1. AASA/ASBO Federal policy update
Legislative Advocacy Conference
Washington, DC
July 10, 2017

2. 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.

3. Health Care Reform House passed the American Health Care Act in May
Repeals Obamacare
Changes Medicaid from an entitlement program to a per capita cap funding
States may decide to not reimburse schools, given loss of federal funding
Senate introduction of the Better Care Reconciliation Act in June
Includes the same changes to Medicaid’s structure
May be voted on in the next few days

4. Consequences of House and Senate Bills
Senate bill would cut $772 billion from Medicaid funding.
States would have to make up shortfall.
Tough choices on who keeps getting reimbursed and who is eligible means schools could be excluded completely from Medicaid funding.
Schools can’t compete with hospitals, doctors for limited Medicaid funding
Who loses? The millions of kids who rely on schools for critical health care and health services.

5. 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”

6. How to make good on school choice promises this Congress?
Tuition Tax Credits
What is a tuition tax credit?
Allows taxes owed to a state by individuals or corporations to be redirected into charitable donations to voucher nonprofits that then bundle the donations and distribute tuition checks to families to use to attend private schools
Is it a voucher? You better believe it is.
Provides opportunity for students to leave public schools for private schools and allows wealthy taxpayers and corporations to pay less than their share of taxes, which also support public schools.
Limited accountability for private schools and lots of money from taxpayers looking for a tax break.

7. What’s the plan? Put a tuition tax credit into tax reform package
Like healthcare proposal, would only need 50 votes in the Senate – no dems needed
Two options: 1) just give federal tax credit to states with state tax credit program, which will lead to explosive growth of program. 2) Create new federal tax credit for any company and taxpayer in any state (a harder lift for small- government Republicans, but a much more impactful school choice program).

8. There’s already a school voucher tax shelter in 10 states
There’s already a school voucher tax shelter in 10 states. Let’s close it, not expand it.
Ask Your Member of Congress to Support the Protecting Taxpayer Dollars from Private School Tax Shelters Act by Terri Sewell (D-AL) to close this loophole

9. Perkins CTE 114th Congress
House passed bipartisan legislation in July to reauthorize Perkins, Senate didn’t take action
115th Congress
On Thursday, the House passed a very 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

10. 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

11. Rural Education Duncan vs DeVos: Any different for rural?
Rural programs to follow:
REAP
Secure Rural Schools/Forest Counties
Impact Aid
Reliance on funding and disproportionate sensitivity to changes in federal funding, whether cuts, shifts away from formulaic allocation, and privatization agenda
E-Rate and access to affordable broadband matters, particularly in rural areas. Make sure your delegation knows what E-rate is and what it means in your district.
Infrastructure
Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2017
Get the Lead Out of Schools

12. 5 Things to Remember When Visiting the Hill
Face time is important for building relationships.
Give your representatives a heads up.
Be prepared.
Make your case with facts AND stories.
Be polite and courteous.
ASBO International Immediate Past President
Brenda Burkett, CPA, SFO, CSBA
Thank you for joining us here in Washington, D.C., for the 2017 Legislative Advocacy Conference. ASBO International is thrilled to join AASA for another amazing conference this year and we sincerely appreciate all the school district leaders who are here today to advocate on behalf of their students and schools. My name is Brenda Burkett, ASBO International’s Immediate Past President and the CFO for Norman Public Schools in Oklahoma.
Before we kick off AASA’s Advocacy Update, I’d like to share some advice to help you prepare for your Hill visits tomorrow, as I am sure you all have a lot to say but will have such limited time. Here are five things to remember while you’re on the Hill to ensure your meetings with officials are productive and effective, and that your voice is heard.
1. Face time is important for building relationships.
The best way to build a relationship with your elected officials and ensure your voice carries weight is to meet with them frequently, and in person when possible. Don’t limit yourself to an annual fly in; keep the conversation going beyond the initial meeting. Meet in Washington, D.C., or at their local state or district office; attend local town halls and other events; and pick up the phone to let them know you’re always tuned in.
Also, don’t be discouraged if you are able to only meet with staff instead of a House Representative or Senator while you’re on the Hill. Meeting with an elected official provides a good photo op, but remember that it’s the staff who actually do the heavy lifting. Don’t discount them, since the staff are actually the ones who read the bills and will help you get your message through. Building good relationships with the staff is crucial to building good relationships with your representatives.
2. Give your representatives a heads up.
Before meeting with your representatives, send an to them or their staff to confirm your appointment, thank them ahead of time, and share any materials to help them prepare for the meeting. Get them up to speed on the issues beforehand to allow more time for a productive conversation during your appointment.
3. Be prepared.
Triple check you have everything you need for your appointment and show up early. Bring informational materials with you to leave behind and don’t forget your business cards. Rehearse a quick “elevator speech” beforehand to communicate who you are, what you represent, any specific asks you have, and why you support or oppose the issue at hand.   
4. Make your case with facts AND stories.
Prepare talking points on the policy issues you wish to discuss and back them up with hard data and personal anecdotes. Ensure your data is as relevant and localized as possible – explain how the issue will impact your state or district in numbers and cents, then add a human face to the problem by explaining what the issue means for you and your students.
For instance, if you’re asking for more education funding, tell your representatives in real dollars how much you’ve had to cut from your school’s budget and which programs you’ve had to roll back or eliminate to make ends meet. Share specific programs or services you could reinvest in by getting additional funds from a specific grant or program (Title I, IDEA, etc.). Explain how many students are being affected by these program cuts and provide a personal story or example whenever you can.
5. Be polite and courteous.
Elected officials and their staff operate on tight schedules and field hundreds of phone calls, s, and meetings a day. Stick to the allotted timeframe for your appointment, thank your officials for meeting with you, and get their contact information to follow up with them. A personal handwritten thank-you note and invitation to visit your school district will go a long way to help them remember you and build an ongoing relationship.
I hope that this advice is helpful, whether it is your first time or hundredth time on the Hill. Thank you again for your attendance, for advocating on behalf of our children, and for everything else that you do!

13. FUNDING

14. FY17 Funding Package
$68.2 b for USED at base level, but when we account or $1.3 b rescission to Pell, the level is $66.9($1.1 below FY16)
ESSA
Title I increased by $550 m ($450m from SIG), still short at LEA level
Title II cut by $294m (13%) to $2.1 billion
Title IV funded at $400 m (revert to competitive?)
IDEA receives $90 m increase (still at just 16% of federal share)
Impact Aid up $23m to $1.3b
21st Century up $25 m
Charter Schools up $9m
Head Start up $85 m
Includes reauth of DC voucher program

15. FY18 Budget Proposal FY18 Priority: Very real deep cuts.
Parity between defense/non-defense discretionary
$54b increase for defense discretionary; paid for with $54 b cut to NDD
$9 b (13%) cut to USED
$1.4 b increase for school choice/privatization
$1b for Title I portability; $250 m for vouchers; $168 m for charters
Cuts IDEA and Title I local allocations, as well as Carl D Perkins (Career/Tech)
Eliminates Title IIA, Title IV and 21st Century Community Learning grants
Eliminate 20 other categorical grants

16. 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
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

17. Get Involved, Stay Engaged
AASA Policy Blog The Leading Edge
AASA Advocacy on Twitter
Weekly & Monthly Updates
Websites & Newsletters
EdWeek
Politics K12
Morning Education (Politico)
Real Clear Education
Cabinet Report

18. AASA Policy & Advocacy Team
Noelle Ellerson Ng @noellerson
Sasha Pudelski
@Spudelski
Leslie Finnan @LeslieFinnan

19. Questions?