Government funding expires on September 30 and Congress has yet to pass either the appropriations bills or continuing resolution necessary to prevent a government shutdown.

The two chambers are far apart on education funding. The Senate bill provides level or near-level funding for most programs, with small potential increases in key areas. By contrast, the House bill, which passed out of committee last week, makes deep cuts in Title I and zeroes out Title II professional development grants, English-language acquisition programs, and other essential support for students—overall, a 15% cut in education funding.

The SOAR Act Improvements Act (H.R. 5181), another bill advanced by a House committee last week, extends the District of Columbia’s voucher program, Scholarship Opportunities And Results (SOAR), through 2032. Half the $60 million annual budget would go to just 4% of DC’s students—a huge injustice, especially when the program does not produce the results the “R” in SOAR promises with regard to either student performance or parental satisfaction.

The outlook for educators in schools administered by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) brightened, however. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the House would restore collective bargaining rights to members of the Federal Education Association (FEA), the NEA affiliate that represents DoDEA educators in 161 schools stateside and overseas.

Finally, the bipartisan ESP and School Support Staff Family Leave Act (S. 2738 /H.R. 5222), a priority for our members, was reintroduced last week. The bill would close the gap in federal law that denies many education support professionals Family and Medical Leave Act benefits—among them, taking unpaid leave to care for a newborn or sick loved one without fear of losing your job.

Tell Congress what you think!

In solidarity,