Call to Action: Advocate for FY26 Funds

Dear XXXXX,

As [title] of [ESA] in [city, state], serving [describe your service region], I am reaching out to urge Representative/Senator [last name] to protect federal investments in education and oppose any measure that cuts critical resources for our schools.

I am deeply concerned by the drastic cuts the House Appropriations Committee approved in September. H.R.5304 slashes Title I funding by $3.78 billion and eliminates entire programs critical to ensuring a quality education for every child across the nation.

In [ESA's region], schools rely on [include information on how Title I and Title II funds are used in your region – what would a 20% decrease in Title I funding mean for your service area? A complete loss of Title II? What services does Title III make possible?]

In contrast to the House, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bipartisan FY26 proposal which demonstrates that it is possible to preserve critical investments in education, while honoring fiscal responsibility. The Senate bill ensures that K–12 funding will be disbursed on July 1, preserving a decades-long schedule. This past July, as districts prepared for the upcoming school year, superintendents faced extreme financial uncertainty as we waited to see if essential federal funding—already incorporated into our budgets—would be released by the Administration. This key provision gives districts the confidence to plan for access to federal funding on July 1, thanks to Congress’s added directive.

As FY26 appropriations negotiations continue, I urge your boss to support the funding levels and policy language in the bipartisan Senate appropriations bill, ensuring that any final FY26 spending bill invests in K-12 education and the future of America’s children.

Sincerely,
XXXXXXX