, and close to 40% more people oppose this idea than support it.
The proposed cuts to career and technical education also very unpopular.

16. Reasons for Optimism: Cuts are Unpopular
Cuts to afterschool programs, teacher training and effectiveness, and investments in providing a well rounded education also garner very little support.

17. Voucher Messaging
We did however want to delve into the DeVos and Trump proposals to understand which messages do resonate and what implications these messages might have for advocates of high quality public education.

18. Key Arguments: Support for Vouchers
For each statement, please indicate whether it is a very convincing, somewhat convincing, a little convincing, or not at all convincing reason to SUPPORT Trump's education priorities and budget proposal.
Too often, children in the poorest neighborhoods are trapped in dangerous and failing schools. We have a moral obligation to provide an alternative for parents whose children are struggling in schools that are unsafe and ineffective.
Kids, families, and communities are all different, with unique needs and values. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we should give families the option to send their kids to the school that works best - whether it be a traditional district school, charter school, magnet school, private school, religious school, or homeschooling.
(SPLIT E) Public schools today are broken. School administrators, teachers unions, and other special interest groups fight anyone who challenges the status quo, so we need to create alternatives.
Two messages were pretty convincing and one convincing but less so:
Moral argument that children trapped in failing schools ought to have an alternative
And that no child is one size fits all
Public schools are broken
Note that none of these arguments achieved greater support than arguments against private school vouchers and budget cuts.

19. Key Arguments: Opposition to Vouchers
Now I'm going to read you some pairs of statements. After I read both statements, please tell me whether the first statement or the second statement comes closer to your own view, even if neither is exactly right.
(Statement A) The best use of our education dollars is to invest in improving public schools.
(Statement B) The best use of our education dollars is to fund the expansion of private school choice programs.
Among all demographic groups, the message that public funds should be used to improve public schools is a powerful and resonate message.
Statement A
Strongly
Total Statement A
Total Statement B
Statement B

20. Key Arguments: Opposition to Vouchers
Now I'm going to read you some pairs of statements. After I read both statements, please tell me whether the first statement or the second statement comes closer to your own view, even if neither is exactly right.
(Statement A) Taxpayer money should only be used to fund public schools, not private or religious schools.
(Statement B) Taxpayer money should follow individual students to whatever school is best for them, whether that is a public, private, or religious school
You can see here that even among Republicans, the concept of investing public money only in public schools resonates.

21. More Than 60% Say More Support for Teachers Will Have Major Impact
Positive Vision: Greater Support for Teachers
More Than 60% Say More Support for Teachers Will Have Major Impact
Recruit and retain the best teachers through better training, more support, and professional salaries. Teachers should get paid at least as much as similarly educated professionals, and states and school districts should create career pathways for teachers that provide different roles and responsibilities as they gain experience and expertise

22. Positive Vision: Variety of Public Options Such as Charters
Please indicate your view of CHARTER SCHOOLS. If you have not heard of them or are unfamiliar with them, just indicate that.
While vouchers are unpopular, we saw that parents and the average member of the public believes in the idea that public school system ought to provide options.

23. Positive Vision: Stronger Career and Technical Education
Now, we're going to look at some other policy solutions that have been proposed to address the challenges facing our education system. For each one, please indicate whether you believe this proposal would have a major impact, a minor impact, or no real impact in improving education for American students.
Invest in career and technical education and training that prepares students who don't plan to go to college for good jobs. The federal government should help states create and expand opportunities for work-based learning, apprenticeships, and other ways to connect students to the local workforce and local employers.

24. Positive Vision: Expanded Access to STEM Training
Now, we're going to look at some other policy solutions that have been proposed to address the challenges facing our education system. For each one, please indicate whether you believe this proposal would have a major impact, a minor impact, or no real impact in improving education for American students.
Invest in expanding access to science, technology, engineering, and math courses, also known as STEM, that prepare students for college and the workforce. The federal government should provide funding for states and school districts to hire more STEM teachers and provide advanced STEM courses, including engineering and computer coding, in every high school

25. In Sum: Dos and Don’ts
We tested many arguments against the Trump/DeVos agenda. A few resonated more than others.
While progressives should tailor their arguments for their audience, arguments about losing civil rights protections or the potential for discrimination were less effective with the public than arguments about investing public money in public schools. Do
Don’t
Emphasize “public money for public schools”
Focus on accountability, potential discrimination, civil rights protections, and/or religious orientation of private schools to argue against vouchers
Frame in terms of values and kids
Frame in terms of systems, processes, protections
Use the phrase “private school vouchers”
Use the terms “(private) school choice,” “scholarship,” “tax credit,” or “education savings account”
Champion public school options, including charters and access to career and technical education
Bash private schools or charter schools
Offer a positive vision
Just critique vouchers
Tie vouchers to Trump/DeVos cuts to public education
Mention in isolation

26. What You Can Do
So now that I’ve talked a bunch, it is on to what you can do.
HandsOff campaign
Engage with the community – don’t underestimate the power teachers have
Get to know your representatives at the state and federal level
Go to public meetings, town halls and other events
Write Op-Eds and letters to the editor to promote policies that support teachers
Get involved in state ESSA deliberations
Use social media

27. Questions?
With that, I would love to have some time to take some questions and to hear your ideas!