February 24, 2023 - NSBA Weekly Update

Congress Updates

HELP Committee Holds Healthcare Shortage Hearing
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on Feb. 16 to examine persistent workforce shortages within the healthcare industry. Witnesses included an array of postsecondary institutional leaders, many of whom emphasized the importance of quality career advisement starting in high school and middle school. The hearing also emphasized the importance of early career exposure to help put more students on pathways leading to careers in the healthcare industry. Witnesses also highlighted the impact of high-quality work-based learning opportunities, particularly apprenticeships, as a useful strategy to meet ongoing workforce challenges in the sector. An archived recording of the hearing can be found here.   

Senate Appropriations Committee Takes Shape
Last week, the new Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations committee - Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), respectively - announced the leaders for the individual subcommittees that compose this committee and oversee federal funding for the 12 spending accounts that make up the federal budget. Of note for the K-12 education community, Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) will serve as Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. This entity oversees and determines annual investments in federal education programs and initiatives. More information on the announcement can be found here.

Democrats Playing Defense on Education
The Democratic Party is increasingly playing defense on education as Republicans ramp up their rhetoric on the issue. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Republicans have sought to brand Democrats as the party that doesn't care about parental involvement in education, using mask mandates and school closures as a wedge while leaning into topics such as how LGBTQ identity and Black history are taught. Read more about the divided politics of education policy here.

Ranking Member Cassidy Opposes Biden Labor, Education Nominees
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, expressed his opposition to four Biden administration nominees following an off-the-floor HELP committee executive session. The committee voted on the nominations of Karla Gilbride for General Counsel at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Jessica Looman for Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor, LaWanda Toney for Assistant Secretary for Communications and Outreach at the Department of Education, and Glenna Wright-Gallo for Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education. The nominees voted on were previously nominated and considered by the HELP Committee during the 117th Congress but failed to receive floor votes. The nominees reported out of the committee include Gilbride (12-9), Wright-Gallo (13-8), and Toney (12-9). Looman was not reported favorably. Read more in Cassidy's press release.

Some States Have Passed Universal Free School Meals
Since the pandemic, some public schools have offered free breakfast and lunch to students, regardless of their family's financial circumstances. However, the majority of municipalities in the U.S. have no such policy. In 2021, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) introduced the Universal School Meals Program Act of 2021, a bill that would permanently provide free meals to all school children. The bill has not moved since being introduced in the House in 2021, which left many states picking up where the federal government left off. Read about the current landscape of free school meals across states here.

Title I Funding Has Doubled - But Its Most Potent Formula Is Stuck in the Past
Last year, lawmakers approved $18.4 billion for Title I, the largest line item for K-12 education in the federal budget and a vital resource for ensuring all students get the education they need. But despite two decades of steady increases to Title I, including $1.8 billion over the last two years, this opinion piece in The 74 argues that Congress may not realize it's ignoring one of the most effective tools for directing that money to the schools it's intended to serve - the Concentration Grant. Read more about the Concentration Grant and Title I funding here.

State Legislative Push for School Choice Gains Momentum Nationwide
Two years ago, 2021 was declared "The Year of Education Choice," when 19 states enacted 32 new or expanded education choice policies. This year could be even bigger as more states consider making choice policies available to all K-12 students. Read more about states' push for parental choice here.

Administration Update 

A New Federal Funding Option to Help Schools Battle Cyberattacks?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has wrapped up its initial public comment period on a proposal to allow school districts to use federal E-rate money for advanced cybersecurity tools. Most in the K-12 community are hoping the FCC acts sometime this summer or fall to expand E-rate eligibility to include modern firewalls and other cybersecurity products. That would allow school districts to start using those federal funds to defend their networks beginning in 2024. But it's no guarantee the FCC will ultimately move in that direction. Read more about cybersecurity funding issues for schools here.

Biden Admin Pressured to Reconsider Policy Changes on Transgender Athletes
A coalition of 28 organizations sent an open letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona expressing their alarm about the Department of Education's (DOE) plans to grant Title IX protections to transgender and gender nonconforming student-athletes. The organizations, which represent parents, athletes, public interest lawyers, policy experts, and civil rights groups, cite an agenda published last month, which would require public schools and colleges to permit sports participation based on gender identity as opposed to biological sex. Read more here.

Biden Renews Call for Action on Gun Control Following Michigan State Mass Shooting
At an annual meeting with county leaders, President Biden said there is much more work to be done on gun control legislation, such as banning assault-style weapons, which are typically used in most mass shootings. The call for gun control came after another school shooting at Michigan State University, which followed shortly after the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting. Read more about the Biden administration's efforts to confront gun violence here.

