Home > Federal Policy and Legislation
From: Ed Prep Matters
Washington Update: AI, Appropriations, and Accelerating Academic Success
Washington Update: The Senate Returns
Biden-Harris Administration Seeks IHE Nominations to Participate in Rulemaking Process on Student Debt Relief
AACTE Joins Education, Labor Departments in Release of National Guideline Standards for Teaching Apprenticeships
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Labor-HHS-Education Spending Bill
AACTE maintains a constant presence on Capitol Hill and with the current administration to advocate on behalf of the educator preparation profession.
Current policy and legislation related to educator preparation:
Elementary and Secondary Education Act This act authorizes programs and accountability to support the improvement of the nation’s PK-12 education system. Title II of ESEA focuses on the federal role in supporting educator quality.
Higher Education Act Title II of HEA authorizes programs that support reforms in teacher preparation and requires annual institutional and state reporting on the quality of programs.
TEACH Grants This federal program supports the recruitment of high-quality teacher candidates for hard-to-staff fields and schools.
Teacher Quality Partnership Grants This federal program supports partnerships between institutions of higher education and high-need local education agencies and schools to strengthen the teacher pipeline.
Special Education Personnel Preparation The Special Education Personnel Preparation program is designed to ensure that children with disabilities are supported by fully qualified school personnel.
Institute of Education Sciences The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) was created in 2002 through the Education Science Reform Act (ESRA, Title I of P.L. 107-279) as an independent research arm of the U.S. Department of Education.
Proposed Bills Supported by AACTE
AACTE has joined other education organizations in augmenting voices on key issues as they emerge, signing on to advocacy letters to the Administration and Congress. Read the Letters.
While many of the decisions governing educator preparation are made at the state level, the federal government and the Congress have roles affecting the profession as well.
The most important aspect of engaging in federal advocacy is the power of the constituent voice. Members of Congress act based on the information provided to them first and foremost by their constituents. Over time, you want to build relationships with both members of Congress and their staff handling education so that you become one of the sources that officials consult for information and ideas related to educator preparation.
Get to know the resources offered through this site. You can watch recordings of federal update webinars, download printable guides for key stages of the advocacy process, and find links to other websites with resources and information on legislation, congressional votes, and more.
Remember to register to receive AACTE Action Alerts and visit this web page often for the latest resources and information to support your advocacy efforts.
Passage of a CR would prevent a government shutdown on September 30 when the current fiscal year expires. While there has been movement in the House and the Senate on FY 2022 appropriations bills, it is impossible that they could all be completed by the September 30 deadline. Thus, a temporary extension of current funding levels will be on the agenda. Read More.
This week, Members of the House of Representatives completed debate on a seven-bill appropriations package, which includes the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. As you will recall, the bill includes a 41% increase for the Department of Education, bringing the total to $102.8 billion. Read more.
It’s hard to believe we are already approaching the end of July. Congress is feeling the pressure, like the night before your paper is due and you haven’t started it yet. Read More.
It’s been a week for celebration for education advocates. The House Appropriations Committee delivered on President’ Biden’s goal of a 41% increase for education for next year. This unprecedented investment is beyond gratifying. It feels like the decades of advocating that we have all been engaged in has really paid off! We still have a long way to go, but we are out of the gate with great momentum! Read more.
House Appropriations Committee Set to Move on Education Spending Bill - While many Members of the Senate traveled home this week for a scheduled state work period, Members of the House of Representatives kept things moving on Capitol Hill setting funding levels for the FY2022 appropriations bills. Read More.
In the past year, our nation’s educational system faced an epic crisis brought about by the pandemic, leaving education leaders wondering when relief would be in sight. That relief arrived on March 11, 2021, when the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) was passed by Congress, allocating approximately $130 billion for the K-12 education system and nearly $40 billion for the higher education system. Read more.
As we head into the final week of June, Congress is poised for an intense July. Between the upcoming July 4 recess and the coveted month-long August recess, there are only a few legislative weeks in which to complete action on critical measures to keep the wheels of the federal government in motion. This week, the House began marking up the first two (of 12 in total) appropriations bills. Read more.
This week, education advocates were pleased to learn that the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Subcommittee in the House will be marking up their FY 2022 spending bill on July 12. This represents the first significant move toward the September 30 finish line when new funding levels need to be determined. Read more.
