Education Report for May 1, 2009

1. Budget and Appropriations
-Specter (R-PA) joins the democrats which might mean, with the conclusion of the Minnesota case, that they will reach the magic filibuster proof # of 60 by early summer.
-Drowned out by news above and the noise surrounding the President's first 100 days, the FY 2010 budget resolution passed in both Houses despite uniform opposition from Republicans and a handful of democrats. The final resolution reflected the slight compromises mentioned last week: (1. reconciliation for health care and education but not for energy reform (2. total of 1.6 trillion in domestic spending (10 billion less than was requested)
-Budget process now moves on to Appropriations Committees.
-Administration will release detailed recommendations next week.

2. Center on Education Policy (CEP) Holds Briefing on the Stimulus and the Future of the Federal Role in Education
-Panel of experts discussed how stimulus $ is to be spent, the challenges/problems and the potential long-term impact for education.
-Concerns expressed over the lack of spending guidance.
-examined goal of maintaining jobs vs. implementing reform.
-Suggestion that priorities articulated during the dept of Ed's guidance on stimulus $ can shed light on the administration's blueprint for ESEA reauthorization.

3. Schott Foundation Launches Opportunity to Learn Campaign
-5 year campaign to ensure equal opportunity to learn for all and eliminate race as a factor in quality of education.
pinpointed right to 4 core resources for fair and equal education.
-presented staggering statistics tying low assessment to poor resources and highlighted the grave implications for low-income families.

4. In Brief, headings include
-OBAMA ANNOUNCES NOMINATION FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION--Anthony Wilder Miller (see report for details)
-DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELEASES NEW RESOURCE ON ARRA FUNDS--"Using ARRA Funds to Drive School Reform and Improvement" (see report for link to doc)
-PRESIDENT OBAMA GIVE SPEECH AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
-INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES (IES) RELEASES NAEP REPORT ON ACADEMIC PROGRESS
-AFT LAUNCHES INNOVATION FUND
-HOUSE EDUCATION AND LABOR COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON ACADEMIC STANDARDS--growing discussion around "national standards"
-HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON FINANCIAL LITERACY
-ED SECTOR HOSTS BRIEFING ON FEDERAL INCENTIVE AND INNOVATION FUNDS
-HOUSE COMMITTEE SUPPORTS NEW STEM ED LEGISLATION
-BOOKSHARE ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO INCREASE ACCESSIBLE BOOKS TO THE DISABLED

Be sure to also scan sections #5 ("New Publications") and #6 ("In the News"), for articles of interest.