Murray Honored By National Teachers Group for Bipartisan Work to Fix NCLB; Calls for Continued Work to Make Sure All Students Have Opportunity to Succeed

Murray receives NEA’s “Friend of Education Award” for bipartisan work on the Every Student Succeeds Act; hundreds of Washington state teachers, paraeducators in D.C. for national meeting

In acceptance remarks, Murray highlighted the importance of bringing in the voices of teachers and paraeducators into the process as K-12 law is implemented

Murray also received this award back in 2013, for her efforts as Senate Budget Committee Chair to protect federal education funding, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid

Murray: “I am going to keep working to make sure education remains that first national goal President Johnson envisioned fifty one years ago—and the door of equal education continues to open for our children—wider each year.”

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, along with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, received the “Friend Of Education Award” from the National Education Association (NEA) for their bipartisan work on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the landmark K-12 legislation to fix the broken No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law.

“It’s an honor to receive the Friend of Education Award and to recognize all the incredible teachers and paraeducators that make up the National Education Association. As leaders in our classrooms, schools, and communities—you make up the heart and soul of education in America,” said Senator Murray. “That’s why I worked so hard to make sure your voices were heard as ESSA was written and it’s why I am fighting to keep you in the room as the law is implemented. I look forward to continuing to work together so that every child in our nation has the opportunity to succeed—regardless of where they live, how they learn, or how much money their parents make.”

“The hard work and bipartisan cooperation of Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray to pass ESSA will ensure that all students regardless of ZIP code will have equal opportunity to a high-quality public education for years to come,” said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “They were instrumental not only in the passing of the critical K-12 federal education law, but they listened, they set the tone of bipartisan cooperation, and they got the job done on behalf of the nation’s students and educators. Their bold leadership ushered a new chapter in public education, one in which educators have a seat at the table to make decisions that affect their students and classrooms. We are honored and grateful to call them an NEA Friend of Education.”

In her remarks accepting the award at the 2016 NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly, Murray highlighted the major strides ESSA makes in ensuring strong federal guardrails for accountability, shining a light on resource inequities, reducing reliance on high-stakes testing, and increasing access to preschool. Murray noted that the bill represents an important step forward, as it broke through the gridlock and dysfunction that has become too common in Congress. Murray also explained that she is going to be focused on ensuring the legislation is implemented effectively, and building on its progress to ensure we are doing everything possible to help students, teachers, and families in Washington state and across the country.

Background:

The “Friend of Education Award” recognizes a person or organization whose leadership, acts or support have significantly contributed to the improvement of American public education. Other public officials who have received this honor include: U.S. Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and William Jefferson Clinton; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA); and U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley and the late Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy (D-MA).

Key excerpts from Senator Murray’s acceptance remarks:

“Our country needed to move past the broken law that was holding back our students, our teachers, and our schools. We needed a new law. One that learned from the mistakes made in No Child Left Behind: the high stakes testing that sucked creativity from classrooms; the one-size-fits-all approach; the unrealistic goals; the lack of resources to meet those goals; the punishments when they weren’t met; the blaming of teachers, of principals, of staff—who were doing nothing wrong; the letters telling parents the schools they loved were failing—when so many of them knew they weren’t.”

“As we wrote this new law, I was very focused on making sure it actually worked for those who we would be asking to implement it. So I worked hard to bring in the voices of our teachers and para-educators—and make sure your ideas and concerns were heard in this process. And I am very proud that our new law—the Every Student Succeeds Act—reflects so many of our shared priorities—and fixes so many of the problems with No Child Left Behind.”

“With your help, we reduced high stakes testing and put in place a broader set of measures to help states determine how their students are actually doing. We made it clear that while accountability matters—and strong federal guardrails needed to be maintained—students and teachers shouldn’t be judged on test scores alone. We were able to fight off school vouchers that would have weakened public education, as well as so called “portability” proposals that would have siphoned money from schools with the highest concentration of students living in poverty to go to more affluent schools. We made it very clear that our new law could not undermine the collective bargaining agreements that teachers and para-educators—including so many of you in this room here today—have fought so hard for over the years. And for the first time ever—we made sure our nation’s education law included dedicated funding for pre-kindergarten—a personal priority of mine.”

