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
U.S. Department of Education Announces State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, Phase II Application
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education announced the release of the final version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, Phase II (SFSF II) application. The remaining $11.5 billion of this ARRA funding stream will be awarded to states that can exhibit action to set the stage for reform around four key policy assurances: teacher distribution, the collection and use of data, standards and assessments, and support for struggling schools. Within the application, states are required to demonstrate the ability to collect and report various data; if a state is not able to meet these data requirements, it must provide a timeline to meet the requirements by September 30, 2011. The SFSF II application can be found here.
Race to the Top Assessment Competition Public Hearings
Over the next month, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) will be hosting a series of three public hearings across the country to collect public input on the $350 million of the Race to the Top (RTTT) fund that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has set aside for assessment(s) linked to common standards across a consortium of states. Through the course of these hearings, ED will arrange panels of experts to testify and engage in Q&A, as well as allow for members of the public to provide brief comments. The schedule for the hearings is as follows:
- November 12-13; Boston, MA
- November 17-18; Atlanta, GA
- December 1-2; Denver, CO
For those who are not able to attend these hearings in person, ED will be accepting written input submissions until 5:00 PM, EST, December 2, 2009. CCSSO will have representation at all three hearings and will also be filing written input. Secretary Duncan intends on announcing the details of this competition by March 2010; to learn more about these hearings and the RTTT Assessment competition, click here.
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