NSBA launches Center for Public Education

04/13/04 -- NSBA is embarking on a new initiative to advance the case for public education, and the first phase of the project -- the Center for Public Education -- was launched during the NSBA Annual Conference.

The first phase of the center consists of an online clearinghouse of resources designed to help local school boards and state school boards associations understand and convey to their constituents the importance and value of public education and school boards.

The second phase, to be rolled out later, will consist of a larger campaign promoting public education geared to parents of school-age children, the general public, and the media.

The Center for Public Education is based on the premise that if public education is going to win the minds of the public, its advocates -- not its detractors -- must be the driving force in presenting the value of public education.

"It is time to take the upper hand -- to be proactive about our public schools," NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant said in a speech at the March 27 General Session. "The center will tell the truth about our public schools."

The center explains why public education is essential to our nation's future and describes the roles played by school boards and communities. It also includes case studies of campaigns and other material developed by state school boards associations.

When fully operational, the Center for Public Education will assemble in one place existing data and research findings on such topics as the challenges facing public schools, trends in student achievement, the resources schools need to succeed, and the cost efficiency and financial needs of schools.