Archive for August 2024
August 2024: AESA State Examiner
The August 2024 State Examiner reviews state legislation and fiscal conditions affecting ESAs and their schools. It includes curated state budget and finance news, highlights key research, and offers an advocacy tip on using digital tools to enhance public education advocacy.
Read MoreCourt Grants FCC Request for Stay (for E-Rate and Universal Service Fund)
By Noelle Ellerson Ng, Associate Executive Director, Policy & Advocacy, AESA On the heels of last month’s 5th circuit court decision which challenges the constitutionality of the funding mechanism for the universal service fund (Read related blog posts here and here), the 5th circuit has granted the FCC its requested stay. (A stay is a ruling by the court in civil…
Read MoreHHS Releases Head Start Final Rule With More Flexibility on Wage Requirements
By Tara Thomas, Policy Analyst, AESA This week, the Biden Administration released its long-awaited final rule on Supporting the Head Start Workforce and Consistent Quality Programming. The rule updates various aspects of the Head Start Program Performance Standards, but most notably, significantly increases compensation and benefits for staff in an effort to improve retention and recruitment for the…
Read MoreFY25 Appropriations Update
By Tara Thomas, Policy Analyst, AESA On August 1, 2024, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its FY25 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) proposal. The bill increased funding for the Department of Education (ED) by $1 billion, including increases for Title I (+280 million) and IDEA (+295 million). This proposal is in stark contrast…
Read MoreFCC Releases State by State Info on How Universal Service Fund Impacts States
By Noelle Ellerson Ng, Associate Executive Director, Policy & Advocacy, AESA Background: The Universal Service Fund is a $8 billion decades-old mechanism created by Congress in 1996 to support vital communications investments where the marketplace falls short: connecting schools and libraries to high-speed internet; helping rural hospitals adopt telemedicine; ensuring low-income households have basic communications services;…
Read MoreAESA Joins EdLiNC Coalition in Expressing Deep Frustration with 5th Circuit E-Rate Decision
On July 24, the 5th Circuit struck down the funding mechanism for the universal service fund, which includes the E-Rate program. E-Rate provides $4.7 billion annually for schools and libraries to receive broadband and Wi-Fi services. This is an extreme decision that contradicts two rulings from other circuits as well as a previous three judge panel of…
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