National – National Association of Pupil Services Administrators

USDE FY2024 Budget is Finally Approved

On March 23, 2024, President Joe Biden signed the FY 2024 budget for the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and other agencies. This signing followed the March 22nd approval by the House and Senate. Under the approved budget, the USDE receives $79.1 billion for FY 2024, which is $500 million…

House Bill Aims to Ensure Parents Aware of Their Right to Have Experts at Sp. Ed. Meetings

Although IDEA requires schools to inform parents of their right to invite others at special ed. meetings on their behalf, if enacted H.R. 4259 would help to make sure they know of this right, since schools would be required to notify parents of students with disabilities that they can invite…

Despite Letter to Congress Supporting the EDUCATORS for America Act, Inaction Continues as Congress Languishes

Last fall, NAPSA joined 41 other national organizations in signing on to a letter supporting the EDUCATORS for America Act (S 3360/HR 6205), which would invest in and revitalize federal educator preparation programs. It was sent to all members of the US Congress. The letter states that there were an…

NAPSA Endorses IDEA Full Funding Act to be Re-introduced in Congress

During the week of July 10, 2023 Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Jared Huffman plan to re-introduce the IDEA Full Funding Act. As a member of NASISP, NAPSA is endorsing the Act via a joint letter that will be sent to both chambers of Congress. The only changes from…

Bills in Congress Affect Equity Issues for Students with Disabilities and Minorities

Bills introduced in Congress could have a potential impact on students with disabilities and minority students. As always, as a member of NASISP, NAPSA will lend its voice in advocacy as is appropriate. The following education-related bills have been introduced in Congress. Click to check their progress.HB4967 To amend the Carl…

U.S. Ed. Sec. Wants to “Raise the Bar” as Rep. Foxx Takes Over the House Ed. Committee

During a speech on January 25th with the theme "Raise the Bar," U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urged educators to set higher expectations for students in reading and math achievement. His speech at the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) also called on them to provide greater opportunities for students to…

Political Differences Apparent During American Education in Crisis Hearing

Political differences over K-12 school choice approaches, instructional priorities and student gender came up again and again in far-reaching discussions at the first full House Education and Workforce Committee hearing of the 118th Congress on February 8th. Titled ”American Education in Crisis,” the hearing also highlighted areas of agreement, including…

Congress Urged to Pass Bills that Address Suicide Crisis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) report on 2021 suicides quantify what many of us have already observed: U.S. suicide deaths rose after a brief decline. The increase is most profound among young men, 15 to 24 years old, for whom the suicide rate was double (+8 percent)…

House Committee Debates Politicization of School Re-opening Guidance

A Republican-led request for documents related to federal school reopening guidance was denied by the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee. Accusations about special interests and political collusion over national school reopening guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic dominated a markup hearing held by the House Education and Labor Committee. Lawmakers…

Bipartisan Bill to Expand Specialized Instruction Support in Schools

Bill would create a grant program to better recruit, develop, and retain SISP professionals in rural and lower-income school districts that historically see workforce shortages On March 24, 2022 U.S. Representatives Marie Newman (IL-03), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Susan Wild (PA-07) have introduced H.R. 7219, the Growing, Recruiting, and Obtaining…