Science Included In K–12 Education Bill

The Senate has passed a new K–12 education bill with several provisions that support science. The proposed Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 (S. 1177), sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), would replace the George W. Bush-era No Child Left Behind law, which has become controversial. The bill includes funding for states specifically to support science education through partnerships with industry, universities, and nonprofits. It also continues mandatory science testing, which helps ensure that science will be taught nationwide. The House of Representatives had already passed its version of the education bill, but some of the science-specific support is not included in that legislation. Now, the Senate and House will work on creating a compromise bill. If passed, that compromise measure would be sent to the President for his signature or a veto.