HELP Committee Seeks Input on ESRA Reauthorization

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced a request for information as they begin to embark on a reauthorization of the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA), the Educational Technical Assistance Act, and the National Assessment of Education Progress Authorization Act. Specifically, the senators are asking all interested parties to provide input on the following topics: increasing the effectiveness of existing Federal education research, statistics, and technical assistance programs; improving the capacity of practitioners across education systems to identify and implement evidence-based practices; mobilizing education research and statistics to more effectively reach educators and system leaders; and bolstering partnerships between educators, school systems, institutions of higher education, localities and states, and the federal government in utilizing education research to improve teaching and learning and postsecondary access and success.

The HELP Committee plans to use input to set federal policies that will guide actionable research to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for those in public education. To guide input, they have developed a series of 13 questions regarding necessary changes to ESRA, strengthening the functionality of the National Board for Education Sciences, disparity of outcomes, and access to early childhood education programs.  Comments are requested no later than Wednesday, April 19. 

Find further details here.