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News from Washington
January-February 2003
OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS BILL. Republicans had hoped to pass an Omnibus Appropriations Bill to fund government programs for 2003 before the State of the Union Address on January 28. The House quickly passed a bill which reflected the President’s budget priorities. The Senate Bill was not passed until late Thursday, January 23. Democratic amendments to increase funding for education programs failed. More below…
LEADERS OF THE 108TH CONGRESS. The 108TH Congress was sworn in on January 8. The Republicans control the House by 22 seats and the Senate by one seat. Dennis Hastert (IL) remains as Speaker of the House; Nancy Pelosi (CA) is Minority Leader. On the Senate side, Bill Frist (TN) replaced Trent Lott (MS) as Majority Leader and Tom Daschle (SD) remains as Minority Leader. More below…
IDEA, TANF ACTION EXPECTED SOON. Both the Education and the Workforce Committee and the Senate HELP Committee hope to introduce bipartisan IDEA bills soon after the President offers a “blueprint” for the reauthorization of IDEA. The 107th Congress extended the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) legislation until March of 2003. The new Congress is expected to follow the Administration’s push for increasing required working hours and reducing the allowance for time spent going to school.
BILLS DUE FOR REAUTHORIZATION. A number of important bills, including Head Start, The Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, The Higher Education Act and The Workforce Investment Act (which includes Vocational Rehabilitation and Adult Literacy) are scheduled to be reauthorized by this Congress. However, the very busy schedule this year may delay action on some of these bills. More below…
NATIONAL CENTER ON ACCESSING THE GENERAL CURRICULUM (NCAC). The Department of Education has awarded $199,911 to the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) in Wakefield, MA to develop a voluntary national file format for the electronic transmission of instructional materials for students who are blind and students with other disabilities. Go to: http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/11-2002/11152002a.html.
WHAT WORKS CLEARINGHOUSE. The new Institute of Education Sciences hopes to provide educators, policy makers and the public with a central, independent and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education. The Department of Education is circulating draft guidelines for evaluating studies to be included in a website at www.w-w-c.org. Some experts say that the new standards rely too heavily on particular research methodologies.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
The 108th Congress was sworn in on January 8. The Republicans control the House by 22 seats and the Senate by one seat. Dennis Hastert (IL) remains as Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (CA) is Minority Leader. On the Senate side, Bill Frist (TN) replaced Trent Lott as Majority Leader and Tom Daschle (SD) remains as Minority Leader.
Republicans had hoped to pass an Omnibus Appropriations Bill to fund government programs for 2003 before the State of the Union Address on January 28.
The House quickly passed a bill which reflected the President’s
budget priorities. The Senate Bill was not passed until late Thursday,
January 23.
Democratic amendments to increase funding for education programs failed.
However the Senate did adopt a Gregg amendment which would increase funding
for education programs by $5 billion. Of this $5 billion, 15% is to go
to the state and the rest to local education agencies, which could decide
how to allocate the money among NCLB, IDEA, and higher education. The
$5 billion increase will be paid for by imposing an across-the-board cut
of 1.3 percent on all the federal programs in the 11 appropriations bills
packaged together in the omnibus bill. This cut is in addition to the
1.6 percent across-the-board cut imposed in the underlying bill. This
total 2.9 percent cut will affect all other education programs.
The Senate also adopted a Gregg Dodd amendment, which would increase funding for IDEA by $1.5 billion. The money would be taken from the 2004 appropriations, so it would not affect funding in this Omnibus Appropriations Bill. The final Senate appropriations for education programs is $6.65 billion, or 13.3% increase, over FY '02 education funding.
HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE
The House Education and the Workforce Committee again will be chaired by John Boehner (OH). George Miller (CA) is the ranking member. New Republican members are Marsha Blackburn (TN), John Carter (TX), Tom Cole (OK), John Kline (MN), Marilyn Musgrave (CO), and Jon Porter (NV). A complete list of committee members will be provided when it is finalized.
Republicans on the Committee issued a press release giving their agenda for the upcoming year. Some of their priorities are:
- Improving Special Education
- Improving Quality & Accountability in Higher Education
- Strengthening Early Childhood Education
- Successfully Implementing the No Child Left Behind Act
- Supporting America's Teachers
- Preventing Child Abuse and Family Violence
- Improving Results in Vocational Education
- Supporting America's Libraries and Museums.
For more information and a complete list of the Committee's priorities, go to: http://edworkforce.house.gov/press/press108/01jan/edagenda11003.htm
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS (HELP) COMMITTEE
The Senate HELP Committee will be chaired by Judd Gregg (NH). Ted Kennedy (MA) will be the Ranking member. Republicans on the Senate HELP Committee are Judd Gregg (NH), Chairman, Bill Frist (TN), Michael Enzi (WY). Lamar Alexander (TN), Christopher Bond (MO), Mike DeWine (OH). Pat Roberts (KS), Jeff Sessions (AL), John Ensign (NV), Lindsey Graham (SC), John Warner (VA). Alexander, Graham and Ensign (NV) are new to the Committee. Susan Collins (ME) has left the committee. Democrats are Christopher Dodd (CT), Tom Harkin (IA), Barbara A. Mikulski (MD), Jeff Bingaman (NM), Patty Murray (WA), Jack Reed (RI), John Edwards (NC), and Hillary Clinton (NY) Independent Jim Jeffords (VT) is listed with the Democrats.
