CoSN CEO Keith Krueger today issued the following statement on the fiscal year 2017 spending bill passed by Congress:  
 
“The bipartisan budget agreement was an important step to keep the government funded and fully operational.  
 
“However, the compromise marked a missed opportunity to ensure robust investment in modernizing America’s learning environments. Specifically, the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (SSAEG) of the Every Student Succeeds Act was appropriated just one-quarter of the funds Congress initially authorized to the program.
 
“As the Administration and Congress turn their focus to the FY 2018 spending package, appropriators should provide the full $1.6 billion for the SSAEG program. It is a critical vehicle to providing our districts with the funding needed to upgrade today’s learning settings.”