Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 10/02/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Bill Text
To reauthorize and enhance the National Environmental Education Act, and for other purposes. 7/10/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) No Child Left Inside Act of 2008 - Amends the National Environmental Education Act (the Act) to add to the minimum functions and activities required of grantees under the Environmental Education and Training program, which trains educational professionals in the development and delivery of environmental education and training. Requires such grantees to: (1) create opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development, in addition to classroom training; (2) ensure that their environmental education programs and curricula are aligned with challenging state and local academic content standards and advance the teaching of interdisciplinary courses that include strong field components; (3) bring teachers into contact with working environmental professionals; (4) provide environmental [...]

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Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Head Start Act to improve the math and science readiness of disadvantaged children.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Math & Science School Readiness Act of 2007 - Amends the Head Start Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish additional scientifically-based education performance standards to ensure that children participating in the Head Start program develop and demonstrate premathematics and prescience knowledge and skills, including number concepts and operations, geometry and spatial concepts, classification, and time and measurement concepts.

Requires each Head Start classroom in a center-based program to be assigned one teacher with the competency to impart such knowledge and skills.

Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
To strengthen and expand scientific and technological education capabilities of associate-degree-granting colleges through the establishment of partnership arrangements with bachelor-degree-granting institutions.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Higher Education Science and Technology Competitiveness Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award grants to public institutions of higher education to establish and implement statewide articulation agreements that provide a seamless transition for the transfer of students from two-year institutions to four-year institutions through a common core curricula in math, science, engineering, and technology that reflects the workforce needs of private industry.

Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require the use of science assessments in the calculation of adequate yearly progress, and for other purposes.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Science Accountability Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to: (1) establish challenging academic content and student achievement standards in science, beginning in the 2008-2009 school year; and (2) measure the achievement of students in grades three through eight against such standards, beginning in the 2009-2010 school year.

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to authorize resources for a grant program for local educational agencies to create innovation districts. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Innovation Districts for School Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to 10 urban and 10 non-urban local educational agencies (LEAs) for the creation of innovation districts. Requires the LEAs to: (1) establish tests and longitudinal data systems to track the academic progress of each elementary and secondary school student and use such performance measures in evaluating and awarding school personnel and programs; (2) work with teacher representatives and other community partners to attain the administrative flexibility to staff more equitably all agency schools with effective personnel; (3) evaluate and award effective teachers on the basis of student progress and observations of teacher performance; (4) provide grants to recent college graduates and mid-career professionals to attend LEA-established [...]

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Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S141-142)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a program to help States expand the educational system to include at least 1 year of early education preceding the year a child enters kindergarten.

1/4/2007--Introduced.

Early Education Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to at least ten states to establish early education programs providing children with at least a half-day of schooling each week day during the academic year preceding kindergarten.

Requires each program to: (1) be carried out by one or more local educational agencies (LEAs), chosen by the state; (2) be available to all children served by the LEA or LEAs carrying out the program; and (3) involve only licensed or certified instructors.

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S157-158)

Bill Text
A bill to modernize the education system of the United States. 1/4/2007--Introduced. States Using Collaboration and Coordination to Enhance Standards for Students Act of 2007 or the SUCCESS Act - Amends the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act to require a biennial national assessment of student achievement in grades four and eight, and grade 12 student preparedness, in reading, mathematics, and science. (Currently, science is not included in such assessments and grade 12 assessments need not be biennial.) Requires the Assessment Board's national academic content and student achievement standards to be competitive with rigorous international standards and set at a level that prepares students for non-remedial higher education, participation in the 21st century workforce, and the Armed Forces. Requires the Board, at a state's request, to assist it in identifying discrepancies between its standards and national standards, and in aligning such [...]

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Latest Action: 01/09/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S294-295)

Bill Text
A bill to create or adopt, and implement, rigorous and voluntary American education content standards in mathematics and science covering kindergarten through grade 12, to provide for the assessment of student proficiency benchmarked against such standards, and for other purposes. 1/9/2007--Introduced. Standards to Provide Educational Achievement for Kids Act or the SPEAK Act - Amends the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (the Act) to require the Commissioner for Educational Statistics to add science to the mandatory biennial national and state academic achievement assessments of students in grades four, eight, and twelve in reading and mathematics. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states receiving school improvement funds to participate in such science assessments of students in grades four and eight, beginning with the 2008-2009 school year. Amends the Act to task the National Assessment Governing Board [...]

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Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To create or adopt, and implement, rigorous and voluntary American education content standards in mathematics and science covering kindergarten through grade 12, to provide for the assessment of student proficiency benchmarked against such standards, and for other purposes. 1/9/2007--Introduced. Standards to Provide Educational Achievement for Kids Act or the SPEAK Act - Amends the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (the Act) to require the Commissioner for Educational Statistics to add science to the mandatory biennial national and state academic achievement assessments of students in grades four, eight, and twelve in reading and mathematics. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states receiving school improvement funds to participate in such science assessments of students in grades four and eight, beginning with the 2008-2009 school year. Amends the Act to task the National Assessment Governing Board with [...]

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Latest Action: 05/09/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve school safety. 1/9/2007--Introduced. Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act or the SAVE Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states to allow a student who is attending a public school that does not have a safe climate for academic achievement, or who becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense while on school grounds, in a school bus, or on a school function, to transfer to a safe public school within the school district. (Currently, the school must be persistently dangerous and the offense must occur on school grounds.) Requires the counseling or removal of offenders. Requires a state's determination that a school is unsafe to: (1) be based on verifiable data reported in a consistent and uniform manner; (2) result in ameliorative efforts by unsafe schools; and (3) be relayed to local educational agencies (LEAs) within 45 days before the start of a [...]

