Advocacy Letters

Homework Gap: ASCA joined 58 education and related national associations urging the U.S. Senate to include $7 billion of Emergency Connectivity funds as outlined in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, previously approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. (March 4, 2021)

American Rescue Plan: ASCA and other leading education organizations sent a letter to the House of Representatives in support of the $128 billion in funding included in the American Rescue Plan to address, among other needs, supporting remote learning, hiring support staff, rethinking school calendars, improving ventilation in buildings and more. (Feb. 22, 2021)

Homework Gap: ASCA and numerous other education and related national associations support the $7.6 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund, contained in the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2021, S. Con. Res. 5, that allow would allow Federal Communications to provide one-time emergency support for schools and libraries to purchase technology and devices needed for Internet connectivity through the E-rate program. (Feb. 10, 2021)

State and Local Aid: The recent relief bill provided only a portion of what is needed to address the effects of the pandemic on the safe operation of schools. Additional funds for states, counties, cities, towns and schools are critical to address revenue losses due to the downturn in the economy and the additional costs needed to continue COVID response. (Jan. 15, 2021)

No Name-Calling Week: ASCA and a number of other K–12 education organizations signed onto a letter urging the House of Representatives to officially designate Jan. 18–22, 2020, as No Name-Calling Week. (Dec. 15, 2021)

COVID-19 Vaccine: ASCA and other members of the Learning First Alliance urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to give adults in the school system priority access to COVID-19 vaccinations. (Nov. 30, 2020)

HEROES Act 2.0: 60 education and related national associations urge Congress to include in an emergency COVID-19 package the provisions in the HEROES Act 2.0 (H.R. 925), which would establish an Emergency Connectivity Fund to provide $12 billion to schools and libraries to ensure students and educators have Internet access from home and appropriate connectivity devices. (11/20/20)

Gavin Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board: In the case of Gavin Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board, the Fourth Circuit Court affirmed that Title IX protects the plaintiff from discrimination and the school district was incorrect in preventing him from using the bathroom that matches his gender identity. The Court writes, “At the heart of this appeal is whether equal protection and Title IX can protect transgender students from school bathroom policies that prohibit them from affirming their gender. We join a growing consensus of courts in holding that the answer is resoundingly yes.” In its decision, the court quoted from an amicus brief provided by ASCA, GLSEN, the National PTA and the National Association of School Psychologists. (September 2020)

Bostock v. Clayton County: On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County “discrimination based on homosexuality or transgender status necessarily entails discrimination based on sex; the first cannot happen without the second.” However, the U.S. Department of Education (USED), Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has yet to issue guidance ensuring the protection of LGBTQ students or educators. ASCA joins education and civil rights organizations urging OCR to take immediate action to ensure equal protections as the country returns to school. (August 2020)

Stabilization Funding: ASCA and other education associations encourage Congress to provide additional stabilization funding for states, including substantial funding specifically for K-12 education and higher education, in an upcoming legislative package designed to address the continuing challenges and aftermath presented by COVID-19. (August 2020)

HEALS: ASCA joins additional organizations in responding to the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act. (July 2020)