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© 2011 National Association of Secondary School Principals - All rights to the intellectual property contained herein, including copyrights, trademarks, and service marks, are reserved by NASSP.
The Alliance for Excellent Education and
the National Association of Secondary School Principals
Invite You to Attend a Briefing
Transitioning to College- and Career-Ready Standards: The Role of School Leaders
Thursday, May 2, 2013
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
902 Hart Senate Office Building
(Lunch available at 11:30 a.m.; program begins promptly at 11:45 a.m.)
Participants
Mitchell Curry, Principal, Scott Morgan Johnson Middle School (McKinney, TX)
Bill Knudsen, Education Policy Advisor, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) (minority staff)
Michael Gamel-McCormick, PhD, Senior K–12 Education Policy Advisor, U.S. Senate HELP Committee (majority staff)
Robbie Hooker, PhD, Principal, Clarke Central High School (Athens, GA)
Daniel Wiebers, Principal, Trenton R I-X High School (Trenton, MO)
Bob Wise, President, Alliance for Excellent Education
Please join the Alliance for Excellent Education and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) on Thursday, May 2, 2013, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (ET), for a discussion about the role of school leaders in creating a culture of high expectations that will help all students graduate from high school ready for college and a career. The event will focus on the efforts principals are leading as schools transition to implement college- and career-ready standards. The MetLife Foundation–NASSP Breakthrough Schools project identifies, showcases, and recognizes middle and high schools that are achieving at high levels or dramatically improving student achievement while serving a large number of students who are most at risk of dropping out.
The panel discussion will highlight three schools—Clarke Central High School (GA); Scott Morgan Johnson Middle School (TX); and Trenton R I-X High School (MO)—that have been recognized by the Breakthrough Schools project for exemplifying the core areas of collaborative leadership, personalization, and access to a rigorous and differentiated curriculum for all students.
RSVP by Friday, April 26, 2012.
Space is limited. Acceptances ONLY, on a “first-come” basis,
with subject line “RSVP: May 2 Hill Briefing” to sgregg@wpllc.net
or contact Stephanie Gregg at (202) 289-3900.
The Alliance for Excellent Education and NASSP offers a special thank you to U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, honorary host of this event.
This event is made possible with support from the MetLife Foundation.
This event is closed to press.
The National Association of Secondary School Principals is the leading organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and all school leaders from across the United States and 36 countries. The association provides research-based professional development and resources, networking, and advocacy to build the capacity of middle level and high school leaders to continually improve student performance. www.NASSP.org
The Alliance for Excellent Education is a Washington, DC–based national policy and advocacy organization that works to improve national and federal education policy so that all students can achieve at high academic levels and graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship in the twenty-first century. www.all4ed.org
Since Congress eliminated funding for the federal Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT) program in FY 2011, schools have struggled to pay for new handheld devices, education software, and training for school leaders and teachers on how to use technology to personalize the learning environment for each student. As these skills become more important in our effort to graduate all students college and career ready, principals should be very pleased that House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA) has introduced the Transforming Education through Technology Act (H.R. 521).
“Technology provides us an opportunity to tackle chronic education challenges in new ways thanks to increasing use and access, constant innovation, and falling costs. Technology can be a tool to drive equity and to help transform how education is delivered, making learning more student-centered and recognizing teachers as education designers,” said Rep. Miller. “We must harness this opportunity if we want to give all students a 21st century skill set to prepare them for high-growth, high-demand jobs in the global economy.”
The Transforming Education through Technology Act would authorize $500 million for State Grants for Technology Readiness and Access. States would be required to provide technical assistance to school districts to help them address their technology readiness needs, deliver computer-based and online assessments, support principals in evaluating teachers’ proficiency in implementing digital tools for teaching and learning, and build capacity for individual school and district leaders. States would also coordinate with teacher and school leader preparation programs to align digital learning teaching standards and provide professional development that is aligned to state student technology standards and activities promoting college and career readiness.
Under the bill, subgrants would be provided to school districts to carry out “digital age” professional development opportunities for all school staff. Specifically, school leaders would receive ongoing professional development to promote: 1) the use of educational technology to ensure a digital age learning environment; and 2) the use of data in order to increase student access to technology and engagement in learning. School districts could also use the funding to hire technology coaches to work directly with teachers on integrating technology into their instruction.
NASSP strongly supports the Transforming Education through Technology At and encourages our members to contact their legislators and urge them to cosponsor the bill. Click here for more information about the legislation.
After reading NASSP’s position statement on raising the compulsory school attendance age, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) approached NASSP for assistance in drafting legislation to provide resources and support for schools in states that elect to raise the dropout age to 18. The Broadening Opportunities Through Education Act will be introduced this afternoon, and many of the bill’s provisions mirror NASSP’s recommendations for middle level and high school reform.
“It is unacceptable and saddening that more than 9,000 students drop out of Maryland Public Schools each year,” said Rep. Edwards. “That is why my legislation…provides additional resources to states that increase compulsory school attendance through age 17 to help improve secondary schools and ensure that students at-risk of dropping out receive the support they need to reach their fullest potential. A quality education is critical to ensuring success in a 21st century global economy, and we must do all we can to provide one for our nation’s young people.”
Under the bill, states that have enacted laws to raise the compulsory attendance age could apply for a competitive grant to improve programs in their middle level and high schools. Funding would be used to establish or expand CTE programs, implement an early warning indicator system to help high schools and their feeder middle schools assist struggling students, create grade and school transition programs, personalize the school experience,
provide extended learning opportunities, and increase counseling and other nonacademic supports for students.
One study cited in the board position statement notes that 25% of potential dropouts remain in school because of compulsory schooling laws, but NASSP understands that raising the age of compulsory school attendance alone is not enough to ensure these students graduate. We were very pleased to work with Congresswoman Edwards and her staff to ensure that secondary schools can access vital resources that will allow them to provide supports to struggling students and help them get on track to be college and career ready when they complete high school.”
The position statement offers recommendations for school leaders aligned with the Breaking Ranks Framework. Principals are encouraged to personalize the school environment by creating small units within their schools, developing a personal plan for progress for each student, and assigning a personal adult advocate for each student. They are also called on to increase academic rigor through CTE or curriculum-based service learning; coordinate the delivery of physical, mental health, and social services for students in conjunction with community-based organizations; and provide intensive interventions to students who are at risk of dropping out.
