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.

CONTACT

Lucy Gettman Director, Federal ProgramsNSBAlgettman@nsba.org703.838.6763