Education Bill Includes Grassley Provisions on Gifted and Talented Children, Foster Youth, Civics Education

Statement

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa included provisions in the education bill given final Senate approval today on gifted and talented students, school stability for foster youth, and an emphasis on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in any federally funded civics education program. Senate approval of the conference committee report on the Every Child Achieves Act sends the measure to the President for consideration.

"The bill returns much control of how best to teach children to states and local school districts and parents," Grassley said. "It also includes provisions I worked on to alter federal incentives that were allowing gifted and talent kids from disadvantaged backgrounds to fall by the wayside, and help foster kids with school stability so they achieve an education. I'm also pleased that the bill includes teaching about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in any federally funded civics education program. It makes sense that if the federal government supports civics education, there's an emphasis on the two documents that establish our fundamental principles."

The legislation includes the bipartisan bill from Grassley and co-sponsors that makes certain the needs of high ability students are included in federal education policy. The bipartisan proposal is the TALENT Act, or the To Aid Gifted and High-Ability Learners by Empowering the Nation's Teachers Act.

"Federal education policy tends to overlook high potential students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds," Grassley said. "Often these kids aren't challenged and they might even drop out of school, when they could excel with the right encouragement. These provisions give attention to the students who are bright and capable but are in danger of falling through the cracks."

On foster youth, the bill includes the bipartisan Educational Stability of Foster Youth Act, which Grassley co-authored, that supports students in the foster care system by strengthening connections between child welfare agencies and state and local education institutions. Often, schools may be the only familiar place for a child in foster care, and the measure helps make sure that those kids can go to school in a safe, stable environment.

"It's important to remember that kids in foster care often don't have school stability. That can put them behind in their education, and getting behind can be hard to overcome," said Grassley, founder and co-chairman of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth. "In the worst case, older kids drop out of school altogether. This provision will help make sure that school stability is at the forefront for foster kids."

Earlier versions of the bill contained a grant program for developing innovative civics education programs. The provision Grassley negotiated in the final bill makes sure that a focus of the grant program is to support proven civics education programs that teach the history and principles of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

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