Although Congress is unlikely to act on any education bills before the November elections, the Broadening Opportunities Through Education Act will likely be considered in future discussions of Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization.
Although both the Senate and House education committees passed bills within the past year to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), none of those bills were considered in their respective chambers. Instead, the US Department of Education (ED) has used the waiver process to bypass Congress and “fix” the problems in No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the current iteration of the law.
On July 19, ED approved waiver applications for 6 additional states and the District of Columbia, bringing the grand total to 32. The latest states to receive waivers are Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and South Carolina. Five additional states (California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, and Nevada) are currently under review, and the deadline for the next round of waivers is September 6.
The approved states may waive several specific provisions of NCLB, including the 2014 deadline for 100% student proficiency, in exchange for adopting college and career-ready standards, implementing new accountability and support systems for schools, and developing new evaluation systems for teachers and principals.
“More and more states can’t wait any longer for education reform,” said US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “A strong, bipartisan reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act remains the best path forward in education reform, but as these states have demonstrated, our kids can’t wait any longer for Congress to act.”
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and his staff said for months that the two bills passed by the committee in February 2012 would be considered on the House floor before the August recess, but a legislative agenda released by Speaker of the House John Boehner in the spring included no education legislation. On the Senate side, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) had previously announced that the Senate would not bring his bill to the floor until the House passed a “bipartisan” bill.
With few legislative days remaining before the looming November elections and a number of appropriations bills still to pass before the fiscal year ends on September 30, there’s slim-to-no-chance ESEA will be completed this year. And while waivers and Race to the Top seem like the law of the land for principals and assistant principals in some states now, the presidential and congressional elections will have a huge impact on whether they remain in place beyond 2014.
NASSP will continue to push for a comprehensive ESEA reauthorization in the next Congress that includes a focus on our key issue areas: school leadership, literacy, middle level and high schools, and education technology. We felt that the Senate committee bill was a step in the right direction toward improving current law and hope that Congress will use that draft as a starting-off point for negotiations in January.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Status of ESEA Reauthorization
Although both the Senate and House education committees passed bills within the past year to reauthorize ESEA, none of those bills were considered in their respective chambers. House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and his staff said for months that the two bills passed by the committee in February 2012 would be considered on the House floor before the August recess, but a legislative agenda for the remaining weeks released by Speaker of the House John Boehner included no education legislation. On the Senate side, HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) had previously announced that the Senate would not bring his bill to the floor until the House passed a “bipartisan” bill. With few legislative days remaining before the looming November elections and a number of appropriations bills still to pass before the fiscal year ends on September 30, there’s slim-to-no-chance ESEA will be completed this year. While waivers and Race to the Top seem like the law of the land for principals and assistant principals in some states, the presidential and congressional elections will have a HUGE impact on whether they remain in place beyond 2014.
NASSP will continue to push for a comprehensive ESEA reauthorization that includes a focus on our key issue areas: school leadership, literacy, middle level and high schools, and education technology. See attached issue sheets.
ESEA Waivers
The U.S. Department of Education announced June 29 that they approved 5 more states for NCLB waivers: Arkansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Utah and Virginia. This makes 24 total states with waivers, and leaves 13 applications still under review, whose decisions may come out over the course of the summer. To date, Iowa is the only state to have been denied a waiver, and Round 3 applications are due on September 6.
Says Secretary Duncan about the approved waivers: “These states have joined in a nationwide movement toward state-led education reform now embraced by 24 states,” said Secretary Arne Duncan. “Their plans are the product of bold, forward-thinking state and local leaders who have moved beyond the tired old battles and partisan bickering to roll up their sleeves and start working together.”
Duncan pointed out that many of the new state-created accountability systems capture more students at risk, including low-income students, students with disabilities, and English learners, adding, “States must show they are protecting children in order to get flexibility. These states met that bar.” Read more about these states’ waivers here: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/06/five_more_states_get_nclb_waiv.html.
NASSP on Capitol Hill
During this quarter, NASSP staff participated in a number of meetings with congressional staff to discuss our recommendations for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), including key bills to improve school leadership and provide additional resources for middle and high schools. Offices being visited during this time period include: Senate HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), and House Education and the Workforce Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA).
FY 2013 Budget/Appropriations
In June, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Senate FY 2013 Labor-HHS-Education bill, which allocates funding levels for various federal education programs for FY 2013. Though we have heard that this bill will not reach the Senate floor and that we are almost certain to start off FY 2013 with a Continuing Resolution (CR) which largely level-funds programs from the current fiscal year, this bill is still important to show us where the Senate is at in terms of spending on education programs.
The full Committee approved the bill on a party line vote of 16-14 (with all Democrats voting yes and all Republicans voting no). Republicans opposed the bill largely over objections to funding for the Affordable Care Act. Overall, discretionary (non-mandatory) funds for education increased by $408 million (+0.6%). NASSP is happy to see an increase of $100 million each to Title I grants and to IDEA state grants, as well as level-funding for the School Leadership Program ($29 million) and the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program ($159 million). Most education programs were level-funded, but others received increases, including:
- Race to the Top
- Advanced Placement
- Promise Neighborhoods
- IDEA Grants for infants and families
- International education and foreign language studies domestic programs
- Research in special education
- Statewide data systems
Funding for other programs was decreased, including for:
- Mathematics and Science Partnerships
- Transition to teaching
- Safe and drug-free schools and communities national programs
- National assessment (NAEP)
- National Assessment Governing Board
NASSP Government Relations staff heard this week that the long-awaited House appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education will hold its markup the week of July 9. This subcommittee will determine funding levels for education programs for FY 2013 appropriations. At that point, the House and Senate are supposed to “conference” their bills to agree on one final appropriations bill, but this hardly ever happens due to disagreement and this year it is especially likely not to happen because it’s an election year. So, it is nearly certain that we will begin FY 2013 with a continuing resolution, or CR, that largely extends funding levels from the previous year (FY 2012), and will likely last through December. In January, it is more likely we will see a year-long CR that sets different funding levels for FY 2013. Stay tuned for news on the upcoming subcommittee markup!
