[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 6 (Thursday, January 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E75]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE STANDARDS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL KIDS (SPEAK) 
                             ACT (H.R. 325)

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                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 11, 2007

  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Standards to 
Provide Educational Achievement for All Kids (SPEAK) Act, H.R. 325.
  It has been no secret that I strongly believe that we need to improve 
our nation's math and science education. High quality math and science 
education at the K-12 levels is extremely important to ensure that our 
future workforce is ready to compete in the global economy. We are 
sacrificing our future and our children's, if we are not investing in 
today's children.
  I have been so concerned about the quality of math and science 
education in this country, and the limited number of young people who 
are pursuing math and science-related degrees, that I founded the House 
STEM Education Caucus with my Democratic colleague Mark Udall of 
Colorado in 2004. As you probably know, STEM stands for ``Science, 
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.''
  A resounding bipartisan chorus of business leaders, educators, Nobel 
laureates and other luminaries has called for improvements in our 
nation's math and science education, as evidenced by the Business 
Roundtable's Tapping America's Potential and the National Academies' 
Rising Above the Gathering Storm reports, as well as President Bush's 
American Competitiveness Initiative.
  While the last Congress was unable to pass comprehensive legislation 
to improve math and science education, we now have a new opportunity to 
work in a bipartisan and bicameral fashion: the No Child Left Behind 
Act of 2001 is up for reauthorization this year.
  NCLB has made important strides toward strengthening standards-based 
education and holding states and schools accountable for ensuring that 
our students are learning. However, with more than 50 different sets of 
academic standards, state assessments and definitions of proficiency, 
there is tremendous variability across our nation in the subject matter 
our students are learning.
  I might add that there also is considerable variation across states 
and even school districts in the sequencing of math and science 
courses, which is problematic for our increasingly mobile student 
population. Our students could lack instruction in certain basic 
science or math concepts if they transfer between schools with 
completely different sequences of courses.
  Despite NCLB and all of our other efforts, the condition of our state 
standards is not well. In 2006, the Fordham Foundation reported that 
two-thirds of U.S. kids attend school in states with academic standards 
in the C, D, and F range. My own state of Michigan was given a C in 
math and a D in science despite the fact that Michigan was one of the 
pioneers in the standards movement. (Michigan adopted science 
guidelines in 1991). Recently, Michigan adopted the Michigan Merit 
Curriculum, which describes what students should know at each grade 
level, and is linked to tougher statewide graduation requirements that, 
for the first time, mandate 3 years of high school science.

  States like Michigan are making substantial improvements, but our 
Nation as a whole needs to redouble its efforts to ensure that we have 
all students prepared for the jobs of the future, and must improve the 
quality of our educational standards from the current average or 
failing grades to excellent or A plus grades.
  The SPEAK Act creates, adopts and recommends rigorous voluntary 
American education content standards in math and science in grades K-
12. The bill tasks the National Assessment Governing Board, in 
consultation with relevant organizations, to review existing standards 
and to review the issue of course sequencing as it relates to student 
achievement.
  The SPEAK Act authorizes the American Standards Incentive Fund to 
incentivize states to adopt excellent math and science standards. It 
offers an ``If You Build It, They Will Come Approach.'' Let me 
emphasize that this bill does not establish a national curriculum or 
national standards. Participation by states is strictly voluntary. I 
have always felt that the ``carrot'' is more effective than the 
``stick'' in leading reform. It is my hope that all states will feel 
the overwhelming responsibility to bolster their state standards in 
science and math and will step up to the plate.
  I am very pleased that 38 organizations listed below have endorsed 
the SPEAK Act, including national organizations such as the National 
Education Association, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and 
the National Science Teachers Association. In addition, organizations 
in my congressional district and elsewhere in Michigan have endorsed 
the SPEAK Act, including the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce; the 
University of Michigan; Michigan State University; the Regional Math 
and Science Center at Grand Valley State University; Steelcase, Inc; 
RoMan Manufacturing, Inc.; Cascade Engineering; and the Michigan 
Science Teachers Association.
  I look forward to working with Senator Dodd, other Members and the 
education and business community in a bipartisan and bicameral fashion 
to pass the SPEAK Act into law. It will greatly improve our Nation's 
math and science education. New America Foundation, Thomas B. Fordham 
Institute, National Education Association, Alliance for Excellent 
Education, Council of the Great City Schools, American Association of 
Colleges for Teacher Education, National Council of Teachers of 
Mathematics, National Science Teachers Association, International 
Reading Association, American Association for the Advancement of 
Science, The American Chemical Society, Healthcare Leadership Council, 
SAE International, Math for America, Education Industry Association, 
National Education Knowledge Industry Association (NEKIA), Eli Broad, 
Philanthropist/Businessman, The Campaign for Educational Equity, 
Teachers College, Columbia University, Chicago Science Group, Jacob 
Ludes, III, Executive Director/CEO, New England Association of Schools 
and Colleges (NEASC), National Center for Technological Literacy, 
Project Lead the Way, Museum of Science, Boston, Junior Engineering 
Technical Society (JETS), National Society of Black Engineers, 
International Technology Education Association, ASME Center for Public 
Awareness, Building Engineering and Science Talent, San Diego, CA.

  Connecticut-Based Organizations: The University of Connecticut, 
Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, Connecticut Federation 
of School Administrators, Connecticut Principals' Center, Connecticut 
Association of Schools.
  Michigan-Based Organizations: Grand Rapids, MI, Area Chamber of 
Commerce, Michigan Science Teachers Association, Michigan State 
University, Cascade Engineering, MI, RoMan Manufacturing, Inc., MI, 
Regional Math and Science Center, Grand Valley State University, MI 
Steelcase, Inc.

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