Why It Matters
Pleasanton (Kan.) Unified School District 344 hired AdvocacyBuild LLC to lobby on education (EDU), according to a new client registration signed Sept. 29. The filing lists federal funding, workforce development, career technical education and the Every Student Succeeds Act.
The registration names Tyson Elbert as the lobbyist and lists his covered position as Founder/Executive Director.
By The Numbers
The firm filed a third quarter report for $10,000.
Broader Context
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports that Congress enacted full-year Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations on Feb. 3, providing $79.0 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education. CRS says the House committee's fiscal year 2026 bill proposed $66.9 billion and the Senate committee's bill $79.0 billion. Those figures cover the department, not an allocation to the district (CRS, May 28).
A coalition of states alleged in a complaint that the Department of Education notified states on June 30, 2025, that it would not issue grant-award notices on July 1 for several programs, including Title II-A and Title IV-A and IV-B. The states say those funds support services delivered through states and local school districts. The complaint, in State of California et al. v. McMahon et al. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, states allegations, not court findings (complaint, July 14, 2025).
Between The Lines
At a July 15 Committee on Education and Workforce hearing on a package of bills that included one on workforce development, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) objected to moving family engagement and school safety programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services. He offered an amendment to reinstate the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board.
Competitive Landscape
Three other organizations recently registered to lobby on education through other filings:
- Cleary University hired Hogan Marren Babbo & Rose Ltd. on Sept. 18.
- Paine College hired Cornerstone Government Affairs Inc. on Sept. 14.
- Learning Care Group Inc. registered on Sept. 29 with no outside firm listed.
The Bottom Line
The district now has an outside firm registered to lobby for it on federal education issues. The registration puts funding, workforce and education-law topics on record for the district.
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