Subject:
Support Teacher Centers and Professional Learning Programs!
Message:
Dear Legislator:
As a constituent who cares deeply about public education, I urge you to restore $21.4 million in funding for Teacher Centers in the enacted budget as the executive budget eliminates funding for these essential centers. Teacher Centers were established by the Legislature to provide locally determined and ongoing professional development for all educators. They are the only state-funded vehicle guaranteed to support professional development for all school districts, including over 200 high-need schools/districts, BOCES, non-public schools and charter schools.
During the pandemic, these centers provided support to over 500,000 educators, parents and community members. Initially, the centers concentrated on supporting all educators with the transition to online learning, this conformed with the historic mission of teacher centers ― to experiment with the use of multiple instructional approaches and instructional technologies.
Many Teacher Centers also offer programs that support the emotional and mental health of students and teachers; provide trauma informed instruction; bolster the state’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and provide experience and other learning opportunities to special education teachers. These offerings address some of the most significant issues facing public education and further provide best practices to overcome them.
Teacher Centers assist educators in assessing and meeting the learning needs of all students. This professional learning system is organized and operated by teachers to improve their own educational performance, which benefits both educators and students. Accordingly, I call on you to restore $21.4 million in funding for Teacher Centers in this year’s enacted budget.
Additionally, I ask that you support the executive budget proposal of $368,000 to maintain the National Board Certification Program and amend the re-appropriation language so that moneys may be accessed by educators who require more than one-year to complete certification. National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students and schools. It was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide.
Thank you for your consideration of these very important issues. I respectfully ask that you bring up this issue with your conference and I would greatly appreciate a response to this email.
Sincerely,
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