/The Leading Edge, AASA's policy & advocacy blog, provides up-to-date information about activities in Washington, D.C. and Capitol Hill that affect you and your school district.The Leading Edge BlogHealth & WellnessAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsSchool Safety & CybersecurityLeadership DevelopmentAmerican Rescue PlanFinance & BudgetsCurriculum & AssessmentAccess & OpportunityCollege- Career- and Life-ReadinessTitle IXurn:uuid:3916f345-c977-478a-89c8-08bc67515a9b/resources/blog/healthy-schools-campaign-webinar--how-medicaid-cuts-will-harm-students-schools The Leading Edge BlogHealth & WellnessAdvocacy & PolicyOn Wednesday, March 12 at 3pm ET, Healthy Schools Campaign is hosting a webinar to discuss the release of a new report that details the findings and trends they found across school districts in how they use school Medicaid funding.Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:55:51 Zurn:uuid:f119a8fe-7453-48c2-9f4c-57ef8a088c15/resources/blog/advocacy-recap-federal-policy-session-at-nce The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyThank you for joining us at our presentation at NCE!Fri, 07 Mar 2025 22:32:14 Zurn:uuid:f3dba228-0208-48b0-9d14-ea760feffe0b/resources/blog/idea-full-funding-march-social-media-campaign The Leading Edge BlogThe IDEA Full Funding Coalition has committed to a monthly advocacy effort this year to celebrate the legislation and raise awareness around Congress’ continued failure to honor its commitment. Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:40:21 Zurn:uuid:06b8bb1e-6615-4bef-97c8-1f7a63deed80/resources/blog/the-advocate-march-2025-federal-funding The Leading Edge Blog“Are we headed for another shutdown?” is the question on everyone’s mind in Washington, D.C. Majorities of Democrat staff believe that a shutdown is likely whereas Republican staff seem more bullish that negotiations will be successful over the next few days.Wed, 05 Mar 2025 03:14:51 Zurn:uuid:d2920f1c-280c-49be-ba81-1a87f03d39fe/resources/blog/latest-update-on-aasa-sign-on-letters The Leading Edge BlogOver the last two weeks, ������joined national organizations on letters to Congress on various issues. Fri, 28 Feb 2025 20:39:27 Zurn:uuid:4cd87843-7a9c-46da-9940-8fae70f86173/resources/blog/cyber-training-join-cisa-on-march-13 The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicySchool Safety & CybersecurityCISA School Safety is hosting a virtual training on implementing and enhancing bystander reporting programs to reduce violence in K-12 schools; join them on Thursday, March 13 at 3pm ET. Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:52:49 Zurn:uuid:a715124e-892f-44f5-83e1-f38d08bbf818/resources/blog/aasa-urges-congress-to-finalize-fy25-appropriations The Leading Edge Blog������send a letter to lead appropriators urging them to swiftly complete FY2025 funding so schools can begin budgeting for next school year. Thu, 27 Feb 2025 21:07:53 Zurn:uuid:64d6e13d-47ef-457a-b20c-9d6243db6383/resources/blog/where-in-the-nce-can-you-find-aasa-advocacy The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyLeadership DevelopmentA comprehensive list about where to find us at the National Conference on Education March 6 - 8, 2025!Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:44:21 Zurn:uuid:3c255874-c602-4c84-88b5-2b65fc11cae8/resources/blog/brookings-webinar-what-do-education-leaders-need-to-know-about-the-department-of-education's-new-guidance-on-race-and-civil-rights The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsJoin Brookings for a webinar on Friday, February 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET to discuss the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights February 14 guidance letter.Tue, 25 Feb 2025 18:18:44 Zurn:uuid:8631b114-6daa-4c98-834e-8aa6b0723c44/resources/blog/secure-rural-schools-reintroduced-in-119th-congress The Leading Edge BlogCongress has reintroduced the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1381/S. 356) which reauthorizes the program from FY24-FY26.Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:32:06 Zurn:uuid:7e72ba98-745a-4137-a46b-a30d26607609/resources/blog/ed-announces-policy-shift-in-dispersing-late-covid-relief-dollars The Leading Edge BlogAmerican Rescue PlanAdvocacy & PolicyFinance & BudgetsYesterday, the Department of Education announced that going forward states will need to pay first for any activities covered by COVID-relief funding and then ask the Department for reimbursement.Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:04:06 Zurn:uuid:c40738bf-ee84-4dad-9a4b-7bbd9bf64212/resources/blog/sharing-a-survey-school-superintendent-opioid-response-survey The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyHealth & WellnessWe are happy to share an important survey from our friends at Opportunity Labs to better understand district superintendents' perspectives of school-based opioid prevention and response.Wed, 19 Feb 2025 19:02:40 Zurn:uuid:baec7aff-cd7c-4552-9488-c95dc49cdad6/resources/blog/section-504-litigation-what-the-texas-v.