10/12
To: ISTE State Affiliate Leaders
From: Hilary Goldmann, ISTE Director of Government Affairs
A number of ISTE State Affiliate Leaders have asked me to send the monthly Washington Notes newsletter prepared by the Bernstein Strategy Group directly to the Affiliate list-serve. Washington Notes is an update of the month’s policy and advocacy activities “inside the beltway.” Please feel free to distribute this newsletter widely – it is also posted on my blog at the ISTE Ning at:
http://www.iste-community.org/profiles/blogs/congress-adjourns-october?xg_source=activity
Congress adjourned earlier this month providing policymakers several weeks to campaign in their districts prior to the November 2, election. Members of Congress who are up for election and their opponents are holding various campaign events including hosting town hall meetings, shaking hands with constituents at local gathering spots and attending various forums in the run up to the election. I have heard from some ISTE members that these events have provided a great opportunity to speak directly with the candidate about classroom technology and digital age learning. I encourage you to take advantage of these kinds of opportunities to share your passion about teaching and learning with technology.
I host a monthly policy teleconference call entitled the “ESEA Reauthorization Advisory Group” the second Wednesday every month at 12:30 EST. Please contact me if you or others from your organization would like to join the calls. Follow me on twitter @hgoldmann.
Remember to continue to Make Your Voice Heard through the Ed Tech Action Network (ETAN) www.edtechactionnetwork.org. Please contact me if you would like to host an ETAN booth at your state conference.
Hilary Goldmann
Director of Government Affairs
International Society for Technology in Education
1710 Rhode Island Avenue
Washington, DC 20036
202.861.7777 x-119 fax: 202.861.0888
Membership Services: 1.800.336.5191
Dr. Judith Tomelden <[email protected]>
Oct 6, 2010
Erate Regulations
Congress Adjourns for the Elections without Completing Any FY11 Funding Bills
In the wee hours of the last day of fiscal year 2010, the House of Representatives followed the Senate’s lead in passing legislation (known as a Continuing Resolution or CR) to fund all federal programs at last year’s levels until December 3, 2010. Congress was brought to this pass because of its inability to pass a single one of the twelve annual appropriations bills this year and the need to prevent the federal government’s shutdown while it is in recess for the upcoming election. As a result of the passage of the CR, all federal education programs, including Title I, Special Education and the Enhancing Education Through Technology program (EETT) will continue to receive funding in the new fiscal year despite Congress’ inability to pass final appropriations legislation for FY11. When Congress returns for a lame duck session in mid-November, completing work on all of the FY11 appropriations bills, likely collected in an omnibus bill, will be priority one.
For EETT, Congress’ failure to pass final education appropriations before the elections may put some or all of its funding in jeopardy. While both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees approved level funding of EETT ($100 million) in their versions of FY11 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations legislation, the Obama Administration proposed to eliminate the program in its FY11 Budget Proposal. Funding tensions have been ratcheted up further by a proposal in the Congressional Republicans’ Pledge to America to strip $100 billion out of FY11 funding for domestic discretionary programs. Should Republicans gain control of either the House or the Senate through the upcoming election, they will have enhanced bargaining power and may see some success in pushing Congress to adopt some or all of these proposed cuts. In that event, all programs, particularly those not deemed priorities by the Administration, may face deep cuts or outright elimination.
Aside from serving as a symbol of Congressional partisanship and gridlock, the CR also represents a lost opportunity by the Administration and Congressional Democrats to deal with pressing funding concerns. For the Administration, the CR is something of a defeat because the legislation ignores its’ request to provide $1.85 billion in new funding for the Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation programs. Without this infusion of funds, the Administration will be unable to run additional competitions for these programs. For Congressional Democrats, the CR disappoints as it fails to include $5.5 billion to fund the growing shortfall in the Pell Grant program. Failure to address the shortfall now will likely mean that it will be included in FY11 or FY12 appropriations, thereby reducing funds available for other education programs.
