Education Report for March 6, 2009

Highlights under each section of the attached report include:

1. Budget and Appropriations
-Despite the coming of the March 6th deadline (today!) when the continuing resolution on FY 2009 appropriations was set to expire, the Senate could not reach an agreement on the FY 2009 Omnibus appropriations bill that passed in the House last week.
-To review, the bill would determine how much $ federal agencies will receive for the remainder of the year.
-Conflict in the Senate surrounded its total cost ($410 dollars) and the amount of earmarks.
-It was clear today that the democrats in the Senate had fallen 1 vote short.
-Expectation is that some minor changes will enable passage on Tuesday.
-Ed world waits with much anticipation, because if the bill does not pass and the CR is extended through the rest of the year, education stands to loose $500 million in funding.

2. Center for Education Policy (CEP) Holds Briefing on the Federal Role in Improving Teaching
-Focused on review of Federal role in elementary and secondary ed. in last 50 years
-Mainly concerning the impact of ESEA and the Higher Ed. Act.
-Saw promising changes in teacher recruitment but room for improvement in retention techniques.
-Offered suggestions in addition to observations.

3. In Brief, headings include:
-Department of Education Posts New ARRA (Stimulus Package) Resource and Guidance--mainly relating to school modernization
-Nominations For Science Posts Held Up in Senate
-NEA Kicks Off Read Across America Day
-Education Testing Service (ETS) Holds Briefing on Reading Assessments
-Addressing Children's Issues in the 111th Congress
-Senate Agriculture Committee Holds Hearing on Child Nutrition
-House CJS Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Science Education

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