A resolution recognizing and honoring teachers who have earned or maintained National Board Certification.

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Bill ID: 119/sres/129
Last Updated: September 2, 2025

Sponsored by

Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

ID: H001046

Follow the money

The bill

A resolution recognizing and honoring teachers who have earned or maintained National Board Certification.

SRES. 129, 119th Congress — read as touching Teachers Unions.

The sponsor

Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$124,962 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

55% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Education" section, p. 356-358 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: S1785; text: S1782-1783)

March 13, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

📍 Current Status

Next: The full Senate will vote on whether to pass the bill.

✅

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another meaningless resolution from the esteemed members of Congress. How touching that they're "honoring" teachers who have earned National Board Certification. I'm sure it's a complete coincidence that this resolution has nothing to do with actual policy changes or funding, but rather serves as a feel-good PR stunt.

Let's dissect this legislative farce:

**Diagnosis:** Acute Case of Empty Gestures

The bill doesn't create any new regulations, modify existing ones, or provide tangible support for teachers. It's a hollow resolution that merely "recognizes" and "honors" National Board Certified teachers. What a bold move – acknowledging the existence of something without actually doing anything about it.

**Affected Industries and Sectors:** Education (but only superficially)

The education sector is affected in the sense that this resolution gives politicians an opportunity to pretend they care about teachers and students. In reality, it's just a shallow attempt to score points with educators and voters.

**Compliance Requirements and Timelines:** None

There are no compliance requirements or timelines because this resolution doesn't actually do anything. It's a non-binding statement that can be ignored by everyone involved.

**Enforcement Mechanisms and Penalties:** Ha!

Don't make me laugh. There are no enforcement mechanisms or penalties because this resolution is toothless. It's a symbolic gesture, not an actual policy change.

**Economic and Operational Impacts:** Zero

This resolution will have zero economic impact on the education sector or any other industry. It won't create jobs, increase funding, or improve educational outcomes. It's a pointless exercise in self-congratulation.

In conclusion, SRES 129 is a classic case of legislative theater – all show and no substance. It's a cynical attempt to manipulate public opinion without actually addressing the real issues facing educators and students. I'm sure the politicians involved will pat themselves on the back for this "accomplishment," but in reality, it's just another example of their ineptitude.

**Prescription:** A healthy dose of skepticism and a strong stomach to deal with the constant stream of empty gestures from our esteemed leaders.

Related Topics

Federal Budget & Appropriations
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$124,962
25 donors
PACs
$1,000
Organizations
$123,962
Committees
$0
Individuals
$0
1
JSTREETPAC
1 transaction
$1,000
1
SAN PABLO LYTTON TRIBE
2 transactions
$25,562
2
CHEROKEE NATION
2 transactions
$10,000
3
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
2 transactions
$6,600
4
MATCH-E-BE-NASH-SHE-WISH BAND OF POTTAWATOMI INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
5
FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA
2 transactions
$6,600
6
PUEBLO OF LAGUNA
1 transaction
$5,800
7
PUEBLO OF SAN ILDEFONSO
1 transaction
$5,000
8
THE CHICKASAW NATION
1 transaction
$5,000
9
PUEBLO OF TAOS
1 transaction
$3,300
10
ALABAMA COUSHATTA TRIBE OF TEXAS
1 transaction
$3,300
11
NOTTAWASEPPI HURON BAND OF THE POTAWATOMI
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$3,300
12
POARCH CREEK INDIANS TRIBAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS
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13
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
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14
MESCALERO APACHE TRIBE
1 transaction
$3,300
15
MICCOSUKEE TRIBE
1 transaction
$3,300
16
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
17
PUEBLO OF POJOAQUE
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$3,300
18
SAC & FOX TRIBE OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN IOWA
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$3,300
19
FORT SILL APACHE TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
1 transaction
$3,300
20
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
1 transaction
$3,300
21
MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL NATION
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22
OHKAY OWINGEH
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23
POKAGON BAND OF POTAWATOMI INDIANS
1 transaction
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24
PUEBLO OF SANDIA
1 transaction
$3,300

No committee contributions found

No individual contributions found

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 9 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]

