(NAME-MCE) Senate Education Committee leaders have officially put off reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NLCB)

[Bill Howe]

NASBE  FEDERAL UPDATE

Week of November 12 - 16, 2007



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SENATE COMMITTEE PUTS NCLB ON HOLD
Senate Education Committee leaders have officially put off reauthorization
of the No Child Left Behind Act (NLCB) till early next year, citing a desire
to produce bipartisan legislation rather than a rushed bill. Chairman Ted
Kennedy (D-MA) and ranking Republican Michael Enzi (R-WY) jointly announced
the delay, but expressed confidence that the interim will allow them to
craft a bipartisan bill that could be passed early in 2008. There is
"additional work to do on key issues," said a committee spokesperson, but
they are optimistic the senators will "put forth a responsible package for
consideration early in the new year that will enjoy strong support of the
Senate."

The development is just the latest twist of timing for the legislative saga
that is NCLB reauthorization. The Senate committee had begun circulating
draft portions of a NCLB bill in late October, though the major sections
detailing key issues such as accountability, standards, and assessments were
notably absent. Still, the language indicated progress even if the most
difficult issues remained. Ironically, it was the Senate which has been most
concerned about a timely reauthorization. As far back as January, senior
committee aides expressed a desire to complete reauthorization in 2007 so as
to avoid the controversial education reform act from getting bogged down in
the 2008 presidential campaign. Toward that end, staff originally set a goal
of introducing a bill this past spring, an ambitious timeline that has
obviously slipped.

Indeed, their House counterparts have been operating under the same time
concerns with similarly delayed results. A Chairman Miller-Ranking member
McKeon draft bill unveiled in late August has not advanced past that nascent
stage to more tangible legislation due to a failure to reach a compromise
among Democratic committee members, much less Republicans. The latest
indication that the House is, like the Senate, temporarily putting NCLB on
the backburner is Chairman Miller's renewed attention to reauthorizing the
Higher Education Act (HEA).

The conventional wisdom remains that if both committee chairmen and the
respective ranking members want to pass a reauthorization bill - and they
all have unanimously stated that preference - than their legislative passage
can be expedited, and even faster if, as expected, the White House helps
push. But waiting till early next year to begin committee consideration of
NCLB bills shrinks the window of opportunity for passage to nearly shut and
necessitates no further delays, a daunting prospect for legislation that has
so far been prone to postponement more than anything else.


CONGRESS APPROVES EDUCATION BUDGET, PRESIDENT VETOES BILL
Congress approved a FY08 education spending bill that contains a $1.5
billion increase for the Title I program, an additional $500 million for
special education, and $375 million for school improvement grants targeted
to turning around low-performing schools identified by the No Child Left
Behind Act. However, President Bush fulfilled his threat to veto the
appropriations bill, which also includes funding for health, labor, and
social service programs, over concerns about excessive discretionary
domestic spending. Though the bill was approved both by the House and Senate
by wide margins, neither chamber passed it with the two-thirds majority
necessary to override the veto. In fact, the House failed to override the
veto by two votes, 277-141.

The rejected bill would have added nearly $200 million to Teacher Quality
State Grants ($3 million total) and $50 million for English Language
Acquisition grants ($723 million total). On the negative side of the ledger,
the bill would have slashed the Reading First program by $600 million, Safe
and Drug-free School grants by $46 million ($300 million total), and
completely eliminated the $99 million for the Title V innovative state
grants.

Congressional leaders will scrutinize the bill in an attempt to identify $10
billion in savings that would satisfy the administration's budget threshold.
Indeed, education programs could be on the block for cuts considering that
several funding levels significantly exceeded the President's budget
request. Among these are special education, which was given $800 million
more than was sought by the President, and Title I and teacher quality state
grants, which were higher by $400 million and $300 million respectively. The
veto may even influence NCLB reauthorization. Education Committee Chairman
George Miller (D-CA) said in a statement, that by vetoing "additional
funding for America's schools, President Bush sharply reduced the prospects
for good faith bipartisan negotiation over the reauthorization of No Child
Left Behind. Congress seeks a much-needed increase in education funding, and
the President rejects it...It is difficult to see how we get a
reauthorization bill done in this Congress as long as the President
continues to oppose both common-sense improvements to the law and additional
education funding." In the meantime, a continuing resolution temporarily
funding government activities at FY07 levels through December 14 was enacted
while leaders work on the FY08 package.


UTAH VOTERS REJECT VOUCHER REFERENDUM
Sixty-two percent of Utah voters rejected what would have become the
nation's first universal voucher program last week. While margins varied,
the referendum failed in every county in the state. The vote ended an
8-month, multimillion dollar campaign that attracted national attention and
funding. Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. and Republican legislative leaders
supported the law, which was passed by a single vote in the Legislature.
Voucher opponents, led by the Utah Education Association teachers' union,
gathered 124,000 signatures to force it into a voter referendum. State Board
of Education Chairman Kim Burningham was also publicly active in the
opposition. "Tonight, with the eyes of the nation upon us, Utah has rejected
this flawed voucher law," Burningham said after the election. "We believe
this sends a clear message. It sends a message that Utahns believe in, and
support, public schools." The State Board's decision not to move ahead with
implementation of the voucher law pending the outcome of the election was
later backed by the state Supreme Court.

Said Brenda Welburn, NASBE Executive Director, in a statement, "Utah voters
have once again reaffirmed their confidence in their public schools by
decisively rejecting the state referendum on private school vouchers.
Whenever the issue of vouchers has been put before the public for a vote,
vouchers have lost overwhelmingly. The public-in states ranging from
California to Michigan and now Utah-inherently understands the communal
benefits of public education."


QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The President proved, yet again, that he is not serious about creating a
world-class public education system. He thinks he can have his education
legacy on the cheap. He is profoundly mistaken. For the last several months,
I have been engaged in an effort to improve the No Child Left Behind
law...Congressman McKeon and his staff have also put a lot of time and
effort into the reauthorization this year...It has become clear to me,
however, that without real Presidential leadership, this reauthorization
process is unlikely to succeed...President Bush's only real involvement this
year in developing a new education bill has been to make an occasional
speech urging Congress to stay the course. That has been counterproductive
given how clearly unfair and inflexible the law is."
George Miller, House Education Committee Chairman, on the President's veto
of the FY08 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill.

-- 
Bill Howe
http://www.billhowe.org
Travel to China - June 1-14, 2008 - Teachers & Health Care Professionals -
http://www.billhowe.org/China2008.htm