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Celebrating the Retirement of John Bass, AESA Chief Operating Officer
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After nearly a decade of distinguished leadership at AESA and more than 40 years of dedicated service to public education, John Bass will retire from his role as Chief Operating Officer on June 30, 2025. A steadfast advisor and strategic leader, John has been instrumental in shaping AESA's strategic path forward, guiding the organization with wisdom, integrity, and a deep commitment to the mission of supporting educational service agencies (ESAs) across the country.
John joined AESA in 2015 following a remarkable 20-year career with Region 16 Education Service Center in Amarillo, Texas, where he served as Executive Director for 13 years. His experience spans nearly every level of public education—from classroom teacher and coach to principal and superintendent—culminating in a national leadership role that has touched the lives of educational leaders and learners in every corner of the country.
At AESA, John quickly became the organization’s cornerstone for operational leadership and a trusted thought partner to AESA's leadership team. He led the Executives in Residence program and brought rigor and transparency to AESA’s business partner evaluation process. His work ensured alignment with AESA’s values and goals, and his commitment to quality has had a lasting impact.
Affectionately known as AESA’s “champion on the road,” John crisscrossed the country to meet with members face-to-face, building personal relationships that are now a hallmark of AESA’s member experience. His presence, both in the field and in the countless Zoom meetings he participated in led from his remote office, brought a human touch to strategic planning, member services, and national leadership.
While we will deeply miss his daily presence, we are pleased to announce that John will continue to support AESA as a Senior Advisor. Please join us in honoring John Bass—an educator, mentor, leader, and friend—whose contributions have helped define AESA and whose impact will be felt for years to come.
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Nominate an Inspiring Woman Leader!
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The Women of Inspiration in Leadership Award, established in honor of Dr. Susan Leddick, celebrates outstanding women who lead with vision, integrity, and impact in the ESA community. Dr. Leddick’s legacy of innovation and support for women leaders lives on through this award.
Last year’s recipient, Naomi Norman, Superintendent of Washtenaw ISD (MI), was recognized for her leadership in tackling teacher shortages, advancing equity, and mentoring women across the state.
Do you know a woman making a powerful difference? Nominate her today!
- Demonstrated leadership and innovation within ESAs
- Service as a role model and mentor for other women
- Significant, lasting contributions to ESA work and mission
Please submit all nominations as a single PDF file via email to John Bass, Chief Operating Officer. Nominations are due by June 30, 2025.
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Last week’s Professional Learning Opportunities newsletter was packed with valuable resources—but chief among them was our big announcement: the Fall 2025 lineup of our Business Strategy Framework courses is here! These courses are designed to help ESA leaders sharpen their strategic thinking, strengthen operations, and drive meaningful impact.
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Celebrate Our Retiring ESA Leaders with a Tribute Gift
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As several respected ESA leaders retire, we have a special opportunity to honor their lasting impact. A tribute gift to the AESA Foundation celebrates their service while supporting leadership, innovation, and equity in education.
Mail-in donations can be sent to the following:
AESA Foundation
c/o Donations
PO Box 404
Cheshire, CT 06410
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USED Budget Summary Proposes Drastic Cuts to K-12
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On May 30, the Trump Administration released additional budget materials to Congress for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). While not officially the full FY26 budget proposal, this information builds upon the “skinny budget” and provides specific funding requests for programs. Overall, the FY26 Budget Summary for the U.S. Education Department (USED) calls for a $12 billion cut in funding and presents Congress with a series of proposed trade-offs that reduce federal investment in K-12 education and ultimately harm schools and the students they serve. Read details about what this means.
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NEW Medicaid in Schools Resources
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We are happy to share new school Medicaid resources, an advocacy toolkit and an action alert for your networks. HSC and Community Catalyst partnered on these new resources, which include quick actions, background information and tools to defend Medicaid and its critical role in schools. Please share these widely -- they're designed for people with a range of familiarity about school Medicaid and/or advocacy:
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Texas Advances Bills for Bible, Ten Commandments in Public Schools
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign a series of bills requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms and allowing schools to set aside daily time for prayer and religious readings, following a similar law recently passed in Louisiana.
