NSBA Applauds President-Elect Barack Obama

Statement by 
Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director
National School Boards Association

Alexandria, VA - November 5, 2008 - The National School Boards Association (NSBA), representing over 95,000 local school board members through our state school boards associations across the nation, congratulates Senator Barack Obama on his election as the 44th President of the United States of America.

As a non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to excellence and equity in our public schools through effective school board leadership, NSBA is pleased that President-elect Obama wants to make improving public education a top priority in his administration. We look forward to sharing with President-elect Obama and his Transition Team our ideas for how best the federal government can assist local school districts in preparing all students to succeed in the 21st century. Additionally, we look forward to actively supporting President-elect Obama and his Transition Team in laying out a vision for education that conveys to the American people a new role for the Federal Government that will enable states and local communities to successfully fill their responsibilities in ensuring that all students are college and career ready.

We applaud President-elect Obama’s challenge to parents to become more engaged in their children’s education, and his recognition that all children must have access to highly effective teachers. We also appreciate his interest in pre-kindergarten and early childhood education programs that will make it possible for all children to arrive at school ready to learn.

President-elect Obama has encouraged all of us to have higher expectations for our children, our local communities, and our nation – and we enthusiastically look forward to being a strong partner in achieving the goals of his vision.