Sign and send the petition: Demand Congress stop the crisis in public schools

Friend, [sign the and send the petition: Demand Congress fully invest in public education, our children, and our future.]( [SIGN AND SEND THE PETITION]( The pandemic has had a [devastating impact]( on learning. And there has been an exodus from public school enrollment – [1.3 million students]( have left public schools since the pandemic began. State education funding relies on student enrollment numbers, and a large reduction in students will lead to a reduction in school budgets. What’s more, low student enrollment is being met with a teacher shortage – partially due to the pandemic and partially due to the [teacher wage penalty](, which has resulted in teachers earning 23.5% less than other college-educated professionals in 2021, a significant rise from the 6.1% teacher wage penalty in 1996. As schools seek to expand staffing to meet the needs of children and families in what is being coined a “recovery year” from the pandemic, they are contending with less funding and fewer qualified teachers. [Sign and send the petition: Demand Congress stop the crisis in public schools.]( [SIGN AND SEND THE PETITION]( President Biden and Democrats in the House of Representatives have called for approximately $40 billion in public school funding to strengthen children’s mental health care, invest in low-income, rural and urban communities, increase special education funding, teacher training, integrated supports, and free school meals. Join us in demanding Congress pass this critical funding to help America’s children. [Sign and send a message directly to your U.S. senators and representative: Demand Congress fully invest in public education, our children, and our future.]( [SIGN AND SEND THE PETITION]( Thanks for all you do, Erin Tulley, Daily Kos Daily Kos Relies on Readers Like You We don't have billionaire backers like some right-wing media outlets. Half our revenue comes from readers like you, meaning we literally couldn't do this work without you. Can you chip in $5 right now to help Daily Kos keep fighting? [Chip in $5]( If you wish to donate by mail instead, please send a check to Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Contributions to Daily Kos are not tax deductible. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.