NASSP Government Relations staff has met with several Congressional offices that sit on this subcommittee to advocate that education funding not be cut more than it already has the past few years, and we also reiterated the point that sequestration would be untenable for education funding and urged Congress to find another way to reduce the deficit responsibly. We are hopeful that our message will make an impact for FY 2013 education funding. NASSP Government Relations staff met with the following Congressional offices on the Senate subcommittee: Sen. Shelby (R-AL) and Sen. Inouye (D-HI); and the following Congressional offices on the House subcommittee: Rep. Jackson (D-IL) Rep. Lee (D-CA); and Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA). NASSP’s coalition partner, the Committee for Education Funding, has organized meetings with several other subcommittee offices this past quarter as well to deliver our unified message about education funding.
Sequestration
(As a reminder, sequestration is the drastic, across-the-board cuts to education that are scheduled to occur on January 2, 2013. These across-the-board cuts will occur-unless Congress acts to stop it-as stipulated in the August 2011 Budget Control Act. Congress put this measure of sequestration in place in case a 12-member Congressional committee was unable to approve a plan to reduce another $1.2 trillion from the federal deficit; this committee failed, triggering sequestration.
Sequestration would impose the largest education funding cuts ever, chopping funding for programs in the Department of Education by roughly $4 billion, or 8.4%, which would have a devastating impact on state and district budgets.)
In May, the House passed H.R.5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 in a near party-line 218-99 vote. The bill was supported by nearly all Republicans — only 16 opposed it, and no Democrats supported it.
As The Hill explains in a May 10 article, “The House voted Thursday to override steep cuts to the Pentagon’s budget mandated by last summer’s debt deal and replace them with spending reductions to food stamps and other mandatory social programs.
While doomed in the Senate and opposed by the White House, the legislation, which would reduce the deficit by $243 billion, is a Republican marker for post-election budget talks with the White House.”
NASSP is strongly opposed to this bill and feels that this legislation does not come anywhere near the balanced deficit reduction approach we must take to address our federal deficit.
NASSP encourages you to tell your legislators that sequestration is unacceptable by signing this online petition at www.cef.org/action. Join with thousands of other education stakeholders and sign this petition! NASSP Government Relations staff is also leading the efforts around grassroots activism to urge Congress to not let sequestration occur, and will be implementing key grassroots activities in the next quarter to attempt to stop the sequester. Please look for our emails in the coming months on ways we ask you to advocate against sequestration, and we thank you in advance for your participation.
School Principal Recruitment and Training Act
NASSP continues to advocate for the School Principal Recruitment and Training Act, although the bill was not reintroduced during the 112th Congress. The bill would authorize a grant program to recruit, select, train, and support aspiring or current principals with track records of transforming student learning and outcomes and prepare these principals to lead high-need schools. Selected aspiring principals would be provided with a pre-service residency that lasts for at least one year as well as ongoing support and professional development for at least two years after they commence work as school leaders. Grant funds would also be used to provide mentoring and professional development to strengthen current principals’ capacity in the areas of instruction, supervision, evaluation, and development of teachers and highly effective school organizations.
LEARN Act
Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) reintroduced the Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation (LEARN) Act (H.R. 2272/S. 929) in 2011. The bill would authorize $2.35 billion for comprehensive state and local literacy initiatives, building on the best components of the federal Early Reading First, Reading First, and Striving Readers programs. Districts would support schoolwide literacy initiatives that include professional development for principals and teachers to incorporate literacy across the curriculum and targeted interventions for struggling students.
As a member of Advocates for Literacy, NASSP staff participated in meetings with key congressional staff to discuss the LEARN Act and the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program. Offices visited this quarter include Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA).
The LEARN Act currently has 15 House cosponsors and 6 Senate cosponsors.
Success in the Middle Act
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) reintroduced the Success in the Middle Act (H.R. 1547/S. 833) in 2011. Under the bill, states are required to implement a middle school improvement plan that describes what students are required to know and do to successfully complete the middle grades and make the transition to succeed in an academically rigorous high school. School districts would receive grants to help them invest in proven intervention strategies, including professional development and coaching for school leaders, teachers, and other school personnel; and student supports such as personal academic plans, intensive reading and math interventions, and extended learning time.
In June, NASSP cosponsored a congressional briefing on middle level education and early warning indicators with the Alliance for Excellent Education, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, and the National Middle Schools Association.
The Success in the Middle Act currently has 18 House cosponsors and 7 Senate cosponsors.
Graduation Promise Act
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) and Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) reintroduced the Graduation Promise Act (H.R. 778/S. 1177). The bill would support the development of statewide systems of differentiated high school improvement that focuses research and evidence-based intervention on the lowest performing high schools, and improves the capacity of the high schools to decrease dropout rates and increase student achievement. The bill would also provide competitive grants to states to identify statewide obstacles hindering students from graduating, and provide incentives for states to increase graduation rates.
The Graduation Promise Act currently has 34 House cosponsors and 1 Senate cosponsor.
National Assistant Principals Week Resolution
On April 19, newest member of the House Education and Workforce Committee Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) introduced a Congressional resolution (H.Res.626) officially recognizing the week of April 16-20, 2012 as National Assistant Principals Week.
Other Bills
College and Career Ready Classrooms Act
As part of major legislation to create jobs and improve the nation’s economic competitiveness, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has introduced a proposal to assist schools in preparing all students to be college and career ready.
NASSP strongly supports the Common Core State Standards, and the board of directors recently approved a position statement offering recommendations on their successful implementation. We call on Congress to fund ongoing, professional development about these new standards to build the capacity of principals, assistant principals, and teachers. School leaders are also encouraged to provide professional development opportunities to instructional staff members to help them teach to higher standards and provide students with the supports they need to achieve them.
The College and Career Ready Classrooms Act would authorize a competitive grant program to support local school districts in the successful implementation of college- and career-ready standards. In providing professional development opportunities for teachers and other school staff, NASSP is pleased that the bill would require in-service activities for school administrators that support instructional leadership around the implementation of these standards and ensure coordination with pre-service teacher preparation programs. Local implementation strategies would also support the use of technology to personalize instruction and to enhance educators’ own professional learning.
The bill was introduced as one provision in the Rebuild America Act (S. 2252), which would provide investments in job training, manufacturing, and the transportation infrastructure; increase overtime benefits and establish a fair and equitable minimum wage; and make changes to the tax code. While not taking a position on the entire legislation, NASSP also strongly supports a provision that would authorize $20 billion in formula grants for the modernization, renovation, and repair of early learning facilities, K-12 public schools and community colleges.
