All the Policy & Advocacy Fun at NCE19!

It’s go time here in LA. It’s finally the week of #NCE19, and I am happy to give a quick overview of all the advocacy/policy related content at conference. Sessions and details are below. And, as always, make a point to say hi to Sasha and me if you see us, and follow on twitter (@Noellerson and @SPudelski). Here’s what we have in store: 

• Feb 14, 9-10 am: Federal Funding to Address School Safety and Mental Health (Room 510)
  Are you aware of all the funding streams, new and existing, that are available to improve mental health for students, hire school resource officers and improve school security infrastructure? If not, this session is for you! We will walk through the various formula and competitive grant opportunities that exist at different federal agencies that will enable you to use federal funding to meet the behavioral health and safety needs of your students.  We will also touch on private grant opportunities that can be available to districts to keep students safe. Download the presentation.
• Feb 14, 12-1:30 pm: Federal Relations Luncheon: Educational Inequality & School Finance (Room 515A)
  Our nation's public schools receive and spend money. Lots of money. As part of this year's luncheon, Dr. Baker will look at the cyclical effects of teacher labor markets and competitive wages, as well as the cyclical effects of revenue at the state and local levels, and the current role of the courts to influence, impact and shape school funding realities. A can't miss session! Download the presentation.
• Feb 14, 2-3 pm: Rural School Consolidation (Knowledge Exchange Theatre)
  Rural school districts face unique financial and political pressures. Low enrollment and revenue plague many schools. One suggested remedy in many states is to consolidate small rural schools or districts. In this panel, leaders with experience in rural schools will discuss the pressures on rural schools and the dangers of consolidation. Panelists will provide data and anecdotes on consolidation and other recommendations rural and small schools face in many states. No slides to share.
• Feb 14, 3-4 pm: ESSA Fiscal Transparency: How to Communicate About Money (Room 510)
  Some of the most contentious issues district leaders face are about money. Those are about to get even more intense as a slew of school-by-school financials are released (per the ESSA requirement). This workshop-style session is designed to equip leaders to engage with their communities and principals (and the media!) on emerging financial data with the goal of leveraging dollars do the most for students. We’ll share new messaging research on how to talk about money in ways that can help unite (versus divide) communities, particularly amidst financial scarcity. Download the presentation.
• Feb 15, 8-9 am: Student Data & Privacy: What to Expect in the New Congress (Room 511A)
  This year, Congress and state legislatures are expected to consider hundreds of policies related to student data and privacy, including the first reauthorization of the federal policy FERPA. This session will give an overview of the latest trends at the state level, what to expect at the federal level, and what it all could mean for the nation's public schools.
• Feb 15, 11:15 am -12:15 pm: Federal Education Update (Room 510)
  Featuring Noelle Ellerson Ng and Sasha Pudelski. AASA's legislative portfolio is diverse and the opportunity for impacting federal education policy in the new Congress is deep. This session will cover AASA's 2019 legislative agenda priorities, including Perkins implementation, IDEA, vouchers, higher education, rural education, E-Rate, appropriations, school nutrition, privacy and more. Download the presentation. 
• Feb 15, 12:45 to 1:45 pm: E-Rate and YOUR District (Room 510)
  E-Rate Speed Date: Changes to the E-Rate program have yet to reach their full impact. Hear from an E-Rate expert, a superintendent and an ed-tech director on the opportunities and obstacles schools and the E-Rate program face in their work to expand school connectivity. Come ready to think and hear about additional ways your school can access E-Rate dollars to bolster your district connectivity. Download the presentation.
• Bill Daggett's Friday NCE General Session: Re-envisioning Learning: Addressing the Critical Needs of our Students Download the presentation.