NSBA Federal Updates

The Federal Advocacy & Public Policy Team at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) issues weekly updates. You can stay up-to-date with education policy at the federal level by reading these weekly communications.

October 22, 2021: Senate Releases Remaining FY22 Spending Bills; President Biden Issues Executive Order to Advance Educational Equity; USED Releases New Mental Health Resource; Catherine Lhamon Confirmed; Updated CDC Resources; COVID-19 Vaccinations for Kids Ages 5-11 — White House Fact Sheet on Operational Planning; School Worker Shortage Webinars; New K-12 Bills; NSBA Update

October 15, 2021: Short-term Debt Limit Extension Enacted; FCC Approves Additional Emergency Connectivity Fund Applications; New Members Added to Assessment Governing Board as Test Scores Drop; USED Approves Four More ARP Plans; USED Roundtables; New K-12 Bills; NSBA Update

October 1, 2021: Government Shutdown Averted; Uncertain Future for Infrastructure and Reconciliation Bills; House Education Committee Explores School Reopening Efforts; Senate HELP Committee Holds School Reopening Hearing; USDA Announces Supply Chain Disruption Funds for Schools; Second Window for Connectivity Funds; Bills; NSBA Update

September 24, 2021: House Approves Continuing Resolution and Suspension of Debt Limit; Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Process Slows in the Senate; House Budget Committee to Vote on $3.5 Trillion Reconciliation Bill; Senate Employment Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Apprenticeships; Education Secretary Cardona Travels the Midwest on School Tour; FCC Announces First Wave of Homework Gap Grants; U.S. Department of Education Awards First Project SAFE Grant; U.S. Department of Education Announces 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools; U.S. Department of Education Awards Promise Neighborhood Grants; Bills; NSBA Update

September 17, 2021: Democratic Reconciliation Package Continues to Take Shape Amid Looming Fiscal Deadlines; USED Approves Four More State ARP Plans; President Biden Unveils Hispanic and Latino Education Initiative; Secretary Cardona Kicks off Return-to-School Road Trip; Bills

September 3, 2021: Congress Poised to Return Next Week to a Busy Agenda; USED Approves Two More State ARP Plans; Office of Civil Rights Launches Several Investigations into State Indoor Masking Prohibitions; USED Releases New Return-to-School Resource; USED Releases Fact Sheet on Timely Investment of American Rescue Plan Funds; Bills; NSBA Update

August 27, 2021: House Advances Budget Reconciliation Framework; FCC Announces New ECF Funding Availability; USED Reaffirms IDEA Guidance; USED Approves Three More State ARP Plans; NSBA Update

August 20, 2021: Congress Remains on Recess; USED Announces Civil Rights Data Collection; President Biden Directs USED to Push Back on State Anti-Mask Mandates; Department of Education to Host Webinar on Safely Returning to In-Person Instruction; NSBA Update

August 6, 2021: Senate on the Cusp of Passing First Infrastructure Package; Senate HELP Splits Over Civil Rights Nominee; USED Releases Return to School Roadmap; U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Resources for ESSER Implementation; USED Approves More State ARP Plans; Discretionary Grants; Bills; NSBA Update

July 30, 2021: House Passes FY22 Education Funding Bill; Senators Announce Deal on Narrow Infrastructure Package; House Holds Hearing on Nutrition Programs; USED Releases Additional Funding for Students Experiencing Homelessness; CDC Releases New Guidance on Masks in Schools; Discretionary Grants; Bills; NSBA Update

July 23, 2021: Congress Moves Forward on Infrastructure; Legislation to Expand Homework Gap Funding Introduced;

USED Approves More State ARP Plans; Senate HELP Committee Advances Some Nominees, Not Others; USED Releases Updated Title IX Guidance; USED Guidance on Improving Ventilation in Schools, Colleges, and Universities to Prevent COVID-19; Discretionary Grants; Bills; NSBA Update
July 16, 2021: House Appropriations Committee Advances FY22 Education Spending Bill; Congressional Democrats Announce Infrastructure Deal; USED Approves Five More State ARP Plans; Senate HELP Committee Considers Biden USED Nominees; Discretionary Grants; Bills

July 2, 2021: House Sets Funding Cap for Education Programs; USED Releases ARP Funding for Students with Disabilities; NCES Reports Drop in Public School Enrollments; Secretary Cardona Releases Proposed Grant Priorities; FCC Launches Emergency Connectivity Fund; Bills; NSBA Update

June 25, 2021: Lawmakers Reach Tentative Infrastructure Deal, Path Forward Remains Murky; Secretary Cardona Testifies in the House; Bipartisan Legislation to Address Teacher Shortages Reintroduced; USED Hosts Equity Summit; Discretionary Grants; Bills; NSBA Update

June 18, 2021: House Budget Committee Kicks-off FY22 Funding Cycle; Infrastructure Talks Drag on Without a Clear Path Forward; Senate Examines Biden Administration’s FY22 Budget; USED Releases Tranche of ESSER Plans; FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund Goes Live at the End of June; USED Clarifies Title IX Interpretation; Biden Administration Continues to Staff Key Education Roles; Bills; NSBA Update

