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Posts Tagged ‘funding’

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Legislative Update: Education Jobs Fund

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Education Jobs Fund Press Conference

On Wednesday the National Education Association (NEA) held a press conference addressing the $23 billion education jobs fund featuring NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Reps. Dave Obey (D-WI) and George Miller (D-CA), and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

“The Recovery Bill last year saved over 300,000 education jobs, but, because states have not yet recovered, and local economies are just beginning the recovery process, we still have a shortage of the financial resources necessary to keep teachers, firemen and policemen on the job for another year while state budgets catch up,” said Rep. Obey, chair of the House Appropriations Committee. “On that score, we have two choices—we can sit, frozen in our own indifference, as President Roosevelt once said, or we can take action to save those jobs.  That’s what we’re going to try to do.”

House Markup of Supplemental Postponed

The House Appropriation Committee’s markup of the emergency supplemental that was to include the $23 billion education jobs fund that was scheduled for Thursday has been postponed and will not happen until after the Memorial Day recess. In the meantime, the Committee released an official summary of the bill.

State-By-State Estimates of Jobs Saved or Created by Education Jobs Fund

Earlier this week the White House released state-by-state estimates of the number of jobs that will be saved or created through the $23 billion education jobs fund. Based on these estimates you can see how the funding will help your state, and since the House markup was postponed, there is still time to contact your Representative to voice your support of saving educators’ jobs!

By admin in Legislation
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Education Jobs Fund Not in Senate Supplemental Appropriations Bill

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Congress Daily is reporting that Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations subcommittee, will not offer an amendment to the FY10 supplemental appropriations bill that would include the $23 billion education jobs fund due to a lack of Republican support. Harkin said that he was “confident that a clear majority of senators would support such an amendment,” but that getting 60 votes would not be possible. Since the funding will not be included in the Senate version, the education funding will have to be worked out when the bill is conferenced by the House and Senate. Harkin said he will keep pushing for this money.

The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Dave Obey, does still intend to include the education jobs fund in its supplemental appropriations bill. The committee is scheduled to markup the bill on Thursday. Last week we sent out an action alert urging you to contact your Representatives and asking them to support the inclusion of the education jobs fund in the House emergency supplemental appropriations bill.  Please call your member of Congress today!

Chairman Obey will hold a press conference tomorrow with House Education and Labor Chairman George Miller and Education Secretary Duncan  to discuss the education jobs fund.


By admin in Legislation
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Twenty States Win SLDS Grants

Monday, May 24th, 2010

The Institute of Education Sciences announced the winners of the State Longitudinal Data Systems grants last week. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands applied, and 20 states were awarded funding from the $250 million available.  The full list of award winners is:

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Legislative Update: Education Jobs Fund, America COMPETES Act

Friday, May 21st, 2010

Education Jobs Fund

We have been updating you over the last several weeks about the status of the Education Jobs Fund in both the House and the Senate.  To recap, both chambers are proposing a $23 billion jobs fund to protect teachers’ jobs, programs and essential services.  The House Appropriations Committee plans to markup the House version of the emergency supplemental appropriations bill soon.  It is Chairman Obey’s preference that this bill include the $23 billion education jobs fund.  However, he will only put the $23 billion in the supplemental bill if he believes there is sufficient support to pass it on the House floor. In the Senate, Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Labor, HHS, and Education subcommittee plans to introduce the education jobs fund as an amendment on the floor during their vote on the emergency supplemental appropriations.

Earlier this week we sent out an action alert urging you to contact your Representatives and asking them to support the inclusion of the education jobs fund in the House emergency supplemental appropriations bill. We had originally heard that the bill would be marked up after the Memorial Day recess, but the latest word is that the markup is scheduled for next Thursday, May 27th. Please call your member of Congress today!

America COMPETES Act

Two weeks ago we told you that the House intended to consider the America COMPETES Act before the Memorial Day recess. The AP is now reporting that Republicans have “united to derail” the reauthorization of the bill. The bill was brought up for a vote under the House’s suspension process, which limits floor debate, prohibits all floor amendments, and requires a two-thirds vote for final passage, however the bill failed by a vote of 261-148.

Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Science and Technology Committee said the bill “continues to take us in a much more costly direction and authorizes a number of new programs which have little to do with prioritizing investments” in science and technology.

By admin in Legislation
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Legislative Update: Appropriations, Education Jobs Bill

Friday, May 14th, 2010

House May Cut Education, Health and Labor Funding by $3.5 Billion

Rep. David Obey (WI), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a hearing on Wednesday that $3.5 billion would be cut from President Barack Obama’s budget request for education, health and labor programs. Obey stated that the need to cut the deficit is being promoted by members from both sides of the aisle and that while many of the requests for additional health, education and labor funding should be funded on their merits, that would not be possible given the political climate.

Administration Lends Support to Education Jobs Bill

Yesterday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter to congressional leadership supporting Sen. Harkin’s education jobs bill aimed at helping states and school districts save jobs during the next school year. The Secretary is urging Congress to include $23 billion in supplemental appropriations to preserve education jobs.

Melody Barnes, director of the President’s Domestic Policy Council, also posted a statement on WhiteHouse.gov that calls on Congress to include the education jobs funding in the supplemental appropriations bills. She says, “Our teachers are vital to our nation’s success and if we don’t act now and act boldly, we will not only endanger the future of tens of millions of students but threaten to undermine the recovery of our economy.”

By admin in Legislation
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Update on Education Jobs Bill

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

The Senate Appropriations Committee will markup the emergency supplemental appropriations bill this afternoon.  Staffers for Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Labor, HHS, and Education subcommittee have revealed that Harkin plans to introduce S. 3206, Keep Our Educators Working Act of 2010, as an amendment on the floor. While there is no definitive timeline for when that will happen, the Senate could take up the supplemental on the floor as early as next week.  However, timing depends on completion of other bills, such as the financial reform bill, the tax extenders bill, and extension of Unemployment benefits and COBRA health insurance subsidies.

By admin in Legislation
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Legislative Update: America COMPETES Act, Education Jobs Bill

Friday, May 7th, 2010

House Committee Approves America COMPETES Act

Last week the House Committee on Science and Technology marked up H.R. 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, and approved it by a vote of 29 to 8. Originally authorized in 2007, the reauthorized bill seeks to strengthen science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in order to maintain the United States’ global economic leadership. The bill would coordinate STEM programs across federal agencies and encourage more participation by females and underrepresented groups. The bill would also focus on the challenges faced by rural school districts, which often have less access to high speed Internet and lab resources.

The bill now goes to the full House for approval. Chairman Bart Gordon’s (TN) goal is to get the legislation through the House before the Memorial Day recess. Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation also held a hearing to consider the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act.

The bill has been endorsed by several business leaders including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers.

Education Jobs Fund

Senator Tom Harkin told Congressional Quarterly May 4 that a Senate floor vote on S. 3206, Keep Our Educators Working Act of 2010, may come in the next few weeks, but “there is not a committed time for a vote.”

The Education Commission of the States has put together a resource that provides a chart of the approximate amount of funding each state could receive under the education jobs fund and the approximate number of education jobs created or saved by the fund. Both of these charts break down the estimates by secondary and postsecondary distributions. 

By admin in Legislation
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Legislative Update: Education Jobs Fund, Financial Literacy Bill

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Contact Congress about the Keep Our Educators Working Act

As we told you earlier this month, Sen. Tom Harkin (IA) introduced S. 3206, the Keep Our Educators Working Act of 2010 which would provide $23 billion for an “Education Jobs Fund,” modeled after the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that was established in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

I just returned from a meeting where we heard that Sen. Harkin needs help relating to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) and other Senators about the importance of funding to help states and school districts fund education jobs and provide on the job training during a time of financial crisis.

You can share with them the financial situation in your state and why additional funding is needed to retain teachers and other education positions. Please urge them to support S. 3206, the Keep Our Educators Working Act of 2010.

Financial Education in the Classroom Act

On Wednesday, Congressman Michael Castle (DE) introduced H.R. 5165, the Financial Education in the Classroom Act.  The goal of this act is to improve the financial literacy for students in grades K-12 by strengthening the existing financial and economic education section currently under Title V of ESEA.  The bill would establish a competitive grant program for states who demonstrate a commitment to bringing financial literacy education to their schools.  Subgrants would then be awarded by States to school districts who partner with groups in the community to achieve student financial literacy through the teaching of personal financial management skills and the basic principles involved with earning, spending, saving, investing, credit, and insurance.

