Federal Legislative Update: The Outlook for Federal Education Issues in this Election Year and Beyond

1. July 27, 2012 Federal Legislative Update: The Outlook for Federal Education Issues in this Election Year and Beyond Reginald M. Felton Assistant Associate Executive Director National School Boards Association

2. Outline • Introduction • National School Boards Action Center • Federal Election & Related Issues • Legislative Update

3. 112th Congress • 19% Approval Rate • Highly partisan legislative process • Politically charged environment • Limited success • Supreme Court decision re. campaign contributions • Moving quickly into election mode • Executive-Legislative branch relations

4. 112th Congress First Session • Economic recovery • Healthcare • Foreign policy • Senate & House Democrat majority Second Session • National debt reduction • Reduced focus on domestic programs • Senate Democrat majority • House Republican majority

5. U.S. Senate • Currently: 51 Ds – 49 Rs • Seats up: 23 Ds – 10 Rs • Retirements to Date • Ds (6): HI/NM/ND/NE/WI/VA • Rs (3): AZ/TX/ME • Is (1): CT • Seats in Play • Ds- Likely to lose ND & NE/ Toss ups: MO/MT/VA/WI • Rs- Likely to lose none/ Toss ups: MA/NV

6. U.S. House • Currently 241 Rs- 191 Ds (3 vacancy – McCotter, Payne, Inslee) • A Democratic majority requires a net loss of 26 Republican seats

7. 113th Congress • Democratic Senate / Democratic House • Democratic Senate / Republican House • Republican Senate / Republican House • Republican Senate / Democratic House • Defense vs. Non-defense funding • Tax reform • Appropriate Federal role • Immigration reform

8. Federal Education Issues113th Congress • Funding • Comparability • Maintenance of Effort • Supplement not supplant • Competitive vs. formula-based • Policy • Accountability Early childhood education • Charter Schools Parent engagement • Vouchers Education technology

9. State & Local Education Issues113th Congress • Teacher/Principal evaluation & certification • Safety • School construction/alternate sites • Virtual schools • Standards • Assessments • Graduation rates & Dual enrollment • Collective Bargaining/shared governance • Teacher/Principal compensation

10. Legislative/Regulatory Update • Sequestration (mandated reductions) • FY-13 appropriations • ESEA reauthorization • NCLB waivers • Child nutrition regulations • Race To The Top/Local Grants • E-Rate protections • Restraint & Seclusions

11. National School Boards Action Center (NSBAC) • Enable expenditures for lobbying to exceed 5% of NSBA’s budget • Enable public lobbying to occur • Engage in political activities–but not to endorse candidates or form a PAC

12. NSBAC Operations • A separate corporation • A separate governing board comprised of four members from NSBA’s board of directors, three from state association boards of directors, and NSBA’s executive director (ex officio) • Operates under an agreement with NSBA to coordinate with NSBA’s legislative program, using NSBA’s staff and facilities, and reimbursing NSBA for that use from NSBAC funds

13. Funding For NSBAC • An allocation from state association dues for those fourteen state associations that are not 501(c)(3) organizations (limits lobbying like NSBA is limited) • Funds will be used to reimburse NSBA for “renting out” its staff and facilities • Not an increase in state associations dues

14. State Associations Funding NSBAC

15. Members of NSBAC Board of Directors Kevin Ciak, NJ (2013) Anne Golden, WA (2013) Minnie Forte-Brown, NC (2014) Jackie Magnuson, MN (2014) Terry Martin, NM (2014) Barb Riley, MT (2014) Charlie Wilson, OH (2013) Anne Bryant, (ex officio)

16. State Executive Directors’ Advisory Committee

17. NSBAC Represents All of NSBA Through Its Shared Services/Facilities Agreement with NSBA Twenty three states directly participate in NSBAC through representation on the NSBAC board, participation in the State Executive Directors Advisory Committee, or through their dues allocation Operations officially begin on July 1, 2012

18. Key Points to Remember NSBAC is a separate organization NSBAC is not a membership organization but an organization to lobby in coordination with NSBA The goal is not to create another NSBA but to achieve more effective advocacy than what NSBA can do alone Simplicity in the relationship between NSBA and NSBAC—and in the operation of NSBAC-- means more time and resources can be spent on lobbying

20. Role of Local School Board 113th Congress • “Equity and Excellence Through School Board Leadership” • “On-Average” vs. “Each Child” • “Barrier Removal” vs. Barrier Replacement • “Developing Competencies” vs. “Passing Tests” • “Learning Centers” vs. “Traditional Classrooms” • “Poverty as a challenge” vs. Poverty as an excuse • Budget Priorities based on data vs. Budget Priorities based on interest groups • Eliminating marginal programs vs. No money for new programs that work

21. NSBA Resources Reginald M. Felton Assistant Executive Director for Congressional Relations rfelton@nsba.org / 703-838-6782 NSBA Advocacy website: www.nsba.org/advocacy