Get Ahead: Public Policy Week Awaits You!

Next Up: Public Policy Week – Trends, Insights & What Educators Need to Know

Education is shaped by the policies, decisions, and priorities set at the local, state, and federal levels. Public policy influences how schools are funded, how digital learning is supported, how students access resources, and how educators deliver instruction. From broadband expansion and AI guidance to student aid, accountability, and workforce development initiatives, policy acts as both a framework and a catalyst for change.

In K–12 and higher education, these policies determine everything from class size and curriculum innovation to teacher preparation, digital equity, and financial aid eligibility. This is why understanding policy is essential for everyone working in education, not just legislators and advocates. Educators, administrators, technologists, researchers, and community partners all play a role in shaping the future of learning.

For insights and discussion, attend USDLA’s Public Policy Week, January 20-22, 2026. Join Us!

Register Here

December 5, 2025

1p.m. EST

Do you have an approach to reworking stale, lifeless, outdated, or ugly content? If so, great! But if you don’t or could use some pointers and tips, join us for Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Upcycle. In this fast-paced web session, Dawn J Mahoney, CPTD, will take you through the ways she tackles rebuilding others’ learning content, plans, and strategies. Leave this session having spent a lively hour with peers in a similar situation to yours, as well as with a few tips and tools to use to work your magic!

To get the most out of this session, bring a course, deck, syllabus, learning plan, or equivalent, and some sticky notes, paper, pens, pencils, fun markers (whatever you like to scribble on and with) to make real work notes and decisions for how to move forward.

Click to register: https://usdla.org/events/webinars/

December 12, 2025

1p.m. EST

Presenter: Shannon A. Davis, Ph.D.

Beyond Words: Creating Thriving ELL Communities in K-8 Schools through Data and University Partnerships

Every state has policies to support English Language Learners (ELLs), from federal protections such as the McKinney-Vento Act to district-level policies. While these safeguards ensure basic access to education and language assistance services, they only scratch the surface of what ELL students in K-8 truly need. Thriving ELL communities require intentional, research-based practices that extend far beyond compliance.

This session invites educators to reimagine what meaningful ELL support looks like in action. Participants will explore the transformative impact of hiring educators and staff who bring personal experience as former ELLs, the importance of ongoing data collection and analysis for responsive instruction, and the benefits of leveraging partnerships with Colleges of Education to expand resources and expertise. By examining these strategies, educators will gain practical tools and fresh perspectives for creating inclusive learning environments where ELL students are empowered academically, socially, and emotionally.

Attendees will leave equipped with actionable approaches to move from “meeting requirements” to building thriving, culturally responsive school communities in which every ELL student has the opportunity to thrive.

Click to register: https://usdla.org/events/webinars/

December 19, 2025

1p.m. EST

Join Dr. Alexandra Salas, USDLA’s Public Policy Chair and President of Delmarva Digital Learning Association, a USDLA state chapter, for a forward-looking discussion on the Digital Learning Outlook 2025, focusing on how public policy is reshaping digital learning across K–12, higher education, and workforce sectors.

This webinar sets the stage for USDLA’s Public Policy Week in January 2026, where national experts and education leaders will convene for an in-depth conversation on the same critical issues. During this webinar, we’ll explore what’s changing in federal and state policy, from broadband and device access to AI ethics, digital literacy, data privacy, accessibility, and quality assurance, and discuss what these shifts mean for institutions, educators, and learners in the year ahead.

Attendees will gain practical insights into how policy changes influence program design, funding readiness, and institutional sustainability—and learn how to stay engaged in USDLA’s continuing public policy dialogue this January.

Click to register: https://usdla.org/events/webinars/

We invite new states to join this growing movement! Whether you’d like to establish a chapter in your own state or collaborate with neighboring states to create a regional chapter, USDLA is here to support you. Together, we can strengthen the national network of distance learning leaders and amplify our collective voice.

If you’re interested in learning more or taking the first step toward building a chapter, please email Chair of State Chapters, Erica Bell, ebell3@utm.edu.