Henry L. Johnson became assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education for the U.S. Department of Education in 2005. He directs, coordinates and recommends policy for programs including “No Child Left Behind” which is designed to assist state and local education agencies with: fostering and improving the achievement of elementary and secondary school students; helping ensure equal access to services leading to such improvement for all children, particularly children who are economically disadvantaged; and providing financial assistance to local education agencies whose local revenues are affected by federal activities. Mr. Johnson, who has over 30 years experience in the education field, addresses the UVA community as the inaugural lecturer of the 2006 Walter Ridley Distinguished Lecture Series. From the Series:UVA NewsMakers 2006