Recent updates
Learning Forward and 100+ allies send letter to Capitol Hill with strong message about prioritizing educator professional learning in FY25 budget
As Congress turns its attention to the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, Learning Forward and its allies advocate strongly for a long overdue funding increase for Title II-A.
High-quality professional learning is essential for improving teacher and leader effectiveness; is proven to work in schools and districts targeting their funds in evidence-based professional learning strategies; and requires a boost in the federal FY25 spending budget to offset the detrimental effects inflation is having on the nation’s schools. That’s the message Learning Forward sent this week to members of U.S. Congress who chair the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies subcommittees in the House and Senate. More than 100 national and state education organizations signed on to the letter in support of $2.4 billion for Title II, Part A, in FY 2025 appropriations, representing a 10% increase over FY24.
Previous actions taken by Learning Forward
2024 Actions
- 5/22 – Learning Forward co-hosted a National Title II-A Day of Action that generated more than 350 emails from Learning Forward stakeholders to Congress in support of Title II-A funding.
- Learning Forward released a video with stakeholders making the connection between high-quality professional learning and student success.
- 5/22 - Learning Forward partnered with national Title II coalition to garner more than 85 national and state organizational signatures for a letter in support of an increase for Title II-A funding.
- 4/11 – Learning Forward hosted a webinar, Title II: Opportunities and impact, to highlight state and district successes and challenges in implementing Title II-A programs and collecting impact data.
- 2/29 – 3/1 – Learning Forward hosted a Title II-A Symposium in Arlington, VA to support learning for state and district professional learning leaders and Title II grant managers in maximizing the use of Title IIA funds to align with the Standards for Professional Learning.
- 2/9 – Learning Forward hosted a focus group for the U.S. Department of Education, looking at opportunities and challenges in implementing Title II-A as well as recommendations for the U.S. Department of Education on strategies, guidance, and tools that could be provided to support implementation.
- 1/25 – Learning Forward called on followers to contact their Senators and Representatives to support Title II-A funding.
2023 Actions
- December - Learning Forward announced Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, HHS and Education with our federal policy award. Click here to read the press release.
- October - Melinda George moderated a Capitol Hill briefing panel celebrating principals, and it was a terrific forum to call on lawmakers to fully fund education programs, including Title II-A. Click here to read the press release.
- Fall - Learning Forward is contacting districts asking them to compile their professional learning impact data.
- Fall - Learning Forward met with key Senate appropriations staff.
- July - Frederick Brown sent a letter to Senators Murray and Collins, Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urging them to fully fund Title II-A. (See letter here.)
- July - Learning Forward reached out to national partner organizations through the Learning First Alliance. AASA developed and sent out a survey to its members on our behalf to provide additional data in making our case.
- July - The House Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human Services and Education, proposed full elimination of Title II-A in their markup of fiscal 24 funding. Learning Forward released a press statement and a video of Learning Forward president & CEO, Frederick Brown, reminding constituents of the importance of high-quality professional learning. For a link to the press statement, click here, and to watch the press statement, click here.
- June - Learning Forward's Capitol Hill Briefing, "Professional Learning IS Stronger Schools: Title II-A Funding and the Federal Education Budget," was a huge success! Title II-A received a lot of needed attention and well-deserved recognition as the conversation focused on how professional learning is critical to retaining teachers, intensifying academic recover, and meeting the needs of all students.
For a summary of the briefing, visit the Learning Forward blog, and to watch the full briefing, click here. - June - Learning Forward joined with our colleagues on the Title II-A coalition to draft and secure 40 organizational signatures on a letter to Congress urging them to fully fund Title II-A. (See letter here.)
- May - Learning Forward President & CEO Frederick Brown sent a letter to Congress advocating for a $210 million increase for TitleII-A in the forthcoming FY2024 Labor HHS Education Appropriations bill. (See letter here.)
2022 actions
- 9/14 - Learning Forward hosted a Virtual Advocacy Day divided into two parts: The morning session from 11 am – 12:30 pm included advocacy strategies and tips that are applicable to any advocacy effort. In the afternoon, Learning Forward organized visits for individuals or teams to visit with Senate and House offices so they could share their Title II story.
- 4/26 -- Learning Forward leads webinar, ESSER funds: Creating district impact, to hear from district leaders about how they are using their ESSER funding and how they will share the impact of these dollars in years to come.
- 3/10 -- Learning Forward calls on followers to reach out to Congress in response to President Biden proposed FY23 budget.
- 1/25 -- Learning Forward announces new story telling tool.
- 1/18 -- Learning Forward launched the Powered by Title II, a website designed to provide background facts and data on Title II (the largest source of federal funding for professional learning); tools to advance professional learning advocacy efforts; the latest federal updates; and links to research outlining the impact of high-quality professional learning.
2021 Actions
- 12/21 – Learning Forward joins list of organizations endorsing the Educators for America Act (H.R. 6205) introduced in mid-December.
- 11/21 – Learning Forward signed a statement including 47 education and library organizations on the House’s approval of $300 million for the Emergency Connectivity Fund as part of the Build Back Better Act. (See letter here.)
- 11/21 - Learning Forward signs Coalition for Teaching Quality letter of support for the $817 million investment in the educator workforce in the proposed Build Back Better Act. (See letter here.)
- 10/21 Learning Forward joins list of organizations supporting the Educators for All bill to reauthorize Title II of the Higher Education Act
- 9/21 Learning Forward signs letter of support for a $9 billion investment in the proposed budget reconciliation bill to increase the number of well-prepared, diverse teachers. (See letter here.)
- 8/21 Learning Forward signs on to coalition brief supporting school leadership in the American Families Plan (See the short and long versions.)
- 7/21 Learning Forward signs on to letter to Congress to push for investments in educator infrastructure in the American Families Plan. (Read letter here. )
- 4/21 Learning Forward signs letter to House Appropriations Committee urging a $3.0 billion investment for the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants program, Title II, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (Read letter here.)