American Dream Accounts Act
In an effort to expand college access for underserved students, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) has introduced the American Dream Accounts Act (S. 2194) to link college savings accounts to an online database that tracks college readiness. A companion bill (H.R. 4207) was also introduced in the House by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA).
“One of the lessons we’ve learned from the recent recession is that unemployment has remained very low among those with a college degree,” said Sen. Coons in a press release. “Now more than ever, amid intensifying global competition and rapidly changing technology, it’s critical that young people not only finish high school, but pursue some kind of education after high school. American Dream Accounts are a way to strengthen the ability of teachers, parents, mentors, and students to work together to make sure that young people, throughout their entire education experience, prepare for, save for, train for, and then fulfill a vision for their own future—a dream for their life after high school.”
The American Dream Accounts Act would authorize $3 billion from existing U.S. Department of Education (ED) funds for competitive grants to school districts, charter schools, or nonprofit organizations to establish an administer American Dream Accounts, which are personal online accounts for low-income students that monitor college readiness and include a college savings account. Grantees would monitor student progress data, including grades and course selections, progress reports, and attendance and disciplinary records. They would also provide opportunities for students to learn about financial readiness and the college enrollment process and to identify their skills and interests.
While NASSP supports efforts to increase college access for underserved students, we are concerned that the American Dream Accounts Act does not authorize new federal funding for these competitive grants. Formula programs such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act have been woefully underfunded for years, and we are concerned that ED would target those resources or other vital education programs to pay for the bill.
Sen. Coons has created a Web page where anyone can post comments about their thoughts on the America Dream Accounts Act. For more information, go to: http://www.coons.senate.gov/issues/dreamaccounts/.
Student Loan Interest Rates
As reported by Education Week on June 29, 2527425274 Congress acted just under the wire Friday to save college students from paying more for student loans. The legislation will freeze interest rates on federally subsidized Stafford loans at 3.4 percent, avoiding a scheduled increase on July 1 to 6.8 percent.
Hours after Congress passed the measure, President Obama signed it into law—temporarily—effective through July 6. He is expected to make it permanent before the stopgap measure expires at the end of next week.
The measure was part of a bill to fund construction and federal flood insurance. On Tuesday, U.S. Senate leaders announced they had agreed on a plan to come up with $6 billion to cover the cost of the lower student loan interest rates. The bill passed on a 74-19 vote in the Senate and a 373-52 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Most of the money is expected to come from raising premiums for federal pension insurance. But students also will help foot the bill. Congress is looking to get $1.2 billion in savings from changing eligibility for student loans. It limits loan eligibility to 150 percent of a program’s time to degree — or six years for a bachelor’s degree and three years for an associate degree.
The move to stop interest rates from doubling is expected to affect 7.4 million students, saving each an average of $1,000 in extra financing fees.
Student groups have been actively lobbying Congress to keep interest rates down. On June 28, students and graduates carried banners to Capitol Hill and delivered a petition with 1 million signatures calling for action to freeze interest rates.
NASSP on Capitol Hill
Literacy
NASSP Associate Director for High School Services Mel Riddile served as moderator at a congressional briefing on April 17 hosted by Advocates for Literacy, a coalition of over 40 national organizations that support a comprehensive and systemic approach to improving literacy for students from birth through grade 12.
State Assistant Principals of the Year
The 2012 State Assistant Principals of the Year spent an entire day on Capitol Hill on April 19 meeting with their Congressional offices to have a significant collective impact on the federal conversation around secondary schools and school leadership. Besides effectively advocating for the issues that they are most passionate about, some assistant principals mentioned that they had already convinced their legislators to visit their schools to see their work in action and gain an even greater perspective on this incredibly difficult but rewarding job. The NASSP/Virco National Assistant Principal of the Year and finalists also spoke at a congressional briefing where they addressed hot topics in school reform.
MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools
On April 26, the 2012 MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools winners visited their Congressional offices for their Capitol Hill Day. These exemplary principals visited a total of approximately 40 Congressional offices to deliver their invaluable stories and perspective as school leaders to build upon the great advocacy that our 2012 Virco/NASSP Assistant Principals of the Year conducted last week for their Capitol Hill Day. There’s no doubt that dozens of legislators now have a much better sense of the critical role of school leaders for student success as a result of this collective advocacy. Finally, four of the 2012 MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools winners participated in a Capitol Hill briefing on Thursday in which they each spoke of their use of the NASSP Breaking Ranks framework to bring about significant school improvement, as well as their use of other strategies and their leadership skills to change the trajectory of their schools. To review quotes by the panelists that NASSP tweeted during the briefing, look under the hashtag #AEENASSP on Twitter.
NASSP Board of Directors
On May 3, the NASSP Board of Directors participated in a roundtable discussion with Congressional staff on the Senate and House education committees and visited their Congressional offices while in town for their spring Board meeting. This marks the 3rd straight week that NASSP had a group of its members on Capitol Hill to deliver their stories and impart their passion for their work. There’s no doubt that dozens of legislators now have a much better sense of the critical role of school leaders for student success as a result of this collective advocacy.
NASSP State Coordinators and Presidents-Elect
On June 27, nearly 100 NASSP members-state coordinators and presidents-elect-convened on Capitol Hill for a day of advocacy. This Hill Day marked the second year the state coordinators participated in a Hill Day in their new role as federal advocacy liaisons. Our members had very effective visits and most got a chance to meet with their legislators who listened to their perspectives and input as school leaders. NASSP Government Relations staff is excited to see these principals build on the success of their Hill Day and develop relationships with their Congressional offices, and we will continue to support them and advocate on their behalf on Capitol Hill. If you are on Twitter, you can read about their Congressional meetings and their impressions of Hill Day by searching for the hashtag #nasspdc. Congratulations to the state coordinators and presidents-elect!
Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), who is a former teacher and principal, recently established the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus to address federal anti-bullying efforts, and NASSP is proud to endorse and support the work of this new caucus. “As an educator of more than 30 years and a member of Congress who was bullied as a child, I am inspired to help craft solutions that stop bullying in communities everywhere, both online and offline,” Honda told Education Daily®. “The bipartisan Anti-Bullying Caucus will give a voice to the voiceless by providing a premier forum to develop legislative solutions to stop bullying.” The caucus already has 20 members and Honda said that many other Democratic and Republican Representatives have also expressed interest in joining the caucus.