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The Growing Challenge of Teacher Pay and Housing Costs
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A recent National Council on Teacher Quality report finds that average housing costs rose by 47 to 51 percent between 2015 and 2019 and outpaced teacher salary increases, highlighting the growing financial strain teachers face in many school districts.
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Trump Cuts Could Expose Student Data to Cyber Threats
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Hechinger Report investigates how the Trump Administration’s funding cuts may affect school districts’ access to resources to help identify and combat cybersecurity threats, specifically continued access via the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to MS-ISAC (Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center).
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How Schools Think Their Legal Expenses Will Change Under Trump
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The EdWeek Research Center recently published a survey report on how school and district leaders expect their districts’ legal expenses to increase over the next year as they navigate a rapidly evolving federal education landscape. Forty-eight percent of principals and district leaders who responded to the nationally representative survey earlier this spring said they expect legal expenses to increase in the next year due to shifts in federal policy and enforcement under the Trump administration, and 43% said they expect no impact on their legal expenses. Nine percent said they expect legal expenses to decrease as a result.
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ESA Spotlight: The Power of MTSS in California
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We’re proud to highlight the work of AESA member Mary Sakuma, Superintendent of Butte County Office of Education, who co-authored a recent EdSource article with Dr. Stefan Bean of the Orange County Department of Education.
In the piece, Sakuma shares how the California MTSS framework is making a real difference—especially in rural communities like Butte County, where educators often juggle multiple roles and face limited resources. The framework offers the structure, tools, and alignment needed to support every student, and it’s becoming a model for districts across the state.
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ESA Spotlight: A Kid Executive with a Powerful Message
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Who better to speak up for students than one of their own? In a creative and heartwarming video, Kid Executive Ana, takes over the top job at Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, sitting down with Executive Director Dr. Greg Koons to share a powerful reminder:
“Every student is a masterpiece—
and every masterpiece needs the right tools.”
In Pennsylvania, educational service agencies are known as Intermediate Units (IUs). This video shines a spotlight on the vital role IUs play in helping each student reach their full potential, by offering the tools, resources, and support that schools and educators need.
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ESA Podcast of the Week: Region 16’s Unlocking Potential
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Region 16 ESC in Amarillo, TX is amplifying important conversations with their podcast, Unlocking Potential: Special Education Perspectives.
Designed for educators, families, and administrators, the podcast explores timely topics in special education—sharing strategies, insights, and real stories from the field. It’s a powerful tool for connection, learning, and advocacy.
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Still Time to Join Today’s Safety & Mental Health Q&A!
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It’s not too late to register and join us TODAY for a brief but impactful session designed for ESA leaders. Discover how to equip your districts with cutting-edge safety and mental health tools—while also unlocking funding and revenue-sharing opportunities.
📅 TODAY, June 10
🕒 3:00 PM ET
🔗 Register Here (It's FREE, but let us know you're coming!)
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Collaborating Partner News
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Open for Input: Speak Up Cybersecurity Survey
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Cybersecurity is a major issue faced by our membership. That’s why we invite our members to participate in the Speak Up Cybersecurity Research Study, a national initiative in partnership with iboss, focused on how districts are addressing cybersecurity challenges.
Why participate?
Participate in the Speak Up Cybersecurity Research Study, and the results will put you on the path to making a stronger case for resources, raising awareness among leadership, and developing a more unified, districtwide cybersecurity strategy.
- Gain access to valuable research findings that can be used for data-driven decision making about cybersecurity policies and programs.
- Enter a drawing to win a $50 gift card (limited to 20 K-12 district technology leaders)
- Receive valuable free resources such as the Action Guide for Building Cabinet Buy-In on Cybersecurity.
About the Survey
- Open through June 30, 2025
- Complete in less than 15 minutes.
- Responses are 100% confidential and used only in aggregated reporting.
- Allows you to compare your district’s cybersecurity preparedness to others nationwide.
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