CT Senate members (listed alphabetically)                (This also has Outlook e-mail links to senators) 

CT House of Representatives members (listed alpha) (This also has Outlook e-mail links to representatives)

Find your district number by your town                 (This also links you to your towns web page & legislators web pages) 

Find your Representative, Senator and Congressperson by your address  

CEA Legislation & Politics page

Perkins finding info for 2010 - 8/10/09

State Education Chief Outlines New Vision For Schools - 8/19/09

12/24/09

2009 LEGISLATIVE RECAP...

As a member of the  ITEA Board of Directors, I received he following and thought you might be interested, The document will also be posted on the CTEA Forum  site.

2009 LEGISLATIVE RECAP

Workforce Investment Act

• Congress held a series of hearings in both the House and the Senate to investigate WIA best practices and to look at modernization of the law.  Senate HELP Committee also held four listening sessions where attendees were able to voice concerns, make suggestions and ask questions about reauthorization.  
• The U.S. Department of Education is currently hosting a series of WIA listening sessions.
• There were rumors over the summer that the committees would start drafting language in the fall, but that seems to have been pushed back due to the focus on healthcare.  The Senate HELP Committee hopes it will have a draft early next year.

No Child Left Behind 

• Senate staffers indicated earlier this year that NCLB would not be reauthorized until sometime in 2010 or later, but the Obama administration has made ESEA reauthorization a top priority.
• The U.S. Department of Education is working with the House and Senate committees to draft language, and have indicated that they will have a proposal in early 2010.  The Department is also hosting monthly forums to get input from stakeholders about ESEA.

American Graduation Initiative

• This summer President Obama introduced AGI which would fund grants for community colleges and area CTE schools to expand their academic and training programs, enhance linkages, and create innovative programs.  Funding would also be available for facilities modernization.
• The House incorporated AGI into the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which was passed in September.  The Senate is working on their version of the bill, but it will not be introduced until healthcare finalized so Congress can decide if both bills will go into the reconciliation bill.  

Jobs for Main Street Act

• Passed by the House on December 16, 2010.  This bill provides $125 billion for WIA programs, including $500 million for summer youth employment and $750 million for job training in WIA for high growth fields (green and health care).
• There is also $23 billion for an education jobs fund.  Money will be funneled through SFSF to help states save and create 250,000 new education jobs over two years.  

GREEN Act/Energy Bill

• Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) introduced the Grants for Renewable Energy Education for the Nation (GREEN) Act earlier this spring which would help to create a workforce prepared for the green economy through competitive grants to develop CTE programs in renewable energy fields. 
• The bill was incorporated as Section 421, Clean Energy Curriculum Development Grants, into the American Clean Energy and Security Act which passed the House on June 26.

Community College Emergency Stabilization Fund Act

• Introduced December 3, 2009 by Rep. Larson (CT).  Provides temporary emergency funding to States to award competitive grants to assist community and career and technical colleges in maintaining, or hiring additional, faculty and staff.  

Graduation Promise Act of 2009

• Introduced December 2, 2009 by Rep. Hinojosa.  Provides grants to States to improve high schools and raise graduation rates while ensuring rigorous standards, to develop and implement effective school models for struggling students and dropouts, and to improve State policies to raise graduation rates.

Graduation for All Act of 2009

• Introduced November 19, 2009 by Chairman Miller.  $2 billion competitive grant program for high-need middle and high schools to improve students? academic achievement, graduation rates, postsecondary readiness, and preparation for citizenry.  

American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Act Act

• Introduced November 16, 2009 by Rep. Walt Minnick (ID-1).  Seeks to amend Section 134 of  WIA to require Federal job training and career education programs to give priority to programs that provide a national industry-recognized and portable credential.

Reengaging Americans in Serious Education by Uniting Programs (RAISE UP) Act

• Introduced November 2, 2009 by Rep. Dale Kildee.  The legislation establishes a grant program to help disadvantaged youth complete their education and plan for a career. 

Adult Education and Economic Growth Act

• Introduced July 16 by Reps. Patrick Kennedy and Ruben Hinojosa and Sen. Jim Webb.  The legislation would increase the scope and effectiveness of adult education, literacy, and workplace skills programs to ensure adult Americans are prepared for the jobs of the future.

Promoting Innovations to 21st Century Careers

• Introduced July 29 by Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. John Tierney.  Provides $912 million in federal grants to support state and regional partnerships in developing creative strategies to help high school students prepare for a full range of postsecondary options and 21^st century careers.  

Secondary School Innovation Fund Act

• Introduced May 4 by Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. David Loebsack.  Offers competitive grants to eligible partnerships to implement innovative strategies at secondary school level to improve student achievement, raise graduation rates, and prepare at-risk students for postsecondary education and the workforce.  

Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act 

• SECTORS Act was introduced April 1 by Sen. Patty Murray, Olympia Snowe and Sherrod Brown; in the House by Rep. Dave Loebsack and Todd Platts.  Seeks to amend the WIA of 1998 and establish a new Industry or Sector Partnership Grant program in the Department of Labor to  addresses the gap between high unemployment rates and the shortage of skilled workers in many emerging industries, especially those offering ´middle-skill¡ jobs.  

Fast Track to College Act

• Introduced March 18 by Rep. Dale Kildee and Sen. Herb Kohl.  Goal is to increase high school graduation rates and the percentage of students who complete an industry recognized credential, particularly low income students and students traditionally underrepresented in higher education.  Features grants that support and establish early college high school and dual enrollment.

As Congress moves into the second session of the 111^th Congress, they plan to tackle education reform and funding, job creation and training, and energy issues.  Many of the bills above will not become stand-alone programs, but are more likely to be incorporated into larger pieces of legislation such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Workforce Investment Act.  If Congress and the Administration are able to stick to their projected timelines, expect to see movement on both of these pieces of legislation in the first few months of 2010.

Gregory C. Kane

Cell 860 989-1426

Copied from the CTEA Forums 12/24/09

Please contact Everett if you find errors or have information to post.