S. 4061: SPEAK Act

109th Congress · introduced 2006-11-16 · Education · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11062-11064)

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-11-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S11062-11064) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

SPEAK Act

Plain summary

Standards to Provide Educational Access for Kids Act or the SPEAK Act - Amends the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (the Act) to require the Commissioner for Educational Statistics to add science to the mandatory biennial national and state academic achievement assessments of students in grades four, eight, and twelve in reading and mathematics. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states receiving school improvement funds to participate in such science assessments of students in grades four and eight, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. Amends the Act to task the National Assessment Governing Board with creating voluntary American education content standards in mathematics and science for kindergarten through grade 12 which reflect the knowledge students need to enter college or the workforce and compete in the global economy. Requires the Secretary of Education to establish the American Standards Incentive fund to award competitive four-year grants to states which agree to: (1) adopt such voluntary mathematics and science standards as the core of their own academic content standards in such subjects; and (2) align their teacher certification and professional development requirements to such standards. Provides additional funds to successful grantees for the enhancement of their student performance data systems. Authorizes the Secretary to extend by up to four years for such grantees the 12-year period at the end of which students must meet or exceed state academic performance standards established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

SPEAK Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109s4061.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/s>

Record fed-us-cong109-s4061 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109