The US Department of Education recently announced that it is seeking to implement new regulations requiring any educational resources created through the department’s discretionary competitive grants to be made widely available under an open licensing agreement. While current law already requires that materials created with federal funds be made available free of copyright, many stakeholders do not know this opportunity exists. The proposed regulation seeks to make this opportunity more widely known and materials more easily accessible.

SIIA recently submitted its recommendations letter for the upcoming conference committee on reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). A new ESEA is vital to our nation’s schools, students and educators, and this reauthorization has been many years in the making. SIIA commends both the Senate and House education committees who have worked diligently to move the reauthorization to this point – the closest in nearly a decade.

Adding to our library of market analysis resources for members, SIIA is excited to announce the release of our latest state policy profile in our Around the Nation series – Doing Business in Florida Schools. These K-20 reports are produced by the Ed Policy Forum, a project of SIIA’s Education Technology Industry Network (ETIN) and provides the research and analysis for SIIA members to translate government policy – funding, programs, regulations, etc. – into actionable market intelligence. With use of this FL state profile, SIIA members will be able to better inform their business development and sales teams on the driving forces behind Florida school decision-making. The report follows the SIIA Ed Policy Forum’s recent FL webinar featuring Sara Clements, Regional Advocacy Director, Foundation for Excellence in Education, and Juhan Mixon, Executive Director, Florida Association of School Administrators.

Over the last several years, the state of California has made many policies changes with important repercussions on the sector. Significantly, the state implemented a new K-12 school finance system – the Local Control Funding Formula consolidated many of the state’s programs, including instructional materials support, into a single block grant to local education agencies. The new dynamic has created funding flexibility and shifted decision making even further towards school districts and county offices of education.

The report was produced by the Ed Policy Forum, a project of SIIA’s Education Technology Industry Network (ETIN). The Ed Policy Forum produces key reports and analysis – turning government policy into actionable market intelligence. With use of this state profile, SIIA members will be able to better inform their business development and sales teams on the driving forces behind New York school decision-making.