IDEA AND TANF ACTION EXPECTED SOON
Both the Education and the Workforce Committee and the Senate HELP Committee hope to introduce bipartisan IDEA bills soon after the President offers a “blueprint” for the reauthorization of IDEA. The 107th Congress extended the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) legislation until March of 2003. The new Congress is expected to follow the Administration’s push for extending required working hours and reducing the allowance for time spent in going to school.
BILLS DUE FOR REAUTHORIZATION IN THE 1O8TH CONGRESS
A number of important bills, including Head Start, The Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, The Higher Education Act and The Workforce Investment Act (which includes Vocational Rehabilitation and Adult Literacy) scheduled to be reauthorized by this Congress, but the very busy schedule this year may delay action on some of these bills.
NEW BILLS IN THE 108th CONGRESS
House Bills
H.R. 4 To reauthorize and improve the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families and to improve access to quality child-care. Introduced by Pryce, (R-OH). A reissue of the House TANF bill in the 107th Congress.
H.R.12 Fed Up Higher Education Technical Amendments of 2003 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to make various technical revisions that incorporate the results of the Fed Up Initiative to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to access to student aid. Introduced by Rep McKeon, (CA)
H.R.14 To amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to make improvements to and reauthorize programs under that Act. Introduced by Rep Hoekstra, (MI)
H.R.129 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make higher education more affordable by providing a tax deduction for higher education expenses, and for other purposes. Introduced by Rep Holt, (NJ)
H.R.79 To require the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the National Academy of Sciences, to conduct a study on methods for identifying and treating children with dyslexia in kindergarten through third grade. Introduced by Rep Jackson-Lee (D TX )
H.R. 438 To increase the amount of student loans that may be forgiven for teachers in mathematics, science, and special education. Introduced by Rep. Wilson (SC-2)
H.R. 464 To provide relief to teachers, administrators, and related services providers from an excessive paperwork burden, and to reduce time spent by teachers on non-instructional activities, as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Introduced by Rep Keller (FL-8)
H.R. 490 To improve access to printed instructional materials used by blind or other persons with print disabilities in elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes. Introduced by Rep Petri (WI-6)
H.R. 516 To amend the General Education Provisions Act to clarify the definition of a student regarding family educational and privacy rights. Introduced by Rep Kennedy (MN-6)
Senate Bills
S.8 To encourage lifelong learning by investing in public schools and improving access to and affordability of higher education and job training. Introduced by Sen Daschle (SD)
S.133 To amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to fully fund 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditure for programs under part B of such Act. Introduced by Sen Dayton (MN)
S.140 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend loan forgiveness for certain loans to Head Start teachers. Introduced by Sen Feinstein, (CA)
S. 251 To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to exclude child care from the determination of the 5-year limit on assistance under the temporary assistance to needy families program, and for other purposes. Introduced by Sen. Bingaman (NM)
S. 252 To amend the temporary assistance to needy families program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to improve the provision of education and job training under that program, and for other purposes. Introduced by Sen Bingaman (NM)
S. 291 to increase the amount of student loans that may be forgiven for teachers in mathematics, science, and special education. Introduced by Graham (R NC) S.1899 in the 107th Congress.
S. 286 the "Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention Act", to revise and extend the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998. Introduced by Bond (R-MO) Originally introduced late in the 107th Congress.
S. 327 (Levin, D-Mich.), to amend Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act to allow up to 24 months of vocational educational training to be counted as a work activity under the temporary assistance to needy families program; statement and text of bill at S2053 - 2054.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
FINAL REGULATIONS FOR TITLE I OF NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB)
The Department of Education issued final regulations for Title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the No Child Left Behind Act. Major provisions focus on state accountability systems, adequate yearly progress, school-wide programs, LEA and school improvement, qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals, participation of eligible children in private schools, allocations to LEA’s and fiscal requirements. A separate Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will be issued on Annual Yearly Progress for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The regulations can be found at www.ed.gov/Office/OESE/SASA/cepprogressresp.html#reg
GUIDANCE ON SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES UNDER NCLB
On December 12th, the Department of Education issued draft non-regulatory guidance on supplemental educational services under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Under NCLB, federal funds may be used to give disadvantaged children who attend Title I-funded schools that are in need of improvement extra academic help, or "supplemental services." Supplemental services provide extra help before or after school, on weekends or during the summer, in reading, language arts and math. For details go to http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SASA/suppsvcsguid.pdf (requires Acrobat Reader).
OTHER
The Department of Education’s new Institute of Education Sciences has set up a What Works Clearinghouse provide educators, policy-makers, and the public with a central, independent, and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education. The Department is circulating draft guidelines for evaluating studies to be included in a website at www.w-w-c.org. Some experts say that the new standards rely too heavily on particular research methodologies.
The Department of Education has awarded $199,911 to the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum (NCAC) at the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) in Wakefield, Mass, to develop a voluntary national file format for the electronic transmission of instructional materials for students who are blind and students with other disabilities For more information, go to http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/11-2002/11152002a.html.
LDA News from Washington is a monthly publication of the Learning Disabilities Association of America and is available free to members upon request by mail and/or email. Contact LDA at info@ldaamerica.org. Written by Justine Maloney; Jane Browning, editor.
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