NCSS lobbyist Catriona Macdonald has informed us that Senator Peters’ amendment to allow parent engagement funds to also be used to support financial literacy activities was adopted by voice vote and added to the ESEA bill today on the Senate floor.  This means that, for the first time since 2011, there is a real possibility of continuous, dedicated federal funding for all four of the social studies disciplines. The Senate subsequently moved to final passage, and passed the bill with 81 bipartisan votes.

The legislation will now move to conference with the House bill, which does not include any programs or funding for history, civics, geography or economics.  It is vitally important that the maximum possible number of Representatives express their support for the Senate social studies provisions so they can be included in the final legislation when it is sent to the President for signature. 
 
We will be sending out an alert very soon regarding a House 'Dear Colleague' letter urging House conferees to agree to the Senate language on Civics, American History, Financial Literacy/Economics and Geography. Please plan now to get alerts out to your constituencies urging they contact their members of the US House of Representatives to sign-on to the 'Dear Colleague' letter to the Conferees. 

A big thank you to each and everyone of you that continues to reach out to Congress -- together we are making a difference!
 

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