AASA Advocacy Update November 2011 Catching Up With Congress: Education Policy Update

Overview Funding/Appropriations – FY12 – Deficit Commission – American Jobs Act ESEA – Reauthorization – Waivers – Title I Formula Fairness Other Topics Advocacy Resources

Funding & Appropriations President’s Proposal: education a highlight House: Education down over all, huge increases for Title I and IDEA, cuts for many other ed programs Senate: overall increase for education, lack funding increases for Title I and IDEA FY12: Started October 1, without a budget – Current CR runs out Nov. 18 – Most likely will have a second CR into (if not through) December – Differing House and Senate Edu Numbers – Role of final approps bills vs. CR vs. mini/omnibus

Funding & Appropriations Joint Deficit Commission – Super Committee Roster: Senate: Murray (WA), Baucus (MT), Kerry (MA), Kyl (AZ), Portman (OH), and Toomey (PA) House: Hensarling (TX), Becerra (CA), Camp (MI), Clyburn (SC), Upton (MI), and VanHollen (MD) – Has to identify $1.5 trillion in cuts over the next 10 years – Has to announce plan by Thanksgiving and take vote by Christmas – Includes required vote on Balanced Budget Amendment American Jobs Act – Full bill defeated in the Senate – First small piece (Teachers and First Responders) didn’t even get a cloture vote – May have a stand-alone piece including school construction, but not timeline as of yet

ESEA: Reauthorization Different Chambers, Different Approaches House: piecemeal 3 of five pieces through committee Senate: comprehensive Senate GOP vs. Senate HELP

ESEA: Reauthorization Mandated Standardization v. Focus on Poverty Formula v. Competitive Punitive Accountability v. Incentivizing Accountability Assessment: One-Time v. Growth Overly Prescriptive v. Flexibile Charters: More v. Less Assessing Special Learners Early Childhood Education Health/Wellness/Total Child Turnaround Models/School Improvement

ESEA: Regulatory Relief Administration unveiled their waiver plan Sept. 23 Conditional, quid-pro-quo deal, with states having to adopt specific policy priorities I exchange for relief To date, 39 states have expressed interest in the waivers

ESEA: Regulatory Relief Flexibility being offered in 11 specific areas States have to adopt all three policy priorities: – Higher standards – Differentiated accountability system – Teacher/principal evaluation system based on growth NCLB Waiver Watch: AASA position: we agree with the areas in which flexibility is being provided but are opposed to the conditional nature of the process.

Other Issues Federal Mandates RttT, I3, SIG IDEA Full Funding School Nutrition Foster Care Rural Education Technology Common Core/Testing Consortia

Get—and Stay—Involved! Weigh in early, weigh in often These decisions are made whether or not you weigh in. 15 minutes per month is all it takes. Get to know your Senator/Representative, and perhaps more importantly, their education staffer. Invite the Representative/Senator and staffer to your district. Anecdotes and stories have a lot of sticking power with this Congress. Let the face of your school be the one that sticks in their mind!

AASA Advocacy Resources AASA Website: AASA Blog: AASA AASA Legislative Corps: Weekly Newsletter Advocacy Network: Monthly Update

Questions? Noelle Ellerson Assistant Director, Policy Analysis & Advocacy