CONTACT: Michelle Hudgins   (202) 822-7823

June 29, 2006

Urban Educators Set Policy, Share Success, Elect Leaders

WASHINGTON—The National Council of Urban Education Associations (NCUEA) met in Orlando, Fla., to share strategies on how best to deal with the challenges facing some of America's largest school districts. NCUEA is a caucus of more than 260 of the largest local affiliates of the National Education Association.

NCUEA's meeting is held annually in conjunction with the NEA Representative Assembly where more than 9,000 locally elected school employees come together to set policy and organizational goals for the nation's largest professional Association. 

This year's NCUEA meeting focused in large measure on ways to close achievement gaps that exist in urban and largely minority school districts.

"The nation's urban school districts serve some of the most disadvantaged children in America," said Reg Weaver, NEA president. "To the degree urban school employees can join together to share success stories and plan collectively how best to address unique student needs, the better all children will be."

Along with workshops and forums, NCUEA also elected officers. NCUEA President Susie Jablinske from Maryland was reelected as NCUEA president. Also reelected was NCUEA Vice President Leon Horne of Washington. Ruben R. Murillo Jr. of Nevada and Katherine Underwood of California were reelected to positions on the Association's Advisory Council.

Joining the NCUEA Advisory Council for the first time are Jamye Merritt of Tennessee, Rick Baumgartner of Virginia and Alan Young of Iowa.

NCUEA began in 1961 when school employees in many urban school districts first began the process of collective bargaining for salaries and benefits. Since then, the focus of the Association has expanded to include the instructional needs of urban educators and the unique challenges facing students in urban public schools.

"The public perception of the success of public schools in general is often based on the unique perspective provided by success in urban school districts," added Weaver. "It is important to the entire nation that urban public schools lead the way in transforming public education into a way of lifting every student toward academic success."

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.8 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.