ID: B001319

Top Contributors

10

1
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Sep 14, 2023
2
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Oct 11, 2024
3
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$2,500
Oct 29, 2024
4
HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP
OrganizationRICHMOND, VA
$1,000
Jul 25, 2024
5
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
May 1, 2024
6
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Nov 9, 2023
7
STRONG, MIRANDA
CALISTA • DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
IndividualANCHORAGE, AK
$5,000
Sep 20, 2023
8
STEPHENS, TYLER
FIERCE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS • LOBBYIST
IndividualWASHINGTON, DC
$3,300
Jul 1, 2023
9
SINGER, PAUL
ELLIOTT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT • CO-CEO, CO-CIO, PRESIDENT
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$3,300
Jul 6, 2023
10
SINGER, PAUL
ELLIOTT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT • CO-CEO, CO-CIO, PRESIDENT
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$3,300
Jul 9, 2023

Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

ID: H001042

Top Contributors

10

1
TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LA
OrganizationMARKSVILLE, LA
$3,300
Jun 15, 2023
2
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$2,500
Dec 30, 2023
3
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$2,500
Nov 1, 2023
4
MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
OrganizationCHOCTAW, MS
$2,000
Jul 7, 2023
5
TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LA
OrganizationMARKSVILLE, LA
$1,700
Jun 15, 2023
6
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$1,000
May 23, 2024
7
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$800
Nov 1, 2023
8
TONIO BURGOS & ASSOCIATES OF NEW JERSEY, LLC
OrganizationNEW YORK, NY
$500
May 18, 2023
9
CHUAN, JOHANNA
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualHONOLULU, HI
$3,400
Jun 9, 2024
10
MINATOISHI, LORRAINE REIKO
AEPAC • PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER
IndividualHONOLULU, HI
$3,300
Oct 21, 2024

Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]

ID: H001079

Top Contributors

10

1
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$2,900
Feb 28, 2023
2
MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
OrganizationCHOCTAW, MS
$1,500
May 31, 2023
3
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Jun 20, 2024
4
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$250
Mar 11, 2024
5
LUROS, HILARY
HOUSEWIFE • HOUSEWIFE
IndividualSUGAR LAND, TX
$6,600
Oct 21, 2024
6
LUROS, HILARY
HOUSEWIFE • HOUSEWIFE
IndividualSUGAR LAND, TX
$6,600
Oct 21, 2024
7
BESSENT, SCOTT
KEY SQUARE GROUP • INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
IndividualCHARLESTON, SC
$6,600
Dec 31, 2024
8
FREEMAN, JOHN
HIGH PLAINS ACRES LLP • ATTORNEY/AGRICULTURE
IndividualCHARLESTON, SC
$6,600
Dec 31, 2024
9
CASTLE, JOHN
CASTLE HARLAN • MERCHANT BANKER
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Mar 26, 2024
10
SEEMANN, WILLIAM III
SEEMANN COMPOSITES • CHAIRMAN
IndividualPASS CHRISTIAN, MS
$6,600
Jun 20, 2024

Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]

ID: K000384

Top Contributors

10

1
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$2,300
Jun 18, 2024
2
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$1,000
Jun 26, 2023
3
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLOS ANGELES, CA
$1,000
Jun 18, 2024
4
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Jun 25, 2024
5
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$1,000
Jun 18, 2024
6
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$1,000
Oct 15, 2024
7
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$1,000
Dec 29, 2023
8
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$600
Oct 25, 2023
9
STONEHALL FARM
OrganizationTHE PLAINS, VA
$500
Jun 30, 2024
10
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$400
Oct 25, 2023

Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]

ID: K000383

Top Contributors

10

1
2120 SEA ISLAND LLC
OrganizationRIVER FOREST, IL
$3,300
Oct 26, 2023
2
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$3,300
May 22, 2024
3
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$2,000
Mar 29, 2024
4
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$1,300
May 22, 2024
5
SMITH, BRAD
MICROSOFT CORPORATION • ATTORNEY
IndividualBELLEVUE, WA
$6,600
Feb 13, 2024
6
SMITH, BRAD
IndividualBELLEVUE, WA
$6,600
Feb 20, 2024
7
DOWNEY, NANCY A.
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$5,000
Sep 4, 2024
8
DOWNEY, NANCY A.
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$5,000
Aug 31, 2024
9
OTTEN, LESLIE B.
AMERICAN SKIING COMPANY • OWNER
IndividualBETHEL, ME
$5,000
Oct 4, 2024
10
BEKENSTEIN, ANITA
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualWAYLAND, MA
$3,300
Oct 24, 2024

Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]

