Centennial Schools Leader To Attend 'Superintendent March'

WARMINSTER, PA — Centennial Schools Superintendent Dana Bedden has been invited to join the inaugural “100 Superintendent March” in Washington, D.C., next week.

Bedden told Patch Wednesday that he received a personal invitation from the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents' Board of Directors and the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

The event, which will be held next Thursday, is not a march actually but named for the month of March, Bedden said. School officials said superintendents and educational leaders from around the country were selected to attend the invitation-only event.

Bedden said the organizations are joining together to co-sponsor the event as part of their roles in attempting to provide leadership at the national level that assures every school in America effectively serves the educational needs of all students inclusive of Hispanic/Latino and African-American students.

The superintendent said that almost 25 percent of the school district's student population is comprised of Hispanic/Latino and African-American students. Also, 18-19 percent of the school district's students receive special education services.

"In accepting this invitation, I hope that by participating in this event, I can bring our local voice to the national level regarding issues impacting not only CSD, but Bucks County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Bedden said.

For example, Bedden said the federal government has yet to honor its commitment to support the education of students with disabilities as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

"If IDEA was funded as promised, it could enable school districts to shift dollars towards other areas of need within the local school districts and provide some relief to the local taxpayers," Bedden said.

The event currently includes meetings with U.S. Department of Education officials, a Committee for Education Funding representative, and roundtable discussions related to education policy.

There will also be briefings hosted by U.S. representatives focusing on student social, emotional, and academic well-being, teacher/staff shortages, funding gaps, aging buildings, and infrastructure deficiencies.

“The purpose of this ascension into Washington, D.C., is to provide voice and strength in numbers in a congressional briefing uplifting the priorities we know are at the top of our list,” the host associations said.