CSBA’s Federal Issues Council gets concrete proof that advocacy works 

During their annual visit to the nation’s capital April 5-8, members of CSBA’s Federal Issues Council got some dramatic evidence about the value of their advocacy efforts on behalf of California schoolchildren.

The day after the FIC arrived in Washington, D.C. for its annual advocacy trip, CSBA Vice President Dr. Kathy Kinley and Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin had front-row seats as federal Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced a new “common sense” approach to implementing the controversial No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Spellings, who said she was reacting to concerns brought forward by education advocates in a number of states, promised to give states more flexibility to meet learning targets set by the federal government. Spellings said the new approach will permit states to test a larger percentage of disabled students using appropriately modified assessments.

In a bow to states like California, that had designed high standards and strict accountability systems of their own well before Congress passed NCLB, Spellings also promised to convene a new working group to study how so-called “growth models” that track improvements in academic achievement can be used to meet proficiency targets under NCLB. California’s state accountability system uses the growth model to measure progress. Growth models give schools more credit for improving student results.

Although it’s too early to gauge the potential impact of the changes Spellings outlined that day, one thing was clear: top federal officials have heard and are responding to concerted advocacy efforts waged by CSBA and other public school supporters who have called for substantive changes in the sweeping NCLB mandates.

“This is clearly an important step in the right direction,” said CSBA President Dr. Kerry Clegg. “It’s gratifying to see that federal officials are giving credence to the serious and substantive concerns we have been raising both with our own federal lawmakers and with officials here in Washington.”

The school and county board members who make up the FIC visit the capital every year to meet with top federal officials in education, human services, health and other areas important to schools. In recent years, many of CSBA’s FIC efforts have focused on various problematic aspects of NCLB including: its inflexible participation rates that don’t consider California parents’ legal rights to opt children out of testing; its inflexible achievement goals, its testing requirements for English learners and students with disabilities; and a host of other technical requirements that are not working as the law’s authors intended.

But NCLB was not the only issue addressed by the delegation; the FIC gave local district and county office perspectives on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, the reauthorization of the Head Start Act, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act.

The FIC delegation's members included: Dr. Kerry Clegg, CSBA President, Sulphur Springs UESD; Luan Rivera, CSBA President-elect, Ramona USD; Dr. Kathy Kinley, CSBA Vice President, Chaffey Joint UHSD; Bill Farris, CSBA Regional Director, Sierra Sands USD; Juanita Haugen, CSBA Regional Director, Pleasanton USD; Crystal Kochendorfer, CSBA Delegate, Capistrano USD; Dr. Robert Nolet, Superintendent, Sulphur Springs UESD; Phillip Tabera, Board Member, Salinas UHSD; Barbara Thomas, CSBA Regional Director and California County Boards of Education President, Fresno County Office of Education; David Tokofsky, CSBA Regional Director, Los Angeles USD; Shelly Yarbrough, CSBA Regional Director, Val Verde USD, Riverside County; Scott P. Plotkin, Executive Director, CSBA; Rick Pratt, Asst. Executive Director, Governmental Relations, CSBA; Mina Fasulo, Asst. Executive Director, Communications, CSBA; Martin Gonzalez, Asst. Executive Director, Governance & Policy Services, CSBA; Phil Escamilla, Legislative Advocate, CSBA; Stephanie Farland, Senior Research & Policy Consultant, CSBA; Matt Nichols, Media Relations Specialist, CSBA.

For complete coverage of the FIC’s trip to the nation’s capital, don’t miss the upcoming issue of California School News. To view CSBA’s live daily coverage of the trip, visit www.csba.org/GR/fic.htm.