Since last fall, 115,000 local education jobs have been lost nationwide. And this has only been one bad year of many, as states continue to a trend of shedding jobs for those who educate and nurture our children.

State and local governments have had no choice but make education staff cuts because nearly all face a budget crunch. In the wake of the recession, states have seen budget shortfalls in the hundreds of billions.

Children were protected from many harmful cuts by the federal stimulus package. But now, with federal stimulus dollars running out, we need new government action to protect teachers and schools.