Federal Policy Update Pennsylvania Federal Coordinators May 9, 2017 Leslie Finnan Senior Legislative Analyst AASA: The School Superintendents Association

Overview ESSA Budget Medicaid Choice legislation Other issues Trump proposal FY 2017 FY 2018 Medicaid AHCA Effect on schools Choice legislation Types of legislation Proposals Other issues Questions Overview

Implementation is full steam ahead, and starts for the 2017-18 school year. Congressional Review Act rescinds the accountability regulations. For you, that means write your state accountability plans to the statute. Implementation of ESSA will hinge on how much your state makes significant changes to the accountability workbook AND funding. In light of the CRA, its important for Congress to be diligent in its ESSA oversight. Funding will be important part of initial roll out of ESSA. Recent DeVos letter removed the stakeholder engagement requirement. ESSA

35 states provided less overall state funding per student in 2014 school year than in 2008 the year the recession took hold In 27 states, local government funding per student fell over the same period, adding to the damage of state cuts

President Trump’s Budget Proposal “Skinny budget” USED cut by 13% ($9 billion) Increases Title I - $1 billion School choice $1 billion for Title I portability $250 million for new private school choice program $168 million increase for charter schools Level funded IDEA – 16% federal share Eliminated Title II Part A 21st Century Learning Communities Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program 20 categorical programs including Striving Readers, Teacher Quality Partnership, Impact Aid Support Payments for Federal Property, and International Education programs. President Trump’s Budget Proposal

FY 2017 House and Senate passed $1 trillion budget For education, it is as good as we could get under budget caps Budget caps not an excuse – they are arbitrary and set by Congress USED cut by $1.1 billion Title I increased by $100 million – still a shortfall for districts Title II cut by almost $300 million Title IV funded at $400 million – will be converted to competitive IDEA holding steady at 16% federally funded REAP is level funded Impact Aid up $23m to $1.3b 21st Century up $25 m Charter Schools up $9m Head Start up $85 m DC voucher program reauthorized for three years Secure Rural Schools and Forest Counties NOT funded FY 2017

FY 2018 Priority: Title I must be funded at level to meet state set aside and preserve LEA allocations and avoid $200m shortfall for LEAs IDEA: Level funding of IDEA puts the federal share at 16%, below the 2005 level, when federal share was 18% Title IV: Fund Title IV at a level that supports local formula allocation Reality: Very real threat of deep cuts. Parity between defense/non-defense discretionary

American Health Care Act (AHCA) and Schools House passed their version last week Changes Medicaid to a per capita devolution to states States may decide to not reimburse schools, and funding would not keep up with demand Senate putting together panel to write their version Put together 13-member Republican panel Includes Senator Toomey American Health Care Act (AHCA) and Schools

Quick Primer on School-Based Medicaid Since 1968, districts can provide EPSDT services for Medically eligible children and be reimbursed. Since 1988, districts can bill for medically- necessary services related to IEP 1% of all federal Medicaid dollars go to schools 46% of Medicaid beneficiaries are children 19% of the costs of Medicaid are incurred by children. Quick Primer on School-Based Medicaid

Types of Vouchers Traditional Vouchers Backdoor Vouchers Portability All Students Targeted Military Disabilities Poverty Poor Performing Schools Foster Child Backdoor Vouchers Tuition Tax Credits Education Savings Accounts Portability A Step Towards Vouchers Title I funds “follow the student” Sarah

Tax Credit Plan No concrete plans yet Floating putting individual tax credit into tax budget reconciliation Like AHCA proposal, would only need 50 votes in the Senate – no dems needed $20 billion school choice plan could be $2 billion per year for 10 years

Perkins CTE 114th Congress 115th Congress House passed bipartisan legislation in July 405-5 to reauthorize Perkins, Senate didn’t take action 115th Congress House to introduce similar bill There is much to like in the bill Addresses the onerous administrative requirements for Perkins funding Addresses paperwork burden by allowing districts to fill out a simple, easy-to-complete local application Streamlines the accountability system and aligns performance measures with those set by each state under ESSA Perkins CTE

School Nutrition 114th Congress 115th Congress USDA Proclamation House and Senate introduced bills last year, did not make it out of Committee 115th Congress Attention in the Senate to be on the Farm Bill instead this year USDA Proclamation Secretary Purdue signed proclamation ordering flexibilities Essentially status quo Holding sodium limits at Target I Allows for waiver of whole grain requirement to 50% Allows 1% flavored milk to be served School Nutrition

SCOTUS and Education Grimm: Fry: Endrew: Case re: guidance on transgender students and bathrooms Fry: Must a family exhaust provisions under IDEA before exercising protections under ADA? Signed onto NSBA amicus Endrew: Filed amicus Question of level of ‘benefit’ special education must provide SCOTUS and Education

Get Involved, Stay Engaged AASA Advocacy Conference July 10-12 AASA Policy Blog The Leading Edge AASA Advocacy on Twitter (@AASAhq) Weekly & Monthly Updates Websites & Newsletters EdWeek Politics K12 Morning Education (Politico) Real Clear Education Cabinet Report

2017: Superintendent Advocacy Challenge Can you commit to 5 minutes a week? YOU know your story. A little lobbying secret: Everything you need to know to lobby, you learned in kindergarten: CUT & PASTE Identify one theme/topic per month, and share the same information with your full delegation http://aasa.org/advchallenge As you do more direct advocacy, rely on your membership benefits of belonging to both your state association and AASA Topic summaries, one pagers, talking points, contact information

AASA Policy & Advocacy Team Leslie Finnan lfinnan@aasa.org @LeslieFinnan Noelle Ellerson Ng nellerson@aasa.org @noellerson Sasha Pudelski spudelski@aasa.org @Spudelski

AASA Legislative Agenda ESSA Student Data & Privacy School Nutrition Charters Perkins Career/Tech Higher Education Act IDEA Early Education Rural Education (REAP, Forest Counties, Impact Aid) Affordable Care Act Regulations: DoL and EPA School Vouchers Immigration / DACA E-Rate/Lifeline/EBS More? AASA Legislative Agenda