Bennet, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Innovation in Education

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the New Essential Education Discoveries (NEED) Act to help schools and colleges make advancements in teaching and learning. The legislation would create a national center that advances high-risk, high-reward education research projects, similar to the model employed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

"As a former school superintendent, I know our teachers are doing everything they can to overcome today's educational challenges - especially as COVID, social media, and nationwide mental health crisis have made their jobs more difficult than ever. They need new tools to overcome these obstacles and educate the next generation of Americans, and Congress can help by investing in cutting-edge education research," said Bennet. "This bipartisan bill will help schools, educators, and policy makers meet today's education challenges and make necessary, data-based adjustments in the future."

"With the opportunities and challenges of technology like artificial intelligence, we have a responsibility to develop and disseminate cutting-edge practices to bridge gaps in students' academic readiness," said Cornyn. "This legislation invests in education, STEM instruction, and innovative learning methods to help equip our future workforce with the resources and skills necessary to maintain America's preeminence in the world."

The NEED Act would create a National Center for Advanced Development in Education (NCADE) dedicated to developing and disseminating cutting-edge practices and tools - such as voice recognition software to assess emerging readiness gaps and dyslexia, and digital learning platforms - to help students recover lost learning time from the pandemic.

Specifically, the legislation would:

• Make robust investments to establish, staff, and operate NCADE;
• Require the Advanced Development Commissioner to appoint an advisory panel to guide the development and implementation of NCADE projects; and
• Conduct and disseminate the results of periodic evaluations of the effectiveness of NCADE in achieving its mission of expanding education R&D and improving teaching and learning.

The NEED Act would also improve Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) and help states better track students' progress through K-12 and into the workforce while protecting the privacy of students' education records. This data will help policymakers understand and address opportunity and achievement gaps across the country.

"Too many students across Colorado, particularly those from under-served communities, are falling behind. We need to invest in cutting-edge research to identify innovative solutions to serve these students. We also need stronger state data infrastructure so that we can measure outcomes and invest in programs that work," said Katie Zaback, Vice President of Policy, Colorado Succeeds. "The NEED Act will address both of these needs. A new National Center for Advanced Development in Education can unlock new insights, and modernized statewide longitudinal data systems will strengthen the infrastructure that serves as the backbone for effective research and ongoing improvement."

"Relative to many other countries, the United States spends too little on educational research and development. If we want educational policymakers and leaders to make decisions based on evidence, we need much more research on the kinds of innovations that make a difference in all children's outcomes. Senator Bennet's New Essential Education Discoveries (NEED) Act will provide the resources needed to accelerate innovation in teaching and learning and help close opportunity gaps," said William Penuel, Distinguished Professor, School of Education at the University of Colorado Boulder and Director, National Center for Research in Policy and Practice.

"We have come upon an opportune moment to combine learning sciences, new and advancing technologies, and big, bold ideas to build more equitable, effective, and engaging learning opportunities for students while supporting our K-12 teachers in their important work. I thank Senator Bennet for his leadership and sponsorship of the New Essential Education Discoveries (NEED) Act, which recognizes the importance of supporting innovative, cutting-edge projects for teaching and learning just as we value innovations in health, energy, and defense," said Sidney D'Mello, Professor, Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation National AI institute for Student-AI Teaming.

"The NEED Act recognizes that we must address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student outcomes, as well as restore America's standing as a world leader in innovative education," said Jean-Claude Brizard, President and CEO, Digital Promise. "It would create a DARPA-inspired National Center for Advanced Development in Education (NCADE) dedicated to developing cutting-edge practices and tools, as well as make a considerable investment in statewide longitudinal data systems. Through Digital Promise's networks like the League of Innovative Schools, we've seen what can be achieved with forward-thinking initiatives in Colorado districts like Adams 12 Five Star Schools and Trinidad School District. The NEED Act will help propel the U.S. education system into the future and enable schools to make significant advances in teaching and learning."

"From defense to transportation, nearly every sector other than education has its own version of an Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA)," said Dan Correa, CEO, Federation of American Scientists. "In the age of rapid developments in emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, this is a huge missed opportunity for education. It's time to make an ARPA for education a reality, and the NEED Act will do that. This important legislation will also strengthen and modernize statewide longitudinal data systems, which provide the foundation for robust R&D."

"The NEED Act would develop and enhance our education data infrastructure, providing a roadmap for decision-makers on how to give underserved students the high-quality education they need and deserve. This is especially urgent as the pandemic intensified the already pervasive racial and socio-economic disparities embedded in our nation's schools," said Denise Forte, President and CEO, The Education Trust. "The bill also invests in promising education research and development to put data in action to make our school systems more equitable. We urge Congress to pass this important piece of legislation."

"Our nation's model of schooling looks much the same today as it did a century ago, which makes it impossible to help each student reach their full potential," said Joel Rose, Co-Founder and CEO, New Classrooms. "The NEED Act will provide a much needed federal investment in education to develop high-reward transformative solutions and bold innovative learning models that produce dramatic breakthroughs for students and teachers."

This bill is supported by nearly 70 organizations, including: Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF), Alliance for Learning Innovation, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), American Educational Research Association, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychological Association Services, Coalition for Community Schools, Colorado League of Charter Schools, Colorado Succeeds, Committee for Children, Digital Promise Global, ExcelinEd in Action, Federation of American Scientists, White House Office of Management and Budget, Lehigh University, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Center for Learning Disabilities, New Classrooms, The Education Trust, Transcend, University of Colorado - Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Anschutz Campuses, and University of Denver.

The text of the bill is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE.