Legislation & Advocacy: Federal Updates
03.15.10: A Cliff Hanger: How America’s Public Schools Continue to Feel the Impact of the Economic Downturn
Please take the time to complete AASA's survey. The information will help the American Association of School Administrators and our federal affiliate the National Rural Education Coalition. SSDA is opposing the Administration’s attempts to . . . read more
02.25.10: Join the Formula Fairness Campaign!
Become a Co-Sponsor and Help End Discrimination Against Disadvantaged Rural Students in the Title I Funding Formula Sign a Petition to Education Leadership in Congress and the Obama Administration . . . read more
02.01.10: Obama to Seek Sweeping Change in ‘No Child’ Law
Following is an article by Sam Dillon at the New York Times: February 1, 2010 Obama to Seek Sweeping Change in ‘No Child’ Law The Obama administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of . . . read more
12.17.09: Compromise on Race To The Top? Not Yet
Today the Assembly Bill for the Race To The Top application (ABX5 8) was pulled from the Senate Education Committee hearing agenda and instead the Committee heard Senate BillX5 4 (Romero). SBX5 4 is a modified version of Senate Bill 1 . . . read more
11.12.09: Race to the Top Rules Finalized
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today released the final application for more than $4 billion from the Race to the Top Fund, which will reward states that have raised student performance in the past and have the capacity to . . . read more
10.14.09: USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program
City officials frequently contact GMA looking for sources of grant and loan funding for a variety of projects ranging from city parks to police vehicles to city hall renovations. While grant funding for projects like these is scarce, . . . read more
10.14.09: USDA’s Rural Development Community Facilities Program
United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service 3101 Park Center Drive Alexandria, VA 22302-1500 . . . read more
10.08.09: Federal Budget, ESEA, IDEA and More
Following are letters on various issues sent to Washington, D.C. on behalf of the Small School Districts' Association: Federal Budget ESEA IDEA, Telecommunications Act, and Child Nutrition HR 3578 . . . read more
10.08.09: Federal Guidelines are Established for $650 Million in Innovation Grants
Schools, nonprofits can get extra stimulus dollars By LIBBY QUAID (AP) WASHINGTON — School districts and nonprofit partners can benefit from a $650 million competitive grant fund for school reforms pushed by . . . read more
09.29.09: New Survey Results on Teacher Recruitment and Retention in Rural Schools
The American Association of School Administrators and the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition (SSDA is a founding member) has released their survey results of teacher recruitment and retention in rural school . . . read more
09.21.09: ARRA Fiscal Reporting
The California Department of Education is requesting that if you have received funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), please ensure you report the required fiscal information by the upcoming deadline of close of . . . read more
09.21.09: Title 1 Comparability
San Diego County has provided the following information regarding Title 1 comparability review requirements: The CDE annually identifies which LEAs are required to demonstrate comparability with Title I, Part A, and those LEAs . . . read more
09.15.09: Governor's Press Release on Fiscal Stabilization Funds
As Governor Schwarzenegger indicates in his press release (click here) , this money has already been identified for schools, and schools have been notified of its availability. The only difference is that schools may receive it for . . . read more
08.24.09: NREAC Teacher Recruitment and Retention Survey
The White House has asked AASA and NREAC to identify specific tips, strategies and suggestions that address the unique realities, obstacles and considerations that rural schools face when it comes to teacher recruitment and retention. . . . read more
06.04.09: Federal Update
The following letters were sent to various members of the California Congressional Delegation: Click here to view SSDA's letter regarding the federal budget. Click here to view SSDA's letter regarding ESEA . . . read more
05.29.09: REAP Eligibility Spreadsheets Posted Online
Courtesy of American Association of School Administrators The U.S. Department of Education has recently begun posting the eligibility spreadsheets for the Rural Education Achievement Program. Every eligible district within . . . read more
05.29.09: Urge Your Lawmakers to Support REAP Reauthorization Act
Courtesy of American Association of School Administrators In May, Senators Conrad (D-N.D.) and Collins (R-Maine) and Representatives Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and Graves (R-Mo.) reintroduced the Rural Education Achievement . . . read more
04.13.09: Federal Funds
The Governor has sent the Section 28 letters (these accelerate the appropriations process and allow new federal funds to be allocated to schools within 30 days) to the Legislature to approve the allocation of the new federal . . . read more
04.03.09: IRS/Treasury Guidance on the Tax Credit Bonds
Please find the link below to the IRS/Treasury allocations and guidance on the tax credit bonds: Build America Bonds, Qualified School Construction Bonds and Qualified Zone Academy Bonds. . . . read more
01.26.09: Federal Update Presentation
Click here for Dave Walrath's Federal Update presentation from January 26, 2009 . read more
02.10.09: Federal Advocacy Update
As part of the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition, on February 2 and 3, 2009, SSDA participated in lobbying on the new federal economic stimulus legislation, ESEA reauthorization, E-Rate reauthorization and the Child Nutrition Act . . . read more
02.07.09: Senate to Vote on Scaled Down Stimulus Package
If the United States Senate passes their version of a stimulus package, then the Conference Committee can start to work on a compromise between the House version (which is more friendly to education) and the Senate version . . . read more
