AEP Summit Recap

Last week I attended the Association of Educational Publishers Summit in Washington, D.C. The summit focused on the transition of traditional publishing to digital formats, and it provided publishers timely information on how the economy and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will affect educational spending. Here are my insights from the perspective of a publisher:

• Publishers are grappling with how to incorporate and monetize technology within the existing textbook paradigm.
• State and school budgets will be tighter in the upcoming school year.
• ARRA education state stabilization funds will be used by many states to offset or backfill eminent cuts to school budgets. Title I, IDEA, and race-for-the-top funds will be the primary federal stimulus received by schools.
• Although already disbursed to states, few districts have received stimulus funds.
• The U.S. Department of Education is urging funds be targeted to help the lowest performing schools.

For the districts and the English language learners we serve, providing ELLs with focused instructional materials and formative assessments were highlighted as critical needs and a high priority for ARRA funds. The implication for schools is that it is going to be a tough year, however pockets of funds will be made available to help struggling students.

Mark Espinola