Voluntary Basic Educational Skills Testing Act
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.
Voluntary Basic Educational Skills Testing Act - Directs the Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement, before any funds are obligated for a fiscal year, to submit to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a spending plan for activities funded through the Office of Educational Research and Improvement for such year. (Sec. 3) Gives to the National Assessment Governing Board (established under the National Education Statistics Act of 1994) exclusive authority over all policies, direction, and guidelines for establishing and implementing voluntary national tests for fourth grade English reading and eighth grade mathematics. (Sec. 4) Requires such tests to be made available, upon request, to a State, local educational agency, or private or parochial school. Prohibits making the use of such tests a condition for receiving any Federal funds. (Sec. 5) Directs the Board to review the current national test development contract, and modify it as necessary, or terminate it and negotiate a new contract under the Board's exclusive control. Sets forth Board responsibilities with respect to development of, and content and standards for, such tests. (Sec. 6) Prohibits a State or local educational agency from requiring any private or parochial school student, or home-schooled individual, to take any test developed under this Act without the student's or individual's written consent. (Sec. 7) Amends the National Education Statistics Act of 1994 to: (1) revise requirements for appointment of Board members; and (2) provide that the Board, in its exercise of its functions, powers, and duties, shall be independent of the Secretary of Education and the other offices and officers of the Department of Education. (Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary to appoint individuals to fill vacancies on the Board caused by expiration of member terms or creation of new membership positions under this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 2, 1999. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 19, 1999: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 106th Congress (1999-00), 580 of the 9,158 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 6.3 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
MICHAEL FORBES (R-NY) introduced it on March 2, 1999. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 2, 1999, 10054 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 10037 days ago, on March 19, 1999.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 106th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2001 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers