Education Report October 30, 2009

1. Budget and Appropriations
-Thursday, House Democrats lined the steps of the Capitol to unveil a healthcare reform proposal that will be the subject of intense debate for the next two weeks.
-Across the Capitol, Senate leaders were engaged in the same task. The target date for the Senate debate is mid-November.
-The fate of the healthcare debate will set the stage for all other legislative considerations that the Congress must face before the holiday recess, scheduled to begin December 18. The senate has until Saturday to pass a continuing resolution (CR). This will give the Congress six more weeks to work out their differences on education spending and present a plan to the President--Just in time for the holidays.

2. First Five Year Fund hosts briefing
-On Thursday, the First Five Year Fund (FFYF), the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific America Caucus hosted a briefing on the importance of education services for children from birth to five years of age. Panelists linked these early education interventions with high school graduation statistics.
-Dr. Robert Pianta, spoke of strong evidence linking targeted investments in teacher quality and early education programming to future academic success.

More information about birth to five research and services are available at the First Five Years Fund's website at http://www.ffyf.org [1].

3. In brief
-NASBE holds briefing on assessments and accountability
-Youth Promise Act passes Judiciary Subcommittee
-NASBE releases report on school-community partnerships and dropout prevention
-National Center for Education Statistics releases mapping report
-CAP hosts community schools briefing
-Senate Commerce Committee examines stimulus broadband initiatives

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