August 4, 2026

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Federal education policy continues to shift rapidly, making it more important than ever for ESA leaders to stay informed and engaged.

Join AESA for a free Federal Advocacy Update webinar on Wednesday, August 19, at 3:00 pm Eastern. AESA Senior Government Affairs Manager Tara Thomas will share the latest developments from Washington, D.C., explain what they mean for educational service agencies, and highlight the issues ESA leaders should be watching in the weeks ahead.

As states expand longitudinal data systems and schools adopt more AI-powered tools, legislatures are placing greater emphasis on privacy, transparency, and oversight. The July 2026 AESA State Examiner examines how states are responding and what these developments mean for educational service agencies and the school districts they serve.

The best operations leaders don't just solve problems, they build systems that prevent them. AESA's Operations Online Learning Lab is designed for the people who keep their agencies running every day, from operations and business offices to HR, technology, facilities, transportation, project management, and more.

Across four practical virtual sessions, you'll leave with tools you can put to work immediately—from creating effective standard operating procedures and managing priorities to planning projects, coordinating vendors, and leading stronger teams. You'll also connect with peers from ESAs across the country who understand the unique challenges of operational leadership.

The first virtual session begins September 15.

Throughout the coming weeks, we'll be taking a closer look at each of AESA's professional learning networks launching this fall. Discover what makes each network unique, meet the facilitators, and find the community that's right for you.

For many ESA communicators, the biggest challenge isn't a lack of ideas—it's being the only communications professional in the agency.

The new AESA Communications & Marketing Network connects communications and marketing staff from ESAs across the country to share ideas, solve common challenges, and learn practical strategies from peers who understand the work. From social media and media relations to websites, branding, and internal communications, you'll leave each session with ideas you can use right away. 

Meet the facilitators:

If you're responsible for communications, marketing, public relations, or community engagement at your ESA, the Communications & Marketing Network offers a trusted community to exchange ideas, tackle challenges together, and grow alongside peers who understand your work.

Congratulations to the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA) for being named to the inaugural AI25 Companies & Organizations list by Ohio Tech News and OhioX. The recognition highlights OESCA's leadership in advancing AI literacy and implementation through Ohio's network of educational service centers, helping educators and school leaders across all 88 counties prepare for the future of AI in education.

Project Tomorrow's 2026 K-12 Cybersecurity Survey is now open, and AESA members are encouraged to participate and share the survey with district and school technology leaders across their service areas.

Using AESA's dedicated survey link will help ensure that ESAs and the districts they support are represented in this important national research effort. AESA will receive aggregated findings specific to our network, and participants will gain access to the Project Tomorrow K-12 Cybersecurity Working Group.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CyberAESA

The survey closes August 31, 2026.

On July 23, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would be removing regulations that had been in place for over 60 years that recognized discrimination can occur through the effects of a policy, not just intent. This policy, relying on what is called a disparate impact analysis, aligns with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump last year calling for the elimination of disparate-impact liability “in all contexts to the maximum degree possible to avoid violating the Constitution, Federal civil rights laws, and basic American ideals.” Read more.

A recent survey finds that budget shortfalls and declining enrollment top districts' most pressing challenges, with 40% considering marketing campaigns to promote the benefits of public schools and another third exploring expanded pre-K services to engage families earlier.

A Bellwether analysis uses ten figures to illustrate the impact of declining student enrollment and offers district and state leaders recommendations for managing budget pressures, including strategies for community engagement, aligning staffing and funding policies with enrollment trends, and ensuring all students retain access to high-quality learning opportunities. 

The Hechinger Report examines how select districts are rethinking writing instruction through research-backed approaches like Self-Regulated Strategy Development, which encourages students to respond to texts with evidence and provides specific strategies for planning and organizing their writing. 

A new study by researchers at American University and Syracuse University suggests that third grade retention policies can improve student scores even before children are held back, highlighting the role of early interventions and accountability measures in driving those gains.

Most district leaders report civics education being part of a required course in their school system, but opportunities for students to put that knowledge into practice through volunteering or other forms of community engagement are fewer and further between, according to research from Rand Corp. and the Center for Reinventing Public Education. Read more