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EveryLibrary stands in support of H.R. 8691 to authorize the establishment of an Education Jobs Fund to retain and create education jobs in communities most impacted by COVID-19.
Please sign this petition to support HR 8691 today if you care about school libraries and education in the United States.
Every $10 we raise helps us reach 1,000 Americans with petitions to support school libraries. Please donate today!
Until Congress stepped in last April with $27,940,945 from the CARES Act to fund educator and school librarian salaries, Coronavirus crisis left thousands of educators without pay. As long as the COVID remains unchecked and our economy suffers, schools around the country will continue to face budget shortfalls. In fact, between February and September 2020, an estimated 585,000 local public education staff lost their jobs across the country. Without sufficient funding from the federal government to support states and school districts during this economic crisis, an estimated 1.5 million education jobs will be lost over the next two years.
We are supporting H.R. 8691 because it provides long-term support for teachers and school staff through a new 10-year Education Jobs Fund. Without this support from the federal government our children will lose uncountable hours of learning because they have lost their teachers and school librarians. This bill would deliver up to $261 billion to states and school districts over 10 years. The funding would help to save up to 3.9 million education jobs, including teachers, social workers, nurses, school librarians, school leaders, bus drivers, and more. Additionally, this legislation would also guarantee funding to all states for 6 years, or until the unemployment rate drops below 5.5%, to help school districts maintain their staff.
The COVID-19 public health emergency has had major financial impacts across the country, including our schools. It is crucial that we support our local school districts with the funds they need so they can focus on what they do best – teaching our nation’s children and helping them flourish into thoughtful, independent adults. Please sign the petition today.