Oct 28

VASSP Conference Call with Senator Mark Warner

This summer in early August, Government Relations specialist Bet Neale spoke with Senator Mark Warner. Listed below is the summary of her conversation with Senator Warner.

Senator Warner:
It is a tough time to be an educator; recognize you are under assault. Stimulus helped but sequestration could mean an 8% cut in federal funding for public education = 9% in Title I; 8% in Title II (which includes professional development); 8% in IDEA. It is critical that we have a comprehensive, bi-partisan debt deal. (Warner a leader in that endeavor and working on a grand bargain – compromise; somewhat hopeful that something will be done to avoid sequestration after the Nov elections and before the January deadline)
Will work to re-authorize ESEA. Re: NCLB – good goals but waivers not good way to make education policy. Cannot kick can down road any longer and should see movement after election.

Answers to participant questions included advice and admonitions:

• Principals and other educators are leaders in their communities and must make the case for K-12 and your schools at the local level; be vocal and take on those who misrepresent the truth; urge compromise and bi-partisanship of local representatives.
• Understand that Ryan Budget poised to reduce federal spending on education, research and development, etc. from 16% of every federal dollar to 5% – unsustainable for K-12.
• Those who choose private route should pay out of their pockets, so must change Congress if you want to stop flow of public money to private enterprises.
• Principal training and development including mentoring important. One “challenged” school creates a bad impression for all – must emphasize progress and be willing to call out those in your ranks who do not make the grade.
• Disparity exists – all do not start at same level. Must pressure Congress to continue to fund K-12 at appropriate levels.
• Do not put your least experienced educators in the toughest schools; provide incentives to keep good educators where they are most needed.
• Turnaround schools during his Administration as Governor – should consider again and pay those teachers and administrators more if they perform and turn schools around.

Bet Neale

ELIZABETH HARRELL (“Bet”) NEALE

CAREER HISTORY: Twenty-five years of legislative experience in the Virginia political arena.
Bet began her career in the political arena as a Legislative Research Associate at the Division of Legislative Services, having first been mentored by her father Delegate Lyman Harrell, who served 12 years as a member of the House of Delegates. After moving with her family to West Point, where her husband Mark practices dentistry and where they raised their three children Nancy, Cheryl and Mark, Bet remained active in state legislative work as a consultant for a state commission and as a legislative assistant to Delegate Mary Marshall and Delegate Dorothy McDiarmid, Chair of the House Education and House Appropriations Committees. Beginning in 1990, Bet represented VASS as their lead lobbyist for 8 years, after which she served as executive director of the Henrico Education Foundation for HCPS.
Bet came on board with VASSP in 2000 as Director of Government Relations and lobbies on behalf of Association members during all General Assembly sessions and at meetings of legislative education committees and subcommittees. In her capacity as Director of Government Relations/Lead Lobbyist for VASSP, Bet also represents middle and high school principals and assistant principals at statewide education meetings, seminars and special commissions as well as at meetings of the State Board of Education.
Bet is a graduate of the University of Richmond with a BA in English and a Collegiate Certificate in Secondary Education. She has been a guest lecturer at the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia as well as a presenter at various state meetings and seminars.