lucy gettman, ma, msw national school boards association 2013 nasb legislative issues conference...
TRANSCRIPT
INSIDE LOOK AT THE FEDERAL AGENDA
Lucy Gettman, MA, MSWNational School Boards Association
2013 NASB Legislative Issues ConferenceJanuary 13, 2013
NEBRASKA – A STATE TO WATCH
113TH CONGRESS 3 former
local school board members in the class of 2013
Total 24 Reps & Senators who were local school board members
.04%
INSIDE LOOK AT THE FEDERAL AGENDA
ESEA Reauthorization
Sequestration
NSBA Bill
ESEA REAUTHORIZATION House Committee passed bill in 112th
Congress Senate Committee passed bill in 112th
Congress Unresolved issues
MOE (House)Funding tied to COL (House)Comparability (Senate)
ESEA REAUTHORIZATION (CONT.) Political stall School boards MUST convey urgency
If there is no reauthorization: Waivers NCLB provisions
FISCAL CLIFF
Sequestration
Continuing Resolution for FY 2013 funding
SEQUESTRATION Defined as the “automatic, across-the-
board cancellation of budgetary resources”
Slated to impose across-the-board cuts of 5.9 percent or more to education and other domestic programs
Would occur March 1, 2013 for most federal programs, unless Congress intervenes
TIMING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Reductions would occur during the 2014-13 school year for most programs (e.g. Title I, Special Education, Teacher Quality)
Reductions would affect Impact Aid funding during the 2012-13 school year.
Some programs are exempt (ex: career & technical education, child nutrition programs)
WHAT SEQUESTRATION MEANS
For every $1 million a school district receives in federal aid, $59,000 would be cut—equivalent to more than one teacher
Title I grants = $862 million cut
Special education = $687 million reduction
Not a one year cut, but part of a 10 year program
Title I: -$4,827,794
Special Education: -$4,185,513
Teacher Quality: -$ 699,862
Head Start: -$2,475,810 *“Sequestration’s Impact on Nondefense Jobs and Services,” A report by Sen. Tom
Harkin, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, July 2012, adjusted for the American Taxpayer Relief Act
What an 5.9 Percent Cuts Means for Nebraska:
- $13 million in federal education and HHS Funds
NSBA RESOURCES Sample Board Resolution
Sample Opinion-Editorial
Sample letter to Members of Congress
Survey on the impact of sequestration
http://www.nsba.org/stopsequestration
Urge Congress to cancel the across-the-board cuts by rescinding the sequestration provisions of the
Budget Control Act.
FY2013 FUNDING
• Congress passed a six-month Continuing Resolution (CR) instead of pending FY2013 appropriations bills
• CR will fund education and other programs through March 27, 2013
• Programs are funded at their current Fiscal Year 2012 levels plus an across-the-board increase of 0.612%
• If sequestration becomes effective, the funding levels from the CR would be affected by the across-the-board cuts of approximately 8.2%.
NSBA DRAFTS THE “LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY GOVERNANCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND EFFICIENCY ACT OF 2013”
PROBLEMExpanded Role of Executive Branch U.S. Department of EducationAdverse impact on local policies and operationsErosion of local school board authority and
flexibility
RECENT EXAMPLES OF FEDERAL OVER-REACH
Race to the Top – District (RTT-D) grants
ESEA Flexibility Waivers
Civil Rights Data Collection requirements
Public Comment by blog
Reading First
“LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY GOVERNANCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND EFFICIENCY ACT OF 2013”
GOALS STRENGTHEN LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
CAPACITY RE-AFFIRM ROLE OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS PROVIDES CONGRESS WITH ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ON LOCAL IMPACT ENCOURAGES CONGRESS TO EXECUTE ITS
ROLE
NSBA BILL: THE SECRETARY SHALL: Conduct a review of existing reporting
requirements to determine duplication & make modifications
Annually solicit input from LEAs and allied organizations regarding the impact of rules, regulations, etc. & shall issue a report based on the comments to Congress
SECRETARY SHALL NOT: Promulgate any regulatoin, rule,
guidance or other condition or requirement without:
Requesting data and recommendations from LEAS and key stakeholder organizations
Verifying that LEAs have adequate financial resources and technical assistance
Providing LEAs with at least 60 days to notice of new regulations, etc.
Ensuring that maximum flexibility is provided to LEAs to implement new requirements.
THE SECRETARY CANNOT, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY FEDERAL LEGISLATION:
Conflict with the power & authority of LEAs regarding the operation of schools
Create additional costs to LEAs unless federally funded
Place conditions or requirements on grants to SEAs or LEAs that are not directly related to the purpose of a grant
NEXT STEPS: NSBA lobbyists are meeting daily with
Members of Congress to request their sponsorship and support.
NSBA Executive Director Tom Gentzel is meeting with the Secretary today. to talk about our bill.
NSBA’s Federal Relations Network conference will officially unveil the bill & be a topic for Hill visits.
WHAT CAN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DO? Ask your Member to sponsor/support
the “LEA Governance, Flexibility and Efficiency Act”
Make your feelings known about sequestration and the fiscal cliff
Root for your favorite movies and television shows at the Golden Globes.
