Copyright 1999 Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony
September 08, 1999
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 498 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY September 08, 1999 MICHAEL N. CASTLE CHAIRMAN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD,
YOUTH AND FAMILIES HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE EARLY
CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND FAMILIES CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS IN ELEMENTARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION
BODY:
OPENING STATEMENT
CHAIRMAN MICHAEL N. CASTLE EARLY CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND FAMILIES SUBCOMMITTEE
"CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS IN K-12 EDUCATION" SEPTEMBER 8, 1999 GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS MIKE CASTLE AND I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND
FAMILIES SUBCOMMITTEE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE
NEXT IN OUR SERIES OF FIELD HEARINGS ON THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
ACT. AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, THE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE HAS
WORKED TO DEVELOP EDUCATION INITIATIVES WHICH FOCUS LIMITED FEDERAL DOLLARS IN A
WAY THAT PROVIDES A BETTER CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE.
THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDE THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT, THE
CREATION OF THE READING EXCELLENCE ACT, AND THE REFORM OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, BUT THEY ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF OUR EFFORTS TO
FOCUS NATIONAL ATTENTION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FOR ALL AMERICANS. THIS
YEAR, WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ON OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THE ENACTMENT OF THE
ED-FLEX ACT, A PLAN TO PROVIDE STATES AND LOCALITIES WITH THE FLEXIBILITY THEY
NEED TO RAISE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE PASSAGE OF THE TEACHER EMPOWERMENT
ACT. THIS BILL WILL PROVIDE SCHOOLS WITH MORE THAN $2 BILLION TO SUPPORT THE
HIGH QUALITY TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS CLASS SIZE REDUCTION EFFORTS.
IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS, WE WILL TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT, THE PRIMARY MEANS
BY WHICH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO OUR NATION'S ELEMENTARY
AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. AS CHAIRMAN, IT IS MY JOB TO ENSURE THAT THIS
REAUTHORIZATION PROVIDES OUR SCHOOLS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO HELP OUR
CHILDREN OBTAIN THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION. THIS INCLUDES FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR
PROGRAMS TO PLACE COMPUTERS -- AND TEACHERS TRAINED TO USE THEM -- IN THE
CLASSROOM AS WELL AS EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR TEACHERS
LEARN AND WORK IN A SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. MY SUBCOMMITTEE HAS ALREADY HELD A
NUMBER OF HEARINGS ON ESEA -- BOTH IN WASHINGTON AND IN THE
FIELD -- BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE TESTIMONY WE RECEIVE WILL HELP US IDENTIFY
WEAKNESS IN THE CURRENT LAW AND FRAME OUR REFORM PROCESS. I AM ESPECIALLY
PLEASED THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE IN
THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION OF THESE PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE YOU ARE BEST SUITED TO
TELL US WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T IN YOUR SCHOOLS. FOR THESE REASONS, I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK OUR WITNESSES FOR TAKING THE TIME TO APPEAR BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR TESTIMONY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
RANKING MEMBER DALE KILDEE AND REPRESENTATIVE BOB ETHERIDGE FOR THEIR ATTENDANCE
TODAY AND THANK REPRESENTATIVE DAVID PRICE AND HIS STAFF FOR ORGANIZING THIS
HEARING. I WILL NOW YIELD TO REPRESENTATIVE KILDEE FOR ANY OPENING STATEMENT HE
MAY WISH TO MAKE AND THEN TO REPRESENTATIVE PRICE FOR HIS OPENING STATEMENT AND
WITNESS INTRODUCTIONS.
LOAD-DATE: September 20, 1999
