AzSIAA Bi-Weekly Newsletter
From the Executive Director
From the Executive Director:
ASBA is hosting a two-hour, no cost pre-session presenting Hilary Goldman from NAFIS at the ASBA Summer Leadership Institute this year. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, June 8, from 1-3 pm at Little America. The subject “The Future of Impact Aid; Should Arizona Public School Leaders Be Worried?” will meet in the Spruce Meeting room. Hilary Goldmann, Executive Director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, which represents Impact Aid recipient school districts before the U.S. Congress and the administration, will lead an engaging discussion on the basics of Impact Aid, as well as the latest policy information from the nation’s capital.
During this session attendees will learn about the Impact Aid program, its purpose, how it is funded, how school districts apply for funding, the new Indian Policies and Procedures, and much more. Congress will be working on legislation leading up to the Congressional recess later in the summer. Hilary will provide an update on appropriations, infrastructure, rural education and legislation that proposes to turn Impact Aid into a private school voucher.
The link to the ASBA registration page for the Workshop
Please register and ask your Board Members to register for this presentation.
ASBA is hosting a two-hour, no cost pre-session presenting Hilary Goldman from NAFIS at the ASBA Summer Leadership Institute this year. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, June 8, from 1-3 pm at Little America. The subject “The Future of Impact Aid; Should Arizona Public School Leaders Be Worried?” will meet in the Spruce Meeting room. Hilary Goldmann, Executive Director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, which represents Impact Aid recipient school districts before the U.S. Congress and the administration, will lead an engaging discussion on the basics of Impact Aid, as well as the latest policy information from the nation’s capital.
During this session attendees will learn about the Impact Aid program, its purpose, how it is funded, how school districts apply for funding, the new Indian Policies and Procedures, and much more. Congress will be working on legislation leading up to the Congressional recess later in the summer. Hilary will provide an update on appropriations, infrastructure, rural education and legislation that proposes to turn Impact Aid into a private school voucher.
The link to the ASBA registration page for the Workshop
Please register and ask your Board Members to register for this presentation.
Call to Action
The Military Families Act of 2018 is gaining momentum. Congressman Gosar, Congressman Schweikert, and Congressman Biggs have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill. Gosar is a member of the Impact Aid Coalition. Please contact all Representatives, especially Republican members of Arizona, and ask them to vote “No” on H.R. 5199. The bill may be included as an amendment in a defense bill as additional legislation so, beware. This could mean a 39% funding cut to Impact Aid. The bill was introduced by Representative Jim Banks (R-IN-3) on March 7, 2018. Please forward any information you may gather to me. Additional information below on the voucher bill. Thanks for your action.
On May 11, Executive Director Hilary Goldman reported “the House marked up the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in committee this week and there was no Impact Aid voucher amendment. We are gearing up for the possibility of an Impact Aid voucher amendment to be offered during the NDAA House floor deliberations, which could be as early as the week of May 21. NAFIS has been doing Hill meetings and engaging the voucher coalition and military, education, and disability groups. By our count, more than 45,000 emails have been sent to the Hill so far opposing the bill. Nevertheless, the number of cosponsors keeps ticking up (the current count is 65) and Heritage keeps attacking NAFIS and Impact Aid.” (May 11, 2018 Voucher Bill Update)
NAFIS background resources:
The Impact Aid voucher bill has 65 cosponsors (66 as of this morning). NAFIS is developing new materials to showcase the importance of Impact Aid for your budgets, students, and taxpayers in your communities. As the primary NAFIS member contact in your school district, please complete the NAFIS short survey before Monday May 14.
Following is a list of Representatives, their district, name, party, office room, phone, and committee assignments. By clicking on the name you can access the website.
