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Date: Mon, 01 May 2000 14:46:03 -0600
From: "Dewey Dykstra, Jr." <dykstrad@email.boisestate.edu>
Subject: NSTA Legislative Alert!
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Colleagues,
Since this legislation affects research-informed K - 12 teacher workshops
like Modeling Workshops and CPU workshops, it's important that you call ...
Cheers,
Jane Jackson jane.jackson@asu.edu
NSTA Legislative Alert
May 1, 2000
ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT
S. 2 Goes to Senate Floor Monday, May 1, 1 p.m EDT
**Legislation Appeals the Eisenhower Program**
S.2, the Education Opportunities Act, goes to the Senate floor this
afternoon, for debate that CQ Monitor promises will be "lengthy, turbulent,
partisan and divisive."
As you will recall in previous Legislative Updates, S. 2 is the Senate bill
to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. As voted out of
the Senate Education Committee, there is **no** specific set aside for
science and math teacher professional development in this bill. If passed by
the full Senate, this legislation would eliminate the Eisenhower
professional development state grants.
Senate Democrats are expected to introduce a number of amendments, including
an amendment for a substitute for the bill and amendments dealing with class
size reduction and school construction. It is anticipated that Senator
Kennedy will again offer his amendment on teacher quality, which contains
language to restore the set aside for science and math teachers.
The bill is scheduled to be on the Senate floor for one week of debate prior
to a final vote. This Thursday, May 4, has been designated as national
"call-in day" by several education groups, including NSTA, for members to
call in and OPPOSE S. 2. ***PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO CALL YOUR SENATORS ON
THURSDAY May 4 AND ENCOURAGE OTHER TEACHERS TO CALL*** Dial 202-224-3121,
and ask to be connected to your Senator(s) offices. If you do not have
access to long distance, go to the NSTA website at www.nsta.org, click on
Legislative Updates; there you will find email links to the Senate offices.
IF YOU CAN NOT CALL ON THURSDAY, CALL TODAY, OR WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT FOR
YOU, BUT PLEASE CALL. Even if you have called before, call again this
Thursday or sooner.
Below is a joint NSTA/NCTM letter that went to all Senate offices this
morning. Please use this for your calls, or visit www.nsta.org, go to
Legislative Affairs, for more information.
May 1, 2000
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the 53,000 members of the National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA) and the more than 100,000 members of the National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics (NCTM), we urge you to oppose S. 2, the Educational
Opportunities Act, when the bill comes to the floor for consideration this
week.
S. 2 repeals the Eisenhower Professional Development State Grants and does
not specify a level of funding that must be spent on science and mathematics
professional development. Instead, it streamlines the funds through a block
grant to the states. These block grants allow states to spend federal
dollars in any way they choose, with little or no concern about
accountability. Although the language in S. 2 states that local education
agencies (LEAs) are required to use funds for science and mathematics
teacher professional development, there is no language requiring a specific
amount to be set aside. Therefore, a district could spend as little as $1
of these funds for the professional development of science and mathematics
teachers and fulfill the requirement.
For years the Eisenhower state grants for science and mathematics teachers
have provided these educators with greatly needed opportunities for
continued professional development, so they can improve their teaching
skills and keep up with advancements in the field.
Today, our technology-driven economy demands a much more scientifically and
technologically literate workforce. Our nation's teachers are preparing the
next generation of scientists, engineers, chemists, and mathematicians.
Improving science and mathematics education and increasing student
achievement in these areas should remain a key federal priority. With S. 2,
the Senate is turning its back on the future of our nation's science and
mathematics education programs.
The House teacher quality bill continues and increases the set aside for
science and mathematics teachers' professional development. We urge the
Senate to maintain the federal commitment to science and mathematics
education by opposing S. 2 and supporting Senator Kennedy's amendment for
teacher quality.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gerald Wheeler
Executive Director
National Science Teachers Association
Dr. John Thorpe
Executive Director
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Jodi Peterson
Editor, NSTA Reports!
Director, Legislative Affairs
National Science Teachers Association
National Science Foundation
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Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)426-3105
Professor of Physics Dept: (208)426-3775
Department of Physics/MCF421/418 Fax: (208)426-4330
Boise State University dykstrad@email.boisestate.edu
1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper: GHB, Uilleann
"As a result of modern research in physics, the ambition and hope,
still cherished by most authorities of the last century, that physical
science could offer a photographic picture and true image of reality
had to be abandoned." --M. Jammer in Concepts of Force, 1957.
"If what we regard as real depends on our theory, how can we make
reality the basis of our philosophy? ...But we cannot distinguish
what is real about the universe without a theory...it makes no sense
to ask if it corresponds to reality, because we do not know what
reality is independent of a theory."--S. Hawking in Black Holes
and Baby Universes, 1993.
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