ID: R000122

Top Contributors

10

1
KHAMIEES, MOHAMMAD D.
SELF-EMPLOYED • PHYSICIAN
IndividualCUMBERLAND, RI
$3,300
May 7, 2023
2
MEZZALINGUA, JOHN
JMA WIRELESS • CEO
IndividualSKANEATELES, NY
$3,300
Apr 8, 2024
3
MEZZALINGUA, JOHN
JMA WIRELESS • CEO
IndividualSKANEATELES, NY
$3,300
Apr 8, 2024
4
MEZZALINGUA, KIM
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualSKANEATELES, NY
$3,300
Apr 8, 2024
5
MEZZALINGUA, KIM
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualSKANEATELES, NY
$3,300
Apr 8, 2024
6
GRANIERI, ROBERT A.
JANE STREET CAPITAL • MANAGER
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Sep 29, 2023
7
GRANIERI, ROBERT A.
JANE STREET CAPITAL • MANAGER
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Sep 29, 2023
8
BOYCE, KATHARINE
KRBR CONSULTING • PRESIDENT
IndividualALEXANDRIA, VA
$2,900
Mar 28, 2023
9
SLOANE, CANDACE LAPIDUS
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualNEEDHAM, MA
$2,900
Mar 22, 2024
10
BONDERMAN, DAVID
TEXAS PACIFIC GROUP • FOUNDER
IndividualFORT WORTH, TX
$2,500
Feb 27, 2023

Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

ID: S001203

Top Contributors

10

1
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationRED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Jan 23, 2024
2
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationRED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Jan 23, 2024
3
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$2,000
Dec 28, 2023
4
MIAMI TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationMIAMI, OK
$2,000
Mar 18, 2024
5
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$2,000
Jul 31, 2024
6
MILLE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE INDIANS
OrganizationONAMIA, MN
$1,300
Jun 27, 2023
7
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,300
Jun 27, 2023
8
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$1,300
Jul 31, 2024
9
MILLE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE INDIANS
OrganizationONAMIA, MN
$1,200
Jun 27, 2023
10
FOND DU LAC BAND
OrganizationCLOQUET, MN
$1,000
Jun 27, 2023

Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

ID: W000779

Top Contributors

10

1
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$2,000
Dec 12, 2024
2
MOHEGAN TRIBE OF INDIANS OF CONNECTICUT
OrganizationUNCASVILLE, CT
$1,000
Dec 28, 2023
3
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$1,000
Dec 30, 2023
4
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSIONS INDIANS
OrganizationLOS ANGELES, CA
$1,000
Mar 26, 2024
5
SHAKOPEE MDWEKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Jun 12, 2024
6
SHAKOPEE MDWEKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
May 31, 2023
7
MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
OrganizationCHOCTAW, MS
$1,000
Dec 31, 2023
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$550
Oct 3, 2023
9
RENO-SPARKS INDIAN COLONY
OrganizationRENO, NV
$500
Jul 18, 2023
10
RENO-SPARKS INDIAN COLONY
OrganizationRENO, NV
$500
Sep 10, 2024

Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]

ID: F000479

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$2,000
Feb 9, 2024
2
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Nov 29, 2023
3
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Jun 18, 2024
4
SIMMS, RONALD
RONALD SIMMS REAL ESTATE • PRINCIPAL
IndividualBEVERLY HILLS, CA
$6,700
Jun 18, 2024
5
SIMMS, RONALD
IndividualBEVERLY HILLS, CA
$3,400
Aug 15, 2024
6
ADLERSTEIN, ARI
SELF EMPLOYED • FINANCIAL ADVISOR
IndividualMERION STATION, PA
$3,300
Dec 12, 2024
7
GOLDMAN, AMIR
SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP • VENTURE CAPITALIST
IndividualBALA CYNWYD, PA
$3,300
Oct 6, 2024
8
GOLDMAN, AMIR
SUSQUEHANNA INTERNATIONAL GROUP • VENTURE CAPITALIST
IndividualBALA CYNWYD, PA
$3,300
Oct 6, 2024
9
LEPRINO, TERRY
LEPRINO FOODS • OWNER
IndividualDENVER, CO
$3,300
Nov 1, 2024
10
MAYER, ABRAHAM
AFTON PROPERTIES • PRINCIPAL
IndividualLOS ANGELES, CA
$3,300
Dec 12, 2024

Donor Network - Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 85 nodes and 45 connections (85 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $160,662

Top Donors - Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount

1 PAC24 Orgs

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.

  • +Teachers Unionsconfidence 1.00

    The bill honors and recognizes the importance of National Board Certified teachers, which could lead to increased support and incentives for teachers, a key constituency of teachers unions (Section 1, Resolved clause 2 and 3).

