For the first time in 8 years, both the U.S. House and Senate passed separate reauthorizations of ESEA in the first two weeks of July. Now the Senate and House versions will go to a conference committee.
For all school districts, educators and students, the passage of both bills is a welcome step forward, bringing an overall ESEA reauthorization effort nearly 8 years in the making the closest it’s been to the finish line.
Strong Senate Support
The Senate voted (81-17) Thursday to pass the Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA). The Senate bill has strong bipartisan support to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Learn more about the Senate plan. Both Senators Franken and Klobuchar voted yes. Senator Franken who is on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee issued a detailed news release on the vote.
Close Vote in House
Earlier this month, on July 8, the U.S. House of Representative reconsidered and ultimately passed a Republican-backed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. After considering 14 amendments, including a failed Democratic substitute, members passed the ESEA rewrite, formally known as the Student Success Act, with a very close vote of 218-213.
Twenty-seven Republicans crossed party-line to join the entire Democratic caucus in voting against the bill. Learn more about the House plan. House Education Committee Chair John Kline issued a detailed news release following passage of the House bill.
NREAC and NREA support the reauthorization of ESEA and specially supports more of the provisions in the Senate bill than the House. Learn more. MREA is a member of both an NREAC and NREA.