As a member of the STEM Education Coalition’s Steering Committee, NAAEE is joining with science educators, school leaders, environmental educators, and other stakeholders in a national Day of Action tomorrow, October 26, to urge Congress to fully fund the flexible block grant program (Student Support and Academic Enrichment, Title IV Part A) recently authorized in the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The Student Success and Academic Enrichment block grant is designed to give school districts flexibility in funding programs that foster safe and healthy students, provide a well-rounded education, and increase effective use of technology in our nation’s schools.

Of particular note, school districts can choose to spend Title IV Part A dollars to improve student engagement by:

• Expanding access to environmental education (EE)
• Providing hands-on, field-based, and service learning opportunities in STEM
• Supporting student participation in STEM competitions (such as Future Cities, Envirothon, robotics, and science research competitions)
• Increasing access to STEM for underserved and at risk student populations
• Integrating other academics subjects, such as civics or the arts, into STEM subject programs

In order to ensure this program has maximum impact and is implemented as intended, NAAEE and many other stakeholder groups are trying to secure the highest possible funding level for Title IV Part A. Please join us in urging lawmakers to fully fund this program.

To make participation in this national Day of Action as easy as possible, there are a number of ways that you can make your voice heard—and the tools you need to do so!

Send a pre-written letter to your Member of Congress via the STEM Education Coalition’s easy-to-use Congressional Action Center.

Call or email your Member’s office and ask to speak to the legislative assistant who handles appropriations issues. Call the Capitol Hill switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your member of Congress. If the legislative assistant is not in, leave a voicemail with your request. A sample script can be found here.

Send a tweet to your Members of Congress. Sample messages are available here.