Leading Education Associations Urge Stronger Focus on Family Engagement in Education

WASHINGTON, April 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Learning First Alliance, a partnership of 17 national education associations representing over ten million parents, educators and policymakers, released the following statement:

"The Elementary and Secondary Education Act should make family engagement a stronger priority. Research consistently demonstrates the importance of family engagement to children's success in school, and the President has strongly and repeatedly endorsed the thrust of this research in his speeches. Yet the President's blueprint for ESEA reauthorization contains only glancing references to the importance of parents and lacks a compelling vision for how the federal government can support family engagement.  The President's budget even proposes the elimination of the Parent Information Resource Centers, the only federal program currently dedicated to family engagement. The Learning First Alliance believes the Reauthorization of ESEA should much more strongly support family engagement as a critical priority."

The Learning First Alliance is a permanent partnership of 17 leading education associations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools.  Alliance members include:  the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, American Association of School Personnel Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, American School Counselor Association, Association of School Business Officials International, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Education Association, National Middle School Association, National School Public Relations Association, National Staff Development Council, National PTA, National School Boards Association and Phi Delta Kappa International.  The Alliance maintains www.publicschoolinsights.org, a website that features what's working in public schools and districts across the country.

SOURCE Learning First Alliance