NEA speaks up for the rights of students. Browse recent messages to Congressional leadership, and add your voice.
Of the total amount spent on education in the United States each year, the federal government accounts for less than 10 percent. The rest comes from state and local governments and other non-federal sources. But the federal role is more than money. It’s also about protecting civil rights and ensuring equal opportunity for all students.
Federal aid for education comes with strings. To get it, states must follow laws like ESSA, the current version of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the cornerstone of the federal role in education. Different sections of the law target different groups—for example, Title 1 covers schools with high percentages of low-income students.
The U.S. Department of Education describes the federal role in education as “a kind of ‘emergency response system,’ a means of filling gaps in State and local support for education when critical national needs arise.”
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act reflects the federal government’s commitment to provide a free, appropriate public education to students with disabilities and paying 40 percent of the additional cost—a commitment that remains unfulfilled.
NEA is a strong advocate for increasing the federal investment in Department of Education programs and ensuring that they help the students most in need of support and resources.
NEA also advocates for education-related programs administered by other federal agencies—for example, USDA school meals programs and CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S EDUCATION BUDGET REQUEST HERE
Make a Difference Today
Take Action Now
Looking for more ways to take action?
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VOTE NO on FY2024 education funding bill
Submitted on 11/14/2023
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VOTE NO on trio of tax bills: H.R. 3936, H.R. 3937, and H.R. 3938
Submitted on 06/13/2023
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VOTE NO on the REINS Act (H.R. 277)
Submitted on 06/13/2023
Bills in Congress
Learn NEA's position on pending legislation related to public education, and take action to protect our schools
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Oppose
HR 5894 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations www.congress.gov
Introduced on 10/06/2023
H.R. 5894 is the most extreme education funding bill ever to reach the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Education funding would decline by 28 percent.
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Support
S 2280 Social Security 2100 Act of 2023 www.congress.gov
Introduced on 07/12/2023
A bill to protect our Social Security system and improve benefits for current and future generations.
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Support
S 2217 IDEA Full Funding Act of 2023 www.congress.gov
Introduced on 07/10/2023
A bill to amend part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to provide full Federal funding of such part.
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