{"id":19963,"date":"2022-01-17T00:37:29","date_gmt":"2022-01-17T05:37:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=19963"},"modified":"2022-01-17T00:37:29","modified_gmt":"2022-01-17T05:37:29","slug":"congress-set-to-help-schools-with-impact-aid-funding-amid-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/01\/17\/congress-set-to-help-schools-with-impact-aid-funding-amid-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Congress set to help schools with Impact Aid funding amid COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"
Posted by National Association of Federally Impacted Schools<\/a> on Wednesday, December 8, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div>\r\n
The National Indian Impacted Schools Association<\/a> held its annual conference in October 2021. The organization advocates on behalf of nearly 600 Indian land school districts serving over a million students across the nation. Photo: National Association of Federally Impacted Schools<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n
Congress set to help schools with Impact Aid funding amid COVID-19<\/div>\r\n
Monday, January 17, 2022<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nA bipartisan bill that will help school districts with Indian Country students<\/a> preserve their Impact Aid funding<\/a> is set to clear the 117th Congress this week.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nS.2959<\/a>, the Supplemental Impact Aid Flexibility Act, allows school districts to utilize existing student counts on their Impact Aid applications<\/a>. Supporters say flexibility is needed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic<\/a>, which continues to create uncertainty for schools across the nation.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\u201cIn order to support the South Dakota school districts that participate in the Impact Aid Program, it\u2019s imperative that we again provide them with the ability to use previously reported student headcounts on their Impact Aid applications that they will complete this fall,\u201d Sen. John Thune<\/a> (R-South Dakota) said in a news release<\/a> after introducing S.2959 on October 7, 2021. \r\n

<\/P>\r\n\u201cNot only would this free up time and resources that can be directed to their students, it would also protect school districts from future Impact Aid funding reductions due to temporary enrollment declines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,\u201d said Thune.\r\n

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<\/P>\r\n\u201cThe pandemic continues to hit many Minnesota school districts hard, and for those districts that receive Impact Aid, it\u2019s important that they maintain reliable, stable funding,\u201d added Sen. Tina Smith<\/a> (D-Minnesota), who serves on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs<\/a>. \r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cThis bipartisan legislation will ensure that while the pandemic continues to affect school operations, our Impact Aid districts won\u2019t have to recalculate their student headcounts,\u201d said Smith, a co-sponsor of the S.2959.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nSchool districts are able to secure Impact Aid funding<\/a> to address their legal inability to impose property taxes on lands held in trust for tribe and individuals and on lands owned by Alaska Native corporations. It also covers the lack of property taxes on federal lands, such as military bases.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\u201cThis legislation is a commonsense way to enable all 1,100-plus federally impacted school districts — including Indian lands, military and federal property school districts — to submit timely applications and secure the Impact Aid needed to provide high-quality education to students\u201d said Hilary Goldmann, the executive director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools<\/a>.\r\n

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Remember: FY 2023 Impact Aid applications are due January 31. Late applications face a 10% payment penalty (and if applications are more than 60 days late, the school district will receive no Impact…<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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<\/P>\r\nThe U.S. Senate<\/a> passed S.2959 on December 13 by unanimous consent. There were no objections to the bill in the chamber.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nThe U.S. House of Representatives<\/a> is set to pass the bill under a suspension of the rules as soon as Tuesday, according to the Majority Leader’s calendar<\/a>. The process is typically used for legislation of a non-controversial nature.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nOnce S.2959 clears the House, it can be sent to President Joe Biden for his signature. Enactment is extremely time-sensitive, as Impact Aid applications are due by January 31<\/a>. Late applications can lead to deductions — or even a complete loss — of funding.\r\n

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