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Pittsburgh, Pa.—More than 400 individuals representing Pittsburgh-area faith-based and community organizations attended the first of a series of conferences focusing on President Bush's vision of a partnership between these organizations and the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that no child is left behind. The conference was entitled Working Together to Ensure No Child is Left Behind: Faith and Community Organizations and the U.S. Department of Education.

"Some of the most caring, giving and talented people in America are involved with faith and community organizations, and we intend to fully utilize their potential when it comes to helping our children," said U.S. Under Secretary of Education Gene Hickok, who attended the event on behalf of Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "In order to leave no child behind, we must leave no stone unturned in giving our children the best education possible. Through these conferences, we are trying to level the playing field so that these organizations will have the same access to funding opportunities as other organizations."

The event was hosted by the Department of Education's Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and featured several speakers, including Deputy Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives David Kuo, Randy Brandt, chief counsel from the office of Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and John Porter, director of the Department of Education's initiative.

The center is a White House initiative created by President George W. Bush to enlist, equip, enable, empower and expand the heroic works of faith-based and community groups across America. President Bush signed the Executive Order creating the initiative in January 2001 and declared that his administration is committed to identifying and removing needless barriers that thwart the work of these organizations. The Department of Education is one of five Cabinet agencies with a Faith-Based and Community Initiative Center.

The center at the Department of Education has the unique job of helping to implement the new No Child Left Behind Act by harnessing the abilities of faith-based and community organizations to ensure that every child gets the help he or she needs to be a successful student.

Conference attendees included faith and community organization representatives, public and private school administrators, and local and regional government officials. During the day-long event, they learned about new opportunities for partnerships under No Child Left Behind Act and about federal grants and grant-writing techniques.

Joining the Department of Education were representatives from the other federal agencies with centers for faith-based and community initiatives to provide information on grant opportunities in their departments, which are: the departments of Labor, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Corporation for National and Community Service.

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