Take Action
Join the Committee for Education Funding’s “Don’t Flunk the Future” Campaign
NACAC, as a coalition partner with the Committee for Education Funding (CEF), encourages participation in the “Don’t Flunk the Future” Campaign to oppose cuts to education funding. Write directly to members of Congress to encourage them to support education funding.
About the campaign
Drastic cuts to federal education funding proposed in the House of Representatives’ FY2025 appropriations bill are a threat to our future. If enacted, this budget would harm students and potential workers in every community across the country. Ripple effects will include:
- Students: From the youngest pre-K learners to college aspirants to adults training for in-demand jobs, the consequences will be both immediate and life-long, impacting our families, friends, and neighbors.
- Educators: Tens of thousands of teachers, counselors, specialists, and support staff will vanish from our schools and campuses.
- Communities: Millions of children, young people, and adults will be deprived of quality education programs that would allow them to grow into strong, productive, contributing members of our communities, companies, and country.
- Workforce: Millions of prospective skilled workers will become economic castaways, worsening our nation’s workforce shortage and increasing the demands on our nation’s safety net.
- National Strength: Cuts of this magnitude will undermine our economic future and threaten our global competitiveness.
The federal government should be increasing public education funding, not cutting it. Education has been underfunded for years, and usually accounts for less than 2% of the federal budget. Adjusting for inflation, FY2024 Department of Education funding is $16.6 billion below the 2011 level.
The House bill will make it harder for Americans from all walks of life to succeed. From hard-working young adults and teachers to more than 25 million students in virtually all the nation’s public schools districts, the consequences will be dire.
Monthly Advocacy Checklist
- Happy New Year! Check your Secretary of State’s website for important voting dates, including registration deadlines, and mark your calendar. Register to vote if you haven’t already done so, or double-check to ensure you are registered. Learn more about the student voting requirements in your state.
- Contact your affiliate government relations chair(s) to inquire about advocacy engagement opportunities planned in your state in the coming year.
- Meet with your members of Congress in their district office during Presidents’ Day district work period. Consider bringing a student along to share their personal story!
- Because most state legislatures are in full swing, many affiliates hold state-level advocacy days this time of year. Attend yours, if available. If your state does not host an advocacy day, consider setting up a meeting with your state elected officials to share more information about NACAC’s policy priorities.
- Check the Education Commission of the States’ State Education Policy Tracker for any relevant legislation in your state and contact your representative(s) to share your support or concerns.
- It’s the beginning of appropriations season on Capitol Hill. Call your members of Congress and encourage them to support increased education funding.
- Meet with your members of Congress in their district offices during the spring district work period. Consider bringing a student along to share their personal story!
- It’s graduation season! Write your members of Congress to share a story about a student you’ve known or worked with this year who benefitted from access to quality school counseling, rigorous curriculum, need-based financial aid, or one of NACAC’s other policy priorities.
- Check NACAC’s Take Action webpage and complete any available action alerts.
- Happy summer! Call your members of Congress and urge them to support or oppose these bills.
- Consider inviting elected officials—local and federal—to your school or campus for a visit in the new school year. Invite them to attend a college application night, host a financial aid night, or simply visit campus to speak to students.
- Most states’ legislative sessions have adjourned. Reach out to your state elected officials and offer to meet with them to discuss potential legislation for the next session.
- Visit your members of Congress while they are home for August district work period. Consider bringing a student along to share their personal story!
- Happy new school year! Encourage any students you work with who are eligible to vote to register if they have not already done so.
- Congress must pass all appropriations bills by Sept. 30 to fund the next fiscal year. Call your members of Congress and remind them to prioritize increased education funding.
- Consider attending the Government Relations Committee meeting and/or adding at least one advocacy-related session at the annual NACAC National Conference.
- October means one thing in the college admission world: FAFSA is open! As you work with students who complete the FAFSA, consider sharing stories with Congress about how FAFSA simplification and increased funding for need-based financial aid would benefit your students.
- Several states require voters to register up to 30 days in advance of Election Day. Complete your registration, if necessary, or double-check that you are registered.
- VOTE!
- Before the semester ends, reach out to one of your NACAC or affiliate colleagues and encourage them to get engaged with advocacy opportunities in the new year. Show them this checklist to help illustrate how easy it is to get involved!
- Register for the NACAC’s Annual Advocacy Meeting.
- Get a jump on the new Congressional and state legislative sessions! Reach out to your newly elected or re-elected representatives and encourage them to support NACAC’s legislative priorities in the upcoming session.
