August is a great time in Washington, D.C. Congress leaves town, many area residents go on vacation, and traffic is minimal. At the National Alliance, we are taking advantage of this quiet time to gear up for Congress’s return on September 9.
Fall Outlook This New York Times article captures it best: once again, we are entering a high stakes budget and spending standoff, all of which must be resolved this fall. First, Congress must approve FY2014 spending levels by September 30, or the government will shut down. We anticipate that Congress will pass a short-term continuing resolution (known as a “CR”), which will keep all programs funded at FY2013 levels. This means that all federal education programs that are important to charter schools – Title I, IDEA, the CSP – will be funded at current levels. There is bipartisan interest in trying to address the impact of the sequester – the across-the-board spending cuts that went into effect in March. However, there are no easy solutions, given competing priorities and offsets. Finally, the debt ceiling must be raised again to ensure that the U.S. Government avoids a default. These issues are intertwined, and will have a significant impact on the budget for the U.S. Department of Education and all other programs. As we wrote about in the July Washington Update, the House of Representatives passed legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). There is a possibility that the Senate will consider ESEA this fall; we will let you know when we hear more. Government Accountability Office Report on ELL Students at Charter Schools On August 15, Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) released a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the enrollment of English Language Learner (ELL) students in charter schools. This report was requested in 2011, and the National Alliance had been expecting its release. In an unexpected development, the GAO was not able to conduct the study due to a lack of data. Specifically, in 14 states, the GAO reported that 60 percent of public charter schools are not reporting on ELL enrollment; in 5 of these states (including NY, NJ, and OH), between 80 percent and 100 percent of charter schools are not reporting. In addition to a lack of reporting on ELL enrollment, the GAO also reported a lack of reporting by charters on math and reading proficiency rates and graduation rates across many of the same states. In response, we joined with the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) in issuing a statement encouraging the charter school community – from operators to authorizers – to be more diligent in understanding their legal obligations to serve ELL students and report accurate data. We also believe that there is an important role for the U.S. Department of Education, state education agencies and school districts to ensure compliance and provide technical assistance as necessary. We are working with key stakeholders to address this issue, and will keep you updated on developments. It is worth noting that our experience in collecting ELL data from state departments of education shows that when data are available, charters report at a fairly high level. Meanwhile, we encourage all charter school operators to review and implement this toolkit produced by the National Alliance earlier this year to help the charter school community understand the legal issues surrounding serving the needs of ELL Students. Phi Delta Kappa International/Gallup Poll The 45th annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, produced by Phi Delta Kappa International, an educators association, and Gallup was released last week. The survey found that nearly 70 percent of respondents support public charter schools. CONNECTEd The Obama Administration has launched an effort to update the E-rate program, which provides subsidized internet connections to schools and libraries. This could take up to 18 months, and is subject to a rulemaking process by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Digital Learning Now published a good policy brief on the E-Rate program, and the changes proposed by the FCC. As appropriate, the National Alliance will align with other education groups on comment letters or other actions. Back-To-School – Host Your Member of Congress The start of a new school year is an ideal time to invite your Congressman or U.S. Senator to visit your school. Elected officials love visiting schools, and a school visit is the best way to highlight the positive impact of public charter schools. Also, school visits are a critical step in building a relationship with your Member of Congress, because it helps them understand the connection between the federal policy decisions they make in Washington and what is happening back home. School visits are a great opportunity to establish yourself, your organization, and your school as a public charter school resource for the Member and their staff. Inviting your Members of Congress is easy. Send a letter of invite by email or mail to the Congressman or Senator’s District Director or State Director (you can find this information on their website). The Member’s staff will know when the Congressman or Senator will be in town, and should be willing to work with you to set up a visit. Find your Members of Congress: U.S. House and Senate Job Opening at the National Alliance on the Government Relations Team Last, but not least! We are looking for a Government Affairs Coordinator. This person will manage and execute a variety of key tasks and programs for the Federal team. The ideal candidate must be able to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment and possess excellent writing skills. The full job description and how to apply can be found on our website. Best of luck in the new school year, and please contact us with any questions or concerns. Gina Mahony is the senior vice president of government relations at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
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