Policy Training Conference

Washington, DC

February 10, 2016

John LaughnerLegislative & Communications Manager Magnet Schools of AmericaFebruary 15, 2017

Legislative Update

President Trump• Federal investment of $20 billion

towards school choice. This will be done by reprioritizing existing federal dollars.

• Distribution of funding will favor states that have private school choice, magnet schools and charter laws, encouraging them to participate.

• Establish the national goal of providing school choice to every one of the 11 million school aged children living in poverty.

School Choice Initiative

Three options -

• New competitive grant program.

• Title I and IDEA portability.

• Federal tax credit to individuals and corporations that donate to scholarships or vouchers.

RNC Party Platform

Choice in Education

• We support options for learning, including home-schooling, career and technical education, private or parochial schools, magnet schools, charter schools, online learning, and early-college high schools.

We especially support the innovative financing mechanisms that make options available to all children: education savings accounts (ESAs), vouchers, and tuition tax credits.

Speaker of House

• Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) –Former Vice Presidential Candidate, Budget Committee, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman.

• Very analytical, likes to get into the weeds of public policy.

Speaker Ryan on Education

• Commissioned 2014 study of effectiveness on War on Poverty Programs. His committee reviewed Title I, TRIO and GEAR UP, 21st Century Learning Centers.

• Supported Passage of Every Student Succeeds Act.

• Advocates for increased school choice options by continuing support for magnet schools and expanding charter school opportunities.

“The last 40 years, our nation’s elementary and secondary education system has seen a 300 percent increase in federal funding. However, despite record taxpayer-funded investments in public education, academic achievement has not seen a commensurate improvement, and the state of the American education system is sobering.”

Authorizing Committees –Responsible for

drafting legislation or “authorizing” laws related to

agencies and programs, including the Every Students

Succeeds Act

House Committee on Education and Workforce Committee

Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions

Committee (HELP)

Appropriations Committees – Congress

annually funds U.S. federal agencies and programs

through its 13 specialized subcommittees.

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee

Department of Education and MSAP

Fiscal Year (October 1 –September 30)

Senate Appropriators

Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee

Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) Chairman, Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)Vice Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee

Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) Ranking Member, Senate, Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee

“No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but inconsequence of Appropriations made by law.”

ART. 1 SEC. 9 OF THE U.S. CONSTITUITION

Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen, (R-NJ),NEW: Chairman House Appropriations Committee

Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), Chairman, Labor, HHS, Education Subcommittee

Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Member, House Appropriations Committee

Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member, Labor, HHS, Education Subcommittee

House Appropriators

Senate Health, Education and Pensions Committee (HELP)

• Chairman Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

• Ranking Member – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

• Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

• Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA)

Authorizers

Authorizations vs. Appropriations• Authorization bills establish and set rules for

programs, while appropriations bills provide the funding to execute the programs.

• Authorization levels are not binding on appropriations bills. Congress may, and usually does, appropriate funds above or below the authorized levels.

MSAP Authorization LevelsEvery Student Succeeds Act

FY 2017 - $94 million

FY 2018 - $96.8 million

FY 2019 – $102.3 million

FY 2020 - $108.5 million

Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) Funding

Current level - $96.6 million

President’s FY 2016 Budget - $115 million

House Proposal – ZERO

Senate Bill - $96.6 million

Charter School Funding: $333 million

0

20

40

60

80

100

1202

00

2

20

03

20

04

20

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20

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20

07

20

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20

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20

11

*2

01

2

20

13

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20

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20

16

**2

01

7

Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) Funding in Millions

*Represents $2.9 million reprogrammed from MSAP to Advanced Placement Program in 2012** President Obama’s FY 2017 Budget Request

Continuing Resolution (CR) -

Short-term legislation passed by Congress to keep the government open.

Current CR funds education programs at last fiscal year’s funding levels and expires on April 28.

MSAP – funded at $96.6 million.

https://admin.phone2action.com/visual/map/FwTP4X8

Text MSAP to 52886

Tell Congress to Support Magnet Schools in the

FY 2017 Budget!

• In 2015, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

• Over 1,000 pages long.

• Passed the House 359-64 and the Senate by a vote of 85-12.

• Programs are authorized for FY 2017 through FY 2020.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

ESSA Timeline

• States must submit their final ESSA implementation plans by April 3 or September 18.

• At last count, 16 states have released their draft ESSA implementation plans. (IL, NC, KY, LA, TN, MD, AZ)

• States get a one-year extension on identifying their lowest-performing schools and schools with low graduation rates. They must be identified by the 2018-19 school year.

Congressional Review Act• U.S. House of Representatives passed two

resolutions of disapproval that would overturn two of the Obama Administration's ESSA regulations dealing with school accountability and teacher preparation this month.

• Currently states using a uniform template to build their ESSA plans. DOE is currently reviewing the template to make sure that it doesn't ask for any information that isn't "absolutely necessary."

• DOE may release revised template mid March.

ESSA Toolkit1. Promoting School Diversity

2. Leveraging Theme-Based Education to Foster School Improvement

3. Providing a Well Rounded Education for Students

www.magnet.edu/news-action/ESSA-toolkit

Opportunities to Promote Magnet Programs and School Diversity

• State Accountability Metrics - Include state accountability metric that measures progress toward racial and socioeconomic integration.

