Weekly Legislative Highlights: October 8 through October 12, 2007
Updated October 12, 2007
*NCLB Reauthorization Update
*Funding Update
*NSBA Testifies on STEM Education
*S-CHIP Vote Set for Next Week
*New Study Debunks Private School Advantages
*Leaked GAO Report Slams D.C. Voucher Program
NCLB Reauthorization Update
NSBA expects the Senate HELP committee to share a working draft over the next few weeks with possible markup to follow. An NCLB resource is now available to help you compare the current law with NSBA’s recommendations for reauthorization and the House committee discussion draft.
To date, 544 school boards have passed resolutions in support of H.R. 648. Please continue to send us copies of your resolutions if they do not appear on our list. Thank you for your effort in our NCLB co-sponsorship campaign!
Funding Update
The Senate is slated to vote on its proposed spending bill for education funding (S. 1710) the week of October 15. Although the Senate Appropriations Committee reported S.1710 in June, the measure has been pending with other appropriations bills amid the President’s intent to veto any spending bill that exceeds his FY08 budget request to Congress. NSBA sent out a call to action this week urging Congress’ swift passage of S.1710 and a House-Senate Conference Report that encompasses the higher funding levels of the House-passed bill (H.R. 3043), which would provide a $2.6 billion increase for Title I, School Improvement grants, IDEA, English Language Acquisition, and other K-12 programs. Likewise, NSBA urges Congress to override any veto of H.R. 3043 or a related measure that includes the funding increases critical to education. A state-by-state analysis compiled by the House Budget Committee illustrates how Title I and IDEA funding would be impacted by the FY2008 appropriations veto threats.
NSBA Testifies on STEM Education
On Wednesday, October 10th, NSBA testified in front of the House Subcommittee on Research and Science Education about the National Science Board’s recent action plan to improve Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education. In her testimony, Chrisanne Gayl indicated that the plan is a step in the right direction to ensuring that students receive the education and skills they will need to become productive workers, good citizens, and intelligent consumers in the 21st century. In particular, the plan’s focus on “developing human capital” to ensure an adequate supply of well-prepared and effective STEM teachers is essential to improving student learning.
Ms. Gayl cautioned the committee, however, against some of the Board’s recommendations that could ultimately erode state and local control over education such as the creation a national council to develop academic content guidelines and teacher certification requirements. NSBA stressed the need for flexibility to allow local and state education agencies to choose curricula and design standards that best meet their needs.
S-CHIP Vote Set for Next Week
The House is scheduled to attempt to override President Bush’s veto of the children’s health insurance legislation late next week. The bill, which passed the House last month fifteen votes shy of the 2/3 needed to override a veto, would expand health insurance coverage to millions of children. In addition, the bill contains an important provision that would impose a 6-month moratorium on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to prevent them from implementing a rule (CMS-2287-P) that would prevent school districts from receiving federal reimbursement for enrolling children in Medicaid and providing certain services to students with disabilities.
NSBA sent out a Call to Action last week urging members to contact their Representatives to support an override of the President’s veto. NSBA’s policy resolutions currently support an expansion of federal programs to ensure affordable access to quality healthcare for all children as well as the protection of Medicaid claiming in schools.
New Study Debunks Private School Advantages
This week, the Center on Education Policy released the findings of a major new study examining academic achievement and related education outcomes for low-income urban public high school students and similar private school students. In short, the study found that when taking into account socioeconomic status and parental involvement factors, there are no general private school advantages across the 4 major subjects. NSBA’s Voucher Strategy Center has compiled a brief summary of the study.
Leaked GAO Report Slams D.C. Voucher Program
A forthcoming report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requested by anti-voucher members of Congress reveals major oversight and accountability shortcomings in the federally funded Washington, D.C. school voucher program. The report found that a third of the schools randomly reviewed by GAO lack appropriate permits to operate and a third are not certified as private schools but rather as child development centers. The Washington Post obtained a copy of the draft report.