Virtual Town Hall Meeting With Iowa's Newest Members of Congress

On Tuesday evening Team ISEA members in the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts of Iowa received a "robo" call inviting them to participate in the virtual town hall meeting to have a discussion with their member of Congress around the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind law. Team ISEA teamed up with the Urban Education Network (UEN), the School Administrators of Iowa (SAI), American Federation of State and Municipal Employees (AFSME) and Communities for Quality Education (CQE) to have their membership participate in the virtual town hall meeting.

The first virtual town hall meeting call was with Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-Mount Vernon) of Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. In Congressman Loebsack 's opening remarks he shared how during the Easter Congressional recess he toured the 7 counties of the district and heard at every meeting about needed changes to NCLB. Congressman Loebsack is a member of the sub-committee of the Education and Labor Committee that will first look at making needed changes to NCLB.

Throughout the call the moderator asked 3 different questions of the participants to respond to by touching the keypad on their telephones. The first question was 1) Do you believe NCLB has helped? (31%); Hurt? (61%); or Made no difference? (14%). Within a few moments the moderator read back to us the results (in partenthesis).

The second question was 2) Has NCLB reduced the achievement gaps? (25%); Increased the achievement gaps? (34%); or Had no effect on achievement gaps?(41%).

The final question 3) Did we think the virtual town hall meeting was worthwhile? or Not? (she did not remember to share the results).

Folks that asked questions were from Mount Vernon, Iowa City, Ottumwa, and Cedar Rapids.


Our second virtual town hall meeting was with Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Waterloo) of Iowa's 1st Congressional District. Congressman Braley shared in his opening remarks the many bills he is sponsoring or has signed on as co-sponsor that relate directly to education.

When I had the opportunity to ask my question on how he would work with his Congressional colleagues to make the needed changes to NCLB, Congressman Braley shared he takes every opportunity to "educate" his colleagues. Cong. Braley said whether it is in the gym in the morning, riding on the elevator with the member of Congress or in the one minute speeches on the floor of the U. S. House in the morning or those allowed in the evening, he uses those opportunities to educate the other members and the public---to inform and educate them. He gave much credit to the four generations of women in his family that have all been teachers!

The same questions were posed to participants in the 2nd call as those in the first. The first question results are as follows: 1) Has NCLB helped? (15%); Hurt? (64%); or No effect?(20%).

The second question: 2) Have the achievement gaps been reduced? (20%); Increased the achievement gaps? (40%); Made no Difference? (41%).

The final question 3) Was this worth your time? (99%); or Not? (1%).

Participants that asked questions came from Waterloo, Davenport, Dubuque, and Bettendorf.

Congressman Braley asked that we ask those with their stories on how NCLB impacts them, to please share them with him. He said we need to give human stories a human face.

Within the next week, all dialogue will be compiled and will be available at: www.call4action.net