NSTA Legislative
Update
November 19, 2007
President Bush Vetoes Education Funding Bill
As expected President Bush vetoed H.R. 3043, the $150.7 billion FY2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS-Ed) Appropriations bill last week, saying it would provide more funding than he requested. It is anticipated the House will not be able to secure the votes to override the veto. Federal programs are funded under a continuing resolution which will continue until December 14.
The conference report (final version) of H.R. 3043 provides $183.2 million for the Math and Science Partnerships at the Department of Education. This is an increase of 0.5 percent or $0.9 million over the current funding level FY2007 of $182.1 million. (The conferees did not adopt the higher House funding level for this program, which was $197 million. As reported in earlier Legislative Updates, two champions of science education, Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ), generated a Dear Colleague letter to the appropriations conferees on October 31 asking them to accept the House level of funding ($197 million) for the Math and Science Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Education. The House funding level was made possible by Rep. Ehlers when he introduced an amendment,that was accepted, which increased the House MSP funding from $182 million to $197 million).
The conference agreement also did not include funding for an amendment that was introduced by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) that would provide $6 million for baccalaureate degree programs in STEM tied to teacher certifications and $4 million for master programs for science and math teachers. Both of these programs are part of the America Competes Act, which was signed into law earlier this year.
Other items in the conference report of interest to STEM educators:
"The conference agreement includes $46,000,000 for Advanced Placement programs instead of $50,000,000 as proposed by the House and $42,000,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conferees intend that funds be used first for the Advanced Placement Test Fee Program, estimated to require $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2008. The remaining funds shall be used for continuing and new awards under the Advanced Placement Incentive Program Grants. The conferees encourage the Department to incorporate a priority for projects focused on the sciences, mathematics, and foreign languages in the fiscal year 2008 competition for new awards under the Advanced Placement Incentive Program."
The conference agreement does not provide any funding for Math Now for elementary school students or Math Now for middle school students. The Administration had requested $125 million for each program.
In related appropriations news, conferees are still continuing work on a final version of the FY08 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill. This bill funds programs at the National Science Foundation, NASA and other science agencies.
The President has indicated he would also veto this bill because of its overall spending level. The Senate bill provides $850 million for the Education and Human Resources Directorate ($822 million in House bill); $75 million for the Math and Science Partnerships ($66 million in the House) $25 million for the Noyce Scholarship Program ($46 million in the House).
What’s ahead? As mentioned earlier funding for all federal programs are continuing under a Continuing Resolution (CR) which will continue until December 14. When Congress returns from recess the week of December 3, they will have two weeks to figure out federal spending for FY2008. At that time it is anticipated they will either put together a giant omnibus bill to fund much of the federal government for FY2008, which could include a funding increase for specific programs, or pass yet another CR, which would ensure level funding for next year. Stay tuned.
NCLB: Prospects Bleak for Renewal This Year
Several media outlets are now reporting that NCLB is probably going to be pushed back to the 2008 legislative session, putting it right in the middle of an election year. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, stated that action on reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act in the Senate would not occur this year. Read more in this Education Week article by reporter David Hoff (requires free registration).
House of Representatives Marks Up Higher Education Act
On Friday, November 9, 2007, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) unveiled a comprehensive bill that would reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The 747-page College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (HR 4137) was considered at a full committee mark up by the House Education and Labor Committee on Wednesday, November 14.
Another Blue Ribbon Panel Formed to Address Science and Math Education
The Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), have announced they plan to create a new high-level joint commission to address the continuing concern that America’s education systems, both K–12 and higher education, are not providing the level of instruction in science, mathematics and technology needed to participate and succeed in a knowledge-based global economy.
The Carnegie-IAS Commission on Mathematics and Science Education will assess the current state of science and math teaching, identify and analyze successes and failures, and provide recommendations for improving K-12 science, math and technology education.