AASA Issues Response to Signing of American Rescue Plan
March 11, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
James Minichello
703-875-0723
703-774-6953 (cell)
jminichello@aasa.org
Alexandria, Va. – March 11, 2021 – Daniel A. Domenech, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, issued the following statement today in response to the congressional passage of the American Rescue Plan.
“The nation’s public school superintendents and the schools and students they lead have been operating in the very large shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic for one year. Navigating a crisis of this magnitude required unparalleled leadership, as the reach of the pandemic impacted all aspects of public education as we knew it: from attendance, instruction and transportation to learning recovery, the homework gap and other resource inequities, nothing was left untouched.
“One year in, and every day closer to what will be the post-COVID reality, we are left in the wake of this wide-reaching pandemic. Sure, there are physical improvements to be made, ensuring physical access to broadband and improving air quality and HVAC in school facilities. Looming large, though, are the largely invisible needs: tackling learning loss, implementing with equity, supporting and addressing mental health and social emotional needs for staff and students, and much, much more.
“AASA applauds the Biden administration for its continued leadership, including today’s signing of the American Rescue Plan. This law, in one fell swoop, provides a critical next step forward in safely getting and keeping schools open, stabilizing the nation’s economy, and cutting child poverty in half. We remain committed to working with Congress, the U.S. Education Department and other related agencies to implement this law with fidelity.”
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For specific questions, please contact Noelle Ellerson Ng, AASA associate executive director, advocacy and governance, at nellerson@aasa.org.
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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.
