Dear AASLH Friends-
The National Coalition for History and the AASLH urge you to contact your Member of the House of Representatives and ask him or her to sign this “Dear Colleague” letter before September 11. It supports key provisions that fund history and civics education.
Negotiations to finalize a rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) will resume when Congress returns after Labor Day. Members of the House and Senate will be meeting to iron out the differences between the versions of the bill passed by each body. Quite simply, the Senate bill restores federal funding for K-12 history and civics education while the House bill does not.
The Senate version includes four provisions that create funding for high quality American history, civics, geography, and economics education. Some House Majority Conferees, however, have already declared their top priority in conference to be eliminating as many new programs and grants as possible. This poses a direct threat to the Senate provisions that could inject much needed funding into history, civics and the social studies.
We cannot overstress the importance of this effort. Congress has not reauthorized the ESEA in 15 years so this is likely our only opportunity to get funding restored for K-12 history and civics education. Time is of the essence!
- Send an email. NCH, working with the National Humanities Alliance, has prepared a one-step link to your House member here.
- Make a phone call. All Members of Congress can be reached through the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Talking points, etc. are here.
Thank you for your help today.
John Dichtl
President & CEO
American Association for State and Local History
