Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have passed large bills to reform elementary and secondary education programs, and a conference committee will meet during the summer to reconcile differences in the two versions. APA was active in advocating against proposals that would threaten the ability of scientists to conduct survey research in schools.

In its version of the education bill, the House included an amendment authored by Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) that would require prior, written parental consent for any survey research conducted in an elementary or secondary school in which questions pertained to: (A) political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent; (B) mental or psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or the student’s family; (C) sex behavior or attitudes; (D) illegal, antisocial or self-incriminating behavior; (E) appraisals of other individuals with whom the minor has a familial relationship; (F) relationships that are legally recognized as privileged, including those with lawyers, physicians and members of the clergy; and (G) religious practices, affiliations or beliefs. The Tiahrt amendment would also impose restrictions on medical testing and treatment of minors in schools, by requiring prior, written, informed consent of the parent or a guardian of a minor to undergo medical or mental health examination, testing, treatment or immunization.

The Tiahrt amendment caught many advocacy organizations off guard. In response, APA pulled together a coalition of organizations who had worked on a similar legislative issue, the Family Privacy Protection Act, in 1995 and 1996. Now named the Coalition to Save School-Based Research, its members included the National Parent Teacher Association, the Consortium of Social Science Associations, the American Educational Research Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the National Mental Health Association among others. The Coalition, along with many other organizations, produced joint letters and other materials, and met with Senators and their staff members in an effort to prevent the Tiahrt amendment or something similar from being attached to the Senate education bill (S. 1).

When the smoke cleared on the final passage of the Senate bill, language similar to the Tiahrt amendment was not attached. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) has indicated his strong opposition to the amendment, which is significant because he will lead the Senate conferees on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization bill.