Bryant: We must work together
It’s essential for NSBA, the state school boards associations, and local school boards to work together if we are going to be effective advocates for public education, NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant told the audience at the First General Session.
Advocacy for public schools is more important than ever in these uncertain times, Bryant noted. More than half the states’ governors are forecasting a downturn in revenues, and that will place a huge burden on school district budgets.
“And that is why your state school boards association is so important,” she said. “Together, you will need to make the case with your state legislature and your governor that it is shortsighted to balance the state’s budget on the backs of kids.”
This a huge challenge, Bryant said. “Making public education the nation’s number one priority means it must compete—especially at the national level—with health care, the economy, and Iraq. But I believe we can prevail, because our case is strong. But it is only together, local school boards working with our state associations and NSBA, that we are formidable.”
Bryant said board members must work together and speak with one voice to fight the “school board bashers” and to make sure the school perspective is heard.
One way NSBA is doing this is through the Center for Public Education, which was created two years ago at the urging of state school boards associations and with their financial support.
The center, a joint project of NSBA and the National School Boards Foundation, provides accurate, unbiased information in plain English for board members, superintendents, the press, and the public.
More than 10 years ago, NSBA’s Board of Directors—with a lot of input from local school boards and state association leaders—developed the NSBA vision to focus school board governance on raising student achievement and connecting to communities. This vision remains NSBA’s top priority, Bryant said, “because that’s what’s best for public education and it’s certainly what’s best for our children.”
In recounting some of NSBA’s successes over the past year, Bryant cited the association’s advocacy efforts—carried out through the Federal Relations Network and National Affiliate Network—that generated more than 16,000 contacts with members of Congress and helped secure extra funding for school districts.
And she pointed to NSBA’s bill to improve the No Child Left Behind Act, introduced by Rep. Don Young of Alaska. H.R. 648, which now has 28 co-sponsors and is continuing to get attention, is “the only substantial piece of legislation that addresses more than 40 practical recommendations for fixing the law.”
“This is why we must continue to work together,” Bryant said. NSBA could not have made as much progress on Capitol Hill without the combined efforts of the state associations, National Affiliate districts, and NSBA.
State associations offer board members advocacy at the state capitol, guidance on state policies, and training on a wide range of issues. Once a board is a member of its state association, it can join the National Affiliate Program and receive a broad array of services and benefits.
After asking school leaders from National Affiliate districts to stand, Bryant said, “Look around you. This is power.”
“Together, we can achieve success for every student,” she said. “Together, we can build a national school board movement. In fact, you are already doing this by building connections among your district, your state school boards association, and NSBA.”
Reproduced with permission from School Board News. Copyright © 2008, National School Boards Association. Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect positions of NSBA. This article may be printed out and photocopied for individual or educational use, provided this copyright notice appears on each copy. This article may not be otherwise transmitted or reproduced in print or electronic form without the consent of the Publisher. For more information, call (703) 838-6789.