01.30.2009: Federal Update
The House passed an economic stimulus bill, HR 1, on January 28. A day earlier, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported out its version, S 336, but the full Senate has yet to vote on it. Both bills must be reconciled into a single . . . read more
01.21.09: Potential Federal Funding for School Emergency Repair and Renovation
As part of the economic stimulus proposal in the House of Representatives, the federal government would provide schools funds for repair and renovation of school facilities. The funds would be allocated to states and then to school . . . read more
01.15.09: Federal Stimulus Detail
The House Democrats are circulating stimulus legislation today. Although the federal stimulus package is very positive in addressing our current and budget year fiscal problems, it has not passed. Consequently, school districts . . . read more
09.23.08: Secure Rural Schools Vote
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act is part of the Senate Tax Extenders proposal. This proposal should be voted on this week. read more
July 24, 2008: Secure Rural School and Community Self-Determination Act
SSDA has learned that the United States Senate is considering including the Rural School and Community Self-Determination Act as part of the tax extenders package. We believe this will be considered in the Senate next week. If it is . . . read more
July 27, 2008: Medicaid Cuts Blocked
Last night Congress completed action on legislation to block the cuts in Medicaid that would have started this fall. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, under urging from President Bush, adopted rules to end reimbursement to school . . . read more
June 19, 2008: War Funding Bill Includes Relief from Medicare / Medicaid Reductions
Yesterday, Congress and the White House reached agreement on a new war funding bill. Included in that agreement is a moratorium on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid regulations that would have ended funding to school . . . read more
June 3, 2008: HR 3021 Update
UPDATE: JUNE 4, 2008 The House passed HR 3021 tonight by a vote of 250-164. Thanks for all the effort for passage of the bill. ______________________ June 3, 2008 -- HR 3021, the 21 st Century Green . . . read more
May 23, 2008: Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act Update
Yesterday, the Senate passed an amendment 75 to 22 to include a one-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill for the wars in Iraq and . . . read more
May 16, 2008: Medicaid Extensions and Forest Counties
While the funds for war spending in the Iraq Supplemental were defeated by the U.S. House, that chamber did pass the language that prohibits any cutoff of Medicaid reimbursements by a vote of 256-166. The . . . read more
April 29, 2008 - Small School District Minimum Allocation
As part of SSDA’s federal lobbying effort we have been advocating for federal help for school facility costs. We are beginning to have some success. For the first time we have a small school district minimum allocation in the proposed . . . read more
04.24.08 -- Medicare Billing Update
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed HR 5613, the continuation of Medicare billing by school districts for transportation and administrative costs. This legislation passed with a veto proof majority with most . . . read more
04.07.08 Federal Update
HR 5613 The SSDA-supported HR 5613, which would continue payments for transportation and administration costs for Medicaid eligible special education students, passed unanimously out of the full House Committee on Energy . . . read more
HR 5613 Passes Subcommittee
HR 5613, the Protecting Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, passed the Subcommittee on April 9 and will next be considered by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee. HR 5613 would allow school districts to . . . read more
April 9, 2008- AASA Update - Hearing Today on Medicaid Safety Net Act
Bill to Protect School-Based Medicaid Reimbursement Set for Action Wednesday U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, April 8 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. House Health Subcommittee of the Energy and . . . read more
NREAC 2008 Legislative Agenda
SSDA is a founding member of the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition which lobbies on federal issues affecting rural schools. Click here to view the NREAC 2008 Legislative agenda. The agenda . . . read more
Federal Update
Dave Walrath, SSDA Legislative Advocate, attended the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition meeting, of which SSDA is a founding member, on January 28 in Washington, D.C. The Coalition’s purpose is to advocate on federal . . . read more
Talking Points on FY 2009 Budget Request by President Bush
Talking Points on FY 2009 Budget Request by President Bush Prepared by Mary Kusler, Assistant Director of Government Relations, AASA February 4, 2008 In his FY 2009 (2009 – 2010) budget proposal, . . . read more
AASA Rural Update
November 2007 AASA Works for Rural and Small Schools Head Start Is Set for President’s Signature In mid-November, Congress passed a Head Start reauthorization conference bill that focuses on serving younger . . . read more
AASA Update: Forest Counties Monies Are Still in Play
As lawmakers feverishly work towards the end of the first session of the 110th Congress, the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act remains part of their unfinished business. This important funding for federal forest . . . read more
02.13.09: Stimulus Update
The direct appropriation provisions include: $53.6 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund , including $39.5 billion to local school districts using existing funding formulas, which can be used for preventing cutbacks, . . . read more
AASA Update: E-Rate Filing Window Open
It’s that time of the year again; time to start thinking about your district’s E-Rate application. The Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company has set the dates for the upcoming E-Rate . . . read more
