NSTA Legislative Update
October 17, 2011

STEM Legislation Part of Senate Bill to Overhaul No Child Left Behind

Senators Harkin and Enzi, chair and ranking member respectively of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, last week introduced a draft of their bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind). The 860-page bill includes a number of substantial changes to NCLB. It is anticipated that the Senate education panel will begin consideration of ESEA sometime this week.

Most importantly for STEM education advocates, the ESEA draft incorporates the STEM legislation introduced by Senators Merkley, Begich, Gillibrand, and Franken earlier this month.

The STEM legislation in the draft ESEA, which is supported by NSTA and the STEM Education Coalition, would reauthorize and strengthen the current Math and Science Partnership Program (Title II B) at the Department of Education by providing competitive grants to states and districts to improve student achievement in the STEM fields. (A provision in the language would transition the program from competitive to formula-based grants after a threshold funding level was reached.) States, districts, and state stakeholders would work together to:

• Encourage and inspire more students—especially those from underrepresented or disadvantaged groups—to study in STEM fields
• Strengthen quality STEM instruction and professional development programs
• Recruit, train, and support highly effective teachers in STEM subjects and provide robust tools and supports for students and teachers
• Close student achievement gaps, and prepare more students to be on track to college and career readiness and success in these subjects
• Develop a statewide STEM education plan.

Funding would also be available to provide mentoring and induction programs and to provide support for STEM related competitions.

NSTA and the STEM Education Coalition worked closely with Senator Merkley on this legislation, and were the first groups to support the legislation. We need you to support the STEM provisions in this ESEA draft by sending a letter to your Senator.

• Read the draft ESEA bill (STEM portion starts on page 433) (PDF)

Read articles on the ESEA reauthorization effort in the Senate:

• Literacy, STEM Education See Big Push in Senate ESEA Bill
• STEM Featured Heavily in New No Child Legislation
• Senate ESEA Draft Bill Would Scrap Adequate Yearly Progress

(Back to NSTA Express)