The Council of Chief State School Officers Legislative Conference and the U.S. Department of Education met with CNMI and American Samoa education officials on March 20, 2024 to discuss updates and issues, and how the U.S. DOE and CCSSO can continue supporting the school districts in the U.S. territories. The CNMI Public School System was represented by Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho, Federal Programs Officer Jacqueline P. Che, and Special Education Program Director Donna M. Flores. The American Samoa Department of Education was represented by Director Talauega Dr. Samasoni Asaeli, Fiscal Officer Falaga Tauiliili, Business Office Manager Jasper Tuiasosopo, and Communications Director Dr. Josephine Paulo. The participating USDOE officials were Dr. Patrick Carr, director of Rural, Insular, and Native Achievement Programs; Dr. Tiffany Forrester, group leader, Rural, Insular, and Native Achievement Programs; and Christine Jackson, senior risk consultant, Rural, Insular, and Native Achievement Programs. The CCSSO officials were Melissa McGrath, chief of staff; Peter Zamora, director of Federal Relations and Policy; and Aaron Fettgather, senior associate, State Implementation. The session was part of the three-day CCSSO Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. which was held from March 20 to 22, 2024.