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Education

Weak
Vector: 61%
Pages: 356-358AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on honoring National Board Certified teachers and does not address Project 2025's core themes of limiting federal executive overreach, reducing Department of Education intervention, or critiquing federal education spending. Both touch on education and teacher quality, but the bill's symbolic recognition does not align with the policy's reform agenda."

Key themes:teacher qualitystudent achievementeducation policyprofessional development

— 323 — Department of Education l Stopping executive overreach. Congress should set policy—not Presidents through pen-and-phone executive orders, and not agencies through regulations and guidance. National emergency declarations should expire absent express congressional authorization within 60 days after the date of the declaration. Bolstered by an ever-growing cabal of special interests that thrive off federal largesse, the infrastructure that supports America’s costly federal intervention in education from early childhood through graduate school has entrenched itself. But, unlike the public sector bureaucracies, public employee unions, and the higher education lobby, families and students do not need a Department of Education to learn, grow, and improve their lives. It is critical that the next Administration tackle this entrenched infrastructure. NEEDED REFORMS Federal intervention in education has failed to promote student achievement. After trillions spent since 1965 on the collective programs now housed within the walls of the department, student academic outcomes remain stagnant. On the main National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), reading out- comes on the 2022 administration have remained unchanged over the past 30 years. Declines in math performance are even more concerning than students’ lack of progress on reading outcomes. Fourth- and eighth-grade math scores saw the largest decline since the assessments were first administered in 1990. Average fourth-grade math scores declined five points, and average eighth-grade math scores declined eight points. Just one-third of eighth graders nationally are proficient in reading and math. Just 27 percent of eighth graders were pro- ficient in math in 2022, and just 31 percent of eighth graders scored proficient in reading in 2022. The NAEP Long-term Trend Assessment shows academic stagnation since the 1970s, with particular stagnation in the reading scores of 13-year-old students since 1971, when the assessment was first administered. Math scores, though modestly improved, are still lackluster. Additionally, the department has created a “shadow” department of education operating in states across the country. Federal mandates, programs, and proclama- tions have spurred a hiring spree among state education agencies, with more than 48,000 employees currently on staff in state agencies across the country. Those employees are more than 10 times the number of employees (4,400)10 at the federal Department of Education, and their jobs largely entail reporting back to Washing- ton. Research conducted by The Heritage Foundation’s Jonathan Butcher finds that the federal government funds 41 percent of the salary costs of state educa- tion agencies.11 — 324 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise CHART 1 Trends in Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Reading EIGHTH-GRADE READING, AVERAGE SCORES 270 265 263 260 260 255 1992 1994 1998 ’02’03 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 FOURTH-GRADE READING, AVERAGE SCORES 225 220 220 217 215 210 1992 1994 1998 2000 ’02’03 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 SOURCES: The Nation’s Report Card, “National Average Scores,” Grade 4, https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ reading/nation/scores/?grade=4 (accessed March 17, 2023), and The Nation’s Report Card, “National Average Scores,” Grade 8, https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading/nation/scores/?grade=4 (accessed March 17, 2023). A heritage.org

Department of Education

Weak
Vector: 60%
Pages: 374-376AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on recognizing K-12 teachers with National Board Certification, while the Project 2025 excerpt centers on higher education student aid reform, loan accountability, and critiques of teacher unions' federal charter. Both touch on education and teacher-related issues, but their substantive objectives diverge significantly."

Key themes:education sectorteacher qualityprofessional developmentfederal involvement in education

— 341 — Department of Education market prices and signals to influence educational borrowing, introducing consumer-driven accountability into higher education. Pell grants should retain their current voucher-like structure. If Congress is unwilling to reform federal student aid, then the next Adminis- tration should consider the following reforms: l Switch to fair-value accounting from FCRA accounting, and l Consolidate all federal loan programs into one new program that 1. Utilizes income-driven repayment, 2. Includes no interest rate subsidies or loan forgiveness, 3. Includes annual and aggregate limits on borrowing, and 4. Requires “skin in the game” from colleges to help hold them accountable for loan repayment. The Biden Administration has mercilessly pillaged the student loan portfolio for crass political purposes without regard to the needs of current taxpayers or future students. This must never happen again. l As detailed in Section III, the next Administration should work with Congress to spin off federal student aid into a new government corporation with professional governance and management. NEW POLICY PRIORITIES FOR 2025 AND BEYOND New Legislation That Should Be Prioritized For nearly 250 years, Congress has incorporated public and private institutions, including banks, the District of Columbia’s city government, and other organiza- tions that federal officials deem to be conducting operations in the public interest. Such charters offer a certain status to organizations, often viewed as a “seal of approval” according to one Congressional Research Service report, which can help these organizations in their fundraising and other advocacy efforts. When the nation’s largest teacher association, the National Education Associ- ation (NEA), cites its federal charter, it lends the NEA a level of significance and suggests an effectiveness that is not supported by evidence. In fact, the NEA and the nation’s other large teacher union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT),

