Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) To Be Marked Up Today

On Tuesday, Senator Harkin (IA), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee introduced a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This bill incorporates much of Senate bill 919, Successful, Safe and Healthy Students Act of 2011 but unlike S. 919, there is no specific percentage of funding emphasis on drug and/or violence prevention.

However, in a victory for the substance abuse field, the bill would provide grants to every state for local data systems and specifically require that the core data set of incidence, prevalence, age of onset, perception of harm, and perception of social disapproval of drug use be collected at least every two years down to the school building level. The program requires that the total amount of sub-grant funding within a state be at least 20 percent for physical activity, nutrition, and fitness.

This is the only sub-grant requirement included in this section of the bill.

The bill would:

• promote student physical health and well-being, nutrition and fitness

• promote student mental health and well-being

• prevent of violence, harassment and substance abuse

• promote safe and supportive schools The House has not yet acted on the reauthorization and the bill is set for markup by the HELP Committee today.