April 24, 2011

National Writing Project Is Innocent Victim in War on Earmarks, Educators Say

National Writing Project Is Innocent Victim in War on Earmarks, Educators Say 1

Susan Tusa for The Chronicle

Jeremy Hyler, an eighth-grade language-arts teacher, talks about what works for his students as part of a National Writing Project event at Central Michigan U. The project seeks to improve how writing is taught.

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close National Writing Project Is Innocent Victim in War on Earmarks, Educators Say 1

Susan Tusa for The Chronicle

Jeremy Hyler, an eighth-grade language-arts teacher, talks about what works for his students as part of a National Writing Project event at Central Michigan U. The project seeks to improve how writing is taught.

By Tushar Rae

Washington

The loss of federal funds for a national project that seeks to improve how writing is taught could damage the quality of students' writing on college cam­puses and in elementary and secondary schools, say faculty members who are now urging lawmakers to reconsider. And the cut, which Congress and President Obama made last month as part of their war on earmarks, comes amid growing concerns about the state of students' writing.

College faculty continue to work with large