Join us on June 13th, 2018 for a National Day of Action to advocate for full funding of the Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant program. Created by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), this grant allows schools and districts to support well-rounded programs, safe and healthy schools, and the effective use of technology.
Congress recognized the importance of this block grant and provided $1.1 billion for Title IV-A in FY 2018. At this funding level, many districts will receive enough funds and have the flexibility to make meaningful investments in the program areas they need most based off of their needs assessments. We need to show our continued support for Title IV-A and ask Congress to continue to invest in this program.
What You Can Do on June 13th
On June 13th we ask that you please join educators and advocates all across the nation by taking one (or all) of the following actions:
- SEND A PREWRITTEN LETTER TO CONGRESS
Use our easy advocacy tool to send this pre-written letter to Congress about the need to adequately invest in the Title IV-A block grant.
- TWEET YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Join thousands in the push to fully fund Title IV-A and sign up for the Thunderclap here: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/65448-raisethecaps-for-moretitleiv
If you want to add your own throughout the day, here are some sample tweets (Twitter now allows 280 characters!):
- @[Senator], thank you for #MoreTitleIV of #ESSA in FY18, which provides mental health services, access to #STEM, arts, music, PE, & #edtech programs. Our nations students deserve the $1.6 billion Congress promised. Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY19.
- @[Senator] #MoreTitleIV funds mean greater flexibility and more meaningful investments for local school districts. Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY19. #ESSA
- #MoreTitleIV funding provides Ss the ability to give students a more complete, well rounded education @[Senator] Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY19. #ESSA
- All Ss benefit from Title IVA funds, w/o them districts are forced to choose between critical programs. #MoreTitleIV @[Senator] Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY19. #ESSA
- CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES
Below is a script you can use:
I am a [insert profession or organizational affiliation] and a voter in [insert home state and or congressional district] and I am calling to urge Senator/Representative [insert name here] to fully fund the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant program under Title IV, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act in fiscal year 2019.
Congress recognized the importance of this block grant and provided $1.1 billion for Title IV-A in FY 2018. At this funding level, many districts will receive enough funds and have the flexibility to make meaningful investments in school programs based on their needs. Additionally, this funding level eliminates the need for a competitive option and allows the flexible block grant to operate as Congress intended, as a formula grant that benefits all districts equitably.
All of these areas supported by this block grant are critical to ensure all students graduate from high school ready to enter college or the workforce. I strongly urge you to support the full funding of Title IV-A in FY 2019.
- SHARE YOUR STORY HOW DO THESE FUNDS IMPACT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS?
Share Your Story Here: One of the most compelling ways to let Congress know about the importance of funding for this program is to hear directly from you about how these programs benefit your students. In order to help us show Congress the real life value these funds provide to you and your students, we are collecting stories about the benefits and consequences of receiving adequate or inadequate funds for programs including mental health services and professionals, music, arts, AP, STEM, and the effective use of technology.
Do you have a story to tell? Has your school received enough funding for these programs? What differences have these funds made in the lives of your students? What happens if these programs and services go away due to underfunding?
Please take a few minutes to write a paragraph or two using this handy form to share your story with us and to show Congress exactly why funding for these programs matters. We need to let members of Congress know how increased funding for this program could help your students.