Seven Ways to Work for NCLB Reform

1) Hold a public forum in your community to discuss NCLB.

2) Persuade your organizations to pass resolutions calling for reform of NCLB. (Such resolutions are often issued by unions, religious groups, professional associations, and parents groups.) Ask them to:

a) Endorse the Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB signed by 143 national education, civil rights, religious, disability, parent, labor and civic organizations.
▪ See the Joint Organizational Statement at http://www.fairtest.org/joint-organizational-statement-no-child-left-beh...

b) Publicize your results in the local media and send copies of resolutions and petitions to your local and federal elected officials.

3) Write letters-to-the-editor and op-ed pieces for your local and regional newspapers.

See How to Work With Your Local Media at  http://www.fairtest.org/get_involved/media

4) Get your local school board to pass a resolution or hold a community forum about NCLB.

5) Contact your U.S. senators and representatives about changing NCLB:

a) send them letters with copies of news clips, resolutions, and/or signed petitions

b) call them with your concerns

c) set up small group meetings with them in your district; bring other parents, teachers, and/or local elected officials to the meeting.
▪ To contact your members of Congress, go to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

6) Contact your state legislators to enlist them in the effort to reform NCLB.

a) send them letters, call, and/or set up meetings

b) seek their commitment to pass resolutions in the State Legislature about NCLB reform and to work with your state’s Congressional delegation to change the federal law.

7) Parents: Join the NCLB-mandated Parents Advisory Board at your child’s school.

a) make sure it is an independent voice for parents

b) work to minimize the damage caused by NCLB at the school.

See www.fairtest.org/K-12 for fact sheets, reports, and other materials on NCLB. For information on organizing and activism, on working with the media, and locating state-level activists, go to www.fairtest.org/get_involved.

For a Printable PDF of this Fact Sheet click here.