''No Child Left Behind'' Expert Available for Comment on Bush Administration's Ease of Rules.

Center for Child Protection and Family Support of Washington, DC

WHO:        Joyce N. Thomas, RN, MPH, President and co-founder, Center
            for Child Protection and Family Support of Washington, DC.

WHAT:       Available for comment on today's news that the Bush
            Administration's has begun to ease the rules in the No
            Child Left Behind law, allowing for new ways to rate
            schools; granting permission for some urban systems to
            provide federally subsidized tutoring; and allowing
            certain states more time to meet teacher-quality
            requirements.

            Thomas has advised the U.S. Department of Education (and
            currently has a grant with them), the DC Board of
            Education, and the DC Public Schools, specifically to
            assist on No Child Left Behind. She can comment on topics
            related to child learning, tutoring, and mentoring
            programs, particularly in urban school environments.

            Among her positions:

            --  Mentoring is one of the strategies that has proven to
                be an effective approach for improving young people's
                self esteem, behavior, and academic performance. The
                key is to build good study habits, encourage creative
                thinking, and allow children to explore new ideas.

            --  School administrators need to truly understand the
                enormous stresses that impact children and families.
                Every effort should be made to reach out and partner
                with community-based social services groups that share
                the school visions for quality education for children
                and youth.

            --  Therapeutic treatment services helps children reduce
                their fears, manage their feelings of anger and calm
                their feelings of anxiety caused by a variety of
                factors. By offering supportive therapeutic
                intervention, children are able to resolve the trauma,
                and school performance is likely to improve.

WHO:        Center For Child Protection And Family Support of
            Washington, 714 G Street SE, Washington, DC
            (www.stopchildabusenow.org)

CONTACT:    Robert Udowitz - 703-621-8060
            Helen Sullivan - 703-606-7622

The Center for Child Protection and Family Support of Washington, DC works to ensure all children are given the opportunity to mature and develop within a family free of maltreatment, and in a community that nurtures and protects them from violence. Prevention, education, early intervention, and mental health treatments are the focal point of the Center's approach for working with child victims and their families. More information can be found on the Center's Web site at www.stopchildabusenow.org.