Unbelievably, the National Writing Project is once again on the docket to be eliminated from the federal Education budget.   It’s ironic that with Obama’s declaration of the importance of literacy that this program would be eliminated, since it does so much to support the development of excellent teaching.

As with the Improving Libraries grant, the plan is to fold these monies into competitive grants which could then be used by states for these programs or other ones.  States that chose not to participate in these grants(such as Texas) would not be eligible for these funds, thus potentially completely eliminating these programs.

My personal experience as a National Writing Project participant, and in working with a colleague who has conducted many NWP programs has impressed upon me how very effective this program has been, which statistical studies of the program bear out as well.  It transformed my teaching in ways that I still draw on today.

With so much talk of improving teacher quality, it is so critical that programs like this not be eliminated.  This program already has over many years built a network of educators around the country all in the effort to support writing and literacy.  What would be the logic in dismantling it in favor of a random-state-by-state race for funding that wouldn’t guarantee the same quality that the NWP has afforded for so many years?  And to think that states across the country in these times of tight budgets would ALL opt in and fund the NWP themselves or through the competitive grants is simply naive.  (and remember that some states are not even participating).

Teacher quality isn’t just about paying teachers more; it’s not about “competing” for funds from the federal government and abandoning those who don’t “win”– it’s about enriching teachers with opportunities that help them bring their best to the classroom, opportunities like the National Writing Project.

Please read more at the excellent Ning site built by the NWP, sign the petition, encourage your Congressional representative to get involved, repost this sample letter on your own blog, and speak up in favor of the kind of ‘teacher quality’ program that really counts.  Write your Representative here and write your Senator here.

Thanks to Zac Chase and Bud Hunt for continuing to bring attention to this.   And while you are at it, don’t forget that the Improving Literacy for School Libraries grants are in this same situation.  Please read my previous blog post and write letters in support of those grants.