Maybe Congress should go on recess more often. Or at least put more recess periods on their schedule, because, unlike any other time during the year, Congress is suddenly able to actually pass legislation in the days leading up to these breaks. Yes, that’s not always a good thing, especially when 1,000 page bills hit the floor with virtually no notice. But this week, with the month-long August recess right around the corner, Congress cleared two bills of importance to education. BoardBuzz already told you about the housing bill that was helpful to school districts because of what was not in it.
Yesterday, both the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the Higher Education Act. The law had not been reauthorized since 1998, as Congress enacted temporary extension after temporary extension that spanned three entire Congresses. But no more.
The bill bumps the authorization levels for Pell Grant funding from $4,800 a year to $8,000 a year by 2014, and makes the grants available year-round. It also simplifies the federal student aid application process.
Of most interest to K-12 are reforms dealing with teacher preparation programs. NSBA was pleased to see increased accountabilty for such programs, tighter alignment with local school districts’ staffing needs and a focus on recruiting teachers for high-need schools and subjects, among other provisions. Check out NSBA’s letter to Congress for more details.
Despite these recent actions, there is still much for Congress to do for students and taxpayers. So take advantage of the August recess to connect with your members of Congress while they are back home. Use NSBA’s Advocacy Action Plan to help.
