Feds Approve Pro-Ed, Pro-Working Family Legislation

Good news - Congress just passed more legislation that NEA members have been pushing hard for, and which benefit families, students and educators. President Obama is expected to approve two different pieces of legislation that include:

A $2 billion increase for programs benefiting students and families most in need, including our largest priorities:

• $500 million increase to Title I
• $415 million increase to IDEA / Special Education state grants
• $570 million increase to Head Start and restoration of $250 million in previously-passed cuts to Preschool Development Grants

A two-year delay of the Affordable Care Act’s 40 percent excise tax on “high-cost” employer-provided health care plans, meaning it will not take effect until 2020. While we continue to press for full repeal of the excise tax, this nonetheless provides much-needed short-term relief. 

Important tax credits that help families and students have been made permanent, including:

• Educator Tax Deduction, indexed to inflation, and will cover PD expenses
• Child Tax Credit, will provide up toe $1,000 for each dependent under 17
• Earned income tax credit, for low and moderate income working families, also indexed to inflation

NEA notes, “As with our victories in ESEA reauthorization, we could not have secured these important wins in the year-end bills without the year-long advocacy of NEA’s governance leaders, state affiliate leaders and staff, and NEA members back home to bolster our work in D.C.

“We wish you all a very happy holiday season!”