AzSIAA Bi-Weekly Newsletter
From the Executive Director
Congress passed a short-term spending plan, H.J. Res 99, to maintain funding until May 5, 2017. With this action the short punt keeps funding in place for another week. Keep in mind that Congress is negotiating a budget for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017.
Monday (5/1/2017) morning - Education Week- Andrew Ujifusa:
Update: Congress is expected to pass a budget deal this week covering the rest of fiscal 2017 through the end of September. Note the following:
Impact Aid would get $1.3 billion, a $25 million increase. Keep up the pressure.
Call your Congressperson this week, keep Impact Aid on their mind. Talking points as follows:
Monday (5/1/2017) morning - Education Week- Andrew Ujifusa:
Update: Congress is expected to pass a budget deal this week covering the rest of fiscal 2017 through the end of September. Note the following:
- Title I rise $100 million to $15.5 billion through end of fiscal 2017.
- Title II cut by $294 million, down to $2.1 billion for the rest of fiscal 2017
- SPED increase by $90 million up to $12 billion.
- Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant program (Title IV block grant) funded at $400 million
- Total US DOE spending would fall $60 million down to $71.6 billion.
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers increase of $25 million up to nearly $1.2 billion.
- Civil Rights increase of $1.5 million up to $109 million
- Pell Grants flat funded at $22.5 billion
- Head Start $85 million increase to $9.3 billion
Impact Aid would get $1.3 billion, a $25 million increase. Keep up the pressure.
Call your Congressperson this week, keep Impact Aid on their mind. Talking points as follows:
- Urge Congress to invest in public education. Investing in education builds a stronger nation. We need a well-trained and educated workforce ready to compete in a global economy and support our military.
- Keep Impact Aid flowing to districts. Maintain current FY2017 funding levels as proposed by the House.
- More budget uncertainty since school districts are finalizing their budgets for SY2018.
- Keep funding for special education (IDEA) to support students with special needs in our schools. Congress must continue to increase its investment in IDEA. Adjusted for inflation, the current proposals—the President, the Senate, and the House—remain woefully underfunded, coming nowhere near Congress’ commitment to providing 40% of the additional cost associated with education students with disabilities. In fact, the current proposals put the federal share at roughly 16%, which is less than half of what Congress committed to, and below FY10 levels when adjusted for inflation.
- Support investments in Title I grants under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to support our disadvantaged students and help public schools educate these students.
- Please stop sequestration for FY2018.
- Parity: Encourage your members of Congress to advocate for—and support-continued parity between defense and non-defense discretionary funding, and to oppose President Trump’s proposal to increase defense discretionary funding by $54 billion, and to pay for it by cutting NDD.
- Please support education.
Payment Update
Section 7003 - FY2017 - The Department has made initial and interim payments totalling over $838 million to 1,051 LEAs at the rate of 80% of LOT and $700 per unit for children with disabilities. Heavily impacted payments will be released as funds become available.
FY 2018 Amendment Deadline is June 30, 2017.
FY 2017 Field Reviews - Please respond to requests promptly.
FY 2018 Amendment Deadline is June 30, 2017.
FY 2017 Field Reviews - Please respond to requests promptly.
NAFIS Executive Director Hillary Goldman calls for a NAFIS Family that is united and proactive.
In a recent NAFIS May-June IMPACT Newsletter, Goldman wrote:
“In an environment of stagnant appropriations, the NAFIS Family must be united and proactive. As we advocate for Impact Aid, we must remember we are advocating for not only the students in our own community, but also the students in the community next door and across the country. I was speaking to a NAFIS member recently who perfectly summed up this sentiment. He said we must be guided by the commitment that “what we want for the kids in our school district we want for the kids in all other federally impacted school districts.”
Most importantly, we must continue interacting with our congressional contacts to ensure that Impact Aid is always on the mind of the Arizona congressional delegation. Please call your Congressman this week. If I understand correctly, next week they will be at home. May be a good time to contact as well, keep Impact Aid on their edge of awareness.
“In an environment of stagnant appropriations, the NAFIS Family must be united and proactive. As we advocate for Impact Aid, we must remember we are advocating for not only the students in our own community, but also the students in the community next door and across the country. I was speaking to a NAFIS member recently who perfectly summed up this sentiment. He said we must be guided by the commitment that “what we want for the kids in our school district we want for the kids in all other federally impacted school districts.”
Most importantly, we must continue interacting with our congressional contacts to ensure that Impact Aid is always on the mind of the Arizona congressional delegation. Please call your Congressman this week. If I understand correctly, next week they will be at home. May be a good time to contact as well, keep Impact Aid on their edge of awareness.
Impact Aid Funding - NAFIS
There are currently two campaigns on the NAFIS Action Center that allow you to weigh in with Congress. We encourage you to participate. The first, “Support Local Taxpayers and Students – Support Impact Aid” concerns increased Impact Aid funding for Basic Support and Federal Properties for FY 2017 and FY 2018.
The newest campaign, “Administration Budget Shortchanges Federally Impacted Schools,” is specific to the proposed elimination of Impact Aid Federal Properties included in the Trump Administration’s FY 2018 “skinny budget.”
In both cases, the Action Alert provides an editable template letter, meaning you can personalize the letter to include your school district’s Federal impaction and the importance of Impact Aid. Upon completing the form, the letters will be sent automatically to your Federal legislators. Draft social media posts are also available through the alert.
Regardless of the type of Impact Aid funding you receive, we urge you to complete both letters to support the entire NAFIS Family. Click here to complete the Action Alerts.
The newest campaign, “Administration Budget Shortchanges Federally Impacted Schools,” is specific to the proposed elimination of Impact Aid Federal Properties included in the Trump Administration’s FY 2018 “skinny budget.”
In both cases, the Action Alert provides an editable template letter, meaning you can personalize the letter to include your school district’s Federal impaction and the importance of Impact Aid. Upon completing the form, the letters will be sent automatically to your Federal legislators. Draft social media posts are also available through the alert.
Regardless of the type of Impact Aid funding you receive, we urge you to complete both letters to support the entire NAFIS Family. Click here to complete the Action Alerts.
2017 Year of Superintendent Advocacy: April - AASA - Leslie Finnan
AASA has published an informative briefing on funding. This is part of their advocacy efforts to impact the federal budget. This part is focused on annual appropriations in general and does well to may make sense. Please read further.
Post to Your Calendar
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Arizona Charter Schools Association Legal Week
ASA Institute for Excellence ASBA Summer Leadership Institute ASA Summer Conference Arizona Charter Schools Association Educator Summit NAESP/NASSP Annual Conference Arizona Charter Schools Association Business Summit |
May 3rd - 5th, 2017 - ACSA Headquarters, Phoenix, Az
June 4th - 7th, 2017 - Little America, Flagstaff, Az June 8th - 10th, 2017 - TBA June 11th - 13th - El Conquistador, Tucson, Az July 2017 July 9th - 11th - Philadelphia, PA Nov 2017, Phoenix, Az |