Washington, DC, November 18, 2008 - The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) hosted its Annual Policy Forum and Business Meeting November 13–16 in Austin, TX. The chiefs met to discuss critical state and federal policy issues, including those to be addressed by the new administration and how to deliver that message.
Incoming CCSSO President and Arkansas Commissioner of Education T. Kenneth James led a call to action for the chiefs. In his inaugural speech, James charged members, specifically an eight member presidential transition task force, with the development of a 100-day transition plan for the incoming administration. This geographically and politically diverse group — focused on redefining and strengthening the state-federal partnership — will develop immediate state recommendations to be considered by the next U.S. Secretary of Education.
CCSSO was the first member group to engage in a conversation with Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford professor and campaign advisor for President-elect Obama, about the incoming administration’s ambitions. Darling-Hammond discussed early learning, teacher/leader development, higher education, and standards-based reform among other issues. She also clarified that the platform developed a year ago by the Obama campaign would remain a priority for the new Administration.
Chiefs presented a series of issues to Darling-Hammond such as state education agency resources/capacity, innovation, moving away from a compliance-driven relationship with the U.S. Department of Education, more research and development around best practices, maintaining accountability but being supported with better tools and resources, and professional development.
“Based on our deliberation with chiefs and follow-up discussion with Linda Darling-Hammond, we look forward to a true state-federal partnership in the next Administration,” states CCSSO Board President James. “It is for this reason I have formed a task force of chiefs to develop a document that will be submitted to the transition team on December 15 communicating our 100-day recommendations.”
"Chiefs are the most unified I've ever seen them,” said CCSSO Executive Director Gene Wilhoit. “We are ready to lead the development of a more sophisticated system based on what we've learned in NCLB implementation. This is a transformative year for the Council and for education, and the states are poised to work with the new administration to lead change.”
The Annual Policy Forum and Business Meeting marks the official change in leadership for CCSSO’s Board of Directors, the Deputy Leadership Commission, and the Federal Liaison Network. For more information about CCSSO’s 2008–2009 leadership, please click here or contact communications@ccsso.org.
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks members’ consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.