Rep. Honda says that he will introduce anti-bullying legislation this summer. As noted by Education Daily, “Anti-bullying measures already introduced include the Safe Schools Improvement Act, S. 506 and H.R. 1648 [which NASSP supports], the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, H.R. 83, and the Anti-Bullying and Harassment Act, H.R. 975.
As part of the launch of the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus on June 28, NASSP President-Elect Denise Greene-Wilkinson participated in a panel discussion on bullying at the US Department of Education.
News from the White House and the US Department of Education
Department of Education Releases Perkins Act/Career and Technical Education Blueprint
On April 19, the Department of Education issued its blueprint for reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The blueprint is based on 4 key principles:
Alignment: Ensuring that the skills taught in CTE programs reflect the actual needs of the labor market so that CTE students acquire the 21st century skills necessary for in-demand occupations within high-growth industry sectors.
Collaboration: Incentivizing secondary schools, institutions of higher education, employers, and industry partners to work together to ensure that all CTE programs offer students high-quality learning opportunities.
Accountability: Requiring CTE programs to show, through common definitions and related performance measures, that they are improving academic outcomes and enabling students to build technical and job skills.
Innovation: Promoting systemic reform of state-level policies to support effective CTE implementation and innovation at the local level
In addition, ED will be holding a Perkins Blueprint webinar. Please see the “Events” section below for this information.
For more information, go to: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/transforming-career-technical-education.pdf.
U.S. Department of Education Seeks Input on “RESPECT” Project to Transform the Teaching Profession
From a Department of Education press release: “A vision document for reforming the teaching profession created by active classroom teachers working temporarily for the U.S. Department of Education was posted for public comment on the Department’s website as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. The 14-page document reflects input from more than 2,500 teachers across the country who participated in approximately 200 roundtable meetings over the past six months.
NASSP worked with ED to hold 4 focus group sessions with principals and assistant principals to discuss RESPECT. These sessions were conducted at the NASSP annual conference in Tampa (March), and here in Washington, DC, with the State Assistant Principals of the Year (April), the MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools (April), and a group of local principals from DC, Maryland, and Virginia (May).
The RESPECT Project, which stands for Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence and Collaborative Teaching, is the Obama Administration’s effort to honor and elevate America’s educators. The administration’s proposed 2013 budget seeks $5 billion for a new competitive program to support states and districts working to reform the teaching profession.
RESPECT explores transformative ideas for improving classroom instruction, making the most of the school day and year, strengthening the relationship between principal and teachers, and distributing talent to high-need schools and subjects. In addition, it discusses effective methods for recruitment, training, development, and creating career pathways that encourage talented teachers and leaders to maintain professions in education.
For more information, go to: http://www.ed.gov/teaching/national-conversation/vision.
Department of Education Announces District-Level Race to the Top Applications
In May, the US Department of Education released the draft guidelines for a district competition for Race to the Top funds. For more information about the draft guidelines and NASSP’s comments, read this article in Education Week: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/05/department_announces_game_plan.html
To read the draft guidelines, visit the Department’s Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/race-top/district-competition.
Obama Announces Plan to Halt Deportation of Illegal Immigrant Youths
The Obama administration announced that it will start granting work permits to illegal immigrant youths (instead of deportation) who meet the following criteria: they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 and are younger than 30; they have been in the country for at least five continuous years; have no criminal history; graduated from a U.S. high school or earned a GED; or served in the military.
As Education Week notes, “The election-year initiative addresses a top priority of an influential Latino electorate that has been vocal in its opposition to administration deportation policies.
The policy change, described to The Associated Press by two senior administration officials, will affect as many as 800,000 immigrants who have lived in fear of deportation. It also bypasses Congress and partially achieves the goals of the so-called DREAM Act [strongly supported by NASSP], a long-sought but never enacted plan to establish a path toward citizenship for young people who came to the United States illegally but who have attended college or served in the military.
NASSP Board Position Statements
In May, the NASSP Board of Directors gave final approval to a position statement on Charter Schools: http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=47108
NASSP Federal Grassroots Network
The Federal Grassroots Network held its quarterly call on May 8 and a make-up call on May 10. The five “hot topics” the Network reported on in their states and that NASSP Government Relations staff created action items on were: teacher evaluation, principal evaluation, implementation of common core state standards, No Child Left Behind waivers ,and state education funding. If you are not yet a member of the Federal Grassroots Network and would like to become one, please email Mary Kingston at kingstonm@nassp.org. For an overview of what membership in the Network involves, please go here: http://www.nassp.org/Legislative-Advocacy/NASSP-Federal-Grassroots-Network.
The quarterly call dates for 2012-2013 are the following (members will choose one date/time per quarter):
- August 2012: Tues Aug 21 2012, 10 am EST; Wed Aug 22 2012, 3:30 pm EST
- November 2012: Tues Nov 13, 10 am EST; Wed Nov 14 2012, 3:30 pm EST
- February 2013: Tues Feb 12, 10 am EST; Wed Feb 13 2013, 3:30 pm EST
- May 2013: Tues May 14, 10 am EST; Wed May 15 2013, 3:30 pm EST
NASSP Advocacy in the States
NASSP Director of Government Relations Amanda Karhuse was in Harrisburg, PA, on April 13 to speak to the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals.
NASSP Manager of Government Relations Mary Kingston was in Yukon, Oklahoma on June 23 to present the platforms of the presidential candidates as part of a mock presidential election to student council members for the National Association of Student Councils conference.
As part of major legislation to create jobs and improve the nation’s economic competitiveness, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has introduced a proposal to assist schools in preparing all students to be college and career ready.
NASSP strongly supports the Common Core State Standards, and the board of directors recently approved a position statement offering recommendations on their successful implementation. We call on Congress to fund ongoing, professional development about these new standards to build the capacity of principals, assistant principals, and teachers. School leaders are also encouraged to provide professional development opportunities to instructional staff members to help them teach to higher standards and provide students with the supports they need to achieve them.
