: PTA Takes Action: Federal Policy - April 2010 |
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PTA Leaders Advocate for Family Engagement to be an ESEA Priority During the 2010 National PTA Legislative Conference In March, more than 240 PTA advocates helped reaffirm and revitalize PTA's leadership in grassroots advocacy by attending the 2010 National PTA Legislative Conference. Members attended skill-building workshops and spoke with influential leaders such as First Lady Michelle Obama. Members also made more than 300 visits with congressional leaders asking them to prioritize family engagement in children's education as part of the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Advocates asked members of Congress to safeguard Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) -- the sole federal program dedicated to engaging families in their children's education -- by joining U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Christopher Bond (R-MO), and Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Todd Russell Platts (R-PA) in sending a bipartisan "Dear Colleague" letter requesting that appropriators safeguard PIRC Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 funding. The efforts of conference attendees, along with more than 8,700 emails sent to Congress, resulted in an additional 39 representatives and 21 senators signing on to the letter. This is a significant step towards building congressional support for family engagement within ESEA. During the awards ceremony on Capitol Hill, PTA honored a few members of Congress for working to improve the health and well-being of all children. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) received the Congressional Voice for Children Award for their respective work in ensuring that rural schools are not overlooked in federal education legislation and in sponsoring the Family Engagement in Education Act. Law firm Van Ness Feldman, received the Pro Bono Award for their invaluable legislative counsel provided to the National PTA staff during the drafting of the Family Engagement in Education Act. During that same ceremony, PTA Outstanding Advocacy Awards were presented to Florida State PTA and Language Academy PTSA, while Rick Tyler of Maryland PTA was given the PTA Shirley Igo Advocate of the Year Award for his commitment to federal advocacy. Additional Resources
Senate Agriculture Committee Moves First to Improve Child Nutrition Programs Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Speaks Up on PTA Radio On March 24, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry unanimously passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, a bill to reauthorize school meals and other child nutrition programs. This is the first step in the process to improve child nutrition programs that only occurs about every five years. This includes a $4.5 billion increase in funding over the next 10 years. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was introduced by Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, in cooperation with Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and other members of the committee. The $4.5 billion increase in child nutrition funding over the next ten years provided under this legislation is a substantial investment aimed at curbing the problems of both childhood hunger and obesity. While the increase is less than half of the $10 billion increase sought by Obama Administration in its most recent budget request, it dwarfs the $500 million increase that was included in the 2004 reauthorization of these programs. For the past two years, PTA has worked to improve school meals and other child nutrition programs through this legislation for the past two years. Many of our recommendations have been included in the legislation. One notable inclusion is the requirement to update nutrition standards for food sold outside of the school meal programs through vending machines, school stores, and a la carte menus- for the first time since 1979. This provision would allow the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure that healthier food options are available to students while limiting their access to salty, fatty junk foods and sugary drinks. PTA's recommendations for the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization can be found in our 2010 Public Policy Agenda on page 17. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act also includes a 6 cent increase in the school meal reimbursement rate, the first increase since 1973 other than the regular inflation-related adjustments. As part of this additional reimbursement, schools will have to meet improved nutritional standards for the foods offered in school breakfasts and lunches. The new meal nutrition standards required under this bill will be developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and will largely be based upon the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine. Efforts to provide better access to fresh, local produce in schools are also included in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The bill includes mandatory funding for schools to establish gardens on campus as well as for assistance in sourcing local produce from the surrounding community. This is a dynamic shift in federal funding for farm-to-school efforts that can increase nutrition education -while providing healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables to our students. The bill also includes a number of incentives for and improvements in the process for direct certification, the practice through which a child eligible for child nutrition programs (including free and reduced-price lunches) can be automatically enrolled if they are already receiving federal benefits for another program with the same or less stringent eligibility requirements. This practice, already required under federal law, reduces the administrative barriers to participation in nutrition programs, and increases access to healthy foods for those that need it most. Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act also enhances Local Wellness Policies by providing mechanisms through which they can be both implemented and enforced. There are increased requirements for parent and community outreach in order to ensure that the content of these policies is available to those whose children are affected. For more information on the many provisions and improvements included in this bill, please visit the Senate Agriculture Committee's website. The Path Forward The most difficult area to find agreement is in identifying funding sources for increased funding. Under the current bill, approximately $2.2 billion of the $4.5 billion increase will come from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a federal program that provides a dollar for dollar match to farmers looking to upgrade protections for soil and water resources. Members from both parties have expressed concern over this cut, but have pledged to work together on a bipartisan solution. USDA Secretary on PTA Radio
Common Core State Standards Due to Be Released in Late Spring Within education circles, there has been plenty of discussion about ensuring that all students graduate from high school ready for "college and career." This is the goal of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, an effort by states to improve educational outcomes for students by developing a set of consistent, clear K-12 academic standards in English, language arts and mathematics. In 2009, the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)—the organizations in charge of developing Common Core—convened a group of leading experts to develop K-12 standards for math and English language arts. The standards they developed are due to be released in final form and available for adoption by the states in late spring. The standards are expected to reflect the knowledge and skills young people need to gain in order to finish college and work in a global economy. A draft version of the standards was released to the public on March 10th and public comment was accepted through April 2nd. Now the NGA and the CCSSO are incorporating the comments they have received from the public and will make the final version available as early as May. Additional Information Obama Administration Releases Blueprint to Overhaul Federal Education Law During a March 13 video address, President Obama released his plan for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB. The plan would overhaul much of the law's current framework—including its accountability system for schools, districts, and states. The Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, emphasizes the preparation of all students for college and career, and on aggressive interventions to turn around low-performing schools. In testimony to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on March 17, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan explained that the plan is centered on preparing students for college and career; rewarding excellence and growth; and redefining the federal role in education. The blueprint also organizes programs into six categories:
You can read the full blueprint on the Department of Education's website. The PTA is supportive many of the administrations goals--including the preparation of all students for college and career, and ensuring equity and opportunity for every child. But we are greatly concerned that the Administration's plan contains no comprehensive strategy to engage parents. During the previous reauthorization of ESEA in 2001, PTA worked hard to ensure that parental involvement provisions and the mandatory funding set-aside for family engagement were included in the law. Following the proposed elimination and consolidation of PIRCs in the President's FY 11 Budget, the blueprint lacks a strategy to build the capacity of schools, districts, and states to engage families and to raise student achievement. Read National PTA President Charles J. "Chuck" Saylors' statement in response to the Blueprint. Congress Holds Hearings on ESEA On March 17, Secretary Duncan testified at both Senate and House hearings on the Administration's plan for ESEA. Senator Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions said, "For all its flaws, No Child Left Behind has done an excellent job of shining a light on the achievement gaps that still exist, and this is something we want to preserve. However, there is still a lot of work to do to close these gaps and to better prepare our children for college and a career." Later during the hearing, Senator Reed (D-RI) asked the Secretary why parent engagement was only explicitly mentioned in one of the four proposed turnaround strategies. "I think we all recognize parent engagement is essential," Reed said. Congressman Kline (R-MN), Ranking Member of the House Education and Labor Committee, stated, "I have long believed the parents, teachers, and school leaders on the front lines are best equipped to improve student achievement. Reforms originating in Washington, D.C., simply cannot respond to the unique challenges faced by individual students and schools, which is why education reform remains primarily the right and responsibility of states and local communities." One of the four key ESEA priorities of the Republicans on the Committee is empowering parents, along with restoring local control, letting teachers teach, and protecting taxpayers. PTA will continue to work to ensure that family engagement is prioritized in the new ESEA. Download PTA's 2010 Public Policy Agenda to learn more about our recommendations for reauthorization. |
