On, Thursday, September 23, the House Education and Labor Committee discussed legislation to reduce and more safely manage concussions in student athletes.  At the request of several members of the Education and Labor Committee, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigated the prevalence of concussions in high school athletics and found that concussions often go unrecognized. Recent research shows that concussions can have serious repercussions for student athletes both on the field and in the classroom. During the 2005-2008 school years, an estimated 400,000 concussions occurred in high school athletics – brain injuries that often go unnoticed and untreated.

The Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act would establish minimum standards in K-12 schools on concussion safety and management, including educating students, parents and school personnel about how to recognize and respond to concussions. The Education and Labor Committee held a full committee hearing on the issue in May and hosted a field hearing in Long Island, New York in early September.

On Thursday, May 27th, the Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine the results of a new GAO report on post-secondary institutions that serve low-income and minority students. The panel will review efforts to monitor the financial and programmatic performance of institutions that receive funding under Titles III and V of the Higher Education Opportunity Act. 

More than 1,200 colleges in the United States serve predominantly minority populations.

On Tuesday, May 4, the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to examine how to best support teachers and leaders in schools. Studies show that teachers are the single most important factor in affecting student achievement.

This is part of a continued series of hearings the committee is holding as part of a bipartisan, transparent effort to overhaul the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as No Child Left Behind.

On Thursday, March 18, the House Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee will examine how schools can properly address the needs of diverse students under Elementary and Secondary Education Act, particularly low-income students, minority students, English Language Learners, students with disabilities, Native Americans, and homeless students. This is part of a series of hearings the committee is holding as it works to reauthorize ESEA, currently known as No Child Left Behind.

On Wednesday, March 17, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will appear before the House Education and Labor Committee to discuss the Obama administration’s blueprint for overhauling the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as No Child Left Behind.  The committee is currently working in a bipartisan and transparent way to rewrite the law.

On Wednesday, March 3, at 9:30 am eastern, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan appeared before the House Education and Labor Committee to discuss how strong and innovative education reforms can help rebuild the U.S. economy and restore our competitiveness.

Secretary Duncan discussed President Obama’s education agenda, including his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2011, which called for Congress to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and pass the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act originated in the Education and Labor Committee and was approved by the House in September.

On Wednesday, September 30, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to examine the progress states and schools districts have made toward ensuring that every child is taught by an effective teacher. Current law requires states to make sure teacher talent is distributed fairly in school districts, so that all children – including poor and minority children – have access to outstanding teachers. Several of the witnesses are former teachers.

The Obama administration has already taken steps toward improving teacher equity. In order to be eligible for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, states are required to take steps to place effective teachers in the classrooms that need them most.

On Wednesday, May 20, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified before the House Education and Labor Committee about President Obama’s agenda for transforming American education. This marked Secretary’s first appearance on Capitol Hill to outline the President’s education goals.

On Thursday, May 7, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to examine how federal agencies can help child care, schools, colleges and workplaces prepare for the H1N1 flu virus and future pandemics. The hearing will also provide an update on how schools and workplaces are being affected by and responding to the current outbreak.

Next week, the House Education and Labor Committee will launch a series of committee and subcommittee hearings devoted to strengthening early childhood education. The hearings will examine the early learning and child care needs of children and families, as well as collaborative state efforts and other initiatives to deliver high quality care and education to children from birth through age five.

This effort comes a week after President Barack Obama delivered his first major speech on education, in which he discussed early education as a critical part of his agenda.

Next week, the House Education and Labor Committee will launch a series of committee and subcommittee hearings devoted to strengthening early childhood education. The hearings will examine the early learning and child care needs of children and families, as well as collaborative state efforts and other initiatives to deliver high quality care and education to children from birth through age five.

This effort comes a week after President Barack Obama delivered his first major speech on education, in which he discussed early education as a critical part of his agenda.

The House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee will hold a joint hearing with the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security to examine if at-risk youth are missing out on educational opportunities while in foster care, juvenile justice facilities, alternative education settings and other environments.

To build on the important conversations happening across the country on national service and volunteerism, the House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, February 25, to examine the importance of national and community service in meeting critical economic needs across the country. This will be the first full committee education hearing held in the 111th Congress.

Boosting community service is a key priority for President Obama, whose official Inauguration activities included a “National Day of Service” where hundreds of thousands of Americans volunteered in their communities. Among other things, the hearing will focus on reinvigorating civic engagement across all levels of society, expanding opportunities for young people to participate in service, and how national and community service can help “green” America.

This hearing examined whether the Department of Labor is doing enough to enforce U.S. child labor laws and will explore the impact of child labor on families.

The Committee held a hearing on bipartisan legislation that would help strengthen American families and help more children arrive at school ready to succeed by expanding access to early childhood home visitation programs for parents and children.

Research shows that these programs, which provide a variety of services ranging from pre-natal medical care to school readiness and family literacy programs, can help improve student achievement, reduce child abuse rates, improve early identification of developmental delays and disabilities, and improve access to health services.