SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell is participating in a new federal work group to discuss reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, also known and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization Task Force is being formed by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

"I am proud to participate in the discussion of how we can improve education reform," O'Connell said. "I believe in the goals of NCLB and I want to ensure that reauthorization of that law helps us to better prepare students for success in the challenging, competitive and changing global economy of the 21st century. I also want to ensure that reforms, like the use of a growth model, are included in any reauthorization plan for NCLB so that states will be able to better target resources or sanctions on schools that are not moving in the right direction."

The task force of 19 members includes a geographically and politically diverse group of state school chiefs, deputies, and federal liaisons. O'Connell will be represented on the task force by Chief Deputy Gavin Payne. The task force will be chaired by Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Elisabeth Bermaster, who is CCSSO's board president-elect.

The goal of the task force is to reinforce sound state and local educations practices and produce a thoughtful and concise ESEA reauthorization proposal on behalf of all state school chiefs.

The task force will meet for the first time in early February in Washington, DC. They plan to present a reauthorization proposal in the fall.