Federal Legislative Update
February 2007

February 2, 2007
February 9, 2007
February 16, 2007

2/16/07

News from Capitol Hill...

Tell Congress to Reject New 'Highly Qualified Effective Teacher' Mandate

This week, the Aspen Institute's Commission on No Child Left Behind proposed changes to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that would add on top of the current "highly qualified" requirements a new "highly qualified effective teacher" requirement. This new mandate would apply to all reading, math, and science teachers, who would be evaluated in large part based on students' standardized test scores. Another part of the rating would be based on a principal's evaluation. Learn more about this ill-conceived mandate.

Take Action Today!

Contact Your Representatives in Congress Today

Tell Congress to reject the NCLB Commission's ill-conceived "highly qualified effective teacher" mandate. Ask them instead to support NEA's Positive Agenda for ESEA Reauthorization.

You Did It Again: Senate Passes Pro-Public Education Funding Resolution

Your e-mails have secured another victory for public education. This week, the United States Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund programs for the rest of the current fiscal year (through September 30, 2007). The Senate bill mirrors the House-passed version, which provides an increase of $1 billion for education programs, including much-needed increases for Pell Grants, Title I, IDEA, and the Title I School Improvement Fund.

GPO/WEP Cosponsors Reach 200!

The House version of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which would repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision, has jumped to 200 bipartisan cosponsors; the Senate version (S. 206) now boasts 15 bipartisan supporters. The rapid rise in support is a direct result of your continued e-mails and the personal lobbying efforts of the NEA Board of Directors, who visited congressional offices last week.

2/9/07

News from Capitol Hill...

Tell Senate to Act on Funding Resolution

The U.S. Senate has not yet passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund programs for the rest of the current fiscal year (through September 30, 2007). Because the previous Congress did not pass a funding bill for FY 2007, the government has been operating under a series of short-term CRs. Funding under the current CR will expire on February 15 and, unless the Senate acts, the federal government will shut down. More than four months into the fiscal year, it is time to pass a long-term funding bill that tells schools how much money they have for the rest of the year.

The Senate needs to act immediately to pass a CR that mirrors the House-passed version, which:

• Raises the maximum Pell Grant award from $4,050 to $4,310 - the first increase in four years;
  
  
• Increases Title I funding by $125 million (from $12.7 to $12.8 billion), reversing the decline in Title I funding in effect since 2005 and allowing additional reading and math services for some 38,000 eligible children;
  
  
• Provides $125 million for the Title I School Improvement Fund, targeted to schools with the greatest needs to implement improvements designed to raise student achievement;
  
  
• Increases special education funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by $200 million (from $10.6 to $10.8 billion).

Contact Your Senators Today

Tell the Senate to take immediate action to ensure the resources necessary for great public schools by passing a Continuing Resolution for FY07 that matches the levels in the House version.

2/2/07

News from Capitol Hill...

House Increases Education Funding for Current Fiscal Year; Tell Senate to Do the Same!

The pro-public education House of Representatives you helped elect has passed an NEA-supported long-term continuing resolution (CR) for the rest of fiscal year 2007 (through 9/30/07) that provides a $1 billion increase for education programs . The CR is necessary because the previous Congress failed to pass an education funding bill for this year.

The House-passed CR:

• Raises the maximum Pell Grant award from $4,050 to $4,310 — the first increase in four years;
  
  
• Increases Title I funding by $125 million (from $12.7 to $12.8 billion), reversing the decline in Title I funding in effect since 2005 and allowing additional reading and math services for some 38,000 eligible children;
  
  
• Provides $125 million for the Title I School Improvement Fund, targeted to schools with the greatest needs to implement improvements designed to raise student achievement;
  
  
• Increases special education funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by $200 million (from $10.6 to $10.8 billion).

The Senate will begin debate on a continuing resolution in the coming weeks.

Contact Your Senators Today

Tell the Senate to ensure the resources necessary for great public schools by passing a continuing resolution for FY07 funding that matches the levels in the House version.