National School Boards Action Center Calls on Obama and Romney to Focus on Public Education
Contact: Linda Embrey press@nsbac.org (703) 838-6737
Alexandria, Va. (October 1, 2012) – In anticipation of the upcoming presidential candidates’ debates, the National School Boards Action Center (NSBAC), a new 501(c)(4) organization founded by the National School Boards Association (NSBA), has released a report, “An Election Year Message to President Obama and Governor Romney,” which highlights the expectations and priorities needed for presidential leadership on education and specific action steps to prepare our students for success in college and careers.
Also, the report compares the presidential candidates’ positions on K-12 education policies. The in-depth analysis finds that President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney agree on holding public schools to high standards, supporting innovation, and expanding charter schools. But the candidates differ in some areas that are critically important to school boards, most notably on the federal role in education, school choice and funding.
Also, the report compares the presidential candidates’ positions on K-12 education policies. The in-depth analysis finds that President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney agree on holding public schools to high standards, supporting innovation, and expanding charter schools. But the candidates differ in some areas that are critically important to school boards, most notably on the federal role in education, school choice and funding.
“School board members want a president who will make a world-class public education system a top priority,” said Michael A. Resnick, Director of NSBAC. “Over the next four years, we must ensure our communities’ public schools are able to provide a high-quality education that will prepare students to succeed in life and boost our nation’s economy.”
The new publications will help school board members and the public understand the issues and advocate for strategies to boost student achievement in public schools.
The message to Obama and Romney advocates, “Having a world-class education that is second to none requires that all our people and all sectors of government, business, and civic life place a high priority on K-12 education. To provide the leadership that’s necessary, no person in America commands the attention of the nation more than the President of the United States. That’s why school board members believe that over the next four years, our President must make strengthening our nation’s schools a foremost priority and compellingly convey to the American people the urgency of the mission and their part to achieve it.”
A new NSBAC guide, “Ask Your Local School Board: Legislative Priorities for the 113th Congress,” is designed for local school board members to share with their candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to ensure that the candidates are aware of the challenges facing our local public schools and to encourage them to respond in a supportive manner.
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The National School Boards Action Center (NSBAC) is a not-for-profit organization founded by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to advocate at the federal and national levels for the advancement of public education, local school board leadership, and excellence and equity in our nation’s public schools. Across the nation, 90,000 local school board members are responsible for governing nearly 14,000 school systems serving 50 million public school students. Learn more at www.nsbac.org.