NSTA
Legislative Update
June 29, 2009
SPEAK Act Legislation Introduced
On June 10 the SPEAK (Standards to Provide Education Achievement for Kids) Act was introduced by Congressman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) in a bipartisan effort to improve science and math education for students in grades K-12. If passed, the legislation would create voluntary core content standards in math and science education for grades K-12, and provide grants so that states could adopt and implement the voluntary content standards. States would then work to align teacher certification, licensure, teacher professional development, and assessments to these core standards. Read the SPEAK Act.
Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill Passed
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2847, making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010 in a party-line vote with 259 yeas to 157 nays. Among the key investments in the $64.4 billion bill include $1 billion to science education in support K-12 to graduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.
Furthermore, the bill granted $862.9 million to NSF’s Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). This directorate supports all levels of science education and training in its goal to ensure the U.S. has the best scientists and engineers.
NASA and NSF received $18.2 billion and $6.9 billion from the House respectively.
In the Senate subcommittee markup of the bill, EHR received the same amount of funding while research and related activities is $92 million less than the House bill.
For more information on the CJS FY10 Appropriations bill, visit:
New STEM Legislation Introduced
On June 4, Congressman Michael Honda (D-CA) introduced H.R. 2710, the Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Act (E-STEM) of 2009. The bill’s primary goal is to coordinate STEM education efforts between federal agencies and state governments in hopes of improving STEM education in grades K-12. Key functions of the bill include:Click here for more information on H.R. 2710.
[This edition of the NSTA Legislative Update was written by summer intern Yosef Getachew.—Ed.]