STEM EDUCATION IN THE 113 TH CONGRESS JULY 8, 2013 Della Cronin, Washington Partners, LLC 1

Agenda Congressional Agenda Overview STEM Education and ESEA STEM Education and Immigration Reform STEM Education Proposals What’s Next? Questions 2

Congressional Agenda STEM education-related activities to date  Receipt of the President’s FY 2014 budget proposal  Appropriations process  Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization  Immigration Reform  Introduction of smaller legislative proposals 3

STEM Education and ESEA: Senate Strengthening America's Schools Act (S. 1094)  Introduced by Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA)  Retains significant federal role in education  Flexibility in accountability requirements  Includes STEM-specific program  Supports Administration priorities  Over 1,100 pages Every Child Ready for College or Career Act (S. 1101)  Introduced by Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN)  Eliminates accountability requirements  Defends against “National School Board”  About 200 pages 4

STEM Education and ESEA: Senate Strengthening America's Schools Act (S 1094)  Marked up June 11 and 12  Collegial, but partisan  Minimal discussion of STEM education  Approved on partisan vote  Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Alexander want open floor debate (meaning weeks) this year  Could be on the floor late September, early October 5

STEM Education and ESEA: House Student Success Act (HR 5)  Introduced by Chairman John Kline (R-MN)  Reduces federal role in K-12 education  Removes accountability requirements  Sends money to states and leaves decisions to states and districts  Eliminates categorical programs  Retains requirement for science assessment Democratic alternative  Ranking Member George Miller’s (D-CA) substitute proposal  Sole amendment from Democrats  Builds on framework of current law  Has a STEM-specific program 6

STEM Education and ESEA: House Some comments from Committee members about STEM education  Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) supports STEM and STEAM  Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) defended the Math Science Partnerships  Representative Susan Davis (D-CA) feels it is important to nurture the STEM teaching workforce  Representative Todd Rokita (R-IN) agreed that STEM is important, but argued it is not the role of the federal government to mandate “how we teach” Bill passed by a partisan vote of

STEM Education and ESEA: What’s Next? Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) sent Republicans notice that ESEA would be on the floor this summer Rumors that ESEA could be on the House floor the week of July 22 Senate could debate bill under an open amendment process in late September/early October Then what? Could a conference produce a reasonable compromise? Until Congress acts, waivers persist 8

STEM Education and Immigration Reform Senate has approved S 744  Argues for changes to H-1B visa program  Through proposed changes to H-1B visa program, companies can hire more high-skilled workers from overseas to fill currently vacant positions  The additional fees would go toward a national STEM education fund  Money to NSF for scholarships and specific programs  Money to ED to strengthen STEM education  Every state could apply for money to improve STEM education  Other funds to Department of Labor, to support national activities 9

STEM Education and Immigration Reform House has started marking up (HR 2131)  House wants to pursue regular order (smaller proposals to be bundled together)  Bill approved by Judiciary Committee does not include STEM fund, which was considered a “tax” and complicated referrals What’s Next?  House will continue to debate  White House will continue to apply pressure  Pundits suggest enactment of immigration reform unlikely 10

STEM Education Proposals Legislative debates that will or could address STEM education  Budget Process  ESEA Reauthorization  Immigration Reform  America COMPETEs  Workforce Investment Act  Career and Technical Education  Higher Education Act Reauthorization  Cybersecurity Legislation 11

STEM Education Proposals Comprehensive STEM bills that have been introduced  S.854 : STEM Education for the Global Economy Act of 2013 (Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)) S.854 Familiar proposals  STEM Master Teacher Corps Act (S 358)  Educating Tomorrow’s Engineers Act (S 1178/HR 2426)  Stepping Up to STEM Act (HR 1089)  Innovation Inspiration School Grant Program Act (S 1067/HR 1243)  National STEM Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act (HR 118) 12

STEM Education Proposals Familiar proposals  Computer Science Education Act (HR 2536)  STEM 2 Act (HR 2334/S 1129)  STEM Opportunities Act (HR 1358)  STEM Education Opportunity Act (HR 1353) New proposals  Veterans’ STEM Education Program (HR 1816)  Transforming Education through Technology Act (HR 521) 13

What's Next? This week  Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Committee action  House Science Subcommittee on Space marking up NASA Authorization Later this month  ESEA on the floor of the House  Reset on America COMPETEs reauthorization  Continued progress on immigration reform 14

What's Next? Later this year  ESEA on Senate floor  Workforce Investment Act  Career and Technical Education  Higher Education Act reauthorization  Cybersecurity  Appropriations Next year  Elections and politics 15

Questions? Triangle Coalition  Library of Congress 