“As many of you know, it was education that got me into politics in the first place, fighting for my children’s preschool program after a state legislator said I was “just a mom in tennis shoes” who couldn’t make a difference…I went on to serve on the school board, and then the State Senate—but before I ran for office, I taught in that preschool—and what I saw in that classroom all those years ago is what keeps me going today. The look in a child’s eye when they learn something new. The pride they exude when they figure out a problem. The way you can see them grow over the year—see them advance—see them take on new challenges.”

“On my last day teaching preschool, my students presented me with a large quilt…It’s a beautiful patchwork of suns, and smiles and scribbles, all wonderfully drawn in bright messy crayon. That quilt now hangs in my Senate office. When I look at it, I remember the little hands that made each patch. I think about those little heads with big curious minds—like sponges—and the responsibility we all felt to make sure they were leaving our classroom ready to succeed. One step closer to tackling life’s challenges. Seizing its opportunities. It’s a feeling you all know well—one I know drives all of us with education in our blood.”

Full text of Senator Murray’s acceptance remarks:

“Thank you so much Lily. You are such an amazing leader for everyone here in this room and for educators across the country. And I want to thank Kim Mead who I’m glad is here representing my home state as President of the Washington Education Association.

“Everyone here from Washington state—can you please stand up? You are doing amazing work back home—and your passion and commitment motivates me every single day to fight on your behalf here in the other Washington.  And to everyone else here today—you are the heart and soul of education in America—thank you for everything you do for children across the country!

“It is truly an honor to be here today with my fellow friend of education, Senator Lamar Alexander. Can we give Lamar one more round of applause? As you all know, he’s the first Republican to receive this award since 1984. And while most of us in this room usually don’t approve of Republicans winning anything—I am glad you made an exception for Lamar! He has truly been a fantastic partner in our work for students across the country.

“And he understands, like I do—the value of the voices and perspectives of the teachers and para-educators in this room—and across the country. When Lamar and I sat down at the start of 2015 to talk about our goals and priorities for this Congress, the scene had been set for one issue a half century earlier.

“In 1965, the NEA’s first Friend of Education, President Lyndon Johnson, returned to the old elementary school he once attended to take an important step in his War on Poverty. At a picnic table on the lawn of the school, he signed into law the Elementary and Secondary Education Act – or ESEA. 

“Our nation had long claimed the ideal of education for all—but on that day in 1965, President Johnson actually signed that value into law. What he called “full educational opportunity as our first national goal.”

“ESEA was at its heart a civil rights bill. It aimed to close the education gaps between rich and poor, black and white, kids from rural areas and kids from big cities. And it was a response to President Johnson’s understanding that our country “could never rest while the door to knowledge remained closed to any American.”

“ESEA helped crack that door open for millions of Americans over the past fifty years. But as Marian Wright Edelman said in this room when accepting the Friend of Education award in 2004—the work isn’t over. And opening that door of equal education wide remains “the great unfinished business of our nation.”

“Unfortunately, as you all know, the latest attempt to pull that door open—No Child Left Behind—simply wasn’t working. The intent was good—but no amount of good intent can overcome an education law not actually working where it matters most—with our students, in our classrooms, and in our schools.

“So when Lamar and I started our work, we knew it wouldn’t be easy—especially in such a gridlocked and dysfunctional Congress, but we also knew if we worked together, made some compromises, and focused on reaching a result that would actually work for the students, parents, and teachers we represented—we could do it.

“And more importantly—we knew we didn’t have a choice. Our country needed to move past the broken law that was holding back our students, our teachers, and our schools. We needed a new law. One that learned from the mistakes made in No Child Left Behind: the high stakes testing that sucked creativity from classrooms; the one-size-fits-all approach; the unrealistic goals; the lack of resources to meet those goals; the punishments when they weren’t met; the blaming of teachers, of principals, of staff—who were doing nothing wrong; the letters telling parents the schools they loved were failing—when so many of them knew they weren’t.

