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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March 30, 2022
New EPA Rebate Program for School BusesWant some new clean school buses? Here’s your chance to get them!
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March 29, 2022
FY23 Appropriations Process: Off to A Strong Start! President Biden’s Budget Continues Support for Education InvestmentsThe ink on the final FY22 budget is barely dry, and we are already off and running with all the FY23 budget fun. ICYMI: check out the blog with all our details on the final FY22 budget.
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March 29, 2022
DOT FMCSA Extends ‘Under the Hood’ Waiver to Help Address School Bus Driver Labor ShortageEarlier this year, USED partnered with USDOT to provide temporary relief for the ‘under the hood’ requirement to help address the school bus drive shortage.
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March 25, 2022
Biden Administration Commits to Improving School Health Program DeliveryOn Thursday, U.S. Secretaries Cardona and Becerra sent a letter to Governors formally describing a new effort by both agencies to work together to develop and align resources to ensure children have the physical and behavioral health services and supports that they need to build resilience and thrive.
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March 24, 2022
UPDATE: DOT Guidance Allows 3rd Party Administration of Knowledge TestIn November, AASA partnered with 12 other organizations in penning a letter to US DOT identifying a handful of policy changes that could help address the bus driver shortage.
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March 28, 2022
USED Letter to Educators and Parents Regarding New CDC Recommendations and Their Impact on Children with DisabilitiesU.S. Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote a letter to educators and parents regarding new CDC recommendations and the recommendations’ impact on children with disabilities.
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March 24, 2022
AASA, ASBO Respond to USDA Transitional Standards on Milk, Sodium and Whole GrainsOn March 23, AASA and ASBO International responded to the USDA’s Transitional Nutritional Standards for Milk, Sodium and Whole Grains which were announced on February 4.
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March 23, 2022
The Biden Administration Announces the Clean Air in Buildings ChallengeLast week, the Biden administration, in conjunction with the EPA, released a call to action titled the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, which highlights a range of recommendations and resources available for improving ventilation and indoor air quality, which can help to better protect the health of building occupants and reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.
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October 24, 2022
Ed Dept Webinar: Raising the Bar: Literacy and Math Series to Address Academic RecoveryAs part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to support the academic recovery of students from the impact of the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education will host five sessions focused on strategies and programs to boost student literacy and math outcomes.
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October 21, 2022
Webinar Recording: Healthy Schools- An Imperative or Impossibility?In case you missed it, we held our Healthy Schools: An Imperative or Impossibility? webinar this week with the American Academy of Pediatrics and Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
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October 14, 2022
18 National Organizations Sign Letter Supporting AASA Leadership on USACAASA joined 17 other national organizations in signing a letter supporting the nomination of AASA Executive Director Dan Domenech to continue to serve on the USAC board, the entity that oversees E-Rate.
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October 13, 2022
Four Cybersecurity Action Steps for K-12 Schools and DistrictsIn recent years, kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) educational institutions have been an increasingly frequent target for cyberattacks.
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October 12, 2022
Time is Running Out to Take Advantage of the PSLFThe Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program Temporary Waiver expires on October 31.
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October 11, 2022
ICYMI: AASA, FRAC and First Focus's Free and Reduced Price Meal (FRPM) Webinar SeriesIn case you missed our series on the Free and Reduced Price Meal (FRPM) program series, we've compiled each session recording and accompanying slides for you to catch up on.
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October 11, 2022
Schools and Social Media: The Critical Need for Verification and Dedicated Reporting ProcessesAASA is proud to support Schools and Social Media: The Critical Need for Verification and Dedicated Reporting Processes, joint project led by the National School Public Relations Associations (NSPRA) and Consortium for School Network (CoSN).
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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