Federal Legislative Update

October 22, 1999

News from Capitol Hill...

CONGRESS SAYS 'YES' TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
'NO!' TO VOUCHER SCHEMES

The 1999 Student Results Act (H.R. 2) - The House overwhelmingly approved (358-67) renewal of the landmark Title I program, with the strongest requirements for higher standards and accountability ever established for programs serving poor and disadvantaged students. Recent polling shows strong teacher support for standards-based programs with accountability. "This action supports what parents and citizens across the country have been working toward -- higher standards and increased accountability in America's classrooms," NEA president Bob Chase said. "The bipartisan message in the House vote is heartening news for children and public education."

In a stinging rebuff, a bipartisan majority rejected a voucher proposal funded by cutting school counselors and after-school programs. "On a bipartisan basis, Congress said 'yes' to supporting student achievement for all and 'no' to siphoning taxpayer money to vouchers for a few," Bob Chase said. "Student achievement requires support and resources."

Title I serves 10.5 million children in more than half of U.S. schools. Federal funds support school programs to raise academic performance of poor and underachieving children. The grants -- from $300 to $1500 per child -- help fund teachers and instructional materials. Title I was created in 1965 after debates over whether states were equally funding education in poor communities.

There is a lot to like in the bill, but NEA will seek changes on some provisions as the legislative process moves forward.

Academic Achievement for All Act [Straight A's] (H.R. 2300) - The House narrowly passed the Leadership's flagship education bill as a scaled back pilot program. NEA opposed the original bill and the scaled back bill.

Stiff bipartisan opposition to diverting help from disadvantaged children forced the Leadership to retreat. The original bill would have permitted in all 50 states consolidation of various federal programs into a block grant. States would spend the money as they saw fit. At the discretion of a governor and state legislature, for example, the funds could be used to pay for private school vouchers. The scaled back bill creates a 10-state pilot program supervised by the Secretary of Education.

The bill is still unacceptable. In 10 states, Title I funds could be diverted from high poverty schools and needy children, undermining House action on H.R. 2. Straight A's would shift to governors all local school decision-making about how best to use federal education funds to improve student achievement.

ESEA - THE BIG PICTURE
"In the cafeteria fare of education bills, this one is pizza with the works, even the anchovies." Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott

House action on Title I and Straight A's is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) renewal. The historic Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was a part of the Great Society legislation and firmly established a federal role in education. ESEA programs now number more than 40 and span the spectrum from remedial programs like Title I, to the class size reduction initiative, to grants for Gifted and Talented education. ESEA is renewed in five-year cycles.

The House - A Challenge to the Federal/State Partnership. ESEA renewal is “pizza with the works” for those who want to change the federal/state partnership in education. The House Leadership has adopted the unorthodox approach of renewing individual programs in different bills. The fragmenting strategy would redirect ESEA funds to block grants and voucher schemes, while blunting criticism by "protecting" programs with broad popular support.

The first ESEA bill, the Teacher Empowerment Act (H.R. 1995), passed the House in July. The bill block grants class size reduction and professional development funds. The block grant could also be used for teacher testing and tenure reform. This week's votes on the 1999 Student Results Act (H.R. 2) and the Academic Achievement for All Act (H.R. 2300) - Straight A's - continue House action on ESEA.

The Senate - Staying the Course. Senate committee chairman, Jim Jeffords (VT) will consider ESEA renewal in one bill with provisions very different from the House. The Senate is likely to support the Title I provisions of H.R. 2. However, Senator Jeffords' proposal summary circulating in the Senate eschews block grants and continues federal initiatives to improve the academic achievement of children in low-income school districts and to upgrade teacher training. The draft proposal would renew the Reading Excellence Act, expand after-school programs, and support "partnership activities" to bridge the gap between pre-service training supported by the Higher Education Act and in-service training supported by ESEA.

Senate action is unlikely until next year. Follow the action on the education bill that frames all other education bills, ESEA. www.nea.org/lac/esea

ESEA AND CLASS SIZE REDUCTION

Send Congress a message. Students need smaller classes for better learning. Fund class size reduction. www.nea.org/lac/size

In every ESEA proposal, Congressional Leadership has sought to de-fund or to block grant class size reduction, gutting the program. The best way to increase teacher quality and satisfaction is to reduce class size, some of the nation's top teachers said in a recent survey by USA TODAY. The respondents placed smaller class size ahead of high salaries. The class size reduction initiative for the 2000-2001 school year must be funded in the budget now being negotiated between the Administration and Congress.