Upcoming Deadline; Congressional Leaders to Begin NCLB Reauthorization; Duncan To Testify Weds; Update on America Competes; Engineering Bills Introduced; New Innovation Web Portal

Feb 1

Greetings STEM Education Coalition Members!

A great deal of information today, to begin:

Letter to PCAST to Close TOMORROW, March 2: Attached is the letter with the current signatories; If your organization would like to sign on to this letter let us know by close of business, March 2. Note: the letter and current signatories (which will be alphabetized) is first four pages, followed by the white paper.

House Ed and Labor Leaders Announce Plans to Reauthorize NCLB: On February 19 leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee announced plans to work together to reauthorize No Child Left Behind, also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Groups and stakeholders have been asked to send the committee their input and suggestions for ESEA at eseacomments@mail.house.gov. The deadline for comments is March 26, 2010.

The Coalition’s Legislative Task Force is currently working on a letter that provides recommendations on key policy areas as they relate to STEM and addresses changes to the existing NCLB legislation and we will get it to you ASAP. Please note that all stakeholders can provide information to the committee, so we urge you to provide specific ideas and recommendations germaine to your organization directly to the committee at eseacomments@mail.house.gov.

Secretary Duncan to Testify Before Ed and Labor Cmte on Weds, March 3: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will appear before the House Education and Labor Committee on Weds, March 3 at 9:30 a.m. in 2175 Rayburn H.O.B. to discuss how strong and innovative education reforms can help rebuild the U.S. economy and restore our competitiveness. The hearing will be webcast.

Engineering in Education Bills Introduced in House and Senate A bill that would strengthen engineering education in K-12 schools has been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R.4709) and the Senate (S.3043) The Engineering Education for Innovation Act (also called the E2 for Innovation Act of 2010) would authorize the Secretary of Education to competitively award planning and implementation grants for educational agencies to integrate engineering education into K–12 curriculum and instruction. It also funds the research and evaluation of such efforts. The Dear Colleague letter for the bill is attached, we need additional co-sponsors for the bill so please help to circulate it in the House if you can.

Update on America Competes Act: A very comprehensive article on the upcoming reauthorization of the America Competes Act, including a chart of the STEM education programs authorized in the law, recently ran in Education Week. The article by Erik Robelen is titled Many Authorized STEM Projects Fail to Get Funding (www.edweek.org)

Department of Education Unveils Innovation Web Portal: The Department of Education has developed a new online portal where education stakeholders, including teachers, school administrators, parents, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and the American public can “share their innovative ideas and collaborate to turn those ideas into a new reality.” Visit the Innovation Portal at https://innovation.ed.gov/

ALSO PLEASE FIND ATTACHED:

Information on the DC Regional FIRST Robotics Competition THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, March 5-6

National Press Club Briefing on Teacher Preparation March 11

Cheers

James and Jodi

James Brown

Co-Chair, STEM Education Coalition

Assistant Director, Advocacy

American Chemical Society

Office of Legislative Affairs

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