OSBA Board members advance school priorities in U.S. Capitol

Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) Board members visited the U.S. Capitol this week to discuss educational priorities with Oregon’s congressional delegation. On June 14, they urged Congress to uphold local governance and flexibility while implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act, increase federal funding for Title I, and discuss long-term solutions to ensure that county timber payments continue to support public schools.

	Members of the OSBA Board visit with Sen. Jeff Merkley; from left to right: Dave Krumbein, Kris Howatt, Betty Reynolds, Sen. Jeff Merkley, LeeAnn Larsen, OSBA Executive Director Betsy Miller-Jones, Hank Perry, Don Cruise and Doug Nelson.

OSBA Board members who advocated these priorities on behalf of Oregon schools are:

• President Doug Nelson (High Desert ESD)
• President-elect Betty Reynolds (West Linn-Wilsonville SD)
• Vice President LeeAnn Larsen (Beaverton SD)
• Secretary-Treasurer Don Cruise (Philomath SD)
• Past President Dave Krumbein (Pendleton SD)
• Kris Howatt (Gresham-Barlow SD)
• Hank Perry (Douglas ESD) 

The OSBA delegation met with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader and Greg Walden.

OSBA Executive Director Betsy Miller-Jones praised the advocacy visits, which occurred in conjunction with the National School Boards Association’s Advocacy Institute:  “Our senators and representatives were very attentive to learning from school board leaders about the impacts of these federal policies and laws on Oregon students.  It’s a dialogue that we will continue as we jointly work to ensure success for every student,” she said.  

OSBA is a member services organization for more than 200 locally elected boards serving school districts, education service districts and community colleges. It also provides services to charter schools and their boards.