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Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 09/12/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8482-8498)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to expand and improve opportunities for service, and for other purposes. 9/12/2008--Introduced. Serve America Act - Amends the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to create two new service-learning programs: (1) a Youth Engagement Zones to Strengthen Communities program, providing competitive grants to partnerships between local educational agencies that serve high-need, low-income communities and certain community-based or state entities to engage students and out-of-school youth in service-learning addressing specific challenges faced by their communities; and (2) a Campus of Service program, which annually grants up to 30 institutions of higher education (IHEs) with exemplary service-learning programs the funds to assist their students' pursuit of public service careers, and the right to nominate additional individuals for ServeAmerica Fellowships. Directs the Corporation for National and Community [...]

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Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to establish expanded learning time initiatives, and for other purposes. 8/1/2008--Introduced. Time for Innovation Matters in Education Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states to enable them to award competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and other public or nonprofit entities to plan and implement expanded learning time initiatives at high-need schools that they serve. Requires such initiatives to: (1) increase the total number of school hours each year at participant schools by at least 30%, compared to the school hours per year that are standard for comparable schools in their school district; and (2) expand learning time for all students in all grade levels in such schools, except in high schools where expanded learning time must apply to at least one entire grade level. Directs states to give subgrant priority to LEAs that serve a high percentage [...]

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Latest Action: 07/30/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to increase the recruitment and retention of school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists by low-income local educational agencies. 7/30/2008--Introduced. Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, renewable, five-year grants to partnerships between low-income local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools offering graduate programs in school counseling, social work, or psychology to increase the number of program graduates employed by low-income LEAs. Defines "low-income LEAs" as those that: (1) serve students at least 20% of which are from low-income families; (2) have ratios of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists to students that fall at least 10% below specified target ratios; and (3) have been identified as needing improvement or corrective action or include at least one school identified as needing improvement, corrective action,[...]

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Latest Action: 07/30/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To increase the recruitment and retention of school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists by low-income local educational agencies. 7/30/2008--Introduced. Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, renewable, five-year grants to partnerships between low-income local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools offering graduate programs in school counseling, social work, or psychology to increase the number of program graduates employed by low-income LEAs. Defines "low-income LEAs" as those that: (1) serve students at least 20% of which are from low-income families; (2) have ratios of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists to students that fall at least 10% below specified target ratios; and (3) have been identified as needing improvement or corrective action or include at least one school identified as needing improvement, corrective action, [...]

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Latest Action: 07/28/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a demonstration project to fund additional secondary school counselors in troubled title I schools to reduce the dropout rate. 7/28/2008--Introduced. Put School Counselors Where They're Needed Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to implement a demonstration project providing competitive, four-year grants to at least 10 secondary schools that have a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate of 60% or lower, for the provision of additional school counselors and counselor resources. Expresses the sense of Congress that grantees should provide one additional counselor for every 250 students at risk. Requires the additional school counselors to serve primarily students identified as being at risk of not graduating in four years. Makes grantees that demonstrate progress in improving their graduation rates eligible for [...]

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Latest Action: 07/24/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7289-7290)

Bill Text
A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local education agencies to improve college access. 7/24/2008--Introduced. Pathways to College Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive 5-year grants to local educational agencies that serve mostly high-need secondary schools for programs to increase the number of students from low-income families who attend college. Defines "high-need secondary schools" as those where at least one-half of the students are from low-income families. Requires grantees to use such funds to: (1) train teachers and counselors to provide students with advice concerning postsecondary education; (2) ensure that each student receives postsecondary information and planning assistance before the end of their first semester of secondary school; (3) inform students and parents regarding the benefits, expenses, and financing of higher education; and (4) ensure that their schools develop comprehensive,[...]

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Latest Action: 07/16/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act to require State academic assessments of student achievement in United States history and civics, and for other purposes.

7/16/2008--Introduced.

American History and Civics Achievement Act - Amends the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act to direct the Commissioner for Education Statistics to give a priority to conducting national assessments of student achievement in history at least once every four years in grades 4, 8, and 12.

Requires the Commissioner to conduct, in at least ten geographically diverse states, trial state academic assessments of student achievement in: (1) U.S. history in grades 8 and 12; and (2) civics in grades 8 and 12.

Directs the National Assessment of Educational Progress governing board to select the participating states.

Latest Action: 07/15/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To authorize grants to local educational agencies to develop and implement coordinated services programs.

7/15/2008--Introduced.

Coordinate to Educate Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award: (1) grants of up to three years to local educational agencies (LEAs) to collaborate with health and social service agencies to develop school-linked coordinated service programs for children and families on or near school sites; and (2) grants of up to two years to LEAs to implement such programs pursuant to interagency service delivery plans that have been approved by the Secretary.

Requires program services to be available to all children and families in the service area and, where appropriate, paid for on a sliding scale.

Directs the Secretary, in awarding grants, to give special consideration to areas with high proportions of educationally at-risk students and areas that have a large number of single parent or two-parent, working families.

Latest Action: 06/24/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6022)

Bill Text
A bill to make grants to States to implement statewide portal initiatives, and for other purposes. 6/24/2008--Introduced. Empowering Teaching and Learning Through Education Portals Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to states to implement or maintain education portal initiatives that include collecting and making available: (1) high quality resources (including data, tools, and digital media content) for teachers, students, and parents, that support public education from Head Start through graduate school; and (2) resources for ongoing and sustainable teacher training in the use of education technology at such educational levels. Allows teachers, students, and parents to contribute resources to their state portal, which is to be accessible statewide. Permits states to use funds available to them under part A (Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund) of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to maintain [...]

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