Transcript Slide 1

Federal Education Update
Mary Kusler
Asst. Director, Advocacy & Policy
American Association of School Administrators
April 22, 2009
Reauthorization of ESEA – A New Vision
• Secretary Duncan has said ESEA will not be their first
thing out of the gate.
• The House committee plans to being discussions off of
their draft version of ESEA from two years ago.
– The committee composition has not really changed.
• The Senate will begin informal staff level conversations
from where they left off last.
– More complicated due to Senator Kennedy’s health.
– Still some vacancies on the committee and some new additions.
• The reality? Reauthorization will be difficult to complete
this Congress but a lot of discussion will occur.
Changes in the Title I Regulations
• Secretary proposed changes to the Spellings
regulations:
• States will not have to adjust their cohort size to be
under 30.
• Secretary will work with states to make allowances for
students who take 5 or 6 years to graduate.
• Change will allow states a one year waiver from 14 day
parental notification for public school choice.
• Regulations will propose allowing schools and districts
to provide SES regardless of INOI status.
Reframing ESEA:
Addressing the Total Child
A more systemic approach: Connecting 93
disjointed programs to focus on more high-poverty
schools.
1965
ESEA
4 Titles containing
3 grant programs
2002
No Child Left Behind
11 Titles containing 93
grant programs
A continuum of systemically related services and support
based on a continuum of need
Reframing ESEA to provide systemic support
for low income and minority students
All programs
Eligibility
Few programs
low
Continuum of Support
Based on
A Continuum of Need
Poverty
Special student groups
Ell, Native American,
special education etc
Special conditions , e.g.,
rural isolation, federal
installations
high
Reframing ESEA: AASA’s Proposal
A continuum of services and support
starts with:
• Educational Support
•The best and latest research findings
•Information about best practices
•Professional development funding
•Full scholarships with 5-year teaching commitment
Reframing ESEA: AASA’s Proposal
• A more robust menu of support for high poverty
schools would include:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Nearly all programs in ESEA
Physical and mental health care
Childcare
Early childhood education
Full funding for Head Start
After school care, and enrichment
recreational programs
– Home instructional support
and
Reauthorization of REAP
• Some changes need to be made to
improve REAP in the coming
reauthorization.
• Specifically, a number of districts are no
longer receiving a financial benefit from
the program despite qualifying.
– Allow districts to choose which program to
apply under.
– Raise the sliding scale from $20,000 - $60,000
to $25,000 - $70,000.
• For the Rural & Low-income program, use
free and reduced lunch instead of census.
• Update Locale codes.
• Need to fight changes being proposed in
the Senate draft.
• Support the REAP Reauthorization Act
A Quick Word About Money
• At the federal level there are two processes:
– Budget – where the amount of money to be spent
is set.
• Fight for the maximum amount of $ available for
education.
– Appropriations – where individual program
funding levels are set.
• Fight for specific programs.
9
FY 2009 Appropriations
• The House passed the bill in late February with a vote of
245 – 178
• The Senate passed the bill on March 10, 2009 by voice
vote.
• Title I - $594 million increase
• School Improvement - $54 million increase
• Title II, Teacher Quality - $12.5 million
• After school - $50 million increase
• ELL, Title III - $29.61 increase
• IDEA – $557 million increase – now at 17.4 percent
• Reading First – Eliminated
• REAP - $1.5 million increase
FY 2010 Budget
• President Obama has announced his budget
framework but details are expected in May.
• The House and Senate have both passed their
bills and are working on a single version.
• There does not seem to be enough money to
sustain the ARRA investments in Title I & IDEA.
• Larger conversations over higher education:
Pell Grants and the direct lending program
• Senate version contains higher funding levels
then the House.
Private School Vouchers
• DC Private School Voucher program is set to expire this
year.
• Language was included in the FY 2009 funding bill that
will prevent DC Vouchers from being funded next year
without a full reauthorization and approval by the DC
City Council.
• The Dept of Ed evaluation showed no benefits for target
group: students from schools INOI.
• Senate has already scheduled a hearing for May 13.
• We need to stand against federal dollars for private
school vouchers.
IDEA Mandatory Funding
• Congress has promised to provide 40% of the APPE
for every child in special education.
– They are currently at 17.5% (not counting ARRA).
• Proposals in both the House and the Senate will be
introduced to make the increases mandatory
ensuring 40% within 8 years.
– Senator Harkin (D-IA) and Roberts (R-KS)
– Representatives Van Hollen (D-MD), Platts (R-PA) and
Walz (D-MN)
• How do we deal with the investment under ARRA?
School-based Medicaid Claiming
• The final rule to eliminate administrative and
transportation claiming was published on December 28,
2007.
• Congressional moratorium prevents the rule from being
implemented before July 1, 2009.
• Need to go through an official rule making to reverse the
regulations.
• Support efforts to legitimize claiming for school districts.
Expand claiming to 504 Vocational Rehab students.
– Support uniform methodology for claiming.
• Urge your members of Congress to recognize the role
schools play in health care.
Telecom Act & E-Rate
• Congress will likely reauthorize the Telecommunications Act,
including E-Rate
– Can push for an expansion of the $2.25 billion funding cap.
– Continue inclusion of E-Rate in the Universal Service Fund.
– Reduction of the paperwork requirements for program
participation while still ensuring program integrity.
• Immediate need to promote a permanent exemption from
the Anti-deficiency Act.
– Ask your members to support:
• S 348 – House bill to come…
• Both provide a permanent exemption
School Nutrition
• Up for reauthorization this Congress
– Senate Agriculture Committee
– House Education and Labor Committee
• Increased focused on nutritional standards &
childhood obesity.
– HR 1324 – Rep. Woolsey (D-CA) Senate bill to follow
– Need to ensure exception for school sponsored events
• Need to look at increasing reimbursement rates for
schools in order to provide more nutritious meals.
Next Steps: Time for You to Get Involved
• Start to talk with your members of Congress
about moving forward.
• Get involved, make a call, don’t assume that
someone else will do it!
– Be sure to get to know the Education LA in DC!
– 15 minutes a month on your outlook calendar.
• Try to talk about the reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act,
not NCLB.
• Keep this issue on the front burner in your
communities to help create the dialogue.
Any questions?
Mary Kusler
Assistant Director, Advocacy & Policy
American Association of School Administrators
801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 875- 0733
[email protected]