-becerra-lawsuit-could-mean-for-districts The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsAn update on the lawsuit filed last fall by 17 States, known as Texas v. Becerra, and how it could affect districts.Mon, 17 Feb 2025 20:32:07 Zurn:uuid:73c5ab85-5a86-4e24-845b-247aec3b5119/resources/blog/ocr-issues-guidance-on-title-vi-compliance-for-districts The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsThis blog post deep dives the February 14 OCR guidance, and will be updated if we gain any further clarity on the intent of not only the guidance, but also the willingness of the Trump Administration to enforce it.Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:46:35 Zurn:uuid:985513f1-6879-4297-9fd0-e476153427e5/resources/blog/aasa-leads-letter-opposing-medicaid-cuts-in-reconciliation The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyHealth & WellnessFinance & BudgetsToday, 66 national education, disability, healthcare, child welfare, family organizations and their allies sent a letter to Congress to express their deep opposition to any major restructuring of the Medicaid program.Mon, 17 Feb 2025 15:40:59 Zurn:uuid:2e2073e7-0409-4677-8996-841576b9022b/resources/blog/various-resources-to-frame-conversations-about-funding-and-department-elimination-proposals The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyFinance & BudgetsWe’ve had a variety of good resources come across our desks as groups look to provide real-time information on what proposed policy changes—including funding cuts and gutting USED—will mean, and several of these provide state or local analysis.Thu, 13 Feb 2025 20:16:27 Zurn:uuid:bb92e7ab-ac6f-441d-a353-52eb5ce3ace2/resources/blog/guest-blog-used-s-regional-educational-lab-program-using-evidence-to-maximize-your-investments The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsCurriculum & AssessmentThe advocacy team is happy to debut the first in a series of blogs with the Institute of Educational Sciences. Our department relies on and draws upon the data and resources provided by NCES and IES.Tue, 11 Feb 2025 18:40:24 Zurn:uuid:52e1e78d-34d2-4a9e-b868-b111950863e0/resources/blog/webinar-idea-full-funding The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyAccess & OpportunityLearn more from our expert panelists about the implications of an unmet funding pledge to policy and practice and explore new advocacy resources from the IDEA Full Funding Coalition. Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:46:22 Zurn:uuid:fa1aa1f9-76df-4084-9335-4b5044ad22b6/resources/blog/aasa-joins-national-state-and-local-groups-in-letter-prioritizing-idea-funding The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyAccess & Opportunity������was proud to join 27 national organizations and dozens of state and local groups in a letter to Congress.Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:43:26 Zurn:uuid:65bc50e9-ae7b-4ee4-9952-28d0309188c3/resources/blog/trump-rescinds-problematic-cte-policy-mandate The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyCollege- Career- and Life-ReadinessThe Trump Administration rescinded the U.S. Department of Education's information collection system for Perkins, finalized last December, that would have been incredibly disruptive to districts.Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:04:56 Zurn:uuid:3b0e0c94-dbfa-480c-9a97-c25232988244/resources/blog/new-eo-re-title-ix-athletics-policies The Leading Edge BlogTitle IXAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsYesterday, President Trump issued an Executive Order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”Thu, 06 Feb 2025 18:53:04 Zurn:uuid:88b99751-0ff1-48ea-8f47-0a65d0bfb7f8/resources/blog/ecr-cross-post-title-ix-sex-and-gender-identity-chaos-or-calculation Title IXThe Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsWe have a cross-post from Jackie Wernz at ECR Solutions about the Trump Administration's return to the 2020 Title IX rule.Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:02:25 Zurn:uuid:06bb1b9d-a1bc-4f3d-b102-ed8152f60280/resources/blog/webinar-budgeting-for-school-based-mental-health The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyHealth & WellnessOpportunity Labs is thrilled to share new resources designed to help district administrators adopt a data-driven, values-based approach that enhances and sustains school-based mental health services. Mon, 03 Feb 2025 16:33:19 Zurn:uuid:de7f20ec-6101-494c-a39a-47cbeae7db9f/resources/blog/ed-clarifies-districts-should-follow-2020-title-ix-rules The Leading Edge BlogTitle IXAdvocacy & PolicyDistrict & School OperationsOn Friday, U.S. Department of Education sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to K-12 schools that OCR will enforce the Trump Administration’s 2020 Title IX Rule.Fri, 31 Jan 2025 19:20:24 Zurn:uuid:b68c08e6-dd37-44e7-bdbb-ddf0342f07b1/resources/blog/federal-funding-freeze-and-potential-impacts The Leading Edge BlogAdvocacy & PolicyFinance & BudgetsOn January 27, the White House budget office announced a federal funding freeze. Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:36:01 Z