Jay Barth, NASBE Chair
John Kelly, NASBE Chair-elect
Kris Amundson, NASBE President & CEO
Amundson: 5 Takeaways from the Conference:
1. Our challenge now is to move beyond the state plan; it's about legacy leadership now.
Need to think about those children, epecially with regard to equity.
Children in poverty -- 30Million fewer words; they are two years behind when they come to school -- it is our problem to solve.
Thinking about what Gov. Deal said to us -- in Georgia, education is Pre-K through prison.
2. This is our moment -- the equity moment.
Answers are not going to come from DC, but from you all in the states.
There is no "magic pill".
3. SBEs can't do it alone.
You need tools and allies.
Need better understanding, better assessments.
Like Candice McQueen said: need to "get better at getting better".
4. It is so important that SBEs model civility.
Our work is not partisan.
5. SBEs all have day jobs.
You can't do all this by yourselves.
Reach out to NASBE -- it's why we are here!
Q from Delaware: Moved past the ESSA plans -- tax bill, what's on the horizon?
Amundson: Perkins; IDEA - that's really a complicated piece of work; I think more and more is going to come into state's hands
Barth: Continuing to examine [Executive] Orders from the last administration that end up affecting [SBE members]. On legislative front, CTE -- it's the area of unity in Congressional offices; in 2018 find some real unity for accomplishments.
Kelly: Don't get distracted by what's going on in DC. Under NCLB, it was pretty controlling, but you went about your business. Need to do that now, too.
Q from Kansas: I like "this is the equity moment", please address, "this is the citizen engagement moment".
Amundson: You all reached out to engage people in your ESSA plan (KS, WA in particular); that can't end. If that was a "one-and-done", you have wasted your time. If parents of children with disabilities, ELL, of color were at the table, they are not going to let you lower expectations. Keep them at the table to ensure that they will hold your feet to the fire -- it won't be pleasant, but it will be right.
Barth: If folks are not invited to the table, they will position themselves at the table. We know the power of social media to help. IDEA has so many "hot buttons" around it.
Kelly: Lots of folks now know what "good" looks like and they are not going to let you get away with anything less. The expectation is "I want for my child what you have for yours" and there is no turning the clock back.
Amundson: Look at Louisiana SBE, Chief -- trying very hard to address persistent gaps.
Kelly: The ESSA plan itself forces you to go there. Example: highest performing Mississippi school district had the widest gaps between white and black students.
Q from Nebraska: Many of us appreciate the resources that NASBE provides. Please share themes, topics to come in publications in near future.
Amundson invites NASBE Editorial Director, Valerie Norville, to the mic.
Norville: Have a terrific Editorial Advisory Committee. Next issue of the Standard is on Early Education, followed by, School Turnaround; School Finance; Wraparound Services; Stakeholder Engagement; School Leadership; Teaching and Learning. State Innovations format is to showcase innovations in the state -- let me know what's going on in your state.
-- End of Session --