Education leaders discuss concerns about school construction

and funding of No Child Left Behind.

At this year’s NPA Annual Conference, a group of 14 leaders including youth, parents, and school administrators, met with the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for the first time since 1999.
NPA met with Laurie Rich, the DOE Assistant Secretary, and demanded real opportunities for parents to be involved in their schools, enough money to support programs that help children succeed-especially children with special needs, help in funding quality schools and fixing old, hazardous school buildings.

Leaders told powerful stories about what is wrong in their local schools. They made it clear NPA wants support from the top down to get problems solved. As a result of the meeting, leaders won meetings with DOE representatives in eight cities and towns to address local problems.

Education leaders also rallied together at the Education Workshop to work toward making schools around the country better. Panelists told their personal stories about how community schools are important to them and their entire neighborhood, but local, state and federal decision-makers have a long way to go to improve the state of education in this country.

Leaders from across the country testified about the overcrowded and dilapidated school buildings in their neighborhoods, about the services their children need in order to do well in school, and about the problems caused by the federal unfunded No Child Left Behind legislation.