Just days after President Barack Obama singled out education as a key investment area in a tight budget year, eight lawmakers leading the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act are headed to the White House to meet with the president and discuss (what else) ESEA.

For the most part, the Big 8 are the chairmen and subcommittee chairmen of the committees that oversee K-12 policy. They are Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.; Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.; and Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.; and Reps. John Kline, R-Minn.; George Miller, D-Calif.; Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.; and Dale Kildee, D-Mich.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will be there, too.

The administration has been trying to schedule this meeting since before the State of the Union, according to advocates in the rumor mill. In fact, at one point they were aiming for the day after the speech, but that didn’t work out because of scheduling conflicts.

The meeting Thursday morning is closed to the press, but a photographer will be there. So I hope you’re ready for your close-up, Big 8!