INTRODUCTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR ALL CHILDREN ACT OF 1999 -- HON. WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY (Extensions of Remarks - May 26, 1999)

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HON. WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY OF MISSOURI IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1999

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Educational Excellence for All Children Act of 1999, President Clinton's proposal to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This proposal will reinvigorate our commitment to high standards and achievement in every classroom; improve teacher and principal quality to ensure high-quality instruction for all children; strengthen accountability for results; and ensure safe, healthy, orderly and drug-free school environments where all children can learn.

Established in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty, the ESEA opened a new era of Federal support for education, particularly for students who would gain the most: children in our high-poverty communities and those at-risk of educational failure. Today, the ESEA authorizes the Federal government's single largest investment in elementary and secondary education. Through this Act, the Congress and the President will reaffirm and strength the Federal role in promoting academic excellence and equal educational opportunity for every American.

This reauthorization of ESEA comes at a critical time for our country. The restructuring of ESEA that was done during the last review in 1994, to establish challenging State-developed standards and assessments, put us on the path to greater academic achievement for all students. This legislation builds upon this focus and targets improvement towards the lowest performing schools and students through comprehensive interventions and assistance, and if necessary, requires consequences for continual failure of schools. Overall, this reauthorization gives Congress the opportunity to complete the work done in 1994 by strengthening our focus on quality and accountability for results.

Coupled with the strong emphasis on achievement in this bill is an equally vigorous and complimentary focus on improving the quality of our teaching force. Qualified teachers are the most single critical in-school factor in improving student achievement. Unfortunately, too many of our teachers still do not receive on-going high-quality professional development. This bill refocuses the professional development programs in ESEA to bring the challenging academic standards which all States have developed into the classroom. In addition, this legislation authorizes the President's high-promising 100,000 teacher class-size program enacted as a part of last year's appropriation process. We must ensure that all children in America have talented, dedicated, teachers in small classes and this bill puts on this path.

Another important priority in this legislation is the fostering of supportive learning environments that reduces the likelihood of disruptive behavior and school violence while encouraging personal growth and academic development. This legislation strengthen the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Act by emphasizing the funding of research-based approaches to violence prevention; expands the comprehensive prevention efforts through the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative; and encourages reform of America's high schools through increased individualized attention and learning.

In 1994, Congress and the President worked together to raise standards for all children and to provide a quality education for them to achieve those standards. Five years later, there is evidence that standards-based reform has increased achievement in many states, while helping spark reforms in others. With this bill, we must build upon the accomplishments of 1994. We can no longer tolerate lower expectations and results for poor and disadvantaged students. We must take the next step by helping schools and teachers bring high standards into every classroom and help every child achieve. The legislation I am introducing today will provide us with the tools to accomplish these vital missions.
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