The Conference ends on a high note with a half-day focused entirely on federal education issues: advocacy, policy, and funding. This is an exclusive opportunity for attendees to participate in discussions with recognized experts from the Washington, D.C. law firm of Brustein & Manasevit.

To attend this unique session at no additional cost, simply select the additional item, “Policy Institute,” when registering.

Issues and processes will be viewed through the lens of passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), using examples from this and previous attempts at Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization. Policy Institute participants will learn about the following:

• The basics of the federal legislative and regulatory processes in general, as well as the process toward this ESEA reauthorization in particular
• An overview of policy issues that schools, districts, and states may face in the upcoming school year (especially focusing on transition to ESSA, but other current examples include Common Core, testing opt-outs, and vaccinations)
• How to reach out to federal agencies and Congressional representatives to express policy priorities and concerns, and the best times to do so to influence legislation or regulations, including ESSA
• How policy discussion translates to on-the-ground changes -- including when and how ESSA will change State and district practices.

Agenda:

8:30 am                 General Session

• Introduction and Hot-Button Policy Issues
• Federal Policy-making Process - This session will cover the basics of the federal legislative and regulatory processes, including some of the unique aspects of how a bill becomes a law at the federal level (and how that contrasts with State-level processes).  Attendees will also learn about the interaction of federal agencies with those laws resulting in regulations and guidance – and how much time can elapse from one end of the process to the other.
• Effective Advocacy and Response Strategies - In this session, attendees will learn how to reach out to federal agencies and Congressional representation to express their concerns and policy priorities within the restrictions on use of federal funds for lobbying activities.  Attendees will also learn about the resources available in responding to current policy issues, and will hear about various strategies for responding to those issues.

10:00 am             Break

10:15 am             Breakout Sessions

• Option 1: Federal Funding Process - This breakout will offer a more in-depth look at how federal funding levels are decided, the timeline for passing legislation and getting money to districts and schools, and the roadblocks that often delay or derail the process.  Basic information on federal funding formulas and the elements which affect program funding levels from year-to-year will also be provided.
• Option 2: Other Methods of Agency Policy-Making - In this breakout, attendees will learn about the use of non-regulatory guidance by agencies as a means of setting policy outside of the regulatory process.  This session will cover why an agency may choose to go this route, the advantages and disadvantages for both agencies and stakeholders, and recent examples of controversial or significant guidance.

11:15     Wrap-Up

• An opportunity to address any major issues or questions which came up in breakouts and finish out the Institute.