The College and Career Ready Classrooms Act would authorize a competitive grant program to support local school districts in the successful implementation of college- and career-ready standards. In providing professional development opportunities for teachers and other school staff, NASSP is pleased that the bill would require in-service activities for school administrators that support instructional leadership around the implementation of these standards and ensure coordination with pre-service teacher preparation programs. Local implementation strategies would also support the use of technology to personalize instruction and to enhance educators’ own professional learning.
The bill was introduced as one provision in the Rebuild America Act (S. 2252), which would provide investments in job training, manufacturing, and the transportation infrastructure; increase overtime benefits and establish a fair and equitable minimum wage; and make changes to the tax code. While not taking a position on the entire legislation, NASSP also strongly supports a provision that would authorize $20 billion in formula grants for the modernization, renovation, and repair of early learning facilities, K-12 public schools and community colleges.
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced on February 9 that ten states—Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Tennessee—are approved to waive certain requirements from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in exchange for raising standards, improving accountability, and undertaking reforms to improve educator effectiveness. New Mexico was the only state to apply for and not receive a waiver, but ED will continue to work with the state to improve its application. An additional 28 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have also indicated their intent to apply for waivers later this month.
“After waiting far too long for Congress to reform No Child Left Behind, my Administration is giving states the opportunity to set higher, more honest standards in exchange for more flexibility,” said President Barack Obama at a White House event announcing the waivers. “Today, we’re giving 10 states the green light to continue making reforms that are best for them. Because if we’re serious about helping our children reach their potential, the best ideas aren’t going to come from Washington alone. Our job is to harness those ideas, and to hold states and schools accountable for making them work.”
The 10 states receiving waivers will no longer have to meet the 2014 deadline for 100% proficiency, but they are required to set new performance targets for improving student achievement. Their accountability systems must recognize and reward high-performing schools in addition to providing “rigorous and comprehensive” interventions in the lowest-performing schools. State plans must address how they intend to improve educational outcomes for underperforming subgroups of students and close achievement gaps, but they will also provide schools and districts with greater flexibility in how they spend Title I funding.
In a conference call with education stakeholders today, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development Carmel Martin and Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Michael Yudin explained that all of the states would not only adopt higher standards but submitted plans to transition all of their students to college and career readiness. Massachusetts was particularly noted for its plan to align teacher and principal licensure requirements with the new college and career ready standards.
States would incorporate student growth and progress into their accountability systems, and they would also move away from the one-size-fits-all intervention strategies that are required under NCLB. Some plans focused on improving school and district capacity and providing tiered supports for low-performing schools and districts. Plans also included a focus on early warning data systems to identify students that are not on track to graduate from high school and provide them with necessary supports to succeed.
Improving educator effectiveness was a requirement for the waivers, and all states will modify their teacher and principal evaluation systems to incorporate multiple measures of student achievement. The evaluation systems will be created in partnership with teachers and principals and are intended to provide meaningful feedback to teachers in order to improve instruction.
What may be of surprise to educators is that only four of the states receiving a Race to the Top grant—Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Tennessee—also received a waiver in the first round. Although it should be noted that the other seven states—Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island—have not yet submitted a request for a waiver.
To read the state plans, go to: http://www.ed.gov/esea/flexibility/requests. Questions and comments concerning the NCLB/ESEA waiver process may also be sent to eseaflexibility@ed.gov.
FY 2012 Appropriations
Congress is still finalizing what will likely be an FY 2012 “megabus” appropriations bill. The House is expected to pass the bill on December 15, and the Senate will follow suit the next day. It will include nearly all of the not-yet-completed appropriations bills, but the fate of the Labor-HHS-Education bill remains uncertain. Some of the outstanding and controversial issues in the bill include funding for the health care law and policy riders on abortion and other family planning issues. We expect to know later today whether the Labor-HHS-Education bill will be included in the megabus, but it’s likely to be wrapped into a year-long continuing resolution. Under that scenario, across-the-board cuts in all programs (including Title I and IDEA) are a foregone conclusion. An article from Congressional Quarterly is pasted at the end of today’s update!
School Construction
There is still a very slim possibility that Congress will consider the Fix America’s Schools Today (FAST) Act before the holidays. Supporters of the bill have created a Web site where individual educators can also voice their support for the legislation: http://www.fixamericasschoolstoday.org/fast-home/.
Federal guidelines on use of race in school assignment/admissions
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice released joint guidelines that are meant to clarify how school districts may legally consider the race of students in their plans to promote diversity and limit racial isolation in schools. The guidance is based largely on three Supreme Court rulings that directly addressed the use of race in decisions about school assignments nd admissions by educational institutions: Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1, Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger.
Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education released an Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies, a new report summarizing current approaches in the 46 states with anti-bullying laws and the 41 states that have created anti-bullying policies as models for schools.
The report shows the prevalence of state efforts to combat bullying over the last several years. From 1999 to 2010, more than 120 bills were enacted by state legislatures from across the country to either introduce or amend statutes that address bullying and related behaviors in schools. Twenty-one new bills were enacted in 2010 and eight additional bills were signed into law through April 30, 2011.
Out of the 46 states with anti-bullying laws in place, 36 have provisions that prohibit cyber bullying and 13 have statutes that grant schools the authority to address off-campus behavior that creates a hostile school environment.
The first Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit, hosted in August 2010 by the Department and other federal agencies, exposed an information gap regarding anti-bullying laws and policies across the country. The summit brought together government officials, researchers, policymakers, and education practitioners to explore strategies to combat bullying in schools. To address this information gap and respond to requests for technical assistance, the Department composed Anti-Bullying Policies: Examples of Provisions in State Laws, a guidance document outlining common key components of state anti-bullying laws.
Following the Summit, the Department’s Policy and Program Studies Service contracted researchers to compile the analysis on state laws and policies. In preparing the report, researchers reviewed and coded legislation and policy documents in every state across the country along with an additional sample of 20 local school districts. The report sought to address the extent to which states’ bullying laws and model policies contained the key components identified in the December guidance. A follow-up study will aim to identify how state laws translate into practice at the school level.
To learn about more key findings and to read the full report, visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html#safe.
New Democrats Release ESEA Reauthorization Framework
Last week, the 42-Member New Democrat Coalition released a framework for the reauthorization of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) designed to ensure American students receive a world-class education to compete for jobs in the 21st century global economy. The principles, which were developed by the New Democrat Coalition Education Task Force under the leadership of Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA) and Jared Polis (D-CO).
