U.S. Department of Education (DOE)

AFT on Nomination of Dr. Miguel Cardona as Education Secretary

Tue, 12/22/2020 - 3:00pm
WASHINGTON — American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel issued the following statement after President-elect Joe Biden nominated Miguel A. Cardona to be the next U.S. secretary of education:
 

Helping Members Beat Back Student Debt

Mon, 03/19/2018 - 5:30pm
Across the country last year, staff and leaders from our national union held scores of clinics to guide thousands of members toward relief from the weight of their student loans. AFT Connecticut at the same time organized training sessions to help affiliated locals offer the workshops themselves, exponentially increasing the number of those that can benefit. Soaring student debt may seem like old news, but for current and former students locked in its grip, it feels relentlessly fresh and relevant.
 
Click here for our previous report on the clinics' launch.
 

Educators Respond to Growing Stress on the Job

Thu, 11/30/2017 - 6:30pm
A survey of nearly 5,000 public school educators released last month by our national union found rates of anxiety to be twice those of working people in other professions. Most respondents said they face disrespect by local, state and federal policymakers and elected officials. By contrast, educators in school districts that foster collaboration reported lower stress levels and higher retention rates. The results mirror those of a survey of AFT Connecticut-affiliated union members conducted earlier this summer.
 
Click here for a full report on the national survey's results.
 

Standing Up to Unprecedented Threats to Schools

Fri, 01/06/2017 - 6:00pm
By choosing billionaire political donor Betsy DeVos to lead the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), President-elect Donald Trump has shown he is serious about decimating our nation's public schools. Congress has scheduled her nomination hearing for next Wednesday, adding urgency to the defense of our shared mission of a high-quality learning experience for all students. Members are encouraged to sign and share an open letter demanding the secretary of education and every elected official respect and uphold this vision.
 
Click here to add your name to the letter.
 

New Federal Testing Proposals: Praise, Caution & Action

Mon, 07/18/2016 - 5:30pm
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) earlier this month proposed rules regarding student testing under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the nation's new law governing public education. Included in the July 7 announcement were plans for a pilot program that states will likely be able to apply for in the coming school year. The news drew both caution and praise from union leaders -- along with a renewed call to action ensuring that the law's promise as a "reset" of federal education policy continues.
 

Reigning-In Predatory For-Profit Colleges

Mon, 06/27/2016 - 3:30pm
Leading the charge to clean up exploitative policies and practices hurting students in higher education — and costing all taxpayers — is a new report released last week by our national union. Among highlights are the 2014 collapse of Corinthian Colleges as both an example and a call to action for increased oversight of the growing for-profit higher education "industry."
 
Click here for the full report.
 

Student Debt Clinics Save Borrowers Thousands

Wed, 06/08/2016 - 3:30pm
The crisis of student debt is holding back millions of Americans, and our union is taking it on not only on a policy level, but one borrower at a time. AFT has begun holding student debt workshops to help individuals drop hundreds of dollars from their monthly loan payments and even qualify for loan forgiveness.
 

Summit Gives Full Context to Challenge of Teacher Diversity

Tue, 05/17/2016 - 3:30pm
Key public education stakeholders earlier this month convened to address efforts to attract, prepare and retain a teaching workforce that reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of our nation's students. The May 6 summit in Washington, D.C. drew participation from a full spectrum of organizations and individuals grappling with the issue and was co-sponsored by our national union.
 

Re-imagining High School for the 21st Century

Thu, 11/19/2015 - 6:30pm
The administration of President Barack Obama last week convened a first-ever “Summit on Next Generation High Schools,” bringing educators, administrators, policymakers and other stakeholders together from across the nation. Our AFT Connecticut president was among the union leaders to attend the event, which was designed to highlight best practices in recent efforts to prepare students for post-graduation success.
 
Click here for a White House fact sheet on the summit.
 

Survey Shows Need for National Focus on Workplace Stress

Wed, 05/20/2015 - 12:00pm
The results of a new AFT survey on working conditions and pressures facing education professionals across the country provide vital information about sources of stress on the job. They demonstrate the need for a scientific study on how work affects the health and well-being of teachers, paraprofessionals and school support staff -- and we're mobilizing union members to urge the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to take on this task.
 
Click here to ask the DOE to conduct this research.
 
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