Education Report March 19, 2010

1. Budget and Appropriations
-Members were busy this week resolving their differences on the enormous healthcare reform package, as well as redesigning the reconciliation bill that promises new support for K-12 education.
-Last weekend the Administration released its long anticipated "Blueprint" for reforming the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Education Secretary Arne Duncan spent much of the week explaining the details to interested lawmakers.
-Arne Duncan will talk to the Senate LHHS and Ed Subcommittee Members in the coming weeks. It is anticipated he will be met by chilly responses for his proposals to flat fund top Democratic priorities, and instead devote all new resources to new initiatives that are the invention of, a top priority for the Administration.

2. Pieces of SAFRA in Health Care Package
-Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee staff and their colleagues from the House Education and Labor Committee hosted a meeting for education stakeholders to discuss which pieces of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act might be included in the reconciliation package.
-The thursday meeting detailed the small piece of the large bill that was passed by the House last year that will be in the reconciliation package.

For information on the bill's education components, visit:
http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2010/03/miller-health-care-bill-will-i...

3. In Brief
-Frenzy this week, House deadline for ESEA comments Next Week
-Brookings Institute proposes New Teacher Corps
-Project Tomorrow surveys students' views on Digital Media
-CEP Releases study on gender GAP in State Test Scores
-House Science and Technology Subcommittee examines STEM Diversity

Be sure to also check out sections #4 (New Publications) and #5 (In the News) for articles of interest.