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: 04/29/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
Supporting the goals and ideas of a National Child Care Worthy Wage Day.

4/29/2008--Introduced.

States that Congress supports the goals and ideas of National Child Care Worthy Wage Day, and urges public officials and the general public to honor early childhood care and education staff and programs in their communities, and to work together to resolve the early childhood care and education staff compensation crisis.

Latest Action: 04/24/2008 - Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3408)

Bill Text
A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of a National Child Care Worthy Wage Day.

4/24/2008--Introduced.

Designates May 1, 2008, as National Child Care Worthy Wage Day.

Latest Action: 04/17/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Bill Text
To provide for increased planning and funding for health promotion programs of the Department of Health and Human Services. 4/17/2008--Introduced. Health Promotion Funding Integrated Research, Synthesis, and Training Act or the Health Promotion FIRST Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a plan for health promotion that includes coordinating the health promotion activities of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and addressing how best to: (1) develop the basic and applied science of health promotion; (2) synthesize and disseminate health promotion research; (3) support the health promotion community; and (4) modify or develop resources, policies, structure, and legislation to integrate health promotion into all health professions and sectors of society.Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research,[...]

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Latest Action: 03/13/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3/14/2008 S2142)

Bill Text
A bill to provide for Kindergarten Plus programs. 3/13/2008--Introduced. Kindergarten Plus Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states to provide Kindergarten Plus (K+) programs of voluntary full days of kindergarten during the summer before and the summer after their traditional kindergarten school year. Directs the Secretary to ensure, to the extent possible, that each grant is of sufficient size to enable the state to provide K+ to all eligible students served by the local educational agencies (LEAs) within the state with the highest concentrations of eligible students. Makes children eligible to participate in such programs if they are: (1) five-years old or will be eligible to attend kindergarten at the beginning of the next school year; (2) from a family with an income at or below 185% of the poverty line; and (3) not already served by a high-quality program in the summer before or the summer after the child enters [...]

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Latest Action: 11/14/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To provide for a statewide early childhood education professional development and career system, and for other purposes. 10/25/2007--Introduced. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states for the establishment of a task force composed of state, higher education, and early childhood education representatives and tasked with planning and reviewing the implementation of statewide early childhood education professional development and career systems. Includes among task force duties: (1) developing a professional development and career lattice that provides for a variety of early childhood professional roles with varying professional qualifications and responsibilities, including strategies that offer compensation commensurate with a individual's credentials and training support; (2) assisting institutions of higher education to develop articulation agreements that convert diverse training into academic [...]

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Latest Action: 10/04/2007 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend and extend the Higher Education Act of 1965. 10/4/2007--Introduced. College Access and Opportunity Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to revise and reauthorize appropriations for HEA programs. Establishes a single definition of institutions of higher education (IHEs) for purposes of their participation in all HEA programs, including title IV student aid programs. Allows IHEs to enroll students who are also enrolled in secondary school. Revises higher education consumer information and public accountability requirements. Imposes educational loan disclosure requirements on lenders and IHEs. Replaces the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants for States and Partnerships program under title II with a new Teacher Quality Partnership grant program for partnerships of high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), high-need schools, IHEs, and public or private educational organizations. Repeals part B (Preparing Tomorrow's [...]

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Latest Action: 10/04/2007 - 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 establish pilot programs in expanded school attendance. 10/4/2007--Introduced. Expanded Education Act - Amends title I of the the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a new part I (Expanded Education) program awarding grants to states for the conduct of separate expanded day, week, or year pilot programs. Requires that for each of the expanded day and week programs at least: (1) 20 schools in each small state and 50 schools in each large state participate; (2) 50% of each participating school's student population consist of low-income students; (3) one entire grade in each participating school be involved in the program. Requires each expanded day and week program to: (1) increase student proficiency in reading and language arts, and mathematics; (2) provide education in new areas or directions, so that it is not wholly remedial; and (3) include sufficient recreational,[...]

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Latest Action: 10/01/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reduce class size through the use of highly qualified teachers, and for other purposes. 10/1/2007--Introduced. Facilitating Outstanding Classrooms Using Size reduction Act (FOCUS Act) - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to require the Secretary of Education to award formula grants to states for allocation to their local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) reduce class size, particularly in the early elementary grades, by using highly qualified teachers; and (2) create a continuum of small classes from kindergarten through third grade for all their students. Permits LEAs to use such funds to recruit highly qualified teachers, test new teachers, and provide professional development that enables teachers to teach effectively in their content areas. Requires 80% of an LEA's allocation to be based on its proportion of the state's low-income students, with the remainder [...]

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Latest Action: 10/17/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To establish the Bringing Success to Scale program in the Department of Education. 9/20/2007--Introduced. Bringing Success to Scale Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to establish a Bringing Success to Scale program making academic achievement grant awards to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools that: (1) significantly close the achievement gap between poor, minority, disabled, limited English proficient, and other students; (2) exceed the state's annual measurable academic objectives for two or more consecutive years; (3) make significant improvement on other meaningful data, such as graduation rates and the recruitment of high quality teachers and principals; and (4) demonstrate that they have established partnerships with the private sector and will provide matching funds to help bring results to scale. Designates such LEAs and schools as Distinguished School Districts and Distinguished Schools, respectively. Requires the program to award [...]

