Here’s an excerpt from a statement issued by National PTA President Charles J. “Chuck” Saylors about the Obama Administration’s new education plan:

“…we are deeply concerned that the blueprint contains no comprehensive plan for meaningful family engagement in education. The blueprint, which is aligned to the President’s FY11 budget, signals that the Administration lacks a clear vision and strategy to build capacity of states, districts, and schools to partner with parents and families. The budget proposes the elimination of the sole federal program dedicated to family engagement, and the ESEA blueprint removes essential mechanisms for engaging parents in the education of their children. The blueprint limits parent engagement to afterschool programs and programs administered by the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools – programs that already require parent involvement under the current law. Engaging parents in decision-making and school reforms is essential to all school turnaround strategies.”

Here’s a video from the PBS News Hour on the new blueprint. Listen to what Diane Ravitch has to say to learn more things that are wrong with the proposal.