June 11, 2021: House Education Committee Explores Child Nutrition Reauthorization; Infrastructure Talks Continue; USED Publishes “Maintenance of Equity” Guidance; Bills; NSBA Update

May 28, 2021: President Biden Releases Full FY22 Budget Request; USED Updates Guidance for K-12 ARP Funding; President Biden Nominates General Counsel for Education Department; Bills; NSBA Update

May 21, 2021: Congress Continues to Mull Potential Infrastructure Investments; Senate Committee Examines Children’s Online Privacy; House Education Committee Holds Hearing on Students Experiencing Homelessness; House Republicans Call on USED to Change Grant Priorities; Bills
May 14, 2021: Forthcoming Infrastructure Package Continues to Take Shape; House Education Committee Explores Youth Employment Issues; Senate Confirms Number Two at U.S. Education Department; Emergency Connectivity Fund Goes Live; FCC and USED Launch Outreach Campaign; USED Announces Presidential Scholars; CDC/USED Mask Guidance for Schools Remains in Effect for Now; Bills; NSBA Update
May 7, 2021: House Examines ED Budget Proposal; House Subcommittee Explores Pandemic’s Impact on Students with Disabilities; USED Launches School Reopening Clearinghouse; Emergency Connectivity Fund Takes Shape; Bills; NSBA Update
April 23, 2021: Senate Republicans Release Infrastructure Counteroffer; Senate Education Committee Advances Nominees; USED Unveils New MOE Guidance; USDA Extends Meal Flexibilities Through 2022; USED Releases State Plan Template and Additional ARP Guidance; Bills; NSBA Update
April 16, 2021: Congress Returns from Spring Recess; USED Continues to Staff Up; Bills; Discretionary Grants; NSBA Update

April 9, 2021: President Biden Releases “Skinny” Budget Request; CDC and USED Release New School Reopening Guidance; USED Responds to More State Waiver Requests; USED’s Office of Civil Rights Reviews Title IX; NSBA Update

March 26, 2021: House Releases Community Project Funding Guidance; Senate HELP Committee Considers Deputy Secretary of Education Nomination; House Hearing Explores Educational Equity Post-Pandemic; USED Hosts School Reopening Summit; USED Releases New School Survey Data; Bills; NSBA Update

March 19, 2021: Earmarks Poised to Make a Comeback; House Subcommittee to Hold Hearing on Educational Equity; CDC Announces New Guidance for Schools; FCC Seeks Comment on Connectivity Fund; CDC Announces $10 billion for K-12 School COVID-19 Screenings; Secretary Cardona Reiterates Position on Assessments; USED Announces Next Round of K-12 Funding; Safe School Reopening Summit; Bills; NSBA Update

March 12, 2021: American Rescue Plan Enacted; Democratic Lawmakers Urge USED to Issue Blanket Assessment Waivers; Republicans Demand Investigation into Pandemic’s Impact on Students with Disabilities; USDA Extends School Meal Flexibilities; Biden Issues Title IX Executive Order; Bills; NSBA Update

March 5, 2021: Senate Considers American Rescue Plan; Earmarks Mount a Comeback in Congress; Cardona Confirmed to Lead USED; Bills; Discretionary Grants; NSBA Update

February 26, 2021: House Moves Forward with Pandemic Relief; House Republicans Request Information from CCSSO; FCC Approves Emergency Broadband Benefit Program; USED Issues New ESSA Guidance; Cardona Inches Closer to Confirmation; Bills; NSBA Update

February 19, 2021: House Moves Forward with Pandemic Relief/NSBA Sends Letter to Budget Committee; Senate Appropriations Roster Announced; CDC and USED Issue Updated School Reopening Guidance; FCC Comment Deadline Approaching; Bills; NSBA Update

February 12, 2021: House Committees Advance Key Pandemic Funding Measures for K-12 Schools and to Help
Close the Homework Gap; Senate Education Committee Moves Cardona Nomination Forward; CDC/U.S. Department of Education Release Guidance on Reopening Schools; Education Groups Submit E-Rate Petition FCC on Cybersecurity; Bills; NSBA Update

February 5, 2021: Senate HELP Committee Considers Cardona Nomination; Senate Adopts Organizing Resolution, Firms Up Committee Assignments; Congress Takes Steps Towards Reconciliation; Controversial Lawmaker Removed from House Education Committee; FCC Seeks Comment on E-Rate Program; Bills; NSBA Update

January 22, 2021: President Joe Biden Sworn in as 46th President of the United States; Additional USED Appointments Announced; Biden Names New Acting Head for FCC; Bills; Discretionary Grants; ESEA Updates; NSBA Update

January 15, 2021: President-elect Biden Unveils Massive Pandemic Relief Plan; House Impeaches President Trump; HHS Issues Guidance on School Vouchers Executive Order; USED Civil Rights Office Annual Report; Bills; NSBA Update

December 11, 2020: Congress Pushes Funding Deadline by a Week; President-elect Biden Firms up Domestic Agenda; IES Provides Updates on Learning Loss Initiative; Bills; NSBA’s Biden/Harris Transition Recommendations; NSBA Update

November 13, 2020: President-elect Joe Biden; Congressional Leadership Races; Congress Wrestles with Pandemic and Looming Funding Deadline; Administration Update; Bills; NSBA Update