Be Sure to Register for #NPC17!

Do you want to be part of the largest gathering of elementary and secondary school principals in the nation? Then join us for the first-ever joint National Principals Conference being hosted by NASSP and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) July 9–11 in Philadelphia.

The conference will offer principals ways to further their professional development and find solutions to problems facing their schools. Attendees can network with peers from across the nation, participate in sessions that highlight problems facing today’s students and educators, and learn from exhibitions that examine new ways principals can serve their students. Don’t miss out on this opportunity—register now!

This Month’s Top Advocacy Issues

Important Hires at the U.S. Department of Education (ED)

After months of waiting, some of the most important positions at ED have been filled. These recent hiring decisions lend some hope that Secretary DeVos may be ready to move forward with staffing crucial positions at ED, which has been severely understaffed since the beginning of this year. Hopefully, these hires will lead to other positions being filled so the department can effectively perform its mission to serve the nation’s students and educators. NASSP will continue to monitor this situation and will highlight future staffing changes.

NASSP’s 2017 Advocacy Conference

Last month, NASSP hosted its 2017 Advocacy Conference. Over 130 principals attended the conference, where they were able to attend panels focusing on school choice and higher education, hear and provide feedback directly to ED officials, and receive in-depth training on how to advocate at all levels of government. The conference concluded with attendees visiting their federal representatives on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of career and technical education programs, Title II funding, and a variety of other issues. For more information on the conference, visit Twitter and search for #PrincipalsAdvocate.

Federal Budget Passed

Earlier this month, the House and Senate passed an omnibus bill, which set funding numbers through September 2017. The $1.1 trillion bill would cut funding at ED for K–12 issues by $60 million from FY 2016, bringing that number to $71.6 billion. This includes cuts for some of the programs that are highly valued by principals, most notably Title II. Unfortunately, Title II grants for educator development would be cut by $294 million, bringing these programs down to $2.1 billion for the rest of FY 2017. Go here for a more detailed breakdown of the budget.

Twitter Talk

@nassp Encourage your students to sign up for the NASSP Virtual College Fair May 25. All students are welcome to attend! http://nasspvirtualcollegefair.com/
@akarhuse RT @NASSP: A big thanks to @SenatorEnzi @SenatorCarper @SenDeanHeller @SenMarkey for introducing the #APWeek17 resolution in the Senate!
@zachscott33 Great day to hit the hill! #principalsadvocate

For more advocacy tweets, join us on social media by following NASSP and the advocacy staff on Twitter:

NASSP @nassp
Amanda Karhuse @akarhuse
Zachary Scott @zachscott33

Take Action

As the September deadline to submit ESSA plans approaches, NASSP encourages you to take the time to review your state’s plan and comment on how it will affect you and your students.

Need help figuring out the most important pieces of ESSA? Use NASSP’s ESSA Toolkit to gain a better understanding of the bill and its programs.

 

In this Month’s Principal Leadership

Principal Leadership magazine cover

This month’s issue of Principal Leadership examines the current school choice movement and the detrimental effect these policies will have on public schools.

All FGN members are invited to write a guest article for Principal Leadership or blog post for School of Thought—just email Manager of Advocacy Zachary Scott with your idea.

 

Help Form NASSP’s Newest Position Statement

Every year, the NASSP Board of Directors takes positions on various education issues that concern principals and students. These position statements reflect NASSP’s values in relation to a particular issue and include recommendations for school leaders and policymakers. Now is your chance to share the issues you believe warrant official positions from NASSP. Please email your ideas to Amanda Karhuse for further consideration.

Missed an issue of the Federal Grassroots Network newsletter? Read archived issues online at www.nassp.org/fgn.

Copyright © 2017 National Association of Secondary School Principals. All rights reserved.

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