Education Service Provider Coalition Letter Delivered

On Friday, July 17, 2020, in its continuing effort to keep funding requests for educational and workplace products and services in front of U.S. government leaders, ATP joined with the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the Software Information and Industry Association (SIIA) in sending its most recent letter asking for specific dollar amounts to be allocated towards educators and educational institutions.

“The pandemic has threatened the longer-term sustainability of education businesses at a time when high quality materials and innovative services are more critical than ever. Educators and students at all levels of learning need access to the important resource materials, assessments, accreditation services, and distance learning solutions that the private sector produces, but the reality is that shrinking state revenues and changing budgetary timelines have created financial uncertainty for everyone involved. Americans of all ages will require dedicated training and better skills to survive the long arm of economic disruption,” the authors of the letter wrote.

Specific investments outlined in the letter included:

-       The Education Stabilization Fund- ($175 billion for K-12 and $74 billion in higher education.

-       Equity of Education- $2 billion to school districts for Wi-Fi hotspots, connected devices, and mobile broadband Internet service.

-       Connectivity and Virtual Capabilities to Support Distance Learning - $2 billion to school districts for Wi-Fi hotspots, connected devices, and mobile broadband Internet service.

-       Student Access to Instructional Materials for Remote and In-person Learning -  $6 billion in state formula funds to meet the immediate needs of districts to procure quality, remote-learning-enabled K-12 educational curricula for the 2020-2021 school year, including remote learning upgrades to products they have already procured.

-       Lifelong Learning Accounts to Better Support Learners in this Evolving Economy - $50 billion in additional aid for U.S. education and workforce training structures and systems which will need to be revamped to reflect the rapid changes in the economy due to crisis, shocks and the changing nature of work.  [Read the complete letter here.]