Please review these Anit-Bush fliers (long...sorry!)

[Raven]

"GEORGE W. BUSH’S EDUCATION POLICIES INCREASE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT
RATES

The United States is facing a crisis in the rising number of our kids who do not complete high
school and the Bush Administration’s education policies are not only NOT addressing it but are
encouraging local school districts to “push” kids out of high school before graduation. Here are
some facts:

‒ One-third of all kids who begin high school don’t graduate...that’s over 1 million kids

‒ The policies implemented by the Bush Administration in connection with the federal No
Child Left Behind (“NCLB”) law actually encourage school districts to inflate or
misrepresent their graduation rates and to “push out” struggling students who don’t test
well.

‒ The “Texas Miracle” was no miracle at all! George W. Bush has held out the Texas
educational experience with NCLB as a national model BUT recent independent reports
have shown that:

• The reported Texas dropout rate of 80% was really 65% - above the
national average dropout rate

• Houston Texas improperly classified dropouts as “transfers” and, as a
result, the dropout rate of 1.5% that it reported was really nearer to 40%

• In Austin, Texas the misreporting of the dropout rate was so severe that
the entire school district was criminally indicted. The case was ultimately
settled and the dropout rate recalculated...the district’s dropout rate more
than doubled.

• In Texas, any student who cannot be accounted for is removed from the
dropout calculations as if he or she had never existed.

• Texas graduation rate calculation for NCLB accountability purposes
removes students from enrollment data once they drop out and enroll in a
GED program. Although NCLB regulations prohibit this practice, the
Texas formula has been approved by the federal government.

• The Bush Administration is NOT ENFORCING the graduation
accountability provisions of NCLB, BUT it is STRICTLY ENFORCING
provisions which CREATE INCENTIVES FOR REMOVING
STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL who score too low on the federally
mandated standardized tests.

NCLB UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH ACTUALLY PROMOTES DROPOUTS!"

and.....

"THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION GETS AN “F” IN COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY

‒ 400,000 qualified students were prevented from attending college last year due to
financial constraints

‒ the average tuition costs at public colleges increased 14% last year

‒ there was a 66% increase in borrowing for college last year BUT NO INCREASE IN
FEDERAL PELL GRANT FUNDING during Bush’s term

‒ Over the past three years most federal student aid programs have been frozen. With
inflation, this amounts to a nearly 10% cut in student aid funding. With tuition increases
and state budget cuts to higher education, an affordable college education increasingly out
of reach for millions of qualified students.

‒ The Bush Administration’s 2005 budget plan is totally inadequate to meet the needs of
America’s college students and their families. Instead of investing in federal student aid,
the Bush budget plan freezes Pell Grant funding. The Bush budget plan eliminates state
matching grants and Perkins low-interest loans.

‒ The Bush Administration has actively supported a loophole in the education loan law
which gives billions of dollars of subsidies to banks making education loans. This
loophole guaranties banks a 9.5% interest rate on their student loans at a time of
historically low interest rates. The federal windfalls to these banks come directly from the
American taxpayer’ pocket and these monies could be better used to provide more college
access to qualified, financially strapped students.

‒ Over 4.5 million students depend on federal Pell Grants to fund their college education.
Over 70% of these Pell Grants go to kids from families with an average income of
$20,000 or less. In 1976, a typical Pell Grant covered 84% of public college tuition.
Today a Pell Grant only covers 39% of public college tuition.

‒ The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, an independent, non-profit,
non partisan organization, has recently given the United States an “F” in college
affordability. It reports that increases in financial aid have not kept up with college tuition
increases.

‒ IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, college costs now amount to 32% of an average family income
compared to 23% ten years ago.

AMERICA’S KIDS DESERVE A FAIR CHANCE AT A COLLEGE EDUCATION!

GEORGE W. BUSH REFUSES TO GIVE IT TO THEM. IF GEORGE W. BUSH WAS
DEPENDING ON FEDERAL EDUCATION AID TODAY, YALE AND HARVARD
BUSINESS SCHOOL WOULD NOT BE IN HIS FUTURE!"

[roseBudd]

1. Download high res flyer files for printing here

http://somnamblst.tripod.com
right click and Save Target As to save the 300 DPI TIF files for printing

[KurtNYC]

2. I think it needs a call to action at the bottom

Something telling people what they can do to turn things around. Eg. elect John Kerry (maybe cite some of his positions which contrast with your statistics) or a more general call to "elect pro-education candidates at all levels of government."

Good stuff though, regardless.

[faithnotgreed]

3. hi raven. first i want to say thank you for working so hard in nh

i read your posts and see from time to time you give us an update so i appreciate that so much. your walking the walk..... literally huh?

so from what i saw of a recent post of yours and your frustration (which im sorry about, it must be tough) i wanted to share if it would help at all

theres a fantastic website on candidates and where they stand on everything called www.ontheissues.org

non partisan.

now i realize many people for many reasons dont have web access. so in case this would be any help to you to compile what kerrys positions are and how they compare to bush. its really a good site and easy to understand

and if it would be any help im glad to check it out for you about specific issues that your finding people care about most
social security & medicare was one i think you mentioned specifically

anyway if i can do any of the computer research for you please do let me know. ,,,

best wishes and again i thank you for all you do. hope this was ok to pass along

[Raven]

4. Thank you so much!

for the website! I will definately use it. My group "SwingtheVote" is a 527 and we are not allowed to be for any candidate. That's why there is nothing about Kerry in these fliers. I think the group's coordinator will add a line or two at the end of each flier about defeating Bush. I have been on the internet most of today researching this stuff and I am learning alot! Thanks for the encouragement. :-)