CCSSO advocates—with member consensus––on federal education matters before the Administration, Congress, and the U.S. Department of Education. Our advocacy team is experienced in communicating the implications and opportunities federal education policies have at the state level. CCSSO advocates on major federal laws including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Carl D. Perkins Act, among others. Our advocacy work often means presenting testimony before congressional committees, analyzing and commenting on proposed federal legislation and regulations, forming coalitions with other national education organizations, and informing and assisting state education agencies.
Advocacy Updates
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act Approved by House
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (SAFRA) with a vote of 253-171. Under SAFRA, all new federal student loans will originate from the Direct Loan program. The House bill calls for $8 billion of the savings from redirecting federal student loans to be put towards early education through a new competitive grant program. The Early Learning Challenge Fund will reward states that implement comprehensive reforms of their early learning systems in an effort to improve the school readiness of young children within the state.
CCSSO is pleased to announce that this bill included legislative language allowing for federal funds to be used in the development of enhanced assessment tools to document the developmental and learning progress of children birth to age five. This provision was proposed to the House Committee on Education & Labor by CCSSO’s Director of Early Childhood Tom Schultz. CCSSO’s Advocacy Team is now working to ensure this provision’s inclusion in the Senate version of the bill.
ED to Release $11.37B in ARRA Funding 30 Days Early
On August 3rd, Secretary Duncan announced the US Department of Education's (ED) intention to release $11.37 billion in Title I ($5B), IDEA ($6.1B), and Vocational Rehabilitation ($270M) ARRA funding to states one month earlier than anticipated. In April 2009, the initial 50% of these funding streams in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) were released, with the intention of releasing the remaining 50% on September 30. ED has communicated that the decision to release these funds 30 days earlier stems from the Administration�s desire to create opportunities for states and districts to think comprehensively about reform as additional funding will be made concurrently available through Race to the Top, State Fiscal Stabilization Funds, and other ARRA grant programs. For the official ED press release, click here.
ED Hosts ARRA Webcast Series
On August 10, ED hosted a webcast on federal reporting requirements for the ARRA. ED emphasized the importance of not only getting ARRA funds out quickly, but responsibly and transparently. Section 1512(f) of the ARRA requires recipient reporting to begin 180 days after enactment, and for reports to be submitted by recipients 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter. This results in an initial statutory reporting deadline of October 10, 2009, with quarterly reports due 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter thereafter. For more information on reporting requirements, please refer to www.federalreporting.gov and www.ed.gov/recovery.
This webcast was the second in a series that ED will be hosting related to the ARRA, which are intended to help states and districts appropriately implement these funds. Future webcasts in this series will be hosted bi-weekly at 2 pm EST and topics include: Cash Management on August 24; Maintenance of Effort on September 14; and ARRA Reporting on ED Specific Guidance on September 21.
CCSSO Applauds President Obama's Education Reform Efforts
Archived Updates
Advocacy Statements
CCSSO Response to the Race to the Top Fund Notice
CCSSO Response to the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Notice
Recommendations for the President-Elect’s Education Transition Team and Congress
ESEA Reauthorization Policy Statement
Recommendations to Reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