USED Distributes Additional Mental Health and Student Wellness Grants
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) announced new grant awards last week totaling more than $188 million across 170 grantees and 30 states. Derived from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the funding supports mental health efforts to support students across the country. The grants are part of a wider Biden administration initiative to address mental health issues nationwide. More on the announcement can be found here.

USDA Issues Updated Meal Benefit Guidance
In anticipation of the end of the public health emergency declaration later this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new guidance which provides additional detail regarding the pandemic EBT program (P-EBT) and related benefits for school children. The new guidance provides answers to commonly asked questions regarding the future of the P-EBT program and how states currently operating these benefit programs should plan to move forward with it. More information on this announcement can be found here.

Grants Available for Migrant Education Program Consortium Incentive Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education is accepting applications for the Migrant Education Program Consortium Incentive Grant Program, which provides grants to SEAs participating in a consortium to "improve the delivery of services to migratory children whose education is interrupted." This program provides financial incentives to SEAs that receive Title I, Part C funding. This competition has four absolute priorities: (1) Services designed to improve the proper and timely identification and recruitment of eligible migratory children whose education is interrupted; (2) Services designed (based on a review of evidence-based research) to improve the school readiness of preschool-aged migratory children whose education is interrupted; (3) Services designed (based on a review of evidence-based research) to strengthen the involvement of migratory parents in the education of migratory students whose education is interrupted; and (4) Services designed (based on a review of evidence-based research) to improve the educational attainment of out-of-school migratory youth whose education is interrupted. The estimated available funds for this program total $3,000,000, with a total of 30 awards to SEAs. Applications are due by April 24, 2023, and further information is available here.

Grants Available to Improve Results for Students With Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services is accepting applications for the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities program. This program focuses on "(1) promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) supporting educational media activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom for students with disabilities; (3) providing support for captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the classroom; and (4) providing accessible educational materials to students with disabilities in a timely manner." This competition includes one absolute priority: The Center on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics for Young Children with Disabilities. The estimated available funds for this program total $1,450,000, contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications. Applications are due by April 24, 2023, and further information is available here.

The Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program works to prepare personnel to work in special education, early intervention, and related services, as well as regular education to work with children and youth with disabilities. This program further ensures those personnel have skills and knowledge, through practices that are determined through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving those children. The one absolute priority for this competition is: Associate Degree Preservice Program Improvement Grants to Support Personnel Working with Young Children with Disabilities - this will ensure that associate degree programs are adequately preparing personnel to provide supports and evidence-based practices to help young children with disabilities in inclusive early childhood programs. The estimated available funds for this program total $2,00,000, contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications. Applications are due by April 24, 2023, and further information is available here.

Selected Education-Related Bills Recently Introduced

• H.R.1147 - 118th Congress (2023-2024) To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to allow schools that participate in the school lunch program under such Act to serve whole milk. Sponsor: Thompson, Glenn [Rep.-R-PA-15]

NSBA Update

Contact the FCC to Support the Use of E-rate Funds to Combat Cyberattacks
Last week, we shared news that NSBA joined 10 other organizations in filing comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to the Wireline Competition Bureau's request for public input regarding the use of E-rate program funds to enable schools and libraries to combat cyberattacks. You can read our recommendations here.

If you support our coalition's recommendations regarding E-rate and firewall modernization, please consider filing your own comments in response to the FCC's request. To make it easy for you, please use the attached reply comment template and PowerPoint presentation containing instructions on how to submit comments to the FCC.

Additionally, please share your comments to the FCC with your members of Congress. It is a great way to build awareness of this FCC proceeding. It is also a natural entry point for encouraging Members of Congress to contact the FCC.

Thank you for lending your time and support to this outreach.

Share Your Views on Technology and Learning Through the Speak Up Survey
The Speak Up Research Project, facilitated by Project Tomorrow, is a national research project and a free service to schools and districts everywhere. Since fall 2003, Speak Up has helped education leaders include the voices of students, faculty, parents, and the community in annual and long-term planning. More than 5 million people have participated in Speak Up, and educators from more than 30,000 schools have used Speak Up data to create and implement their vision for the next generation of learning.

By participating in Speak Up, education stakeholders express their views to a wider audience of local, state, and national policymakers as well as the business community - and contribute to the national dialogue about science, technology, and preparing students for the 21st century workforce.

The online survey is open to students, educators, and parents. You can introduce Speak Up to your school board members and other stakeholders with sample text for emails, newsletters, blog posts, or website content available at tomorrow.org/speakup/promo_sample_emails.html.

To see results from the 2021-22 national research findings, visit tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_data_findings.html. You can also download an infographic with answers to three big questions about students' use of technology in school.

- Courtesy of NSBA's Federal Advocacy & Public Policy Update - Week of February 24, 2023