The Senate HELP Committee leadership, Chairman Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) have requested feedback from the community on topics related to the Education Science and Reform Act (ESRA) reauthorization. This request suggest that the committee plans to reauthorize ESRA which was enacted in 2002 and expired in 2008. Funding for these programs and activities has continued through annual appropriations legislation.
ESRA established the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), as an independent research arm of the Department of Education (ED). The IES consists of four research centers: the National Center for Education Research (NCER), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER). The IES Director, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves a six-year term and is advised by the National Board for Educational Sciences, a technical panel composed primarily of educational researchers. FABBS applauded the recent appointment of eight new members to NBES and is eager for the board to meet, it hasn’t done so since November 2018.
The Senate letter poses 13 questions regarding necessary changes to ESRA, on strengthening the functionality of the National Board for Education Sciences, disparity of outcomes, and access to early childhood education programs.
The deadline to submit comments is April 19th. See press release and letter.
