This week has been designated Teacher Appreciation Week, and Tuesday, May 6, is National Teacher Day. This is a time for all Southwest Virginians to honor the region’s teachers and recognize them for their dedication to educating the region’s students. Teachers have played a critical role in all of our lives, and it is especially important that these individuals be recognized appropriately for their contributions and hard work.

The retention of qualified and experienced teachers is necessary to ensure that all Southwest Virginia’s students develop a knowledge base that will allow them to succeed in their chosen careers. Students are the key to our future, and we should prepare them for that future by providing them with the best resources and ensuring that they are able to learn from highly qualified teachers.

Unfortunately, the President’s FY 2009 budget was a major disappointment for advocates for education. It severely under-invests in education, freezing education funding at the FY 2008 level, which represents a cut when inflation is taken into account.

In sharp contrast, the budget approved by the House reverses the Administration’s policy of under-investing in education for our children. It rejects the President’s proposal to freeze education funding and eliminate 47 different education programs, and instead provides for new investments in vital programs such as Head Start and special education. Overall, the House budget provides for investments of $7.1 billion or 9 percent more than the President’s budget for education and training for 2009.

As a member of Congress, I am continually looking for ways to provide support for those individuals who choose teaching as their profession. I have co-authored the Teacher Tax Relief Act, legislation which would raise the reimbursement rate for teachers who use their own money to purchase school supplies for their classrooms and students. Teachers spend on average more than $1000 each year on essential learning materials such as pencils, books, and lesson plans, and it is necessary that teachers be adequately compensated for these generous gifts.

I also recognize the unique challenges that teachers in Southwest Virginia face. Rural school districts often do not have the ability to spend the same amount per pupil as wealthier school districts in the state. The result of this disparity is that school divisions in rural areas often have access to fewer curricular offerings, less state-of-the art technology and lab equipment and a higher student to teacher ratio than other school districts.

Southwest Virginia’s excellent teachers and school administrators have devised creative solutions to many of the problems the region faces. Across the region, schools have joined together to provide resources to students such as distance learning programs and enrichment activities. Last month, I announced that the U.S. Department of Education through its Teaching American History Grant Program is providing a federal grant of nearly $1 million to advance the professional development of American history teachers in Southwest Virginia schools.
With the benefit of the federal funds, teachers in 16 school districts throughout the region will be offered courses in American History for graduate credit and will have opportunities to attend workshops and participate in hands-on learning activities. The new professional development opportunities, which will be offered in partnership with UVA and UVA-Wise, will provide teachers with added resources so that they may offer a better American History education to their students. I look forward to continuing to work with local leaders and school officials throughout the region to assist in meeting the needs of our region’s teachers.

As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, let us take the time to recognize those teachers in our communities who have prepared us for our careers and those who are dedicated to ensuring that future generations of Southwest Virginians receive quality instruction and guidance.

Rick Boucher is Congressman for the 9th District of Virginia, which includes the New River Valley. You can catch his Capitol Commentary regularly on newrivervoice.com.