Local school board officials travel to Washington, D.C. to Advocate for California Schoolchildren
Washington, D.C. – School board leaders from throughout California begin a three-day advocacy effort in Washington, D.C. today as part of the annual Federal Issues Council conference organized by the California School Boards Association.
The delegation of local school board members and superintendents representing urban, rural and suburban districts and counties from across the state will meet with representatives of the White House and the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture and others about key issues affecting California’s more than six million public schoolchildren.
“Federal legislation and programs have a critical impact on educational policy and practice at the local level,” said CSBA President Dr. Kathy Kinley, a board member of the Chaffey Joint Union HSD, in San Bernardino County. “The FIC delegation communicates a unique perspective with federal officials on how the decisions made in Washington affect children throughout California.”
The FIC delegation will place a special emphasis this year on advocating for the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, reauthorization of Head Start, and Medicaid funding for school-based administration and transportation costs. Other critical subject areas include English language learners and census issues and the implementation of career technical education programs.
The delegation’s meeting schedule includes:
• White House Officials: Kelly Scott, Associate Director, and Scott Walter, Special Assistant to the President, Office of Domestic Policy
• U.S. Department of Education: David Dunn, Chief of Staff to Margaret Spellings, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy; Holly Kuzmich, Deputy Chief of Staff; Amanda Farris, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Elementary & Secondary Education; and Kerri Briggs, Nominated for Assistant Secretary for Elementary & Secondary Education
• Office of Special Education, USDOE: Troy Justesen, Chief of Staff
• Office of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer: Carina Armenta, Education Legislative Assistant
• Office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Melissa Shannon, Policy Advisor
• U.S. House of Representatives: Congress Member Susan Davis, California 53rd
• U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor: Alice Johnson Cain, Senior Education Policy Advisor (K-12)
• U.S. Census Bureau: Charles Louis Kincannon, Director
• National Head Start Association: Sarah Greene, president/CEO and Ted Waters, attorney
• National League of Cities: Audrey Hutchinson, program director
• National Association of Counties: Marillina Sanz and Paul Beddoe
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Arthur J. Rothkopf, Senior Vice President and Counselor to the President
• Business Roundtable: Susan Traiman, Director, Education and Workforce Policy
• National Literacy Panel, Center for Applied Linguistics: Diane August, Consultant
• National Governor’s Association: Joan Wodiska, Committee Director, Education, Early Childhood & Workforce Committee
• Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: David Wetmore, director of federal and international relations and Leighann Lenti, education policy director
FIC delegation members include:
Kathleen Kinley, Ed.D.: CSBA President. Board Member, Chaffey Joint Union HSD
Paul H. Chatman: CSBA President-elect. Board Member, Ocean View ESD
Luan B. Rivera: CSBA Immediate Past President. Board Member, Ramona USD
Paula S. Campbell: CSBA Vice President. Board Member, Nevada City SD
Scott P. Plotkin: CSBA Executive Director
Barry Cadwallader: Superintendent, Chaffey Joint Union HSD
Kerry Clegg, Ph.D.: NSBA Director. Board Member, Sulphur Springs Union ESD
Helen Hall: Delegate, Region 23. Board Member, Walnut Valley USD
Judy Hannemann: Director, Region 20. Board Member, Mountain View-Los Altos Union HSD
Susan Hartley: CCBE President. Board Member, San Diego COE
Susan Heredia, Ph.D.: Director-at-Large, Hispanic. Board Member, Natomas USD
Frank Pugh: Director, Region 3. Board Member, Santa Rosa City Schools
Jill Wynns: Director, Region 5. Board Member, San Francisco County & USD
CSBA Staff:
Rick Pratt: Asst. Executive Director, Governmental Relations
Jeff Vaca: Asst. Executive Director, Administration & Financial Services
Holly Jacobson: Asst. Executive Director, Policy Analysis & Continuing Education
John Bukey: General Counsel
Erika Hoffman: Principal Legislative Advocate, Governmental Relations
Debra Brown: Senior Legislative Advocate, Governmental Relations
Susan Swigart: Principal Director, Communications