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A team of MASCD leaders attended the 2011 Leadership Institute for Legislative Action (LILA) in January. The MASCD team included President Peter Badalament, Principal of Concord-Carlisle High School; Board member Donna Noonan, Principal of Mullen Hall School in Falmouth, Lincoln Lynch, Superintendent of Schools in Walpole, and Joyce Fahy-Laundre, Director of SPED, North Andover.
LILA, which is sponsored by ASCD, brings together educators from all over the United States to Capitol Hill to advocate for sound education policy. The goal of LILA is to empower ASCD members to be advocates for policies that support what is best for students. As educators, ASCD members know what their students need, and the institute helps them bring their knowledge and expertise on education to the policy makers in DC.
The group met with members of Congress to address critical education policy issues, including those highlighted in ASCD’s 2011 Legislative Agenda. The priority issues raised at these visits focused on the need for
• Equitable access to educational options and experiences—regardless of geography, socioeconomic status, race, or gender.
• Highly effective teachers who elicit growth in student achievement and receive comprehensive support at all stages of their careers, from preparation and induction to ongoing professional development.
• A comprehensive assessment system that incorporates multiple and varied indicators and analyzes student growth over time.
• An accountability system that discerns varying levels of performance in schools and districts and targets improvement assistance where it is needed most.
• Innovative, research-based redesign that ensures that young children are well-prepared for school, students successfully transition from the elementary to secondary grades, and high school graduates are ready for success in a global society.
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