.png)
10 signatures reached
To: The board members of the LRSD and possibly the board of the city of Little Rock
Fund Our Schools resolution
We the people of Little Rock are calling on our LRSD board members, Michael Mason, Vicki Hatter, Sandrekkia Morning,Norma Johnson, Greg Adams, Leigh Anne Wilson, Anna Strong, Evelyn Hemphill Calloway,and Joyce Walker Wesley , to adopt the Fund Our Schools Resolution
calling for the full, permanent funding of our public schools at the federal level.
After contributing almost $200 billion of much-needed funds to public education since the COVID-19 pandemic, federal ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) support will come to an end on September 30, 2024. This short-term federal infusion of funds meant that students across the country had a chance to benefit from the myriad resources provided through expanded federal investment in their public schools. From one-on-one tutoring, to free summer schools, to additional support personnel for students with disabilities, we saw positive outcomes not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well.
As the so-called ESSER funding cliff approaches, it is more important than ever to call on the federal government to fulfill promises made long ago to fully fund Title I and IDEA. It is equally important to call on our state legislators to provide adequate and equitable state funding. By having school boards across the country pass resolutions supporting these efforts, we can galvanize this moment to shed light on the critical funding needs in our public schools.
The Fund Our Schools resolution calls for support of the Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers Act (Keep Our PACT Act), legislation that aims to fully fund Title I, and IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) over the span of 10 years. If our local leaders pass the Fund Our Schools Resolution, it will signal that the people of our school districts widely support adequate, equitable, and sustainable funding increases to mitigate the harm caused by decades of underfunded schools.
Our school board leaders passing this resolution, along with similar resolutions across the country, can help galvanize this moment to shed light on the critical funding needs in our schools.
Why is this important?
This is important to the city of Little Rock and the Little Rock school district because we are already dealing with budget shortages that have required staff reductions. Some elementary classrooms in Little Rock started school with no decoration or supplies because they had long term subs. Teachers at the secondary level are facing shortages of desks and supplies because class sizes are too large. Any further reduction of funds puts the district and our students in jeopardy .