ESEA Momentum Picks Up on Capitol Hill – Bill Includes Key Provisions for Principals

Following years of delays, the full Senate and House are finally moving competing ESEA reauthorization bills (S.1177 and H.R. 5). We are writing to update you on the action likely to unfold on both sides of the Capitol, and to share important NAESP positions as the respective bills are moving in Congress.

Senate ESEA Debate

The Senate began debating S.1177 (the Every Child Achieves Act or ECA) today at 2:30 p.m. Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray will manage the floor debate, which will likely include dozens of Republican and Democratic amendments. During the past few weeks, Sen. Alexander and Sen. Murray have been working closely with senators to address their non-controversial (or less controversial) ideas by incorporating them into the "manager's amendment" or in some cases through the non-binding (but still influential) committee report that will accompany the bill to the Senate floor. Please review the “Principal Wins in ECA” that show the provisions NAESP is supporting in the legislation being debated by the Senate for ESEA renewal. In addition, there are several key amendments that NAESP worked with Senator Hirono (D-HI) to provide  support for principals and other educator in Pre-K-3 education and leadership (aligned to NAESP’s most recent publication, Leading Pre-K-3 Learning Communities: Competencies for Effective Principal Practice). The Senate is expected to vote on the final bill later this week.

More About the ESEA Movement…

The Senate strategy is designed to minimize the number of formal amendments filed during the debate and build supporters for the bill's final passage. Committee leaders have addressed many important issues through this process, but we nonetheless expect senators to file a large number of amendments.  Many amendments will be discussed and withdrawn, or addressed through the manager's amendment. The Chairman's team hopes to limit the number of Roll call votes to 40 or 50 amendments, most likely focused on the most controversial partisan issues (e.g. Title I portability, stronger federal accountability, and creating new programs) and non-partisan state/regional battles (e.g., Title I formula changes). We do, however, expect the Senate to approve the bill setting the stage for negotiations with the House, who have already passed an ESEA reauthorization bill. 

If the bill continues to contain provisions that are favorable to principals as noted, and no controversial amendments are adopted, NAESP is likely to support final passage. An action alert will be sent out to all members as we get close to final consideration.

Conference Committee 

Assuming the Senate approves ECA, we may experience a nearly extinct legislative process at the federal level: a Conference Committee. Many Members of Congress will need to brush up on a process rarely used in the partisan environment characterizing the 14 years since NCLB's passage. We expect Senate and House conference negotiations to carry over into the fall and will most likely involve direct engagement by the White House (if there is agreement to engage in negotiations by the Obama Administration). This step will be the most politically difficult stage of the reauthorization process. Should the Conference Committee reach a deal, House and Senate leaders will have to decide whether to return the measure to their respective bodies for a final vote, and if so, how to build a bipartisan majority for passing it (this final step could be extremely difficult in the House).  The bill has strong momentum right now, but there certainly is a long way to go - and significant hurdles - before the legislation reaches the President's desk.  

NAESP will continue to provide updates as the legislation process moves forward.