Local School Districts Need Flexibility, Manchester School Board President Says

Manchester Board of Education president Donald Webster Jr. says local officials need more flexibility and authority to make decisions that are in the best interests of their local public school students.

“We must ensure that all local school districts have greater flexibility and authority to make educationally sound decisions, and that Congress adequately funds public education to help support local innovation for greater student achievement,” Webster said.

Webster, who also serves as president of the New Jersey School Boards Association, recently traveled to Washington, D.C. for the National School Boards Association 2015 Advocacy Institute, which was held Feb. 1-3.

The event centered on informing and building year-round advocates for public education and local school governance in public, legal, and legislative arenas.

Presenting on legislative priorities at the Institute were Rep. John Kline (R-Minnesota) and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, of which Kline is the chair. Also in attendance was John B. King Jr., a senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Education.

Webster said he made the trip at no cost to the Manchester school district.

“The NSBA 2015 Advocacy Institute helped us learn about emerging federal and national issues and drove home the importance of ensuring that the local school board voice is heard in every public policy forum in which education decisions are made or influenced,” he said.

With the 114th Congress in full swing, the institute came at a pivotal time for school board members to hone their advocacy skills and use them on Capitol Hill to try to influence the outcome of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA), and affect legislation to ensure maximum local flexibility and decision-making for districts.

“We have to leverage the power of our collective voice today and every day to really achieve our goal,” Webster said.

The National School Boards Association is a leading advocate for public education and supports equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership. NSBA represents state school boards associations and their more than 90,000 local school board members throughout the United States.

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