Federal Advocacy Update

The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) is a service organization representing more than 900 Minnesota superintendents, directors of special education, curriculum and technology leaders, central office administrators, higher education administrators and professors, as well as more than 250 retirees. In addition to providing professional learning opportunities, legal assistance, mentoring, and association communications to its members, MASA also provides legislative advocacy within Minnesota and throughout the nation. 

Federal Advocacy remains a priority for each of us and is an opportunity to establish and maintain communications with Minnesota’s eight U.S. Congresspersons and Minnesota U.S. Senators. Although we are still navigating the pandemic and may be tired from the year, we must continue to ensure our voices are heard and that decision makers have the information they need to best support our students, families, staff, and communities.  Below you will find a few talking points to include within your advocacy efforts:

COVID 19 Related Funding: 

• Thank your members of Congress for COVID-19 related funding.  Remind them these dollars have made a significant difference and are being used well and to provide direct support for our students, families and communities.
• We recognize the intent of the Congress is to provide local school districts flexibility to use this funding in accordance with needs relevant to the populations they serve and for the additional funding and processes not be difficult to access, overly burdensome, or restrictive. We ask Congress to continue to ensure that State Education Associations, as well as other decision making bodies, do not prescribe additional restrictions and/or policies that conflict with the intent of Congress.
• Congress must continue to prioritize investment in critical formula programs designed to level the playing field, including IDEA, Title I and Title IV.

IDEA: 

• Please support full funding for IDEA so that school districts can continue to provide appropriate services mandated by law and necessary for all learners to succeed.
• Congress should also provide districts with a local waiver to reduce IDEA spending. Unlike Title I, IDEA has a 100% maintenance of effort requirement and no opportunity for a local waiver due to a precipitous decline in financial resources. 

Every interaction we have and effort we make, provides a better, and more effective system for our children. Thank you for being a strong advocate and for being part of the solution.