Why We're Marching

OUR MESSAGE

An investment in our schools is an investment in our country's future; strong students grow into strong leaders. Washington, D.C. must commit to protecting and elevating our nation's public education system. No child should be required to pay for his or her right to learn.

The current administration has proposed cuts to the most fundamental of programs serving our children, including those that give money to students with special needs, after school care, and work-study programs. They want to take money from programs that serve all of our students and funnel them to an elite few through an expansion of a federal voucher program. They want to further cut funding for advanced placement and STEAM courses, the arts and teacher development initiatives.

As a nation, we cannot afford these devastating cuts to the efforts to prepare our children to lead our country in the international community. We demand this administration propose a budget that will elevate the education of every child.

OUR MISSION

Increase IDEA and Title I funding to supports students with special needs and those from our most vulnerable populations. Under Trump’s proposed budget, these programs would receive the same dollar amount as they currently do despite increasing costs.
Eliminate the $250 million in vouchers for students to attend parochial and private schools and instead redirect that funding towards continuing improvements in traditional district and public charter schools.
Preserve the $1 billion that could be taken away from schools in need and funneled towards more affluent schools through school choice initiatives.
Prepare our students to enter the workforce and compete on an international scale by securing funding for Career and Technical Education, Advanced Placement and STEAM courses.
Support families in rural areas with fewer non-profit or private child care options by funding early childhood education and afterschool programs.
Invest in our teachers and school staff through Americorps, teacher preparation and teacher development programs.
Ensure that no child’s right to an education is jeopardized or threatened and that all students feel safe to learn by staffing and funding the Office of Civil Rights within the Education Department.
Give more students the opportunity to secure a college education through work-study programs and public-service loan forgiveness.