• Title I School Improvement - Foster school improvement through racial/socioeconomic integration strategies and theme-based magnet programs.

• Providing a Well-Rounded Education to Students

Encourage state and local education agencies to use new Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants for STEM, arts and music, foreign languages, career & technical education magnet programs.

Building Support for Magnet Schools

Making a Good First Impressionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSbNUEF3IFo

Arrive on time and be patient if the member is running late or gets called away during the meeting.

Tell the member of Congress that you are a member of Magnet Schools of America and that you’re here to discuss magnet schools and why they are important to your district.

Remember to be brief and to the point. The entire visit should not take longer than 20-30 minutes.

Keys to an Effective Capitol Hill Meeting

Magnet Schools of America (MSA) is a nonprofit education association that represents approximately 4,340 magnet schools and serves more than 3 million students. MSA was founded in 1986 and supports the leaders, administrators, and teachers of magnet and theme-based schools.

Its mission is to provide leadership for high quality innovative instructional programs that promote choice, equity, diversity, and academic excellence for all students.

Introduction Talking Points

What are Magnet Schools?

What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP)?

The Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) provides 3-5 five year grants to public school districts to create, expand, or improve magnet schools.

It is the only federal education grant designed specifically to promote innovation and racial/ socioeconomic diversity in the classroom.

It currently is funded at $96.6 million and typically supports 30-40 school districts.

Preparing for the Meetinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Am8L662SM

Before the meeting, learn about your member of Congress, his/her priority issues, and the committee(s) on which he or she serves.

Determine each person’s role in the meeting and who will be the leader.

Come prepared to discuss local statistics, facts, and success stories about your magnet schools.

Keys to an Effective Capitol Hill Meeting

Preparation Exercise

1. Who is going to lead the meeting and introduce the group?

2. Who is going to lead the discussion about your magnet school(s)?

3. Who is going to review the magnet school research?

4. Who is going to research the background of your Senators/Representative?

Making Your Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwr1wVluO98

Magnet Schools Promote Diversity

Message -

Research shows students learn better and are more prepared for the real world when they are exposed to students with different backgrounds.

Through school choice policies, outreach, and recruitment efforts magnet schools strive to have diverse student populations.

Benefits of School Diversity

A 2009 study of Connecticut’s inter-district magnet schools found that magnet students report more positive intergroup relations and less racial tension among peers than students attending non-magnets.

Integrated schools encourage relationships and friendships across group lines. According to one study, students who attend racially diverse high schools are more likely to live in diverse neighborhoods five years after graduation.

Can you explain other benefits of school diversity?

Successful School Diversity Efforts

• Inter-district magnet programs in Hartford, Connecticut have successfully increased the number of students attending integrated schools from 11 percent to nearly 50 percent.

• According to a U.C.L.A. Civil Rights Project report, magnet schools in New York City have the highest proportion of multiracial student bodies and the lowest proportion of segregated schools compared to traditional and charter schools in the city.

• What is your school diversity success story?

Magnet Schools Close the Achieve Gap and Promote Academic Achievement

Message –

Magnet schools are an effective model that can be used to increase academic achievement and close the achievement gap.

Magnet schools recognize that no student learns the same and that parents should have the option to send their child to a school that focuses on their strengths, engages them, and motivates them to learn.

Numerous studies have shown that students at magnet schools perform better than their peers at traditional schools.

• According to the latest U.S. News and World Report: High School Rankings, magnet schools make up 25 percent of the top 100 high schools.

• Last year for the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced that magnet school students significantly outperformed their peers across the state, district, and in charter schools in Math and English/Language Arts assessments.

How are magnet schools in your district improving academic achievement?

Evidence of Academic Excellence

Higher Graduation Rates –

Many studies have found that students attending magnet schools have higher graduation rates than students attending traditional public schools.

For example, a large scale study of magnet vs. non magnet students in Los Angeles found that magnet school students were 30% more likely to graduate than non-magnet school students.

Parental Involvement –

A study of Jacksonville, Florida magnet schools found higher levels of parent and community involvement than traditional public schools.

Student Engagement -

Multiple studies have found that magnet students are less likely to be absent or skip classes than non-magnet students.

Magnet Schools Prepare Students for College and Careers

Message –

Magnet schools prepare our children for the challenges of the future by using an innovative curriculum that provides students with the skills they need to be workforce and college ready.

We partner with the community - local businesses and corporations, colleges and universities, and museums – to provide students with practical learning experiences that prepare them for competitive 21st century careers.

How is your magnet school utilizing community partners to enhance your magnet school and to prepare students for college and careers?

We request that Congress appropriate $96.6 million to the Magnet Schools Assistance Program in Fiscal Year 2017 as provided by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee.

Please oppose any effort to eliminate the program as proposed by the House Committee on Appropriations.

What are we asking for?

Your Mission!

• Invite your members of Congress and their staff to tour

your magnet school

• Adopt National Proclamation

• Make a floor or committee statement

• Express support on social media

Follow-up

Be sure to send a thank you letter to the member of Congress and their staff.

Remember that you want to maintain a relationship with your elected official and their staff—so stay in contact, send periodic information and updates, and invite them to visit your school or program.

Questions?

John Laughner

Legislative and Communications Manager

john.laughner@magnet.edu

Magnet Schools of America

1909 K Street, NW Suite C-140

Washington, DC 20006

(202) 824-0672