U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will give luncheon remarks, followed by a question-and-answer session, at the Council of the Great City Schools Legislative Conference on Sunday, March 15, in Washington, D.C.
Duncan will highlight the success of key education efforts nationwide, including the transformative work underway in our nation’s large urban school districts, and the need for communities, states, and the federal government to continue their collaborative work to prepare all U.S. students for college, careers and life.
Duncan will also outline his vision for the future and the need to replace the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)—also known as the No Child Left Behind Act—with a law that delivers on the promise of equity and real opportunity for every child. Duncan has called on Congress to create a bipartisan law that gives teachers and principals the resources they need, expands high-quality preschool for families and supports schools and districts in creating innovative solutions to problems that translate into better outcomes for students.
The Council of the Great City Schools represents our nation’s 67 largest school systems, including those in cities with populations of more than 250,000 and student enrollment over 35,000, as well as the largest city districts of any state, based on urban characteristics.