Please join ISTE, VSTE and the Title IV-A Coalition on November 6, 2019, for a National Day of Action to advocate for full funding of the Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant program under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Title IV-A flexible block grant allows districts to invest in well-rounded programs, safe and healthy schools, and the effective use of technology.
Congress has recognized the importance of this block grant and provided $1.1 billion in FY18 and $1.17 billion in FY19 for Title IV-A. At this funding level, many districts are receiving substantial funds and finally have the flexibility to make meaningful investments in the program areas they need most based off of their needs assessments.
This year, it is particularly important that we demonstrate to Congress the wide range of opportunities that this program provides for students. We need to show our ongoing support for Title IV-A, share stories about why these funds are so meaningful, and ask Congress to continue to invest in this program.
What You Can Do on November 6th
The ISTE resources and toolkit make it easy to take action! On November 6th, 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 the 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
See sample tweets below and use the easy advocacy tool to automatically send tweets to your elected officials! Please feel free to add additional activities re Title IV-A programs your organization supports in your individual tweets.
@[Senator/Rep], thank you for funding #TitleIVA of #ESSA in FY19, which provides mental health services, #SEL, access to #STEM, the arts, music, PE, afterschool & #edtech programs. Our nation’s students deserve the $1.6 billion Congress promised. Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY20.
@[Senator/Rep] Full funding for #TitleIVA means districts have local control and flexibility to invest in programs that support safe and healthy schools, well-rounded ed, and effective use of #edtech. Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY20. #ESSA
All students benefit from #TitleIVA funds, w/o them districts are forced to choose between critical programs like safe and healthy schools, well-rounded education, and instructional support for #edtech. @[Senator/Rep] Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY20. #ESSA
Districts and schools are making effective use of #TitleIVA funds from FY18+19 by investing in safe and healthy school initiatives [violence prevention, mental health, school safety], well-rounded ed [PE, STEM, Music, SEL], and #edtech [PD, personalized & blended learning]. @[Senator/Rep] fully fund #TitleIVA.
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 2020.
Congress recognized the importance of the Title IV-A block grant in FY 2018 by providing $1.1 billion and $1.17 billion in FY 2019, which have provided districts with the flexibility to make meaningful investments in school programs based on their needs. This grant program allows districts to make meaningful investments in well-rounded education programs, safe and healthy school programs, and the effective use of technology.
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 please fully fund Title IV-A at $1.6 billion in FY 2020.
SHARE YOUR STORY – HOW DO THESE FUNDS IMPACT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS?
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 and the 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.
Tonya Coffey has a passion for all things technology, especially finding creative ways to utilize technology to bridge the gap between the classroom, home, and community. She is currently an ITRT for Augusta County Public Schools. One way she connects with others is through her conference presentations that include VSTE, VSRA, Brainstorm, JMU Kappa Delta Pi, and VMI STEM. She earned her Educational Specialist Degree (2018) from Liberty University and is currently a Liberty University doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction with an endorsement in School Administration. She is a dedicated advocate for teachers. Her skillful coaching combines technical expertise and interpersonal relationships allowing her to connect with even the most reluctant or timid of educators.
Fielding is always excited to talk about ways to integrate technology into the classroom. As the Instructional Technology Coach at Woodbridge Senior High School, Katie has quickly found her niche in sharing instructional practices with her colleagues. She works hard to provide digital equity for students at her school; making sure SPED and ELL students have access to assistive technologies. Katie likes collaborating with fellow Prince William County ITC’s to improve instructional practices district-wide. She takes joy in building capacity in teachers and students so they can fully participate in the digital world. Katie has a special interest in using educational technology to improve homebound instruction for chronically ill students. She sees educational technology as a bridge that can join home, hospital, and school. Katie’s life with cystic fibrosis has informed her concern for this often-overlooked demographic. This interest was also the focus of her 2018/19 Google Innovator project. You can learn more about it at 
Sometimes being the technology director is a lonely job. The VSTE CoSN Council wants to help you connect with other technology leaders around the state.
