Our Advocacy Agenda

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SAVE PELL INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES

Backgrounders:

Legislative Analysis:

Letters to Lawmakers:


Our primary focus in the federal policy arena is on reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Read our comments to the Senate HELP committee on ESEA reauthorization, and click the links below to learn more about our work in each area. 

 To stay up to date on our advocacy work, check this space frequently, go to our Formal Testimony and Comments page, and download our Data Points and Facts Sheets.

RESOURCES ON THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT (ESEA)

 ESEA FAQs 

Issues Overview Frequently Asked Questions
Accountability for Educational Results Accountability for Educational Results Overview Accountability for Educational Results
School Turnaround School Turnaround Overview School Turnaround
Teacher Equity and Quality Teacher Equity Overview Teacher Equity and Quality

 

GOAL SETTING UNDER ESEA (1994-2007): HOW THE STATES RESPONDED

Find out how various states met or failed to meet the challenges of targets set under the last two versions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Read our eye-opening summary of state responses.

 

HERE'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW 
(Check back regularly)

  • The Education Trust, along with more than 35 other civil rights, disability, business, and education organizations, has cosigned a letter to Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, opposing the draft of the Student Success Act to amend and reauthorize Title I and other aspects of ESEA. The broad-based coalition opposes the draft bill's lack of accountability standards for achievement and learning gains by subgroups of disadvantaged students.
  • A growing coalition of civil rights groups, business groups, state education officials, and education advocates adds its voice to those who have already expressed disapproval of the ESEA reauthorization bill in its current form. In a joint statement, they connect the withholding of their support to the need to tie federal funding to stronger accountability standards.
  • A coalition of civil rights organizations, business associations, education officials and advocates has written a letter expressing its disapproval of the ESEA reauthorization bill proposed by Sens. Tom Harkin and Michael Enzi due to the lack of adequate accountability standards.
  • The Ed Trust and five other civil rights organizations have expressed to Sens. Tom Harkin and Michael Enzi our deep disappointment in the accountability provisions of their ESEA reauthorization proposal.
  • The Ed Trust is one of more than 50 education and social justice organizations cosigning a letter urging U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and the super committee to preserve funding for college access.
  • Ed Trust President Kati Haycock has written to U.S. Senator Patty Murray and her colleagues on the  deficit reduction super committee asking them to protect federal investments in education.
  • The Ed Trust and 531 other organizations are urging members of the U.S. Senate and House appropriations committees to consider the vital role education and other domestic programs play in restoring the country’s financial health and stability.
  • The Ed Trust is part of a national coalition of organizations urging President Obama to keep his promise to protect and preserve the Pell Grants program. (July 15, 2011)
  • We're urging U.S. senators to oppose the DeMint amendment to the 2011 Economic Development Revitalization Act (SA 400 to S782) or any other legislation designed to nullify the new gainful employment rule.
  • The Ed Trust, in coalition with several other organizations, is urging members of Congress to preserve funding for the Pell Grants Program, which enables more than 9 million low-income students to pursue college. (April 22, 2011)
  • The Ed Trust is one of several signators on three letters supporting the  Fiscal Fairness Act, introduced by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Thad Cochran (R- Miss.) in the Senate, and by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) in the House. The Act would fix the comparability loophole in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). (April 16, 2011)
  • As Congress looks to reauthorize ESEA, Ed Trust joined a coalition of organizations to acknowledge the Senate's Moderate Democrats’ Working Group in their call for a "strong, bipartisan bill" with an accent on equity.
  • In response to proposed federal budget cuts that would derail efforts to regulate for-profit college companies, Ed Trust sent a letter urging Congress to protect students and taxpayers. (February 15)
  • Ed Trust joined a coalition of partners to ask both the House and Senate to support higher education access by preventing cuts to the Pell Grant program and extending the American Opportunity Tax Credit. (December 8, 2010)
  • Read the Ed Trust’s letter opposing the Education for All Act, which would prevent the Department of Education from protecting students from aggressive and misleading recruitment practices. (September 30, 2010)
  • Ed Trust joined a coalition to support the INSPIRES Act, which would modernize teacher and principal evaluation systems. (September 29, 2010)
  • Read the letter from Ed Trust and the American Federation of Teachers urging the Senate to vote for cloture on an amendment to add the DREAM Act to the Department of Defense authorization bill. (September 21, 2010)
  • We've analyzed the student demographics in all states that won Race to the Top grants. (August 26, 2010)
  • Read about our efforts to close the Title I comparability loophole and the letter from dozens of organizations that support HR 5071, a bill introduced by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) that would ensure fair funding for the kids that need it most. (July 29, 2010)
  • Read our guide to newly approved state graduation rate accountability plans. (May 25, 2010)