Department of Education

Weak
Vector: 60%
Pages: 383-385AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"SRES 129 focuses on recognizing and encouraging National Board Certified teachers, while the Project 2025 Department of Education section centers on school choice, opting out of federal programs, and accreditation reform. The only tangential connection is a shared interest in improving education quality, but there is no direct policy overlap."

Key themes:teacher qualityprofessional developmenteducation improvement

— 351 — Department of Education as the Educational Choice for Children Act. This bill would create a federal scholarship tax credit that would incentivize donors to contribute to nonprofit scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). Eligible families could then use that funding from the SGOs for their children’s education expenses including private school tuition, tutoring, and instructional materials. ADDITIONAL K–12 REFORMS Allowing States to Opt Out of Federal Education Programs. States should be able to opt out of federal education programs such as the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (APLUS) Act. Much of the red tape and regulations that hinder local school districts are handed down from Washington. This regulatory burden far exceeds the federal government’s less than 10 percent financing share of K–12 education. In the most recent fiscal year (FY 2022), states and localities financed 93 percent of K–12 education costs, and the federal government just 7 percent. That 7 percent share should not allow the federal government to dictate state and local education policy. l To restore state and local control of education and reduce the bureaucratic and compliance burden, Congress should allow states to opt out of the dozens of federal K–12 education programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and instead allow states to put their share of federal funding toward any lawful education purpose under state law. This policy has been advanced over the years via a proposal known as the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (APLUS) Act. HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM HEA: Accreditation Reform Congress established two primary responsibilities for the U.S. Department of Education in the HEA: 1) to ensure the “administrative capacity and financial responsibility” of colleges and universities that accept Title IV funds; and 2) to ensure the quality of those institutions. Congress did not endow the Department of Education with the authority to involve itself in academic quality issues relating to colleges and universities that participate in the Title IV student aid program; the HEA allows the agency only to recognize accreditors, which are then supposed to provide quality assurance measures. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has followed closely in the footsteps of the Obama Administration by engaging in a politically motivated and incon- sistent administration of the accrediting agency recognition process. As a result, accreditors have transformed into de facto government agents. Despite claims by — 352 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise the department and accreditation agencies that accreditation is voluntary, the fact that Americans are denied access to an otherwise widely available entitle- ment benefit if the institution “elects” to not be accredited makes accreditation anything but voluntary. Today, accreditation determines whether Americans can access federal student aid benefits, transfer academic credits, enroll in higher-level degree programs, and even qualify for federal employment. Unnecessarily focused on schools in a specific geographic region, institutional accreditation reviews have also become wildly expensive audits by academic “peers” that stifle innovation and discourage new institutions of higher education. Of par- ticular concern are efforts by many accreditation agencies to leverage their Title IV (student loans and grants) gatekeeper roles to force institutions to adopt policies that have nothing to do with academic quality assurance and student outcomes. One egregious example of this is the extent to which accreditors have forced col- leges and universities, many of them faith-based institutions, to adopt diversity, equity, and inclusion policies that conflict with federal civil rights laws, state laws, and the institutional mission and culture of the schools. Perhaps more distress- ingly, accreditors, while professing support for academic freedom and campus free speech, have presided over a precipitous decline in both over the past decade. Despite maintaining criteria that demand such policies, accreditors have done nothing to dampen the illiberal chill that has swept across American campuses over the past decade. The current system is not working. A radical overhaul of the HEA’s accreditation requirements is thus in order. The next Administration should work with Congress to amend the HEA and should consider the following reforms: l Prohibit accreditation agencies from leveraging their Title IV gatekeeper role to mandate that educational institutions adopt diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. l Protect the sovereignty of states to decide governance and leadership issues for their state-supported colleges and universities by prohibiting accreditation agencies from intruding upon the governance of state-supported educational institutions. l Protect faith-based institutions by prohibiting accreditation agencies from: 1. Requiring standards and criteria that undermine the religious beliefs of, or require policies or conduct that conflict with, the religious mission or religious beliefs of the institution; and

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