Former NEA Lobbyist to Push for Increased Ed Money
That headline may sound very "dog bites man."
But those folks who are hoping for more money for Title I, special education, and other federal programs have a new, energetic advocate on their team. Joel Packer, who until recently was the chief No Child Left Behind Act lobbyist for the National Education Association, a 3.2 million-member union, has stepped into the job of executive director of the Committee for Education Funding, a non-partisan coalition of 80 education groups that advocates for ... you guessed it, more money for education.
Packer is now a principal (code for lobbyist) at the Raben Group, a Washington-based lobbying and consulting organization, and he'll remain in that role, despite the move. Other folks from Raben will also be helping CEF out, including Courtney Snowden, a former PTA lobbyist. Packer is taking over for Ed Kealy, who retired after 15 years at CEF.
In his past role, Packer was quoted very frequently in the pages of Education Week, and even some folks who don't agree with the NEA on any issues whatsoever seem to think he's a pretty good guy