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Latest Action: 08/03/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10908-10909, S10928-10929)

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes. 8/3/2007--Introduced. All Students Can Achieve Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise and augment programs created or amended under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Requires states to implement: (1) data systems capable of tracking individual student performance over time and linking such performance to teachers, programs, and services; and (2) highly effective teacher and principal rating systems based primarily on objective measures of student achievement. Allows states that meet these requirements to use a growth model in calculating students' adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward academic performance standards. Requires local educational agencies (LEAs) to: (1) provide professional development and support to teachers and principals not rated as highly effective; and (2) remove them if they fail to attain such rating over specified periods.[...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 relating to mathematics and science instruction. 8/2/2007--Introduced. Improving Mathematics and Science Teacher Quality Act - Amends part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to authorize the inclusion of informal science education centers and business consortia as partners in the grant program to improve the quality of elementary and secondary school mathematics and science teachers. Requires the inclusion of teacher training departments of institutions of higher education in such partnerships, but removes state educational agencies as partnership participants. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award such grants to states for redistribution as competitive subgrants to eligible partnerships. (Currently, the Secretary awards grants directly to such partnerships if appropriations do not exceed a specified amount.) Requires that grant priority [...]

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Latest Action: 06/25/2008 - Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Discharged.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve early education. 8/1/2007--Introduced. Providing Resources Early for Kids Act of 2007 or the PRE-K Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to states to enhance or improve state-funded preschool programs. Sets forth a grant formula favoring states that: (1) have curricula aligned with state early learning standards; (2) follow nationally-established best practices for class size and teacher-to-student ratios; (3) require each teacher to hold at least an associate degree in early childhood education or a related field; and (4) have a plan for meeting the requirement, within five years of receiving such grant, that teachers hold at least a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or a related field. Directs the Secretary to establish a competitive process for awarding grants to other states that demonstrate [...]

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Latest Action: 09/19/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the ability of the United States to be competitive in a global economy, and for other purposes. 7/31/2007--Introduced. Strengthening America's Innovation and Competitiveness Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) and public or private entities to recruit and train individuals outside of the elementary and secondary education system who have expertise in core academic subjects, particularly mathematics, science, and critical foreign languages, to serve as adjunct secondary school teachers of such subjects. Revises the Advanced Placement Incentive grant program to: (1) require nonprofit grantees to partner with educational agencies; (2) give priority to applicants that increase mathematics, science, or critical foreign language programs [...]

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Latest Action: 07/19/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9616-9617)

Bill Text
A bill to set the United States on track to ensure children are ready to learn when they begin kindergarten. 7/19/2007--Introduced. Ready to Learn Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states and, through them, subgrants to schools, child care entities, Head Start programs, or other community-based prekindergarten providers for full day voluntary prekindergarten programs that prepare four-year olds for school. Requires that such programs: (1) first serve children whose family income is no higher than 200% of the poverty level or who are limited English proficient; (2) ensure that, within two years of grant receipt, each classroom is taught by a teacher who has at least a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education or such a degree and specialized training in early childhood development; (3) use curricula that are aligned with state early learning standards;[...]

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Latest Action: 07/12/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9138-9140)

Bill Text
A bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that no child is left behind. 7/12/2007--Introduced. No Child Left Behind Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to revise programs created or amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and reauthorize them through FY2013. Permits states to: (1) use alternate academic achievement standards for disabled students; (2) incorporate student academic growth into calculations of adequate yearly progress (AYP); and (3) determine AYP for limited English proficient (LEP) students by excluding new arrivals and including former LEP students. Increases funds available for teaching, and developing enhanced assessments for, disabled and LEP children. Sets forth the method of calculating high school graduation rates, which shall factor into AYP determinations. Requires placing schools on academic alert status if they fail to make AYP for one year. Requires [...]

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Latest Action: 06/20/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Bill Text
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty, and for other purposes.

6/20/2007--Introduced.

America's Partnership for Nursing Education Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states that are experiencing explosive population growth and have a substantial projected shortage of nurses to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty in college and university nursing programs in the state.

Latest Action: 07/24/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to reduce class size through the use of fully qualified teachers, and for other purposes.

6/11/2007--Introduced.

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a grants program to reduce class size through the use of fully-qualified teachers.

Allots funds to states and local educational agencies to recruit, hire, and train additional teachers, in order to: (1) reduce class sizes nationally, in grades one through three, to an average of 18 students per classroom; and (2) improve teaching in those grades so that all students can learn to read independently and well by the end of the third grade.

Latest Action: 07/17/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

Bill Text
To create a pilot program to increase the number of graduate educated nurse faculty to meet the future need for qualified nurses, and for other purposes.

5/17/2007--Introduced.

Nurse Faculty Higher Education Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow the Secretary of Education to award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, partnerships composed of an accredited school of nursing at an institution of higher education and a hospital or other health facility to establish pilot projects to enable such a facility to retain its staff of experienced nurses while providing a mechanism to have these individuals become faculty members of such a school. Requires such individuals to teach for two years for each year of support received under the program.

Latest Action: 05/17/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Bill Text
A bill to provide for a statewide early childhood education professional development and career system, and for other purposes. 5/17/2007--Introduced. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states for the establishment of a task force composed of state, higher education, and early childhood education representatives and tasked with planning and reviewing the implementation of statewide early childhood education professional development and career systems.Includes among task force duties: (1) developing a professional development and career lattice that provides for a variety of early childhood professional roles with varying professional qualifications and responsibilities, including strategies that offer compensation commensurate with a individual's credentials and training support; (2) assisting institutions of higher education to develop articulation agreements that convert diverse training into [...]

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