Congress returned to Washington DC to continue debate of the FY 2026 spending bills. As reported earlier, there is growing concern about another government shutdown since the current continuing resolution funding the government is set to end on January 30, 2026.

It is anticipated (and hoped) that a compromise FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education spending bill will largely resemble the bipartisan proposal approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this year. This would mean level funding for most Education Department programs. 

Now is the time to speak out. We urge you to contact your members of Congress today through the NSTA Legislative Action Center. Tell them to support the investments our students, teachers, and economy need to thrive in the 21st century. Take two minutes to email your members of Congress and ask them to support strong funding for education in the FY26 appropriations bill.

Senate Dems React to ED Interagency Agreements

The reaction was swift and damning to the announcement by Education Secretary Linda McMahon that the Administration would create a number of interagency agreements (IAAs) to shift oversight of most federal education programs to other agencies.

As reported earlier, under the Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership, the Department of Labor (DOL) will take on a larger role in administering federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) K–12 programs, including managing grant competitions, providing technical assistance, and aligning education initiatives with workforce development efforts. The ESSA K-12 programs include Title I, Title II, and Title IV-A. Title IV-A is the primary science and STEM education funding source for states and districts under ESSA.

In addition, the Postsecondary Education Partnership expands DOL’s responsibilities in overseeing many higher education grant programs to better connect postsecondary learning with labor-market needs. 

In response, a number of key Democratic Senators sent a letter to Secretary McMahon, calling on her to “reverse these steps to dismantle the Department of Education.”

“The actions you announced on November 18 to continue hollowing out the U.S. Department of Education are outrageous, illegal, and will jeopardize the funding and support that tens of millions of students, teachers, and families across the country rely on,” write the Senators. “Your brazen attempt to dismantle the Department by transferring to other federal agencies complex and foundational responsibilities that Congress specifically charged to the Department—including more than half of all federal funds for elementary and secondary education programs and billions in higher education funding—will undermine public education.”

In the letter, the Senators also point out that dismantling the Department would require an act of Congress. Stay tuned. 

Join the NSTA Advocacy Team

Last week, the NSTA Board of Directors announced new policy goals for 2026. 

We invite you to join us in our efforts to support federal science education funding streams, advance policies to benefit science educators, elevate science as an accountability priority, and advance science education priorities in your state. 

Learn more about these strategic goals and our full policy platform on the new NSTA Advocacy webpage, and take a minute to visit the NSTA Legislative Action Center.

For the latest advocacy and policy updates, be sure to check out our Legislative Updates blog series, which is featured in our e-newsletters, NSTA Reports, and NSTA Weekly. 

The mission of NSTA is to transform science education to benefit all through professional learning, partnerships, and advocacy.