National Education Groups Issue Statement on Proposed Salt-D Elimination

Source: AASA, The School Superintendents Association

Alexandria, VA - October 30, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- National education groups representing superintendents, school boards, school business professionals, rural schools and communities, and educational service agencies issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s proposed elimination of the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT).

“We believe any comprehensive tax reform must preserve the state and local tax (SALT) deduction as a matter of national priority. The SALT revenue is invested in local communities to fund vital needs including infrastructure, public safety, homeownership and public schools, which educate almost 90 percent of students in our country. Representing public education leaders entrusted with the important responsibility for educating students, we are deeply committed to ensuring students get the best possible education and support. Eliminating the SALT deduction endangers public education and our students’ future.

“State and local tax deductions ensure a stable local tax base that public schools rely on to educate students and provide needed services, such as health care and related needs. The current proposal to eliminate the SALT deduction as part of broader tax reform would cripple this ability and damage state and local economies.

“Policymakers can support tax reform and preserve this deduction. For the sake of our nation’s students and their future, we urge Congress to preserve and protect the SALT deduction.”

In alphabetical order, representatives from the national organizations included:

AASA, The School Superintendents Association
Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director

Association of Educational Service Agencies
Joan Wade, Executive Director 

Association of School Business Officials, International
John Musso, Executive Director

National Rural Education Association
Allen Pratt, Executive Director

National School Boards Association
Thomas Gentzel, Executive Director and CEO

School Superintendents Association Partners With Tap Water Watch

Source: AASA, The School Superintendents Association

Washington, D.C. - October 6, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Recognizing the alarming lead levels in our drinking water, AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is teaming up with a water testing company to address a critical issue that has an impact on a very high percentage of schools throughout the country.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Tap Water Watch specializes in identifying water fixtures in schools, daycares and homes that are exposing drinking water with lead contamination. The company has a nationwide presence with trained water samplers and laboratories in every state.

Congress banned the use of lead pipes in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1986. Any school built before 1986 is at the highest risk level for lead in drinking water.

“Millions of American homes and schools continue to supply drinking water through old lead pipes,” said Chuck Woodruff, chief operating officer, AASA. “Lead gets into drinking water after it leaves a city water treatment plant in the lead service lines, plumbing, solder and water fixtures. We are pleased that Tap Water Watch is an AASA School Solutions partner to help school districts come up with solutions so more students can have access to safe drinking water.”

Based on EPA data, last year 18 million Americans were served water by systems that failed the Lead and Copper Rule, a U.S. federal regulation which limits the concentration of lead and copper allowed in public drinking water.

“Odds are there are water fountains within every school that have elevated levels of lead,” said Scott Nelson, founder, Tap Water Watch. “As pressure mounts from state legislators, the media and concerned parents, school districts have a choice to either proactively test and fix any issues on their own or be forced to reactively test while under the media spotlight.”

Tap Water Watch is offering lead and copper management solutions to AASA member school districts, including providing on-site trained water samplers and water quality monitoring. Districts are encouraged to watch a video the company produced discussing the high levels of lead in drinking water throughout the country and how to register to have their water fixtures tested.