LEESBURG - Each year, at the beginning of the new congressional session, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) co-sponsor the Community College National Legislative Summit in Washington D.C. From February 13 though 16, more than 1,000 community college trustees, presidents and senior administrators from 42 states took the opportunity to meet and interact directly with the nations elected leaders to advocate the needs of the country's community colleges. Lake-Sumter Community College District Board of Trustees members Linda Cavanaugh and Joe Norman, and college President Dr. Charles Mojock met with legislators representing Lake and Sumter counties including: Rep. Corinne Brown, Sen. Mel Martinez, Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, Sen. Bill Nelson, Rep. Clifford Stearns and Rep. Ric Keller.

In addition to face-to-face meetings with members of Congress, attendees were provided with in-depth briefings on federal policy and legislation affecting community colleges, the largest and fastest growing sector of higher education. Summit speakers included: First Lady Laura Bush, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and Rep. John A. Boehner (R-OH) and Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), chairs of the House and Senate education committees, respectively.

Support for the Bush Administrations proposed $250 million Community-Based Job Training Grants, $125 million Community College Access Grants, and continued funding for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act are among the top items on the community college policy agenda. Reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act, Perkins Act, and the Workforce Investment Act, as well as increasing funding for Pell Grants, which benefit more than 2 million community college students each year, are also key issues.

AACC/ACCT Legislative Priorities

(Below are attendees: Cavanaugh, Norman & Mojock)