NSTA
Legislative Update
June 6, 2005
House Subcommittee Marks Up NSF Funding Bill
On May 25, the House Science, State, Commerce and Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA), marked-up (voted on), their bill making appropriations for FY2006 programs for the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The subcommittee provided $5.64 billion in funding for the NSF, $38 million above the President’s FY2006 request and $171 million over FY2005. The Education and Human Resources (EHR) Directorate of the NSF received $807 million, which is $70 million above the President’s request, but far below FY2005 levels. The President requested $737 million for FY2006 EHR programs at the NSF, a reduction of 12% from FY 2005 programs and 21% from FY2004 programs.
Appropriations under the NSF Education and Human Resources (EHR) Directorate fund critical research and development (R&D) programs for K–12 STEM curriculum development, preservice and in-service teacher education, the informal science infrastructure, and uses of technology to enhance K-12 instruction and create systemic reform.
Programs under the EHR directorate include Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE); Undergraduate Education; Research, Evaluation and Communications; and the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program.
This year, the Administration requested only $60 million for the MSP program, a 56% reduction in funding from FY2004. The competitive, peer reviewed, NSF MSPs seek to develop model reform initiatives that will improve teacher quality, develop challenging curricula, and increase student achievement in mathematics and science.
The Administration requested $140 million for FY2006 programs under ESIE, a drop of almost 32% from FY2004 funding of $206 million.
For weeks NSTA and many other groups, including the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), urged Congress to reject the Administration’s proposal for double-digit cuts to the FY2006 NSF Education and Human Resources Directorate budget and instead restore funding for K–12 NSF programs, including the MSPs, back to FY2004 levels of $944 million for the EHR Directorate and $206 million for ESIE. NSTA also asked Congress to provide $200 million for the NSF MSP program.The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on this bill shortly. The Senate counterpart to this committee, the Science Commerce and Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, is expected to mark up their bill later this summer. The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over federal K–12 programs at the U.S. Department of Education, has not taken any action on their bill. Watch for future NSTA Legislative Updates for specific funding numbers for these and other K–12 STEM programs.
Challenges to American Competitiveness in Math and Science Subject of Education and Workforce Subcommittee Hearing
On May 19, a subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee convened a hearing on K–12 math and science education. Witnesses at the hearing included the retired CEO of Lockheed Martin; the Dean of Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the head of the Maryland Business Roundtable; and a University of Michigan science education professor.
The meeting provided an
informative look at K–12 through the lens of business and higher education
leaders. More information on the hearing, including witness testimony, is
available at
http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/109th/21st/mathscience051905/wl051905.htm
or read a synopsis
of the hearing (http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_06_06_synopsis.htm)
prepared by NSTA Legislative Affairs staff.