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BHEF members are driving change "on the ground"... and also advocate for policy changes at the federal, state and local levels.

 

Leadership & Action

BHEF brings together an extraordinary coalition of corporate, academic and foundation members to influence public policy and inspire other corporate, academic and foundation leaders to act. 

BHEF members are driving change "on the ground." They develop, adopt and promote best practices and strategic approaches among corporate, education and foundation leaders, nationally and locally. They also advocate for policy changes at the federal, state and local levels.


Recent Advocacy Efforts

BHEF Joins STEM Coalition in Funding Requests
BHEF, in collaboration with the the STEM Education Coalition, recently signed onto four letters in support of additional funding for the bi-partisan America COMPETES Act. The STEM Education Coalition supports robust federal investments in NSF’s basic scientific research programs that will inspire current and future generations of young people to pursue careers in STEM fields and bolster U.S. capacity for innovation and global economic competitiveness.

BHEF Joins 240 Organizations in Advocating for STEM Funding
BHEF, in collaboration with the TAP Coalition and 240 additional business, scientific, and education organizations, has sent letters to the president, House leaders, and Senate leaders urging the inclusion of critical funding for science and engineering research, and math and science education in the upcoming supplemental fiscal year 2008 spending bill.

BHEF Advocates for Changes in the Higher Education Act
BHEF, along with more than 30 other organizations, has signed onto a letter encouraging Congress to make specific changes in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, including:            

  • Support for STEM teacher professional development;            
  • Incentives to encourage students to obtain STEM degrees and pursue STEM-related careers;            
  • Expansion of efforts to encourage diversity in the STEM workforce.

View the letter here.

TAP Coalition Sends Letters Advocating STEM Funding
The Tapping America's Potential (TAP) Coalition, of which BHEF is one of 16 member organizations, has recently signed four letters urging for the funding of science and engineering research programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Commerce, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programs. Letters were sent to:

Click on the bullets above to read letters or, for more information about the TAP Coalition, visit www.tap2015.org.

BHEF Signs Letter to Congressional Representatives Urging Reauthorization Amendments to No Child Left Behind
BHEF, along with 58 other organizations, has submitted a letter to George Miller, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and Howard P. McKeon, a ranking member of the Committee, urging specific changes to the Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) measure in the No Child Left Behind Act.

Currently, only math and reading are required components for a school's AYP. This letter draws on the recipients' recent discussion draft, applauding it for addressing national competitiveness and student achievement in STEM areas, but makes the case for including science as a required component for AYP. This push reflects BHEF's own STEM priorities, and we are highly supportive of the plan.

To read the letter and see the other organizations who signed it, click here.

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Congress Implements Recommendations of An American Imperative
Congress overwhelmingly passed and the President has signed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (H.R. 2669), which implements key recommendations of the Business-Higher Education Forum’s recent report, An American Imperative.

The bill establishes the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program, which will provide up to $4,000 a year to students who agree to serve as full-time teachers for at least four academic years at a high-need school within eight years after completing their degree. This approach is consistent with recommendations in An American Imperative as a way to strengthen teacher recruitment policies in mathematics and science. In order to be awarded the TEACH Grant, recipients must agree teach in math, science, foreign language, bilingual education, or special education. Alternatively, students can agree to serve as a Reading Specialist or teach in another field documented as high-need.

Additionally, the Act increases the maximum Pell Grant scholarship to $5,400 over the next five years, from $4,050, and encourages public service and philanthropic participation through loan forgiveness and grants. The Act would also guarantee new investments in historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally-controlled colleges and universities, and Alaska and Hawaiian native institutions.

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BHEF Lauds New America COMPETES Act
On August 9, 2007, President Bush signed into law the America COMPETES Act. This bipartisan, landmark legislation seeks to improve American competitiveness by:

  • Authorizing a substantial increase in federal investment in research;
  • Increasing federal investment in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education;
  • Establishing large-scale programs for teacher recruitment and retention in math and science. 

BHEF actively supported passage of this legislation, both directly and through its participation in the Tapping America’s Potential (TAP) Coalition and STEM Education Coalition. Its enactment caps years of effort to improve America’s capacity for innovation and advances several key BHEF policy priorities, particularly in the areas of STEM education and strengthening America’s math and science teacher workforce.   

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BHEF’s Vice Chair Testifies on Globalization Before House Science and Technology Committee

On July 26, David Skorton, President of Cornell University and BHEF vice chairman, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology. The hearing sought to learn how America’s universities are addressing the challenges of globalization by establishing campuses overseas and preparing their domestic students to compete in the global marketplace. Dr. Skorton shared with committee members Cornell’s efforts and perspectives on the globalization of research, development, and innovation. Find coverage of the event in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

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BHEF and the Business Community Submit Higher Education Act Recommendations to Congress
Led by BHEF, the Tapping America’s Potential (TAP) Coalition crafted recommendations for the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The recommendations address strategies for maintaining America’s competitive edge by aligning P-12 education with college and workplace expectations, recruiting and retaining math and science teachers, and motivating students to study and enter STEM careers. The recommendations were shared with leadership on the House Education and Labor Committee and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. 

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BHEF and the STEM Education Coalition Share Priorities for a Competitiveness Bill with the House Education and Labor Committee
Led by BHEF, the STEM Education Coalition submitted a letter to Representative George Miller (D-CA) and Buck McKeon (R-CA), Chair and Ranking Member for the House Education and Labor Committee, recommending STEM education provisions related to a competitiveness bill. The coalition called on the committee to draft a bill that establishes P-16 councils, improves math instruction, strengthens after-school and summer STEM programs, recruits STEM teachers, and expands professional science master’s programs. The Education and Labor Committee plans to either introduce a competitiveness bill later this year or incorporate competitiveness related proposals in the upcoming reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act and No Child Left Behind Act.

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BHEF Urges Congress to Strengthen Federal Strategies to Recruit, Retain, and Renew Mathematics and Science Teachers
Warren Baker, President of California Polytechnic State University, and Bill Swanson, Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Company, sent a letter to congressional members on key education and science committees.  The letter called on Congress to invest in strategies that recruit, retain, and renew mathematics and science teachers. The letter also shared the specific federal recommendations from BHEF’s soon to be released report, An American Imperative.  Warren Baker and Bill Swanson co-chair the BHEF initiative “Securing America’s Leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)” working group, which provided key leadership and vision for An American Imperative.

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BHEF Supports Math and Science Funding Efforts for FY08 Appropriations
BHEF joined the STEM Education Coalition in urging Congress to fund math and science education programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Education (ED), such as the Math and Science Partnership programs (See NSF and ED letters). BHEF also signed on to a letter from the Task Force on the Future of American Innovation, which called for increases in fiscal year 2008 funding for basic research at NSF, Department of Energy, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (See House and Senate letters).   

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BHEF Supports Bills Promoting Excellence in Math and Science Instruction
BHEF applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of the "10,000 Teachers, 10,000 Minds" Science and Math Scholarship Act (H.R. 362), and the "Sowing the Seeds Through Engineering Research" Act (H.R. 363). These bills promote excellence in math and science instruction and support research in engineering and the physical sciences. "The quality of math and science teaching is the single most important factor in improving student math and science achievement," said BHEF Executive Director, Brian K. Fitzgerald. "H.R. 362 recognizes this national imperative by making key investments in teacher recruitment programs and professional development opportunities." BHEF is a member of the TAP Coalition, which has advocated enactment of this legislation. Read more.

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