National Association of Federally Impacted Schools

Last week, NAFIS Executive Director Cherise Imai had the opportunity to brief the Joint Venture Education Forum on Impact Aid and the critical role it plays in supporting Hawaiʻi's public schools.

While Hawaiʻi's statewide school system is funded differently than many mainland districts, the federal responsibility remains the same. Impact Aid helps ensure that the costs associated with a federal presence are not carried by our keiki and communities alone.

The visit also included a stop at Hoʻokele Elementary School. Seeing firsthand the care and commitment devoted to supporting military-connected students and families was a powerful reminder of why this work matters.

Mahalo to our partners at the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, USINDOPACOM, the Joint Venture Education Forum, and the leadership, staff, and students at Hoʻokele Elementary for the warm welcome and continued partnership!

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS-Ed) today advanced its FY 2027 spending bill, which includes a $5 million increase for Impact Aid amid broader reductions to federal education funding.

The proposal would up funding by $1 million for Section 7002 Federal Property, $3 million for Section 7003(b) Basic Support, and $1 million for Section 7003(d) Children with Disabilities.

NAFIS welcomes this progress in a difficult budget environment, where many education programs remain flat-funded or face cuts. At the same time, we are concerned that funding continues to fall short of need as districts contend with rising costs for salaries, transportation, utilities, materials, and infrastructure projects.

As FY 2027 budget negotiations proceed, NAFIS will continue advocating for Impact Aid and the school districts and students it supports.

Learn more about the bill in Education Week.

House GOP Endorses Education Cuts as Talks on Trump's Budget Begin House appropriators want to cut Title I by 9%—a cut President Donald Trump hasn't proposed.

Last week, NAFIS welcomed leaders from federally impacted school districts across the country to Washington, D.C., for the 2026 NAFIS Leadership Fly-In.

Throughout the event, participants discussed key education policy issues, shared advocacy priorities, and highlighted the importance of continued federal support for the Impact Aid Program and the students, schools, and communities it serves.

Attendees also spent a full day on Capitol Hill meeting with congressional offices to advocate for FY 2027 Impact Aid appropriations and other priorities affecting federally impacted school districts across the country.

Thank you to all of the district leaders, advocates, partners, and congressional offices who helped make this year’s fly-in a success. We appreciate your continued advocacy on behalf of federally impacted students and schools!

Thank you to Dr. Moore and all attendees, including Silver Valley Unified Superintendent Jesse Najera, Board President Karen Gray, and Briggs School Superintendent Stephen Haynes (pictured), for helping share the real-world importance of Impact Aid during this week’s NAFIS leadership fly-in. These funds make a meaningful difference for federally impacted school districts and the students and communities they serve.

At this week’s Senate FY 2027 education budget hearing, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon faced rigorous bipartisan questioning as lawmakers reviewed proposed funding changes and program shifts.

Impact Aid emerged as a key point of discussion, with Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) highlighting the importance of the program and pressing for clarity on its future. Secretary McMahon assured lawmakers that Impact Aid is going out on time and remains a priority.

We appreciate U.S. Senator Mike Rounds' continued support of Impact Aid and the Secretary’s recognition of its importance.

Watch the exchange.

National Association of Federally Impacted Schools Sen. Rounds Stresses Importance of Impact Aid

Let’s take a moment to recognize and thank the dedicated volunteers in the NAFIS Family – our Board, State Chairs, conference volunteers, and many others who generously lend their time and expertise!

Your support ensures we can continue advocating for Impact Aid and serving federally impacted school districts across the country. We are grateful for your commitment and the important role you play in advancing our mission, and we are proud to celebrate National Volunteer Week, April 19–25, 2026.

April is Month of the Military Child, and NAFIS is proud to join communities across the country in celebrating Purple Up!, recognizing the strength, resilience, and sacrifice of military-connected students.

From frequent school transitions to time apart from loved ones during deployments, these students show incredible adaptability and perseverance every day. Their experiences are a powerful reminder of why it’s so important to ensure federally impacted school districts have the resources, including Impact Aid, they need to support every student.

We are honored to recognize these students and thank them for their service.

NAFIS is proud to announce that applications are open for the 2026 John Forkenbrock Memorial National Educational Scholarship!

This scholarship honors the legacy of John Forkenbrock, who served as NAFIS Executive Director for 27 years and dedicated his career to supporting federally impacted school districts and the students they serve. It will support 2026 graduating seniors from NAFIS-member districts pursuing careers in education and student support fields (teaching, counseling, speech therapy, library/media services, educational leadership, etc).

Awards include:
- 1 scholarship – $10,000
- 3 scholarships – $5,000
- 10 scholarships – $1,000

Deadline: May 1, 2026

For full details and to access application materials, visit the NAFIS website: https://www.nafisdc.org/forkenbrock-scholarship/

Please share this opportunity widely with students and families in NAFIS-member school districts who are passionate about making a difference in education!

: Thanks to Senator Mike Rounds and Representative Dusty Johnson for hosting Impact Schools of South Dakota for a great conversation on the future of Impact Aid during the NAFIS Spring Conference! We appreciate your support of the program and the students and school districts it serves.