The framework calls for a comprehensive approach to reauthorizing ESEA that provides all students a well-rounded education, prepares them for college and the workforce, ensures there is an effective teacher in every classroom and encourages innovative educational approaches.
Business and Education Leaders Unite to Better Prepare Students for College and Careers
Last week, business, education and foundation leaders united to form the 114th Partnership, an organization that will better prepare our nation’s students for future success by fostering educational cultures of college and career readiness. The 114th Partnership—based on a proven business/ education model used by a top performing school system—will teach communities how to better leverage the strategies from business, the resources from foundations, and the skills and passion from educators to better prepare and inspire students to thrive in college and careers.
The 114th Partnership will make this model available to communities nationwide, thanks to the support and talent of its founding corporate partners in Deloitte, Gallup, Kaiser Permanente, Pearson, Sodexo, and UnitedHealthcare. A pilot program is being developed for the San Rafael City Schools in California.
For more information, please visit www.114th.org.
Leading Education Organizations Emphasize Alignment of P-3 Education
The nation’s leading education organizations have joined together to support alignment of preschool through third grade (P-3) education. The Pre-K Coalition—comprised of the American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Education Association, and the National School Boards Association (NSBA)—has released The Importance of Aligning Pre-K through 3rd Grade, which details best practices and recommendations for improving early learning.
According to the brief, a comprehensive P-3 approach is critical to ensure that children develop a solid foundation in literacy, math, and social-emotional skills. Gains made in high-quality pre-k programs must be sustained and built upon throughout the K–3 years. The need to focus attention on children’s early learning years is now more important than ever since a third of the nation’s fourth graders are reading at below basic levels. Without a basic level of competency by third grade, students are more likely to struggle academically, have behavioral and social problems, be retained in grade, and drop out of school.
House May Include CRs in ‘Megabus’
By Kerry Young, CQ Staff
Senior House appropriators on Wednesday said they may punt on one or more of nine remaining overdue spending bills for fiscal 2012 and avoid resolving difficult disagreements by passing continuing resolutions to cover their agencies and programs.
The possibility of one or more continuing resolutions being attached to a “megabus” that would wrap up remaining appropriations for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 would signal that congressional leaders want to close this chapter of the yearlong budget fight that has dominated the Capitol.
This step also could be the only way to resolve seemingly intractable splits between Republicans and Democrats, the thorniest of which involve the overhaul of health care and financial regulatory laws. Republican efforts to restrict the reach of these two overhaul laws are tying up two of the remaining spending bills for the year.
The most likely candidate for a continuing resolution in the final fiscal 2012 appropriations package is the Labor-HHS-Education bill (HR 3070). Senior Democratic appropriators said Wednesday that continuing resolutions are also possible for Interior-Environment (HR 2584) and Financial Services (HR 2434).
Resorting to continuing resolutions would be a defeat for appropriators, who have criticized the use of such stopgap measures to finance much of the federal government in fiscal 2011. They had vowed to complete all 12 regular spending bills that pay for routing government operations for fiscal 2012.
Even with time running short, intense work continues to wrap up the remaining fiscal 2012 work in a single package, said House Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky. “My goal is not to do CRs,” he said, while conceding that one may be needed for the Labor-HHS-Education bill. “We are expending all efforts toward” finishing a nine-bill package, Rogers said.
The fall of 2009 — for fiscal 2010 — was the last time Congress cleared regular spending bills for the departments and agencies most likely to be subject to continuing resolutions for fiscal 2012. Those decisions were largely carried through fiscal 2011 using a full-year continuing resolution (PL 112-10) for that budget year, with the exception of some cuts made in specific programs.
End in Sight
A conference committee of House and Senate appropriators will meet Thursday on the Military Construction-VA bill (HR 2055), and may at that time agree to add to it the remaining unfinished fiscal 2012 bills.
The text of a final appropriations package for the year, in the form of a conference agreement, is expected to be released Dec. 12 or Dec. 13, allowing a mandatory two-day advance publication of the legislation before the House votes on it the middle of next week.
The conference agreement would not be subject to amendment, and both chambers would be under pressure to act on it before stopgap appropriations provided as part of an earlier fiscal 2012 appropriations package (PL 112-55) expire on Dec. 16.
Democratic appropriators are warming to the idea of using continuing resolutions for some of the most contentious bills, because that approach would block Republican efforts to use them to change existing federal policy.
“It’s always better to have a bill,” said Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee. “That may not be possible.”
House Republicans have been pressing to bar the use of appropriated money to implement the health care (PL 111-148, PL 111-152) and financial services (PL 111-203) laws, which they oppose. Republicans also want to restrict appropriations as a way to block labor and environmental regulations that they say unfairly restrict business.
“In some ways, a CR is not the end of the world,” said James P. Moran of Virginia, ranking Democrat on the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. “Life will go on. The EPA will continue to function.”
There is a chance that a compromise might be reached on the Interior-Environment bill, even with a remaining controversy on as many as 40 policy provisions that Republican leaders want included in the bill, Moran said. He said the chairman of the subcommittee, Republican Mike Simpson of Idaho, was trying to negotiate a compromise. “If it’s up to Mike Simpson, we’ll have a bill,” Moran said.
House aides said that prospects also were good for the Financial Services bill, although Rep. José E. Serrano of New York, ranking Democrat on that subcommittee, said the bill might be a candidate for a continuing resolution.
Republicans want to use the Financial Services bill to set policy on abortion funding and needle exchanges for drug addicts in the District of Columbia, Serrano said. But, he said, Senate Financial Services Appropriations Chairman Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., has not given any indication that he will concede to these demands.
“I don’t know how you get an agreement unless Sen. Durbin says it is OK to do these things, and so far he has said no,” Serrano said.
House appropriators said Wednesday they have no appetite to let work on fiscal 2012 appropriations drag into January, and that there is a strong effort to finish by Dec. 16. Moran said that there was little chance of reaching compromises later that cannot be reached now, and that appropriators and party leaders want to avoid another short-term stopgap spending measure.
“I don’t think we want to have another two- or three-day CR,” Moran said.
