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May 21, 2024

Small Staff ESAs Network

NEXT WORKSHOP: Thursday, June 6th  |  2 PM EST 

(1 PM Central; 12 NOON Mountain; 11 AM Pacific; 10 AM Alaska) Time 

  

Topic: Supporting Your Districts Through School-Based ACCESS Billing Services  

 

Presenter:  Sandy Edling, CFO/Director of Business Services, Montgomery County IU (PA) 

 

Working on behalf of its districts, MCIU has developed an invaluable service to ensure that schools are receiving all of the federal Medicaid reimbursements they are entitled to for certain services.  In this session, you will learn how MCIU developed and funded their School-Based ACCESS Program, providing expertise in navigating regulations and billing complexities, and helping their districts to fully realize reimbursements for eligible special education therapies that may have previously been unrecognized. 

  

If you are not a member of this network and would like to attend this session, please contact AESA Program Assistant Beth Kabes to register at the rate of $25. 

 

Registration is Open!
2024 Annual Conference

You are all champions in your work and your agencies. To continue that good work, we know you need to stay ahead of the curve!

 

As AESA’s premier annual event, we bring you thought leaders from around the country and ESA professionals who are experts in their education field. We focus on how ESAs are tackling today’s tough issues and what you can expect to come next. This year's conference promises to deliver attendees engaging content on critical issues:

  • Leadership Matters
  • AI & Innovation
  • Collaborative/Collective Impact
  • Student Engagement
  • ESA Board Member Governance
 

Latest Perspectives Article

Sticking Around: A Mixed-Methods Investigation into the Factors Influencing Teacher Commitment and Persistence in the Classroom

Several times a year, AESA releases in-depth articles that examine topics important to educational service agencies, and education in general. AESA's latest Perspectives was released Friday.

 

The latest article reports the efforts made by Region 10 ESC to understand the motivations behind teachers continuing in their profession. To explore what motivates teachers to stay, Region 10 ESC conducted a mixed-methods research study involving teachers from various districts, charters, and private schools in their region.

Read the article: "Sticking Around - A Mixed-Methods Investigation into the Factors Influencing Teacher Commitment and Persistence in the Classroom" by Dr. Kay Shurtleff, Research & Evaluation Analyst, Region 10 ESC (TX).

 

Do you know someone worthy of national recognition? We would love to hear from you and receive your nomination. Annually, AESA recognizes outstanding ESA leaders through its National Award program.  Read about the award categories and submit nominations no later than June 17, 2024. Thank you! 

 

Let's take a closer look at AESA's National Awards:
Outstanding Individual Achievement Award

The Outstanding Individual Achievement Award recognizes individual contributions to advancing regional educational programs at the regional, state, or national levels. Nominees could include board members, state/federal legislators, local/state/national educators, and professional association staff.

 

Criteria for this award:

  1. Advancement of the goals and philosophies of educational service agencies.
  2. Outstanding accomplishments and innovative practices.
  3. Exercise of leadership.
  4. Service to the educational service agency community.

This award is in honor of Dr. Walter G. Turner, who chaired the original committee that created AESA developing the vision, mission, and bylaws for the new organization. Dr. Turner was the first AESA Executive Director.

 

Nominations due June 17, 2024.

 
 

Complete this GenAI Survey

Attention AESA members: Do you want to learn more about the use of GenAI in your schools? Don't miss the opportunity to gain insights into this important emerging trend. The Speak Up GenAI Snapshot Survey is open until May 31. Don’t delay. Enhance your understanding of GenAI today. #SpeakUpED 

 

 

Federal Advocacy Update

AESA Weighs in on Three Student Privacy/Mental Health Bills 

The Senate Commerce Committee is taking a series of actions on three different bills related to student data and privacy and social media. We have responded to all three and the letters are linked below.  

  • The Kids Off Social Media Act: This bill, introduced by Senator Schatz, is focused on social media access. AESA joined 15 other national school and library groups to express our concerns with the bill as it relates to inclusion of the Eyes on the Board Act, and concerns about this bill’s impingement on local control over school content, potential impact on E-Rate payments, and its screen time policy requirements. Read our letter 

  • COPPA 2.0: AESA remains proud to support the reauthorization of COPPA as led by Senator Markey. We are re-upping our letter of support (originally circulated in April) ahead of Committee action on the bill. 

  • Kids Online Safety Act:  AESA joined education and technology organizations expressing our ongoing concerns with KOSA as currently drafted, and outlined the definitional changes needed to make the bill more functional. 

