Policy by the People Agenda 

Summary of federal policy action this past month and a look-ahead to the next few weeks/month 

1. State of the Union: On February 7^th, President Biden shared his agenda for the next year during the State of the Union address. During his speech, the President highlighted several policy priorities, including job creation, addressing gun violence, infrastructure, and job placement for veterans. The President also outlined his priorities for education, including access to pre-kindergarten, increasing teacher pay, increasing the Pell Grant, expanding career pathways, increasing access to 2-years of community college, and investing in mental health care in schools. President Biden also called for tech companies to be held accountable for collecting data on children. 

2. Education and the Workforce Hearing: On February 8^th, the House Education and the Workforce Committee held its first hearing, American Education in Crisis. The hearing focused on career pathways for high school students, learning-loss recovery, parent and family engagement, school choice, education saving accounts, WIOA, and affordable higher education. Chair Foxx also released the Committee’s oversight agenda for the 118^th Congress. 

Policy-related events and resources of interest, including federal funding opportunities 

Events 

• Upcoming Event: The Youth Mentoring Coalition is convening a webinar Workforce Pathways for Youth: The Role of Out of School Time, hosted by AMI Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Jobs for America’s Graduates on February 15 at 10:00 am ET. More information and registration can be found here. 
• Upcoming Event: Child and Student Nutrition Alliance will be hosting the briefing Farm Bill 101 on February 15 at 11:00 am ET. More information and registration can be found here. 
• Upcoming Event: FutureEd will host the webinar Where are school Districts on the Road to Recovery? What Comes Next? on February 15 at 3:00 pm ET. More information can be found here.  
• Upcoming Event: FutureEd will host the webinar Highly Effective Family Engagement: 5 Habits to Start Now on February 15 at 3:00 pm. More information can be found here.  
• Upcoming Event: Education Week will host the Scalable Modern Solutions to Fast-track Learning Recovery webinar on February 28 from 2:00-3:00 pm ET. More information can be found here. 
• Upcoming Event: The Hunt Institute will host the webinar Postsecondary Pathways: White House Initiative on HBCUs: Past, Present and Future on February 16 at 2:00 pm ET. More information and registration can be found here. 
• Upcoming Event: Brookings will host the Education Systems Transformation Symposium on February 17 from 9:00 am-6:00 pm ET. This is a primarily in-person event with opening and closing plenaries available for live streaming. More information and registration can be found here. 
• Upcoming Event: The National Human Services Assembly will host their Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Peer Council meeting: How to Support a Multi-Generational Workforce on February 22 from 1:00-2:00 pm ET. More information and registration can be found here.
• Upcoming Event: Learning Policy Institute will host the webinar Whole Child Policy: Building Adult Capacity and Expertise on March 1 from 3:00-4:00 pm ET. More information and registration can be found here. 
• Past Event: American Enterprise Institute hosted A Conversation with Governor Kim Reynolds on Iowa’s Students First Act. More information can be found here. 
• Past Event: Education Week hosted the webinar Close the Gender Gap: Getting Girls Excited about STEM. More information and registration can be found here.  

Resources 

• The Office of Educational Technology: Guidance: Leveraging Federal Funds for Teaching and Learning with Technology 
• The 74: News Article: ChatGPT: Learning Tool—Or a Threat? How a Texas College is Eyeing a New AI Program 
• Education Next: Report: Estimating the “Effective Teaching Gap” 
• The 74: Report: Cardona’s Tutoring Charge, 1 Year Later: Some Progress, But Some Obstacles Remain 
• RAND: Report: Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid in New York City 
• WestEd: Report: Students’ Use of School-Based Telemedicine Service and Rates of Returning to Class After These Services in a Small Elementary School District

Funding Opportunities 

• Federal Register: Education Department 
• Federal Register: Workforce Development 

IEL Policy Highlights 

• On January 20^th, Ebony Watson was a featured panelist on the Grantmakers for Education Out of School Time Impact Group Monthly Field Convening: Inclusion of Children & Youth with Disabilities in OST. During the session, Ebony shared her expertise working with youth in IEL’s Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP).  

• IEL signed onto a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra with recommendations for the formation and implementation of the newly established Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council. The Council is intended to “to foster greater coordination and transparency on child policy across agencies.”  
  
  
• In late January, Jose Munoz and Christa Rowland, members of the Coalition for Community Schools team, traveled to San Francisco to participate in Beacon Way Day 2023. They met with city and school district leaders and participated in Community School site visits. Jose also served as a featured speaker for the event. 

• On February 6^th, Ryan Hurley led the Coalition for Community Schools Midwest Regional Convening. Over 100 Community Schools leaders participated in panel discussions and breakout groups to develop capacity to forge impactful partnerships to support the region’s children and families. Participants shared “this was the best way to start off my Monday and it was fruitful and very good for me,” and “the willingness to support each other and share resources is AMAZING!”