Wrapping Up the 111 th Session of Congress: Federal Education Policy Update

1. Wrapping Up the 111th Session of Congress: Federal Education Policy Update Noelle Ellerson American Association of School Administrators

2. Presentation Overview • Obama FY11 Budget Proposal • FY11 Appropriations • Emergency Education Jobs Bill • Title I Fight/Formula Fairness • Race to the Top

3. Economic Environment • State and local economies struggling to experience the stability and recovery starting to take hold at the federal level. • Continued issue of supplement/supplant from ARRA and, now, education jobs fund. • Confluence of the end of ARRA (2010-11/2011-12 school years) and the delayed economic recovery represent very real obstacle to schools as they try to balance increased emphasis on innovation with ever slimmer operating budgets.

4. Obama Budget Proposal • FY11 budget proposal released Feb 1 (2011-12 school year) • Despite tight economic times, including non-defense discretionary budget freeze, education receives historic increases • 7.5 percent increase in discretionary funding (largest since FY02) • Proposal includes massive restructuring in ESEA reauthorization • Despite overall increases: • Title I was level funded • IDEA received a $250 million increase, remaining at 17% instead of the promised 40%

5. Obama Budget Proposal

6. Obama Budget Proposal • Despite overall increases:

7. Obama Budget Proposal • 65% increase in the proportion of discretionary education dollars moving through competitive grants • AASA has a position in favor of formula grants. USED 2010

8. FY 11 Appropriations • The House and Senate Approps Cmtes announced caps for FY11 discretionary spending. The Senate cap is roughly $14 billion below the administration, and the House cap is $7 below. • House LHHS markup includes a discretionary increase above FY10 of $2.04 billion (3.2% increase) • Includes $5.67 billion for Pell • $400 m increase for Title I • $153 m increase for IDEA • Next step? Most likely CR to get us through elections, maybe an omnibus. • Concern with additional monies in CR going toward competitive grants, not formula programs.

9. Title I Funding Equity • There will be a formula fight within ESEA reauthorization. • Title I allocations are made up of four formulas: • Basic Grant, Concentration Grant, Targeted Grant, Education Finance Incentive Grant • Idea is to focus on concentrations of poverty • Current law uses numbers or percentages • Since NCLB, all new money in Title I has been split between the Targeted Grant and the Education Finance Incentive Grant. • Focus on percentages of poverty for equity

10. Emergency Education Jobs Bill • $10 billion in education jobs funding and $16.1 billion in FMAP funding • All but 2 states applied (SC and WY). • Current issues? • Supplement/supplant • Maintenance of effort • State pass-through of funds

13. 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. Support the REAP Reauthorization Act HR 2446 & S 1052

14. Increased Congressional support for common core (not national) standards. CCSSO and NGA have joined together with 48 states and territories to develop them. Draft standards were released in March and open for comment until April 2nd. States may choose to include additional standards beyond the common core as long as the common core represents at least 85 percent of the state’s standards in English language arts and mathematics. What if Congress requires adoption of common core in order to receive Title I? Still unclear what Congress sees as their role in this. Certain competitive grants will give priority to Common Core states Common Core Standards

15. Vouchers • Senate Armed Services Committee passed the FY2011 National Defense Authorization Act (S 3454), which included an amendment that would provide $7,500 in government funds to military families with special needs children to use to pay for tuition at a private or a different public school. • Many of the protections touted by proponents of this amendment are already provided to students under IDEA. • Current provisions and requirements of IDEA provide better services for the child. The ultimate goal is providing services, something guaranteed through IDEA but not the voucher. • Would reduce Impact Aid for all federally connected schools.

16. Next Steps: Time for You to Get Involved • Advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. • Take advantage of the campaign season and invite your Congress members to visit your district. • Get to know the education LA! • Decisions will be made whether or not you weigh in. • AASA’s advocacy efforts only go so far; hearing direct from AASA members with the same message significantly strengthens the message.

18. February 17-19, 2011 • Denver, CO JOIN THE GREAT EDUCATION CONVERSATION Are you prepared to change the conversation on school reform to reflect our true successes? What does “reform” mean to you? Attend AASA’s National Conference on Education to ensure you have all the information you need to discuss our progress so far and paint a clear picture of the future – join the Great Education Conversation! REGISTER TODAY at www.aasa.org/nce and claim an active role in the conversation!

19. Questions? Noelle Ellerson Assistant Director, Policy Analysis & Advocacy American Association of School Administrators (703) 875-0764nellerson@aasa.org