AESA Signs Letter Asking Department of Labor to Delay Implementation of New Overtime Rule  

 

On May 9, AESA joined 87 other employer organizations on a letter to the DOL urging them to delay until September 1, 2024, implementation of the first increase to the minimum salary threshold in its new overtime final rule. The current effect date is July 1, 2024, providing the employer community with only 60 days to come into compliance.

 

The new rule provides the regulated community with only two months to

  • analyze the rule;
  • determine what changes to their operations and payrolls will be necessary;
  • explain to the impacted workers how and why their pay, titles, or workplace responsibilities will change; and
  • implement those changes.

This is an arbitrary and burdensome timeline for the regulated community to meet, especially smaller businesses that do not have the resources to make such changes quickly. 

Articles and Reports to Keep Members in the Know

Vouchers Undermine Efforts to Provide an Excellent Public Education for All  

This article from the Economic Policy Institute highlights how vouchers undermine efforts to provide an excellent public education for all.   

USED Shares Guidance on School Response to Discrimination  

On May 7, the USED’s Office of Civil Rights released a Dear Colleague Letter to schools featuring concrete examples of conduct that could raise concerns under Title VI regarding discrimination in schools towards students and school community members based on shared ancestry or ethnicity. 


Schools are Bracing for Widespread Layoffs, Here’s Why: 
 
This  CNN article discusses the rise in teacher and staff layoffs nationwide as schools anticipate the expiration of pandemic federal funds, emphasizing potential budget shortfalls for Title I schools and citing research projecting that 384,000 full-time staff may need to be laid off to revert to pre-pandemic levels.  


How Can Schools Prepare for ADA Digital Accessibility Requirements  

This K-12 Dive article provides guidance for how schools can prepare to implement new federal rules to ensure web content and mobile apps are ADA accessible, including conducting an inventory of district digital materials, knowing their deadline for compliance, and assessing the work necessary to become compliant.   

The CoSN 2024 State of EdTech Leadership Report 
Recently, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) released the CoSN 2024 State of EdTech Leadership Report. This annual report is based on findings gathered from CoSN’s 2024 State of EdTech District Leadership Survey. An analysis of the most recent survey responses to the CoSN 2024 State of EdTech Leadership Report provides a national perspective on the current challenges and successes within the EdTech landscape.

 

Key findings around the following topics are included in the 2024 report: 

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Student Well-Being
  • Digital Equity
  • Interoperability
  • Professional Learning
  • Staffing
  • Diversity 

Cybersecurity continues to be a top priority according to respondents of the 2024 survey. Data privacy and security also fall into the high-priority arena. The challenges around AI strategies are fairly new as a priority, but illustrate the need for districts to determine policies and best practices when it comes to implementing AI. 

 

Additional information about the annual survey and the rationale behind the CoSN 2024 State of EdTech Leadership Report as well as a link to download a free copy of the report are available HERE.

 

Professional Learning Opportunties
Reminders about AESA Summer Events

Business Strategy Framework 1.0 

June 25-26, 2024

Come, learn, and transform your agency! The business strategy framework will empower you and your team to maximize impact, allocate resources effectively, and seize new opportunities with clarity. The workshop is designed to encourage deeper thinking about how educational service agencies create, capture, and deliver value, enabling you to uncover hidden keys to success and stand out from the crowd.

Location: Central Massachusetts Collaborative (CMC), Worcester, MA 01606

 

REGISTER TODAY

 

Business Strategy Framework 2.0: Managing Strategic Resources

with Dr. Duncan Simester

 

Summer Leadership Pre-Conference on July 15 -16, 2024

 

The Business Strategy Framework 2.0 workshop, "Managing Strategic Resources," features Dr. Duncan Simester and AESA Business Consultants Andy Pechacek and Doreen Marvin sharing information about:

  • Competitive Strategy & Application to the Business of AI
  • Managing Strategic Uncertainty
  • Partnering on AI
  • Organizing for Strategy

REGISTER TODAY

 

Summer Leadership Conference July 17-18, 2024

Leading Through Change

It’s an old cliche with a new meaning: The one constant thing is change. The 2024 Summer Leadership Conference is designed as an opportunity for you and your team to examine three fast-moving topics that need your attention now to be ready for the future!

 

Conference Topics:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Crisis Management
  • Social Emotional Well-Being for Leaders

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 7

 

REGISTER TODAY

 

The Association of Educational Service Agencies offers the weekly AESA Online News just for members! 

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(715) 966-1688 | afiene@aesa.us

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