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Rio Hondo College News

MEDIA ALERT
3600 Workman Mill Road / Whittier, CA 90601 / 562-692-0921
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Merle Enriquez   Secretary
Department: Planning and Development
Phone:  (562) 692-0921  Ext. 3412
Rio E-Mail: MEnriquez@riohondo.edu
 
Whittier Union High School District
9401 South Painter Ave. Whittier, CA 90605
(562) 698-8121
PRESS RELEASE
March 7, 2006

Local school board member Leighton Anderson travels to Washington, D.C. to meet with top education officials
 

(Washington, D.C.) – Leighton Anderson, a board member in the Whittier Union High School District, in Los Angeles County, will meet this week with key federal officials as part of the annual Federal Issues Council conference in Washington, D.C., organized by the California School Boards Association.

The delegation of local school board members and superintendents representing urban, rural and suburban districts from across the state will meet with representatives of the White House and the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture and others about key issues affecting California’s more than six million public schoolchildren.

“Federal legislation and programs have a critical impact on educational policy and practice at the local level,” said Anderson, who also serves on CSBA’s Delegate Assembly. “The FIC delegation communicates a unique perspective with federal officials on how the decisions made in Washington affect children throughout California.”

The FIC delegation will advocate for reform of the No Child Left Behind Act, reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act and reauthorization of Head Start. Other critical issues include increased special education funding, cities-schools partnerships and Medicaid funding for school-based administration and transportation costs.

The delegation’s meeting schedule includes:

• White House Officials: Martha Wilson, deputy assistant to the President for domestic policy; and Adam Chavarria, executive director, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans

• U.S. Department of Education: David Dunn, undersecretary of education; Holly Kuzmich, deputy assistant secretary for policy; John Hager, assistant secretary and Troy Justesen, deputy assistant secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Dr. Henry Johnson, assistant deputy secretary and Darla Marburger, deputy assistant secretary for policy, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; and Richard LaPointe, deputy assistant secretary, Office of Vocational and Adult Education

• U.S. Department of Agriculture: Mark Rey, undersecretary, Financial Resources

• National Head Start Association: Sarah Greene, president/CEO and Ted Waters, attorney

• National League of Cities: Audrey Hutchinson, program director

• Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: David Wetmore, director of federal and international relations and Leighann Lenti, education policy director
  
  For more information, please contact Susan Swigart at (916) 669-3242.
  
  
  -RHC-

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