Lucy Gettman, MA, MSW
National School Boards Association
2013 NASB Legislative Issues Conference
January 13, 2013
3
former local
school board
members in
the class of
2013
 Total 24 Reps
& Senators
who were
local school
board
members
 .04%
ESEA Reauthorization
Sequestration
NSBA Bill
 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)
 Political
stall
 School boards MUST convey urgency
If there is no reauthorization:
 Waivers
 NCLB provisions
 Sequestration
 Continuing
Resolution for
FY 2013
funding
 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
 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)
 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
 Not
education = $687 million reduction
a one year cut, but part of a 10 year
program
What an 5.9 Percent Cuts Means for
Nebraska:
- $13 million in federal education and HHS Funds
 Title
I:
 Special
-$4,827,794
Education:
 Teacher
 Head
Quality:
Start:
-$4,185,513
-$
699,862
-$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

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.
•
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%.
 PROBLEM



Expanded Role of Executive Branch
U.S. Department of Education
Adverse impact on local policies and operations
Erosion of local school board authority and flexibility
 Race
to the Top – District (RTT-D) grants
 ESEA
Flexibility Waivers
 Civil
Rights Data Collection requirements
 Public
Comment by blog
 Reading
First
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

 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
 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.
 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
 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.
 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.
Lucy Gettman
Director, Federal Programs
NSBA
lgettman@nsba.org
703.838.6763