Last week, more than 450 principals and student leaders from across the nation gathered on Capitol Hill for the National School Leader Advocacy Conference, marking the fifth anniversary of COVID school closures with a powerful call to action: Fund our future. Their unified message to lawmakers: Invest in public education, student mental health, and the educator pipeline.

The conference brought together members of NASSP, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and students from NASSP’s National Student Council. This diverse coalition met with more than 300 congressional members and staff to advocate for critical education investments.
“There is a lot of power when we join our voices together, and this year we had three students from the National Student Council with our team as we visited our congressional leaders. This added another level of stakeholder voices to share,” said Terri Daniels EdD, NASSP California State Coordinator and the principal of Folsom Middle School in Folsom, CA. “Lawmakers need to hear directly from those of us who see the impact of funding decisions every day at our school sites. The challenges we face require immediate action and sustainable support. Our students deserve it. It is an investment for the future.”

The timing couldn’t have been more crucial, coinciding with final congressional budget negotiations that will determine funding levels for essential education programs. Advocates specifically urged Congress to maintain support for Title I grants serving students in poverty, Title II funding for educator development, Title IV resources for student mental health, IDEA funding for special education, career and technical education grants, and Head Start early learning programs.
Students played a pivotal role in the advocacy effort, bringing fresh perspectives to longstanding challenges.
“What many don’t realize is that today’s students are already solving problems adults haven’t been able to fix,” said Anjali Verma, National Student Council president and a senior at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School in West Chester, PA. “We’re proud to partner with school leaders as equal voices in these critical conversations. Together, we’re bringing fresh ideas to address issues from the mental health crisis to the teacher shortage. It takes engagement from all parties to make a real and meaningful impact.”
NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe emphasized the importance of ensuring education stakeholders meet directly with policymakers. “When students and school leaders stand shoulder to shoulder on Capitol Hill, they represent the true experts on American education. Congress makes decisions about schools every day but rarely hears directly from those who live the consequences of those choices. Our coalition brings the classroom to the Capitol, and together we can create meaningful partnerships that will strengthen public education for generations to come.”
The conference also focused on opposing efforts to divert public funds to private schools, emphasizing the critical role public education plays in communities nationwide.
As education funding debates continue, this unique coalition of dedicated principals and students demonstrated that effective advocacy requires authentic voices from inside school buildings. You can amplify their impact by adding your voice to this important cause.
Take two minutes to send a prewritten message to your congressional representatives urging them to support full funding for critical education programs.