Wisconsin’s ESSA Ombudsman and WCRIS Project Manager, Abbie Pavela, was in our nation’s capital last week attending the Office of Non-Public Education’s Ombudsman Update Live! Conference and the National Private School Leadership Conference.
Pavela and the rest of the states’ ombudsmen gathered to learn from each other and learn more about federal programs, like the recently released Title VIII equitable services guidance, that affect private schools nationwide.
The group also discussed the outcome of EANS funding in other states. The majority of states left a significant amount of money on the table compared to Wisconsin, which is one of only two states that spent 99% or more of CRSSA-EANS funds. One state has $12 million in ARP-EANS funds left to split between just two private schools, creating an inability to spend that funding before the program deadline. Unspent EANS funds may be returned to governors or public schools. Many states are worried about the public’s and federal government’s perception of how much funding is leftover.
In addition to concerns over the EANS funding, several state departments of education are experiencing staffing shortages, stress and reorganizations as state and local governments are in political turmoil. One state is splitting its state education department into separate organizations under other state agencies. And ombudsman turnover continues to plague several states.
When state education departments experience squeezes on staff, services for all schools suffer. Although Wisconsin’s own DPI is facing similar issues, WCRIS continues to work with the department to ensure private schools are still treated equitably.
During the National Private School Leadership Conference, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) school system, a WCRIS member jurisdiction, was honored as a “featured school system” by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). Congratulations! Learn more here.
Pavela also reconnected with the Executive Director of the Indiana Non-Public Education Association (INPEA), Indiana’s state chapter of CAPE. INPEA is a close counterpart to WCRIS. Additionally, Pavela is from Indiana, and her alma mater, an INPEA school, just received a National Blue Ribbon School award this week. See the whole list of awardees here.
