Education California | The official newspaper of the Association of California School Administrators
Volume 47 | Number 25 | April 2, 2018
NASS releases statement on federal budget
NASS Executive Director Tom
Armelino recently released a statement to
his members regarding the recently signed
omnibus bill for federal funding and the
impact it will have on K-12 schools.
Armelino noted that in July 2017, NASS
welcomed Congress’ decision to use the
Every Student Succeeds Act to restore
greater judgment and control to district
leaders, while also continuing federal law’s
emphasis on encouraging high standards,
robust accountability, and promoting trans-
parency and community engagement.
“Meeting this high bar will require sig-
nificant resources, beginning with greater
funding for ESSA’s foundational formu-
la investments – Title 1 and 2 – while
also supporting the law’s other programs,
including the versatile Student Support
and Academic Enrichment block grant,”
Armelino wrote.
In the federal funding legislation,
Armelino singled out three aspects in par-
ticular, the Stop School Violence Act, the
Secure Rural Schools Program and the
Rural Utility Service Broadband Pilot.
On the Stop School Violence Act, he
noted that funds may also be used to sup-
port physical security upgrades for schools,
like metal detectors, locks, lighting, and
other deterrent measures. And he noted
that Congress provided two years of sup-
port for the lapsed Secure Rural Schools
program, which offers formula payments
to qualified forest counties. In addition,
he noted that the Rural Utility Service
Broadband Pilot authorizes a $600 million
distance learning, telemedicine broadband
program. The bill notes that the funding
should be prioritized to areas currently
lacking access to broadband service, and
investments in broadband shall consider
any technology that best serves the goals of
broadband expansion.
“We are strongly encouraged that the
voice of members and our association have
been heard with the passing of the 2018
federal budget. Yet, our work has only
begun with cuts to education once again
proposed in President Trump’s 2019 budget.
Investment in our schools will continue to
lead our NASS advocacy efforts in the com-
ing year,” he wrote.
More information can be found at
https://goo.gl/A5PNww.
Leadership
magazine
themes released
ACSA President Lisa Gonzales, left, dialogues with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein during ACSA's
lobbying trip to Washington, D.C.
D.C. lobbying trip focuses on
school safety, funding issues
Ahead of the estimated 800,000
students, families and other support-
ers who were attracted to Washington,
D.C. for the March 24 March for Our
Lives, an ACSA leadership delegation
brought the school safety message to
federal lawmakers.
Eyes have been opened following
the Feb. 14 campus shooting that took
17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas
High School in Parkland, Fla. The
admitted shooter was a former stu-
dent with apparently known behavior
and disciplinary problems. It was the
students of Stoneman Douglas who
organized the March for Our Lives.
Students who spoke at the protest, over
and over again, said “enough is enough”
and “never again.”
The ACSA message, delivered
March 18-21, was equally straight-
forward: Our students have the right
to attend schools and learn in a safe
environment without fear of violence.
Research consistently shows that learn-
ing is enhanced when children feel safe
and have their physical and emotional
needs met in a healthy school environ-
ment. Collectively, we must be aggres-
sive in meeting the needs of these
children, while moving toward a solu-
tion to these issues that plague school
safety in order to prevent future school
violence.
ACSA believes reinstatement of
federal funding for competitive grants
will thoroughly improve the discus-
sion around school safety and school
climate. The association’s top prior-
ity is to ensure that students feel safe,
physically and emotionally, in school.
See DC TRIP, page 6
ACSA’s Leadership magazine is pub-
lished five times a year and each issue has a
particular theme. The new themes are now
available online at www.acsa.org/publica-
tions.
The success of the magazine depends
on authors such as our members who are
willing to share their expertise. Priority is
given to ACSA members, especially those
who have not been published before. Email
articles to [email protected].
Articles should be 1,200 to 2,500 words,
including references and any other materi-
al, and should include practical information
written in an informal style. Please be sure
to include address, phone number and job
title with any submitted article. Do not use
footnotes; please list references at the end
of the article. For more information, con-
tact Senior Director of Communications
Naj Alikhan at (800) 608-2272.
The 2018-19 themes and suggested
article topics include:
Sept./Oct.
• School Safety – Mental health aware-
ness; Arming teachers; Student protest and
educator involvement; Crisis communica-
tions; School climate; Student voice; Active
shooter training; Safe schools planning;
Counseling; Parent awareness; Community
outreach. Deadline: June 18.
Nov./Dec.
• Authentic Engagement – Challenging
students to think; motivating students to
succeed – student participation; Students
as classroom leaders; Peer/team interaction;
See LEADERSHIP, page 6
Legislative Action. Don't forget
to take part in the upcoming ACSA
Legislative Action Day. The event runs
April 15-16, and offers an invaluable
opportunity for face-to-face meetings
with your local legislators. As well as a
hospitality tent on the Capitol grounds
to offer rest and refreshment between
meetings, ACSA will also host a recep-
tion after the event. More information
is available at www.acsa.org/legaction-
day.
STEM showcase. The National
Science Foundation