Dear Friend of NCTE,

Collaborative. Energizing. Provocative. Motivating. Insightful. Hopeful. Sobering. Inspiring. Enlightening. These are some of the words members used last night to describe their experience at NCTE's Advocacy Day. 

P assionate NCTE members convened on Capitol Hill yesterday to share their expertise in literacy and offer recommendations for upcoming budget and policy decisions.  Over and over again the legislators and staff we visited reiterated the same thing: o ur knowledge and experiences matter and policymakers want to hear our stories. 

Relationships are key to accomplishing so many things in this world. And this is absolutely the case when it comes to policy at any level – local, state, or federal. Advocacy day is a wonderful example of what that relationship-building looks like in action. 

The pictures below give you a glimpse into what we started today. Follow along at #literacyadvocacy to see more, and look for ongoing invitations from NCTE to keep the conversation going throughout the year. It was incredible to spend the day learning with such amazing teachers. I can't wait to see what's next. 

Warmly, 

Emily Kirkpatrick
NCTE Executive Director

P.S. Looking for ways to advocate at home? Consider Everyday Advocacy, a website dedicated to changing the narrative about literacy education.

Members came from all across the country and met with their representatives or staff from 35 different offices in both the House and the Senate.
The morning began with talks from Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Emily Kirkpatrick, and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee.
Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) meets with Alfredo Luján, chair of NCTE's policy and advocacy subcommittee. 
Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) addressed our group in the morning. He told the assembled teachers, "What each of you do . . . all of it is essential not only to our students but to our society as a whole." 
Staff and NCTE members meet with Sarah Schenning (bottom left), legislative director for Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Also pictured: Lu Ann McNabb, Veronica Joyner, Elizabeth Primas, Elizabeth Pegram, and Kristen Nielsen
Representative Charlie Crist, (D-FL) met with NCTE President Susan Houser. 
Member Jenny Martin brought students from her teacher education program at Bridgewater College for Advocacy Day. They joined with other Virginia educators to meet with several staffers from the state.