2018 ASCD Legislative Agenda

Developed by ASCD members, the 2018 ASCD Legislative Agenda (PDF) outlines the association's public policy priorities.

Leadership matters for the success of our education system and our students. At the local level, leadership ensures the success of students. At the district level, leaders provide resources, while state leaders provide oversight. And federal government leadership matters in identifying national priorities and promoting equal access to educational opportunities for all students. But it is the involvement of education professionals in the decision making at each of these levels that matters most so that their leadership and expertise inform the policies that support a whole child education for every student.

Resource Equity

The college- and career-ready expectations for students have never been higher, while the needs of these students—the majority of whom now come from low-income families—have never been greater. Growing income inequality has only exacerbated educational inequities and disparities among communities of haves and have-nots. It is crucial that adequate investments be made to address these realities. ASCD calls on policymakers to provide the funding necessary to meet all of the mandates they impose and to increase the resources in order to meet the needs of every student, especially those programs that support socioeconomically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, career technical education, a well-rounded education, personalized learning, and high-quality teachers and principals.

Professional Development

Educators are the lifeblood of any knowledge economy and the embodiment of lifelong learning. Teachers and school leaders are the two most important in-school factors for student achievement. Policymakers must recognize and value the expertise of educators by providing them with the professional development and leadership training opportunities and resources they require to meet the ever-changing needs of students and the profession for the careers of tomorrow. Moreover, educators should serve as positive change agents for students and for their local communities to support the successful and comprehensive development of youth. ASCD calls on policymakers to ensure that every classroom is led by an effective educator; to provide investments in personalized, job-embedded, and ongoing personal development; and to create incentives for recruiting, retaining, and promoting educators who contribute to student success and school quality.

Whole Child, Whole School, Whole Community

Educating students is the essential function of educators, yet it is neither solely their responsibility nor their only mission. Just as all community members share a larger duty for the security and prosperity of the neighborhood in which a school resides, families, businesses, and communities play roles in providing a safe, healthy, and welcoming learning environment. Such conditions must also include a rigorous and personalized academic experience that provides a well-rounded education and the necessary wraparound services for each student to succeed. ASCD calls on policymakers to offer healthy, nutritious meals to all students; to foster greater alignment, integration, and collaboration between education and the health sector to improve each child's cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development; and to promote the components of a coordinated school health model so that students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

For additional information, contact ASCD Government Relations at gr@ascd.org.