Urgent Need to Contact House Education and Labor Committee by March 26th to keep NCLI moving forward.
Dear NCLI Coalition member:
Earlier this year, we asked you to provide comments to the U.S. Department of Education on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (currently known as No Child Left Behind), and you responded. Hundreds of Coalition members, and thousands of their members let Secretary Duncan know how important it is that provisions of the No Child Left Inside Act be included in a reauthorized ESEA. Thank you!
We are asking you for help once again. Leadership from the House Education and Labor Committee issued a bipartisan statement last month reflecting their commitment to amending and improving ESEA this year. They have flagged NCLI on their website as a key bill up for consideration and are inviting organizations and agencies to submit comments on NCLI and other legislation related to ESEA by March 26, 2010. Please take a few moments today to email the Committee at eseacomments@mail.house.gov and let them know that you support the inclusion of the No Child Left Inside Act (H.R. 2053) in the reauthorized ESEA.
Some tips for submitting your comments:
- Send your comments in the format of a letter on organizational letterhead.
- Personalize your comments with information about your organization—size and type, interest in environmental education, specific progress in your state/region.
- Send a copy of your comments to Sarah Bodor, sbodor@cbf.org, so that we can follow-up on your comments in subsequent meetings with Committee staff and members of Congress.
Remember, comments should be emailed to eseacomments@mail.house.gov by March 26, 2010.
Thank you for your continued work on behalf of No Child Left Inside!
The template message below may be of use to you in crafting your email. Remember to personalize it with information about your organization and why you are a member of the NCLI Coalition.
Members of the Committee on Education and Labor:
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). We are pleased that the Committee’s website highlights the No Child Left Inside Act as one of four key pieces of legislation pending before the Committee for consideration as part of the reauthorization. We urge you to embed the provisions of the No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Act, as introduced, into the reauthorized ESEA.
[Personalize with information about your organization/state/region here]
The No Child Left Inside Act is critical to providing our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be ready for college and the tremendous career opportunities developing as America transitions to a green economy. Enhancing students’ environmental literacy is a proven way to expand the academic pipeline for STEM subjects and is increasingly seen as an innovative way to give students the sense of wonder and excitement so essential to encouraging scientific inquiry. Environmental education has been shown to improve student achievement across core subject areas and increase engagement in learning. What’s more, getting kids outside and active promotes a healthy lifestyle that is essential to fighting obesity and reducing symptoms associated with attention deficit disorder, depression, and stress.
We are grateful that the Committee approved a modified version of the NCLI Act during the 110thCongress and are hopeful that you will include the provisions of the current NCLI bill in ESEA this year. Leaving it out of ESEA would be a missed opportunity to improve education while helping to systemically address other national priorities of a strengthened economy, a competitive workforce, and a healthier nation.
Sincerely,
