K-12 education reform bill passed by the Senate includes STEM and Geography Education

The U.S. House and Senate have passed K-12 education bills to replace and reform the “No Child Left Behind” program. The House passed H.R. 5, the “Student Success Act” on July 8. The Senate passed S. 1177, the “Every Child Achieves Act” on July 16. Section 2403 of S. 1177 contains a purpose for national activities “to promote new and existing evidence-based strategies to encourage innovative … geography instruction …” while Section 9101 defines ‘core academic subjects’ to include science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and geography. The two chambers will form a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the two bills and develop a bicameral agreement. The House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Senate Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), and House Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) have begun meeting to discuss proceeding with a conference committee to resolve differences in the House- and Senate-passed bills.