Members of the House and Senate are now meeting to work out the
differences in their versions of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA). As reported in the previous FYI, both bills include some
form of Math and Science Partnership initiative to improve education in
K-12 science and math.
Last month, the American Institute of Physics and several of its
Member Societies joined in a letter to the House and Senate conferees,
urging support for the Math and Science Partnerships, math and science
teacher recruitment, and assessment of student achievement in science. A
total of 21 organizations, including AIP, the American Association of
Physics Teachers, the American Astronomical Society, and the American
Physical Society, signed the letter, which was sent under the auspices
of the K-12 Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Education
Coalition. The text of the letter follows:
"On behalf of the K-12 Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and
Technology (SMET) Coalition, we would like to thank you for your
leadership on legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act. We are particularly pleased to see that both H.R. 1 and
S. 1 include provisions establishing a Math and Science Partnership
initiative. We strongly support this style of partnership activity as
a tool for improving teaching and learning in science, mathematics,
engineering, and technology.
"The science, math, engineering, and technology community has long
been concerned with the state of K-12 science, math, engineering, and
technology education. To increase student learning in these areas, and
enable the United States to compete globally with a strong science and
technology literate workforce, we need to commit a significant amount
of resources for SMET education now. The Coalition recommends that
conferees support the highest possible funding level for the Math and
Science partnerships.
"We also urge conferees to authorize these partnerships through
competitive grants at the state level.
"We also support the allowable activities and eligible partners
outlined in Section 2202 and Section 2213 of S. 1 respectively. These
activities include professional development, curriculum development,
and teacher recruitment, all of which will help local districts
address their particular needs.
"To address the serious problem of teacher recruitment, we strongly
support recruiting students with strong science, math or engineering
backgrounds to be teachers, as included in Section 2023(c)2(A) of the
House bill.
"Finally, assessment of science learning must be included, as in
Section 1111 of S. 1. If science testing is not part of this
reauthorization, classroom time for science will be reduced in favor
of other subjects that are being tested. We urge you to support the
Senate language that calls for the development of quality state tests.
We also support the development of state needs assessments to
determine the professional development and teacher quality needs in
local schools.
"Thank you for considering our concerns, and for your
acknowledgment of the need to improve science, math, engineering, and
technology education. Please contact Christina Hood at 202.662.8718,
if you have further questions or need additional
information."