On May 11, Executive Director Hilary Goldman reported “the House marked up the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in committee this week and there was no Impact Aid voucher amendment. We are gearing up for the possibility of an Impact Aid voucher amendment to be offered during the NDAA House floor deliberations, which could be as early as the week of May 21. NAFIS has been doing Hill meetings and engaging the voucher coalition and military, education, and disability groups. By our count, more than 45,000 emails have been sent to the Hill so far opposing the bill. Nevertheless, the number of cosponsors keeps ticking up (the current count is 65) and Heritage keeps attacking NAFIS and Impact Aid.” (May 11, 2018 Voucher Bill Update)
NAFIS background resources:
- NAFIS Financial Impact Analysis
- NAFIS Q&A Document
- National Military Family Association blog post, Proposed School Voucher Bill May Cost Military Families More than Expected
- NAFIS, NMFA, National Indian Education Association statement opposing HR 5199 and S 2517
- Education Week op-ed, Impact Aid is a Lifeline for Military-Connected Kids
The Impact Aid voucher bill has 65 cosponsors (66 as of this morning). NAFIS is developing new materials to showcase the importance of Impact Aid for your budgets, students, and taxpayers in your communities. As the primary NAFIS member contact in your school district, please complete the NAFIS short survey before Monday May 14.
Following is a list of Representatives, their district, name, party, office room, phone, and committee assignments. By clicking on the name you can access the website.
| District | Name | Party | Office Room | Phone | Committee Assignment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | O'Halleran, Tohom | D | 126 CHOB | (202) 225-3361 | Agriculture Armed Services |
| 2nd | McSally, Martha | R | 510 CHOB | (202 225-2542 | Armed Services Homeland Security |
| 3rd | Grijalva, Raul | D | 1511 LHOB | (202) 225-2435 | Education and the Workforce Natural Resources |
| 4th | Gosar, Paul A. | R | 2057 RHOB | (202) 225-2315 | Oversight and Government Reform Natural Resources |
| 5th | Biggs, Andy | R | 1626 LHOB | (202) 225-2635 | Judiciary Science, Space, and Technology |
| 6th | Schweikert, David | R | 2059 RHOB | (202) 225-2190 | Joint Select Committee on Solvency of MPP Ways and Means |
| 7th | Gallego, Ruben | D | 1218 LHOB | (202) 225-4065 | Armed Services Natural Resources |
| 8th | Lesko, Debbie | R | 2435 RHOB | (202) 225-4576 | |
| 9th | Sinema, Krysten | D | 1725 LHOB | (202) 225-9888 | Financial Services |
Arizona Representative as part of the House Impact Aid Coalition
- Congressman Paul Gosar (R-Az)
- Congresswoman Krysten Sinema (D-Az)
- Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-Az)
AzSIAA General Membership Meeting
There will be a General Membership Meeting Thursday, June 8th at Little America in the Aspen Room.
NAFIS News
In the NAFIS News for April 20, 2018. NAFIS released a set of documents analyzing H.R. 5199, the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2018 - a bill to create private school voucher program using Impact Aid funding. The legislation could cost an estimated $450 million, and a 39% funding cut would be felt by all federally impacted school districts not just military districts.
Please click on this link to NAFIS Voter Voice with information ready for you to send to your Representatives about the dangers of the Voucher: Impact Aid Funding Under Threat.
- NAFIS Financial Impact Analysis
- NAFIS Q&A Document
- National Military Family Association blog post, Proposed School Voucher Bill May Cost Military Families More than Expected
- NAFIS, NMFA, National Indian Education Association statement opposing HR 5199 and S 2517
- Education Week op-ed, Impact Aid is a Lifeline for Military-Connected Kids
Please click on this link to NAFIS Voter Voice with information ready for you to send to your Representatives about the dangers of the Voucher: Impact Aid Funding Under Threat.
Thank you to Pinon Unified
Thanks to Chris Ostgaard, Superintendent Pinon Unified and President Elect of ASIAA for attending the Federal Relations Outreach meeting April 18-19 in DC. Attendees had an opportunity to hear from policy experts about the Impact Aid voucher program moving through Congress. NAFIS is requesting $50 million increase for Basic Support; $2 million increase for Federal Properties.
How Congress could give School Choice to Military Kids without an Impact Aid Uproar
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos met with Pentagon Officials Thursday to talk about one of her favorite topics: Extending school choice to the children of military personnel.
Read more at Newsweek.com.
Read more at Newsweek.com.
Post to Your Calendar
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Institute for Excellence
Impact Aid Basics ASIAA Membership Meeting Summer Leadership Institute Summer Institute Fall Superintendent Conference NAFIS Fall Conference Southwest Charter Convention |
June 3-6, 2018
June 7, 2018 - 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm June 7, 2018 - 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm June 7-9, 2018 June 10-12, 2018 Oct 2018 Sept 23-25, 2018 Sept 26-28, 2018 |