Secretary Cardona Addresses 2021 Advocacy Conference

In his keynote address at the 2021 NASSP Advocacy Conference last month, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona highlighted the crucial role that principals play in creating the safe, welcoming, and productive environments that allow students to succeed. In a one-on-one conversation with NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe, Secretary Cardona also discussed the work that lies ahead for K–12 schools and policymakers as we collectively continue to endure the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on education.

Other highlights from the 2021 conference included the “State of American Education” session, where leading national and state policymaker and policy influencers discussed the current state of affairs. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) offered insight from the halls of Congress, while former Indiana State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick (R) shared a state elected official’s perspective. NASSP 2021 Principal of the Year Richard Gordon and Nirvi Shah, a senior deputy editor at POLITICO, rounded out the fascinating conversation between educators and policymakers.

If you weren’t able to join the conference live, both Secretary Cardona’s keynote and “State of American Education” session have been recorded and can be accessed below!

THIS MONTH’S TOP ADVOCACY ISSUES

President Biden Proposes Significant Investments in K­–12 Education

After the recent passage of the American Rescue Plan, all eyes turned back to the White House to see what the administration’s next major priority would be. Following President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress on April 28, we have our answer. In the last month and a half, the White House has introduced two different infrastructure plans to help America “Build Back Better.” The first, the American Jobs Plan (AJP), is a $2.5 trillion package that includes investments in many critical areas of America’s infrastructure, including K–12 schools. It includes $100 billion for general school facilities infrastructure ($50 billion in bonds and $50 billion in grant funding), $45 billion to improve drinking water and reduce exposure to lead in drinking water from outdated pipes in schools, and $100 billion to expand broadband connectivity. NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe praised the plan and called on Congress to pass it without delay.

In the second major legislative proposal, President Biden has focused on investments in human infrastructure. On April 28, the White House released the framework for the $1.8 trillion American Families Plan (AFP). Like AJP, a new major federal investment in education is a primary focus of AFP. The proposal would provide universal, high-quality preschool to all children ages 3 and 4, and would provide two years of free community college. Additionally, AFP includes a substantive section dedicated to supporting teachers in schools and strengthening the workforce. Targeted investments would be made to strengthen teacher pipelines, diversify the workforce, and incentivize quality candidates to enter the profession for high-demand subject areas. While these initiatives are a great first step in supporting educators, NASSP was dismayed that principals were not directly included when considering additional support.

Finally, President Biden also recently released his first discretionary budget proposal in early April. While it primarily contained just the topline numbers, it did have some specifics regarding education funding. President Biden’s budget request to Congress included $102.8 billion for the Department of Education, a $29.8 billion raise over FY 2021. That request included $36.5 billion for Title I and $15.5 billion for IDEA, both significant increases. It also included an extra $1 billion to hire specialized instructional support personnel. The White House is expected to release the full, detailed 2021 budget proposal before Memorial Day.

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