Please contact legislators and ask their support for funding of the Supporting Effective Educators Development grant. See information below. This is very important to continued funding of the National Writing Project. **************************************************************** Priscilla L. Griffith Ruth G. Hardman Chair in Education Director of the Oklahoma Writing Project The University of Oklahoma/The Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education 338 Cate Center Drive, Room 190 Norman, Ok 73019 TEL 405-325-3534 FAX 405-325-7841 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> http://education.ou.edu/hardman/ http://owp.ou.edu ________________________________ From: Bob Jobin <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 4:33 PM To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; Griffith, Priscilla L.; [log in to unmask]; Johnson, Jamie E.; [log in to unmask] Cc: [log in to unmask] Subject: NWP Advocacy | SEED Dear Colleague Letter | OK Dear Site Leaders, As always, this is an important time of year for advocacy and we are writing to ask for your help over the next few weeks. There is now a Dear Colleague Letter circulating in the U.S. Senate (and we soon hope it will be circulating in the U.S. House) to support funding for the SEED program during the upcoming FY 2017 federal appropriations process. SENATE DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER Please contact your congressional delegation in the U.S. Senate requesting that they sign a Dear Colleague letter (available here<https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6t4FVgdTRr1LXVlaFRpMklsNVE>) written to support SEED competitive funding for NWP and other national non-profit organizations in the Department of Education’s FY 2017 federal budget. The deadline for calls and e-mails is Thursday, March 10, in the U.S Senate so please urge TCs to contact their Members of Congress as soon as possible. Here is the background: · In the next few months, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee will be moving forward with their FY2017 Appropriations spending bill. It is important to encourage the LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee to fully fund Title IIB of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which includes funding for the “Supporting Effective Educator Development” (SEED) grant program, so NWP and other national non-profits can continue to compete for federal funding. · Currently, NWP is eligible to compete for the SEED grant program funded by Title IIB. · NWP successfully competed in the initial three SEED grant competitions. Next steps: This week, please contact your legislators and request that they sign an FY2017 SEED Dear Colleague letter. The Senate letter is sponsored by Sen. Wicker (R-MS) and Sen. Bennet (D-CO). And pass this information along to your TC community. Your Senate contact information: Senator Name Phone Education Staff Staff Email Inhofe, James M. 202-224-4721 Jennifer Bowman [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Lankford, James 202-224-5754 Kevin Kincheloe [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Talking Points for the emails/phone calls: · I am calling today to ask you to sign the Dear Colleague letter being circulated by Sen. Wicker and Sen. Bennet in support of the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program in the FY2017 Education Appropriations bill. · The competitive SEED program does not call for any new spending; the program is funded as a part of Title IIB of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) – Through Subpart IV, Programs of National Significance. · The SEED program has been funded for the last six fiscal years. By fully funding Title IIB of ESSA, the program will help national nonprofits with proven track records of success like the NWP continue to serve the students, teachers, school leaders, and communities most in need. · Please contact Rob Murray in Senator Wicker’s office or Jessica Bowen in Sen. Bennet’s office to sign on to this Dear Colleague letter. · Thank you for your support in the past and for your interest in supporting high-quality education for teachers. (If applicable) Please email [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> or call Bob Jobin at 215-665-1400 x.3348 with any questions about this request to be in touch with your legislator’s office and be sure to let us know what the response is to your request. Thank you for your help in getting the word out about this important chance to act on behalf of future funding opportunities for NWP! Sincerely – Bob Jobin