Central Education Center's CEO Russ Moore may not be James Stewart, but he went to Washington last week to bend the ears of a few Congressmen.

Moore testified to the House Subcommittee on Education Reform about the importance of the school in Coweta County.

President Bush's proposal to eliminate spending for vocational education has sent a shiver down the spine of educators around the country, and Moore wanted to hammer home how crucial Central is to the state of education in Coweta County.

Moore recounted how Central grew out of a desperate need in the county for skilled workers in a variety of professions and was a result of cooperation between the education and business community. The partnership was formed in 1999 and Central opened as the county's first charter school in 2000.

"Businesses also partner with CEC in much higher than usual numbers. Currently, we have 185 local business partners in our Work-Based Learning Program, providing job shadowing, internships, and/or apprenticeships to high school students," Moore said

Since then, the school has proven to be a national model for schools around the country.

"Our team members, many of whom are on track for tech-prep diplomas pass Georgia's five academic graduation tests as the first sitting as often or more often than their peers who do not attend CEC," Moore told the committee.

The school also ranks high with students who attend the school, and parents consistently praise the efforts of the teachers at the school.

Moore urged Congress to keep the funding intact and continue supporting vocational education.