CCSD21 Board member advocates for students, schools in D.C.

Community Consolidated School District 21 senior school board member Phil Pritzker joined with more than 1,000 school board members and administrators from across the country at the National School Boards Association’s Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C, last week.

Pritzker, President of the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), led a delegation of two dozen board members and administrators from Illinois. Together they participated in informational sessions about equity in education, the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), federal funding issued through ESSA, Title I, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the flexibility and local involvement necessary in the establishment of various U.S. Department of Education mandates.

Later, the Illinois delegation advocated for students and schools during meetings with Senator Kirk and Representatives Dold, Hultgren, and Kelly. Meetings were also held with key legislative aides responsible for education issues from the staffs of Senator Durbin and Representatives Duckworth and Kinzinger.

“School District 21 students, as well as children from across the state and nation, deserve a high-quality education that will prepare them to be leaders and problem solvers,” Pritzker said. “Our time in Washington ensures that our community’s voice is heard, understood, and considered when decisions are made for our children. Education provides the promise for all children, regardless of how they arrive at our front door, to strive for their dreams and goals to become reality.”

This is Pritzker’s third year representing CCSD21 and Illinois at the Advocacy Institute.