ACT State Council Summer Webinar Series Shaping Federal Policy for Effective Solutions in Education and Workforce Programs Tom Lindsley Director, Federal Advocacy
Webinar Topics Federal Advocacy Webinar Overview Building ACT s visibility, credibility, and impact on public policy Identifying public programs or policy issues ACT can address Helping policy makers make good decisions based on research Helping to improve the environment for using ACT solutions Interacting with federal officials to maintain access, trust, and a leadership role 2
Webinar Topics Takeaways What ACT does and can do in federal advocacy How ACT research and data are used in advocacy What federal legislation is chosen for improvements and why How working with federal officials can help ACT initiatives and State Organization efforts 3
Creating Critical Connections to Advance our Mission Leveraging data to meet both internal and external needs Research Policy Formalize positions on education &workforce policies Advance ACT policy priorities at the local, state, and national levels Advocacy Policy and Advocacy Goals: Improve the public policy environment in support of ACT solutions Advocate for state and federal policies, programs, and appropriations that affect ACT constituents Ensure that local, state, and federal policies are congruent with ACT s future directions
Three Stages of Policy Development Work Stage 1: Analysis and Prioritization What are the issues that we care about and are actionable? Stage 2: Legislative Recommendations How do we modify the legislation to meet our goals? Stage 3: External Policy Platform How do we communicate our vision for where policy should go?
Statutes ACT Analyzed for Amendments Most likely for action in the next 2-4 years Workforce Investment Act of 1998 Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Amendments of 1998 Wagner-Peyser Act Amendments of 1998 Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011 Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) Higher Education Act Amendments of 2006
Guidelines Used for Filtering Amendment Priorities Changes that have the greatest leverage/impact Changes backed up by ACT research/data Topics on which ACT would have the greatest credibility Issues most in need of statutory change Changes that would be achievable in the current political environment Changes that would not disrupt customer relationships or organizational partnerships
Status Report Scores of potential amendments were vetted by ACT advocacy staff to identify core priorities 17 core amendments chosen (to date) Each recommendation and amendment is drafted to identify: The issue in current law The proposed solution New legislative language to implement the solution
Status of Pending Legislation Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act) ACT amendments adopted Will be signed into law Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act Federal legislation currently being drafted Unlikely to finish before year s end Higher Education Act Hearings, discussion drafts of legislative proposals No action this year Elementary and Secondary Education Act ACT amendments adopted to draft legislation Action not likely until 2016 Student Data Privacy Legislation Emerging issue in federal and state legislatures
ACT Amendments Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Defining Industry-Recognized Credentials * Performance Accountability System that Counts Attainment of these Credentials (including in Adult Education Act programs) * Allowing use of Funds for Attainment of Industry-Recognized Credentials [including the National Career Readiness Certificate system] * Restoring the Governor s 15% set-aside for statewide activities (* with NGA) * ACT amendments adopted. Expected to be signed into law.
ACT Amendments Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act [ACT Amendments are proposed to mirror WIOA] Define Industry-Recognized Credentials Allow use of Funds for Attainment of these Credentials Count Attainment of Credentials in Performance Measures as Positive Program Outcomes
ACT Amendments Higher Education Act Support Postsecondary Readiness Improve Developmental Courses and Placement Look Beyond Grades Advance Efforts That Reduce Information Barriers Improve Existing Information Resources Enhance Personal College Counseling Resources Adopt Holistic Approaches to Increasing Postsecondary Completion Promote Research and Link Effective Interventions Engage Experts Across Federal Agencies
ACT Amendments Elementary and Secondary Education Act Definition of College and Career Readiness Statement of Purpose for College and Career Readiness * Require States to Establish College and Career Ready Standards * Establish Early Monitoring of Student Achievement * Increase Aid for Middle and High School Accountability * Provide Aid to Align Standards, Curriculum, Instructional Materials, Professional Development, and Assessments. Broaden Use of School Improvement Funds Maintain Current Advanced Placement Program Definition that Accommodates ACT s QualityCore Solution * * Adopted in Pending Bills before the House or Senate
ACT Amendments Student Data Privacy Legislation While maintaining highest standards of security and data privacy protection, allow use of data for legitimate educational purposes: Research to improve assessments, ensure fairness, benchmark progress to college and career readiness Provide information to parents, students, and teachers on educational achievement Allow research with longitudinal data over time (protect against arbitrary destruction of data) Ensure distinction between use of data for educational purposes, and mining of personal data for commercial purposes or advertising
Other Functions of Advocacy Staff Gather Political Intelligence and News Provide Briefings to Federal Officials on ACT Work Strengthen Relationships with National Organizations Respond to Federal Government Requests Disseminate Federal Grant Information
Thanks for attending! Questions or comments? Ask in the chat box you will be unmuted when the question is addressed. Others may be unmuted upon request. Tom Lindsley Director Federal Advocacy tom.lindsley@act.org 202.223.2318 x 7354 State Org Questions state.org@act.org 16