The Leading Edge: Policy & Advocacy Blog
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.
Topics include new or proposed regulations and federal policies, federal funding updates and opportunities, advocacy resources and more.
Latest Posts
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January 22, 2024
USED Releases National Education Technology PlanEarlier today, USED released its 2024 National Educational Technology Plan.
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January 18, 2024
Ready-to-go Template for Supporting Wi-Fi & Hot Spots in E-RateThis call to action is about Wi-Fi and hotspots for home connectivity, and we’ve set up this blog post to be your one-stop shop to getting your comments filed.
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January 18, 2024
Guest Post: Making the Most of Your Summer Fun(ds)— Planning Engaging EnrichmentThis is the eighth installment of the Summer Funds series with Âܲ·AVÊÓƵPresident Gladys Cruz.
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January 09, 2024
NCE Run Fun/Walk: Join Me on the Embarcadero!I interrupt our regularly scheduled policy content for this fun fitness opportunity at NCE.
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January 05, 2024
USDA Releases Interim Final Rule on Summer EBT and Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural AreasOn December 29, 2023, USDA released an Interim Final Rule on two new(ish) programs aimed to address summer hunger.
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January 05, 2024
The Advocate January 2024: What You Can Expect This YearAs we head into 2024 and a major election year, this month’s edition of The Advocate is a summary of everything that could impact K-12 leaders in the year ahead.
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December 21, 2023
ESSER in Action in Massachusetts: Berkley- A Community of CareAASA, Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ, is launching a series, ESSER in Action, highlighting how COVID-19 relief funds are making an impact across the country.
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December 20, 2023
FTC Issues Proposed Rule on COPPAThis blog post is cross posted from the team at the Âܲ·AVÊÓƵStudent and Child Privacy Center/PIPC.
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December 12, 2023
Guest Post: Making the Most of Your Summer Fun(ds)— Planning Summer Learning that Works for EducatorsThis is the seventh installment of the Summer Funds series with Âܲ·AVÊÓƵPresident Gladys Cruz.
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December 08, 2023
Âܲ·AVÊÓƵEndorses New Bipartisan School Safety LegislationÂܲ·AVÊÓƵwas excited to help craft and endorse new bipartisan school safety legislation called the Preparing Leaders to Assess Needs (PLAN) for School Safety Act (H.R. 6613).
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December 06, 2023
The Advocate December 2023: Critical Funding for Rural SchoolsThis month, we are focusing on two federal programs that are critical for rural schools across the country: Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) and the Secure Rural Schools (SRS).
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November 30, 2023
HHS Releases Proposed Rule on Head Start Staff Compensation, Benefits and MoreLast week, HHS released a proposed rule on numerous aspects of Head Start. The headline of the rule is a significant increase to staff compensation.
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November 30, 2023
New Education Impact ReportOn November 30, 2023, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative shared an impact report that looks back on eight years of CZI’s work in education.
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November 30, 2023
COVID-19 Tests Available for SchoolsEarlier this week, USED announced a partnership with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide free COVID-19 tests to school districts.
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November 16, 2023
Department of Education Releases 2020-21 Civil Rights DataThis week, the Department of Education released the new federal civil rights data for the 2020-2021 school year. Officials have cautioned against comparing this year’s data to previous reports, since 2020-2021 was the first year coming out of the pandemic school closures.
Latest Advocacy & Policy Resources
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January 29, 2026
PEP Talk Episode 43: The State of Student Privacy & AIType:Podcast Topics: Advocacy & Policy, School Safety & Cybersecurity, Technology & AIOn this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant catches up with Amelia Vance, founder and president of the Public Interest Privacy Center, to discuss recent developments on Capitol Hill related to student and child privacy bills and the role of AI in schools. -
November 20, 2025
PEP Talk Episode 42: Rethinking Special Education Dispute Resolution at IDEA’s 50th AnniversaryType:Podcast Topics: Access & Opportunity, Advocacy & Policy, District & School OperationsOn this episode of PEP Talk: Kat Sturdevant interviews two of the authors of AASA's new report Rethinking Special Education Dispute Resolution at IDEA’s 50th Anniversary. -
November 10, 2025
Rethinking Special Education Dispute Resolution at IDEA’s 50th AnniversaryType:Report Topics: Access & Opportunity, Advocacy & PolicyWhat began as a procedural safeguard to ensure fairness and accountability has, over time, evolved into an increasingly adversarial, inequitable, and financially unsustainable process—one that too often diverts resources from classrooms to courtrooms.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE: YOUR Âܲ·AVÊÓƵEXPERIENCE
Âܲ·AVÊÓƵis upgrading our online portal to enhance your overall experience. During the transition period of March 18–24th, the portal will be temporarily unavailable, and you will not be able to register for events, make membership payments, access member-only resources, or update profile information. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve and streamline your experience. We look forward to welcoming you back to a refreshed and enhanced portal on March 25th!