“In other words—we needed a law that actually worked. One that didn’t depend on waivers that could be changed Administration to Administration—or year to year. But also one that maintained the strong federal role our students deserve. And that kept us moving toward that original goal of ESEA—that unfinished business, making sure every child in our nation has the opportunity to succeed—regardless of where they live, how they learn, or how much money their parents make.

“As we wrote this new law, I was very focused on making sure it actually worked for those who we would be asking to implement it. So I worked hard to bring in the voices of our teachers and para-educators—and make sure your ideas and concerns were heard in this process. And I am very proud that our new law—the Every Student Succeeds Act—reflects so many of our shared priorities—and fixes so many of the problems with No Child Left Behind.

“With your help, we reduced high stakes testing and put in place a broader set of measures to help states determine how their students are actually doing.

“We made it clear that while accountability matters—and strong federal guardrails needed to be maintained—students and teachers shouldn’t be judged on test scores alone.

“We were able to fight off school vouchers that would have weakened public education, as well as so called “portability” proposals that would have siphoned money from schools with the highest concentration of students living in poverty to go to more affluent schools.

“We made it very clear that our new law could not undermine the collective bargaining agreements that teachers and para-educators—including so many of you in this room here today—have fought so hard for over the years.

“And for the first time ever—we made sure our nation’s education law included dedicated funding for pre-kindergarten—a personal priority of mine.

“So I am proud of our new law. And all of you in this room have so much to be proud of too. But all of us understand—the work didn’t end on the President’s desk—it just began. A law is only as good as its implementation.

“President Johnson understood this well. At that signing ceremony fifty one years ago, he said the nation’s new education law needed to “rekindle the revolution—the revolution of the spirit against the tyranny of ignorance.” And while he didn’t say this outright—as a former teacher himself, I am sure he understood it—a law can provide the kindling, but teachers and para-educators like all of you are the ones we count on to spark the flame—and keep the fire burning.

“As leaders in the classrooms, leaders in your schools, in your communities—your work continues, more important than ever. I fought to make sure your voices were heard as this law was written—and I am not going to stop fighting to keep you in the room as it is implemented. I am going to keep working to make sure education remains that first national goal President Johnson envisioned fifty one years ago—and the door of equal education continues to open for our children—wider each year.

 
“As many of you know, it was education that got me into politics in the first place, fighting for my children’s preschool program after a state legislator said I was “just a mom in tennis shoes” who couldn’t make a difference. Can you believe that? I bet we’ve got a few moms in tennis shoes in this room today—and probably a few dads too!

“I went on to serve on the school board, and then the State Senate—but before I ran for office, I taught in that preschool—and what I saw in that classroom all those years ago is what keeps me going today. The look in a child’s eye when they learn something new. The pride they exude when they figure out a problem. The way you can see them grow over the year—see them advance—see them take on new challenges.

“On my last day teaching preschool, my students presented me with a large quilt: 48 squares, each made by a different student. It’s a beautiful patchwork of suns, and smiles and scribbles, all wonderfully drawn in bright messy crayon. That quilt now hangs in my Senate office. When I look at it, I remember the little hands that made each patch. I think about those little heads with big curious minds—like sponges—and the responsibility we all felt to make sure they were leaving our classroom ready to succeed. One step closer to tackling life’s challenges. Seizing its opportunities. It’s a feeling you all know well—one I know drives all of us with education in our blood. 

“Those of us who walked into classrooms understanding in our bones what last year’s Friend of Education recipient Malala Yousafzai said so eloquently: "One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen, can change the world. "I bet every one of you in this room has something like my quilt. A picture.  A drawing. A face. A memory. Something that reminds us that the choices we make in education today—the policies we fight for to help our students succeed—the work we do every day in our classrooms and schools—will set a course for our children and our country for years to come. 

“So thank you again for everything you do. For everything you fight for. I am proud to be a Friend of Education. And I look forward to keeping up our fight.”

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