Source: CQ Today Online News
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In an effort to turn around the so-called “dropout factories” and ensure that all students graduate from high school college and career-ready, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has reintroduced high school reform legislation long supported by NASSP and our members.
“No Child Left Behind was important because it demanded more from schools and students. But the law was flawed and we must take action to fix the problems with it,” said Sen. Bingaman who is one of the lead Senators currently working on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). “The legislation I have introduced seeks to reform schools in New Mexico and across the country by raising standards and helping students achieve them.”
Encompassing many of the recommendations outlined by NASSP in Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform, The Graduation Promise Act (S. 1177) would authorize $2.4 billion for a High School Improvement and Dropout Reduction Fund to support the development of statewide systems of differentiated high school improvement. High schools receiving funding would be required to implement schoolwide improvement plans that ensure continuous improvement, organize the school to improve teaching and learning, improve curriculum and instruction, provide students with academic and social supports to address individual student learning needs, and increase teacher and school leader effectiveness.
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) sponsored the House version of the bill (H.R. 778), which was reintroduced in February.
The Advanced Programs Act (S. 1179), also recently reintroduced by Sen. Bingaman, would reauthorize the AP Test Fee Program to help pay for low-income students to sit for the Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. The bill would also reauthorize the AP Incentive Program that provides grants to states and districts to increase: 1) the number of teachers in high-need schools who are qualified to teach AP or IB courses; 2) the number of AP or IB courses offered in high-need schools; and 3) the number of students who are enrolled in and pass AP and IB courses and exams.
NASSP looks forward to working with Sen. Bingaman and his staff to ensure that both of these proposals are incorporated into a larger bill to reauthorize ESEA.
Announcements
Education Hearing:
The Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, chaired by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), held a hearing this week to examine the role of charter schools in the nation’s education system. Go here www.edworkforce.house.gov to watch a webcast of the event and read the witness testimony.
Debt Ceiling/Deficit Reduction:
House Rejects Clean Debt Ceiling Bill: This Tuesday, the House rejected HR 1954, a bill to raise the debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion (the amount needed through the end of 2012). It failed by 97 – 318. House Republican leadership staged this vote to give their members the opportunity to officially register their opposition to raising the debt ceiling without spending cuts (all Republicans voted no) as well as to demonstrate that a clean debt ceiling bill can’t pass without spending cuts. Democrats split with 97 voting yes, 82 voting no and 7 voting present.
The next meeting of the Biden bipartisan group (aimed at finding a bipartisan deficit reduction plan for FY 2012) is scheduled for June 9. Yesterday, after President Obama met with the House Republican caucus, Speaker Boehner called for direct talks between himself and Obama and for a deal to be worked out within a month. See: John Boehner calls for debt deal in a month www.politico.com
FY ’12 Budget and Appropriations News: Balanced Budget
Constitutional Amendment:
The House Judiciary Committee yesterday partially marked up H.J. Res 1, a proposed Constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget. In addition to mandating that outlays (spending) cannot exceed revenues in any year (other than by a 3/5ths vote of both the House and Senate) it also limits total outlays to no more than 20% of GDP (the co-called global spending cap), which can only be waived by a 2/3rds majority vote of both houses of Congress and prohibits any legislation to increase revenues without a 3/5ths majority vote of both houses. It would take effect in FY 17.
News
Department of Education Issues New Rules for Investing in Innovation Grants
The second round of the Investing in Innovation grant program will be a smaller, $150 million contest for districts and non-profits. The Education Department guidelines will require fewer private-sector matching dollars, ask applicants to focus on rural schools, and change how evidence of past success is used in the scoring process. Read more here: www.edweek.org.
Common Core Assessments to Integrate Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
The two consortia of states developing the common core assessments, to be rolled out in the 2014-2015 school year, are crafting them to include accommodations for students with disabilities. Videos with avatars conducting sign language is just one example of the innovative means that the consortia are taking in their approach. “We’re not even thinking about accommodations anymore” in the traditional sense, said Mr. Hock, co-chair of the accessibility and accommodations work group for the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium—one of the two groups developing the new tests. Read more here: www.edweek.org.
White House Convenes Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence held its first President’s Advisory Commission meeting last week. The work of this commission is urgent since Hispanics account for more than one in five students in public elementary, middle, and high schools, but have the lowest educational attainment overall. White House Initiative Director Juan Sepulveda said the commission’s priority is to collect best practices, noting that “the community has told us many, many times: We don’t need any more reports, we need help.” Read more here: www.whitehouse.gov.
Research
Alliance Releases New Report on Deeper Learning
From the Alliance website: “Policy and practice at the local, state, and national levels should support the concepts of “deeper learning” to help all students meet higher expectations and be prepared for college and career, according to a new Alliance policy brief released on May 26. The brief argues that deeper learning provides students with the deep content knowledge they need to succeed after high school and the critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills that today’s jobs demand.” Read the brief here: all4ed.org [pdf].
Resources
ARRA Spending Report:
ED has posted an updated reports showing ARRA spending as of May 27. Of the $97.4 billion in ED ARRA funds allocated, 82.6% has been outlaid (spent). $16.9 billion still remains to be spent.
By State (as of May 27, 2011) www2.ed.gov By Program (as of May 27, 2011) www2.ed.gov.
CHN Budget Webinar:
The Coalition for Human Needs is sponsoring a webinar on June 7th: A Webinar for the Budget-Perplexed: Stop the Slashing
The human needs advocates’ simple guide to understanding – and defeating – unprecedented attacks on the federal budget Tuesday, June 7, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EST
Register today!
https://chn.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=8116
Webinar description:
Massive cuts in essential services like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP/food stamps, education and children’s services, help to low-income communities such as housing and the Community Services Block Grant, and virtually every other human needs program. A large number of proposals now being floated in Washington would devastate these services and would make it far harder for the federal government to respond to economic downturns and solve looming national problems. Yet at the same time, they would do nothing to restrict more deficit-increasing tax cuts for millionaires and corporations.
These proposals don’t have straightforward names like “The Act to Slash Health Care for Older Americans” or “The Act to Cut Services for Low- and Moderate-Income Americans in order to Provide Enormous Tax Breaks for the Rich.” Instead, Congress is talking about global caps, balanced budget amendments, debt ceiling increases, deficit reduction… It’s hard to fight back if you don’t understand how you’re being attacked.
