AASA Educating the Total Child Campaign
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Educating the Total Child?
Educating the Total Child is an advocacy campaign launched by the American Association of School Administrators in 2009.Through the campaign, AASA is committed to creating the conditions necessary for all students to become successful, lifelong learners.
AASA believes it’s time to get back to the basics of supporting the total child – from physical and mental health to the development of fundamental, lifelong learning skills. Only when children have support for all their needs will schools have a real chance of helping every student master required education concepts and skills.
The campaign addresses three key factors that determine children’s academic achievement:
- The devastating impact of poverty on our students
- The lack of universal early childhood education
- The need for organizations to work with public education to coordinate the delivery of health and child development services.
What is the goal of the campaign?
The goal of the campaign is to support and advance the 2009 AASA Legislative Agenda, which calls for a refocusing of the federal role in education on low-income and minority children.Focusing federal dollars where they are needed most, on schools serving children of poverty, significantly increases the chances that those dollars will help to close the achievement gap.
Who is the audience for the campaign?
The audience for the campaignispolicymakers, as well as the entire community, including parents, teachers, principals, central-office administrators, superintendents, school board members and business leaders.
How can I spread the campaign message?
Join AASA in advocating for solutions to help each child begin school healthy and ready to learn!
- Use this2009 Legislative Advocacy Toolkit: Educating the Total Child to advocate for the Educating the Total Child campaign and the 2009 AASA Legislative Agenda.
- Join the almost 100 school districts nationwide that have already adopted a resolutionon reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that calls for refocusing the federal role in education on low-income and minority children.
- Contact your local representativesand urge them to support the total child and reauthorize ESEA by increasing the level of funding and focusing funding on poverty, the most significant factor affecting student achievement. Use the “Tips for Communicating with Your Legislators” included in this toolkit.
- Encourage other school leaders to become members of AASA.Your membership dues advance AASA’s efforts to support the total child and make the voice of school leaders heard on Capitol Hill.
- Use the campaign message pointsincluded in this toolkit to advocate for the campaignwhen speaking with local reporters.
- Share success stories from your district with other school leaders using the AASA Success Stories feedback form at
American Association of School Administrators