With the pace of reauthorization slowing considerably, NEA is taking advantage of the extra time to continue pressing for significant changes to ESEA.Last week, NEA sent a letter to every senator seeking cosponsors for two bills that would improve assessment systems and offer more meaningful accountability for measuring school and student achievement: the Improving Student Testing Act of 2007 (S. 2053), introduced by Senators Feingold, D-WI, and Leahy, D-VT, and the No Child Left Behind Reform Act (S. 1194), introduced by Senators Dodd, D-CT, and Salazar, D-CO.
And NEA continues to work with the coalition backing the No Child Left Inside Act, a new $100 million a year initiative that would strengthen environment education programs in America’s classrooms. The coalition last week called on Congress to pass the bill. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed, D-RI, and Rep. John Sarbanes, D-MD, and supported by key education and environmental organizations.
Overall, there are now 122 bills on ESEA reauthorization that NEA supports. The latest additions include 6 Senate bills and 5 House bills. There are also 7 where we have no position and 18 we oppose. As always, the list of NEA-backed bills is on the Legislative Action Center on NEA.org.
