The advocacy team has been working with our peers in other education associations on multiple fronts related to COVID and Congressional emergency response. Here’s a quick recap:

• We responded with six other national organizations to a Senate proposal that included no dedicated funding for K12. That deal is still being negotiated. Read our initial and follow up letter. 
• We urged the Senate to ensure their support for remote learning was channeled through E-Rate. Read our statement with EdLiNC  and our statement with the local education organizations.
• All 49 of our state affiliates (We don’t have one in Hawaii!) signed a joint letter to Congress urging flexibility on assessment and accountability. 

 Seven national education organizations issued a joint statement as Congress works to finalize its latest COVID emergency supplemental:

“At a time when our nation’s school leaders and educators are doing unparalleled work to bridge the learning gap while schools are closed in response to COVID, we urge Congress to ensure that any emergency funding provided to support remote and distance learning include direct funding through E-Rate program for hotspots, connection devices and mobile wireless service. As the long-standing and very effective connectivity program for schools and libraries, E-Rate is the most effective way to ensure these critical connectivity dollars reach students across the nation while utilizing and already existing infrastructure.  States and schools are familiar with how to apply for and use E-Rate funding, and as our school leaders respond to a crisis, the importance of this type of process efficiency cannot be understated. The current proposal misses this mark and instead relies on including connectivity and devices as allowable uses within a broader fund. We strongly support the Senate in passing the distance learning provisions as included in the House version of the bill.”

AASA, The School Superintendents Association

American Federation of Teachers

Council of Great City Schools

National Association of Elementary School Principals

National Association of Secondary School Principals

National Education Association

National School Boards Association