May 23, 2023

Welcome Beth Kabes as the new Program Assistant

We are delighted to introduce our newest AESA team member, Beth Kabes, who has joined us as our new program assistant. Beth brings a wealth of experience from her time working in Nebraska educational service agencies. She served as the ESU 7 Media and Distance Learning Coordinator, Director of Blended and Distance Learning for the Nebraska Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council, and a grant manager for ESU 2.

Beth is no stranger to AESA as along with her experience as a member, she provided oversight for the AESA Community Platform.

In her new role as AESA Program Assistant, Beth will work with AESA Executive Assistant Ann Fiene in supporting the events and services of AESA. Beth’s previous work experience brings AESA strong skills in technology and customer service that will greatly benefit our team and enhance our capabilities. Once again, we extend a warm welcome to Beth and look forward to her contributions and success with us!

A robust learning program is planned at this year's Summer Leadership Conference!

Here is a closer view of just a small portion of what you'll be discussing in the breakout sessions:

• Sustainable Leadership
• Succession Planning
• Managing the Workforce Crisis (recruitment and retention of staff)
• Keeping your ESA Relevant and Vibrant – Exiting and sunsetting programs
• Making your School Districts “Sticky"
• Data as a Service

There is much, much more! Networking, thought leadership, problem-solving! Join us this summer in Cincinnati! But HURRY! Early Bird rate ends June 8!

The Reading Leaders Book Club meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7 pm EST. Here is our summer reading list.

If you or someone you know is deserving of national recognition, we want to hear from you. Check out the award categories and the selection criteria on the AESA website. Nominations are due June 12, 2023.

Last week, ED released its notice of proposed rulemaking on IDEA’s 300.154

which requires districts to obtain parental consent for billing Medicaid for any IDEA-related services they provide to a Medicaid-eligible child.

Since 2005, AESA has voiced concerns that presenting a separate signed consent form for Medicaid reimbursement has been confusing and problematic for parents. While ED attempted to improve the initial parental consent regulation in 2013 for services that are delivered as part of a student’s individualized education program (IEP), there is still considerable confusion from parents about why they should complete the consent form and why the school needs separate permission to bill Medicaid for healthcare services they are delivering to their child in schools. AASA and our partners documented this issue in our January 2023 report you can find here.

Now as part of the Biden Administration’s commitment to improving the Medicaid billing process for schools and expanding healthcare services for our students, OSERS has taken the step of amending their regulation which would only require districts to notify parents that they are billing Medicaid for IDEA-related services. This is a huge step forward and we are so thrilled that our advocacy efforts have paid off.

However, there is nothing ED can do to change the FERPA requirement that districts receive parental permission to bill Medicaid, and so we are turning to Congress to ask them to amend FERPA (as they did under the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act) so LEAs can bill Medicaid directly without parental consent. The next phase of our advocacy to remove barriers to LEAs billing Medicaid will be ensuring legislation in Congress is passed that will exempt PII related to Medicaid billing to be shared between LEAs and State Medicaid Agencies and contractors. Stay tuned!

AESA joined more than 760 organizations in a letter to Congress expressing

concern with calls from some for very deep cuts in non-defense programs. Read the letter here.

The Department of Education opened applications for the federal Fostering Diverse Schools (FDS) program. The FDS provides competitive grants to LEAs, consortia of LEAs, or one or more LEAs in partnership with a SEA to develop or implement and make publicly available as a resource for other LEAs and SEAs, school diversity plans that improve school conditions for student learning by supporting voluntary efforts to increase school socioeconomic diversity in preschool through grade 12.

The FDS program is intended to help build the capacity of LEAs to meet the needs of students, including academic, social, emotional, and mental health by increasing access to and equity in diverse and inclusive learning environments. The department is seeking superintendents interested in applying. Applications are due July 7, and you can apply here.