Kelly, Eggerstedt represent District 202 Board at national conference

A pair of Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 Board of Education members - Victoria Eggerstedt and President Michael Kelly - was among a 13-member Illinois delegation that attended the National Schools Boards Association's 33rd Federal Relations Network Conference from February 4-7 in Washington, D.C. More than 850 school board members and school board association staff attended, with 48 states and the Virgin Islands represented.

This year, delegates focused their messages on fixing the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, fully funding NCLB and the Individuals with Disabilities (IDEA) Act, defeating school vouchers, and supporting school technology through permanent E-rate legislation.

While in Washington, Eggerstedt and Kelly met personally with U.S. Representatives Judy Biggert (R-13, Hinsdale) and Jerry Weller (R-11, Morris). They also met with staff representing U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Barack Obama, and U.S. Representative Denny Hastert (R-14, Yorkville).

The conference featured two days of briefing on issues before delegates spent their final in the nation's capital lobbying Congress.

Kelly focused his efforts on the high costs of special education, costs that are supposed to be borne 40 percent by the federal government. However, IDEA funding decreased last year from covering 18 percent to 17 percent. Eggerstedt thanked Illinois representatives for their continued fight against school vouchers.