CEC Policy Insider

Congress, White House Embark on Closed-Door Negotiations on Next COVID Bill

Last week, the Senate introduced the Healthcare, Economic Assistance, Liability, And Schools (HEALS) Act, a long-anticipated, $1 trillion-dollar COVID-19 relief bill.

Within the bill, there are many measures impacting education, including $105 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund, created through the CARES Act. Much of that funding is contingent on in-person instruction this fall, and an unusually large proportion is dedicated to private schools. The bill fails to provide dedicated funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The HEALS Act is considered the opening bid for Senate Republicans, who have now begun to negotiate a final package with their Democratic counterparts and the House of Representatives—which put forth a nearly $3.5 trillion proposal in May. Key White House officials have been meeting with Congressional leaders through the weekend and into this week, but a deal has yet to emerge.

There is a lack of clarity about a potential final product, including both content and timing—a dynamic that is not atypical before the release of a large legislative deal. However, there is little clarity about what the next step will be, as a scheduled Congressional August recess is slated to begin at the end of this week, leaving little time to negotiate and approve a bill.

Action Alert

The Senate HEALS Act has missed the mark on many key CEC priorities, including dedicated emergency funding for IDEA, keeping public funds in public education and supporting the work of educators to serve students, whether in-person, remotely, or through a hybrid model because all our students deserve support. Now is the time to get loud.

As Congress continues to negotiate a final COVID-19 response package, lawmakers need to hear from you.

Please follow this link to our one-step action alert to make your voice heard.

Senate Releases Text of COVID Response Package

On Monday evening, Senate Republicans released the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protections and Schools Act (HEALS Act), a bill to continue addressing the immediate needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1 trillion bill which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) described as “our framework for another round of historic relief for American workers and families” is the Senate’s proposal for Congress’s next major COVID-19 package.

Missing from the HEAL Act is any funding directed to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Within the bill, $105 billion would go to the Education Stabilization Fund, created through the CARES Act. The funding, the bulk of which comes with strings attached, is broken down as follows:

• $5 billion for the Governor’s Emergency Relief Funds, which governors have considerable discretion over
• $70 billion for the Elementary and Secondary Education Fund, which is allocated based on the Title I formula
  • One-third of funds would be distributed immediately to local educational agencies (LEAs)
  • Two-thirds are contingent on LEAs presenting plans to governors that incorporate in-person instruction, making any school or district that has opted for fully virtual instruction ineligible
  • States must reserve funding for nonpublic schools based on the pre-pandemic proportion of Title I eligible students attending nonpublic schools
• $29 billion is directed to institutions of higher education, with an emphasis on supporting low-income and minority students
• $40 million for student aid administration
• $65 million for the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)

Additional provisions include the authorization of Emergency Education Freedom Scholarships (private school vouchers) for K-12 students; consolidation of student loan repayment plans; amending the Free Application for Federal Student Loans (FAFSA) to allow families to document pandemic-related changes in family income; and various waivers, including allowing the Secretary to authorize a continuation of IDEA Part C services beyond a child’s third birthday if the transition to Part B is delayed.

The HEAL Act is considered the opening bid for Senate Republicans, who will now need to negotiate a final package with their minority counterparts and the House of Representatives—which has put forth a $3 trillion proposal. 

Action Alert

The Senate HEAL Act has missed the mark on many key CEC priorities, including dedicated emergency funding for IDEA, keeping public funds in public education, and supporting the work of educators to serve all students—whether in-person, remotely, or through a hybrid model—who deserve support. Now is the time to get loud.

As Congress embarks on negotiations for a final COVID-19 response package, they need to hear from you.

Please follow this link to our one-step action alert to make your voice heard.

Action Alert: Call on Congress to Advance Legislation that Supports the Field of Exceptionalities

Congress is in session for just a few short weeks before its month-long August recess. Please join the 1,500 advocates participating in the 2020 Special Education Legislative Summit (SELS) to ramp up the pressure for Congressional action before lawmakers return to their districts.

Grassroots advocacy from CEC and its partners has already begun to make an impact. Thousands of letters have been sent to Capitol Hill, and Senate special education champions have introduced the Supporting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Act (S. 4100), which would provide emergency funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). To keep up the momentum and continue moving our legislative priorities toward the finish line, we invite you to join us through virtual advocacy.

Through CEC’s one-click advocacy platform, you can write to your Congressional delegation to urge members to act on each of the SELS policy alerts:

• Education funding
• Special education teacher shortage
• Mental health
• COVID-19

CEC also invites you to join us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by using our Social Media Toolkit.

Thank you for your collective work to advance the field of exceptionalities!

Virtual Special Education Summit Draws in Nearly 1,500 Advocates

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and its division, the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), join forces each July to co-host the Special Education Legislative Summit (SELS). This year’s event kicked off Monday and will last through July 24—and is entirely virtual due to COVID-19. The change has led to a significant increase in the number of advocates, both veteran and new, participating in the summit, with nearly 1,500 advocates registered!

This year, the focus will be on four major topical areas: Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations; emergency COVID-19 funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); mental health; and strengthening the special educator pipeline.

After a series of online training, webinars, and master classes this week to familiarize participants with each issue area, next week will be spent conducting meetings with Congressional offices to carry forth a collective message around the policies that impact children and youth with exceptionalities.

As part of the event, we have prepared a Social Media Toolkit so you can support the issues important to our field. Help make our messaging go viral by posting to your social media accounts!

Action Alert

As part of SELS, action alerts have been generated around the four areas of focus on CEC’s Legislative Action Center. With just a few clicks, you can help send key messaging to your Members of Congress:

• Education funding
• Teacher shortage
• Mental health
• COVID-19

Using the collective voice of CEC’s 27,000 members, we can amplify our concerns and make sure they make their way to Capitol Hill.

House Education Spending Bill to be Marked up Today; COVID Relief Bill Could be Drafted in July

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee began considering spending bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, which begins on October 1.

The marathon markup schedule will result in all 12 appropriations bills being considered at the subcommittee level by the end of the day on Wednesday. On Thursday, the full Appropriations Committee will begin the markup process and topline funding levels for all bills will be revealed.

While it is unlikely that education will see a significant increase this year, CEC and its members have impressed upon lawmakers the importance of robust funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Simultaneously, the Senate continues to solidify its approach to a new COVID-19 relief bill. Momentum has been building to include funding within that package to specifically address the emergency education funding needs brought on by the pandemic.

Action Alert

CEC members and partners have been actively engaged since the pandemic began. As a result, the U.S. Senate has introduced a bill, the Supporting Children with Disabilities During COVID–19 Act (S.4100), which reflects our funding requests. That is the power of advocacy.

As the Senate begins to put pen to paper on a possible next COVID-19 package, now is the time to amplify the message that emergency funding for IDEA is needed. Please go to CEC’s Legislative Action Center to take action today.