By admin in Legislation
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Legislative Update: Budget Resolution, Veterans Training

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Senate Budget Resolution Markup

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad released his fiscal 2011 budget resolution (summary here) on Tuesday.  The resolution is $4 billion below President Obama’s discretionary spending request and includes reconciliation instructions to the Finance Committee to reduce the deficit by $2 billion in fiscal 2011. The Budget Committee held a markup of the resolution on Wednesday and Thursday. Budget resolutions are non-binding congressional blueprints that set spending and revenue goals and made budget deficit predictions. It would be up to the Appropriations Committee to decide which programs to cut the $4 billion from.

The Senate will next address the financial reform bill, so it appears the Budget Resolution will not come up on the floor for a couple of weeks.  Conrad said the Committee report would be filed on Monday. No word yet when the House Budget Committee may markup, but it could be as early as next week.

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Hearing on Post 9/11 GI Bill

On Wednesday the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing to discuss the implementation of the Post-9/11 GI bill. Committee Chair Senator Daniel Akaka intends to introduce a bill before Memorial Day to make corrections and improvements to the program. Witnesses from both the American Legion and the National Association of State Approving Agencies suggested the Post-9/11 GI bill should allow veterans to use benefits at institutions offering non-degree programs.

In addition to bills introduced earlier this session to address this problem, on Tuesday Senator Patty Murray introduced the Veterans Employment Act of 2010 which also proposes to correct this issue.   That bill would expand the Post 9-11 GI bill to allow veterans to use their benefits for training at non-degree-granting institutions.

By admin in Legislation
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Legislative Update: ESEA Hearings, Education Jobs Bill, METRICS Bill

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization Hearings

This week the House and Senate held a number of hearings on issues ranging from data to turning around low performing schools to effective teachers and leaders. During Tuesday’s Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing on effective strategies for turning around schools Senator Patty Murray asked about the use of career pathways as a way to improve student achievement (beginning at the 115 minute mark). Robert Balfanz, a researcher from Johns Hopkins University, stated that career academies are one effective strategy that uses career pathways. He also stated that there is evidence that the students who do best in high school are those who take a college preparatory curriculum and a CTE concentration, however only 5% of student nationwide have that combination.

On Thursday the HELP Committee held a roundtable to hear about the problems facing teachers and principals. A key issue addressed by both committee members and witnesses is the need to move from “highly qualified teacher” requirements to defining “highly effective teachers.”

The House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on Wednesday, “How Data Can Be Used to Inform Educational Outcomes.” Committee members acknowledged the vital importance of using data to improve student performance and teacher instruction, but were concerned about need to protect student privacy.

Keep Our Educators Working Act

Senator Tom Harkin introduced the Keep Our Educators Working Act of 2010 which would provide $23 billion for an “Education Jobs Fund,” modeled after the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that was established in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Money could be used for compensation and benefits and other expenses necessary to retain existing employees, and for the hiring of new employees, in order to provide early childhood, elementary, secondary, or postsecondary educational and related services; or on-the-job training activities for education-related careers. This bill is similar to the $23 billion included in the Jobs for Main Street Act which passed the House in December.

Senate Appropriations Hearing on Education Fiscal Crisis

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan testified in a hearing before the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee this week to discuss the FY11 education budget and the fiscal crisis facing education. Duncan endorsed Senator Harkin’s proposed $23 billion education jobs fund (see above), saying “It’s the right thing to do at the right time for the right reasons.” Senator Harkin’s opening statement is available here.

METRICS Act

This week Representative Rush Holt and Senator Sherrod Brown each introduced the Measuring and Evaluating Trends for Reliability, Integrity, and Continued Success (METRICS) Act in their respective chambers of Congress. The bill would authorize $65 million in competitive grants to states to improve the use of their statewide data systems and an additional $65 million for a competitive program to LEAs with low-performing schools to help build the capacity to use data to improve student outcomes.

By admin in Legislation
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