Community leaders help set agenda on local and national
education issues at summit
In
mid-November, National Training
and Information Center staff and leaders with seven local affiliates traveled
to Washington, DC to educate members of Congress and their staff on the
importance of community input when developing and implementing national
education policies.
Before grassroots leaders
arrived in DC, NTIC staff met with reporters from Education Week,
the Washington Post and a producer from ABC Primetime
News to inform them about NTIC and affiliates’ work on education issues
ranging from school construction, school safety, transportation, bilingual
education and adequate school lunches.
NTIC staff also produced information on how its affiliate coalition
of local community organizations, National People’s Action, has dedicated
itself to improving information sharing between itself and the Department
of Education.
An
article on NTIC’s national coaliton’s work appeared in Education Week
on Nov. 20.
When
local community leaders arrived in DC they headed straight to Capitol
Hill, where they chaired a meeting on education issues hosted by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle’s office. Staff from 11 members offices from eight states
attended the meeting, including Sen. Ted Kennedy’s office, a ranking member
on the Senate Education Committee.
Attending
senate staff committed to hosting joint hearings on school construction,
while Kennedy’s office committed to a follow-up meeting to discuss how
to get senior officials at the Department of Education to meet with community
groups on local and national educational issues.
Lori
Okon, a leader with Parents Alliance for Compliance in Special Education
(PACE) felt the meeting demonstrated community leaders’ power. “One of the most eye-opening moments for me
was when I was sitting in the Capitol with the staff of almost a dozen
Senators and I began to realize the combined power of all the people in
the room. Neighborhood leaders were professional and
polished; they showed the type of dedication that makes things happen, that can change the world.”
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