The Leading Edge: Policy & Advocacy Blog
The Leading Edge, AASA's policy & advocacy blog, provides up-to-date information about activities in Washington, D.C. and Capitol Hill that affect you and your school district.
Topics include new or proposed regulations and federal policies, federal funding updates and opportunities, advocacy resources and more.
Latest Posts
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June 03, 2022
AASA School and Gun Safety PolicyAASA has maintained a consistent position that comprehensive federal policy is required to prevent future school violence.
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May 27, 2022
CDC Releases New Guidance and FAQs for K-12 and Overnight CampsToday, the CDC released updated Operational Guidance for K-12 School and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning.
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May 25, 2022
Updated Child Tax Credit Outreach ResourcesThere's still time for schools to help families claim the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC)!
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May 12, 2022
AASA Joins Coalition Letter Asking Department of Labor to Stop or Delay Rulemaking on Overtime PayToday, AASA joined 94 organizations in a letter to Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh.
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May 10, 2022
Summer Nutrition Waivers Available for StatesIf you follow this blog, you are well aware of the fact that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) nationwide waiver authority to provide flexibilities to school nutrition programs expires on June 30 without further Congressional action.
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May 03, 2022
The Advocate May 2022: Biden Administration Focuses on Building Better SchoolsThe health of our school buildings has long been a major problem. The 2021 State of Our Schools Report from the 21st Century School Fund estimates that the U.S. is underinvesting in school buildings and grounds by $85 billion each year.
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April 04, 2022
EPA Announces Details for Electric School Bus RebatesToday, the EPA held a webinar on their new $5 billion electric school bus program. In case you missed the presentation, you can find the slides and content here.
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April 26, 2022
AASA Joins Groups in Letter Supporting Biden Admin New Public Charge RuleAASA joined 110 children’s advocacy and child-serving organizations in support of the Biden Administration’s new proposed rule on public charge.
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April 22, 2022
AASA Asks Congress to Invest in $3 Billion Title II, Part AOn April 21, AASA joined 51 education organizations in asking Congress to invest in retaining and recruiting teachers, principals and other school leaders by providing $3 billion in FY23 appropriations for the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants program – Title II, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
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April 18, 2022
President Biden, USDA Forest Service Announce more than $238 Million to Support Rural Schools, Roads, Other ServicesPresident Biden and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service announced the SRS funding to invest more than $238 million to support public schools, roads, and other municipal services through the Secure Rural Schools Program.
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April 11, 2022
AASA-Endorsed HERE Act IntroducedOn Thursday, April 7, Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced the Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment (HERE) Act.
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April 07, 2022
The Advocate April 2022: Child Nutrition WaiversAt the beginning of the pandemic, Congress granted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to provide waivers for child nutrition programs to allow critical flexibilities for program operators to continue operations and feed children despite school closures and supply chain challenges.
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April 04, 2022
White House Announces Actions for Bolstering Clean School Infrastructure and Transportation to Support Student Learning and HealthToday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced the Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure.
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April 04, 2022
Spread the Word about Changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness ProgramLast year, the Department of Education (USED) issued a Limited Time Waiver to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and help those who qualify get closer to forgiveness.
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April 01, 2022
AASA Leads Amicus in Key School Prayer Case Before SCOTUSAASA, along with our friends at the National Associations of Elementary and Secondary School Principals, filed an amicus brief in a pivotal Supreme Court case that will be heard later this month called Kennedy v Bremerton.
Latest Advocacy & Policy Resources
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November 21, 2024
PEP Talk Episode 34: The E-Rate SagaType:Podcast Topics: Advocacy & PolicyOn this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant gets into the weeds on the current saga of the FCC's Universal Service Fund and E-Rate with Jon Bernstein, an education technology and telecommunications lobbyist and president of Bernstein Strategy Group. -
October 24, 2024
PEP Talk Episode 33: Education in the 2024 ElectionType:Podcast Topics: Advocacy & PolicyOn this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant deep dives the role of education in the 2024 presidential election with Jonathan Voss, partner at Lake Research Partners, a national public opinion and political strategy research firm. -
October 22, 2024
A New Education Vision for the 2025-29 AdministrationType:Report Topics: Advocacy & Policy, Finance & BudgetsRecommendations for how the next administration can dramatically improve educational outcomes, reduce educational inequities and ensure the students in our schools today are able to excel in an increasingly competitive global workforce.
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