Federal Legislative Update Archives
February 1999
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February 26, 1999
February 19, 1999
February 11, 1999
February 5, 1999

2/26/99
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News from Capitol Hill...

Class Size Reduction

Keeping the Promise – The Murray Amendment

As early as Wednesday morning, the U.S. Senate will vote on whether it will support a long-term commitment to reduce class size by hiring 100,000 new teachers. Last year, Congress made a downpayment on this goal by including $1.2 billion in the FY 99 budget to hire 30,000-plus teachers. This year, the Senate has an opportunity to strengthen this commitment by passing Senator Patty Murray's amendment to S. 280, the Ed-Flex bill. The Murray amendment would authorize a six-year program to help improve student achievement by reducing class size through the hiring of 100,000 new, qualified teachers.

MESSAGE TO SENATE: Urge your Senators to help increase student achievement by supporting the Murray class-size amendment. Research demonstrates what teachers and parents know intuitively: students in smaller classes, particularly in the early elementary grades, perform better.

To send an e-mail message to your U.S. Senators using your personal e-mail account and your home computer, point your Web browser to NEA's online Legislative Action Center at http://www.nea.org/lac and select “E-Mail Congress " under QUICK CLICKS on the left hand margin.

Ed-Flex – On the Fast Track

The bipartisan Ed-Flex bill, S. 280, is co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon. The bill expands to all 50 states the Ed-Flex pilot now underway in 12 pilot states. Ed-Flex allows states to waive federal regulations for key programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

NEA supports flexibility waivers that have raising student achievement as their primary goal and that include clear accountability provisions. NEA has urged Congress to include the bill as part of ESEA reauthorization (on this year’s Congressional calendar). Ed-Flex essentially amends key programs contained in ESEA, such as Title I, Eisenhower Professional Development Programs, and Innovative Education Program Strategies. ESEA is the nation’s main K-12 education law and contains more than 40 programs. Incorporating Ed-Flex within ESEA, rather than encumbering states with multiple requirements and laws outside ESEA, enhances the effectiveness of flexibility waivers in promoting focused, coordinated and creative implementation of these programs.

Where Has All the Budget Money Gone?

Packer: Losses Overshadow Gains.

NEA lobbyist Joel Packer, president of the nonpartisan Coalition for Education Funding (CEF), offered testimony last week at House and Senate briefings. CEF, a 90-member coalition of education organizations whose interests range from pre-school to graduate education, recommends at least a 15 percent increase in federal education funding.

Packer acknowledged the significant increases in education funding over the last three years. However, viewed in the larger context, he said the losses are greater than the gains. The recent increases helped restore cuts enacted in 1995 and 1996, but deficit reduction measures have forced cuts in federal education spending over the past 15 years. As a result, the federal share of total support for elementary and secondary education fell from 11.9 percent to 7.6 percent between 1980 and 1998. Even the increase in constant dollars was outstripped by the increase in enrollment. Major programs such as Title I, Eisenhower Professional Development, Vocational Education, and Impact Aid could not keep pace with children’s growing needs. For example, the number of children with difficulty speaking English has almost doubled between 1979 and 1995. The number of children with disabilities served by federal programs rose by almost 51 percent.

Republican Senate Leaders Call for More Education Dollars

Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman, and Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Senate Budget Committee Chairman are backing increases significantly greater than the President proposed. It’s time to “put some real money where our rhetoric is,” Domenici said.

Just Say NO to Mandatory Social Security Coverage!

NEA opposes mandatory coverage and is an active player in the Coalition to Preserve Retirement Security. The President’s reform framework does not contain mandatory coverage. Now, thanks to the activism of state affiliates, support is growing in Congress for a ban on mandatory coverage. Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio has expressed her intent to develop bipartisan legislation that would prohibit mandatory coverage. Rep. Howard McKeon of California, who serves on the Education and Workforce Committee, has indicated his interest in this kind of legislative relief. Rep. Bob Portman of Ohio has been the leader of opposition to mandatory coverage on the powerful Ways & Means Committee.

This week, eight Republican governors signed a letter to the President, authored and circulated by Gov. Bob Taft of Ohio, outlining their opposition to mandatory coverage. The governors co-signing the letter with Gov. Taft were Bill Owens of Colorado; George Ryan of Illinois; Mike Foster of Louisiana; Paul Cellucci of Massachusetts; John Engler of Michigan; Kenny Guinn of Nevada, George Bush of Texas.

To Help:

To send letters, use these addresses: U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515; U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510. You can send E-mail messages directly from the NEA Legislative Action Center: www.nea.org/lac.

2/19/99
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News from Capitol Hill...

Ed-Flex -- On the Fast Track

The first education bill to reach the Senate floor will likely be the bipartisan Ed-Flex bill, S. 280, co-sponsored by Sens. Bill Frist (R-TN) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The bill expands to all 50 states the Ed-Flex pilot now underway, granting 12 pilot states flexibility to waive federal regulations for key programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) up for reauthorization later this year. NEA believes that Ed-Flex expansion should be considered as part of ESEA reauthorization within the context of its impact on the programs it affects, such as Title I, Eisenhower Professional Development Programs, Innovative Education Program Strategies, etc.

Ed-Flex is on the fast track but may not have an easy run. It’s trite, but true: “The devil is in the details!” NEA is tracking developments to ensure that any expansion has raising student achievement as its primary goal, and that the bill language includes clear accountability provisions. Ironically, this bipartisan proposal may set off a clash of Democratic and Republican education priorities, as each side of the aisle attempts to add its agenda items to the bill. Stay tuned.

A Tale of Two Visions: Senate Republicans and Democrats Introduce Education Agendas

On the first day for introduction of Senate bills (January 19), both the Republicans and Democrats introduced leadership packages on education.

The Senate Republican Agenda

• The Education Opportunities Act, S. 2. The major GOP education bill, it was introduced by Sen. James Jeffords (R-VT), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. The specific bill language is yet to come, but the bill’s “findings” reflect the Senate Republican leadership’s priorities, including public/private school choice, merit pay plans, and block grants. The “findings,” to which bill language will be added, are: eturn control to parents; supporting exceptional teachers; safe and secure schools; dollars to the classroom; and basic academics.

• Re-runs: Tuition Tax Savings and Block Grants: Georgia Sen. Paul Coverdell’s Education Savings Account Act of 1999, S. 14. The voucher-like bill repeats the Coverdell initiatives vetoed by the President last year. It allows parents to save money tax-free for K-12 education expenses, including nonpublic school tuition and home schooling.

• Missouri Senator Kit Bond’s Direct Check for Education Act, S.52, another re-run from the last session, creates a massive block grant program. The bill provides no targeting of dollars to specific programs and no accountability.

The Senate Democratic Agenda

• Public School Excellence Act, S.7, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), is the Senate Democratic Leadership’s flagship bill. The bill has four parts, each of which will be introduced as separate bills.

  • Public school modernization, S.223 -- Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), sponsor

  • Class-size reduction (Bill # TBA) -- Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), sponsor

  • Teacher quality, S.136 -- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), sponsor

  • After-school programs (S. 316) -- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), sponsor

A GOP and Democratic Issue – Safe Schools. Both the Senate GOP and Democratic agendas include safe school initiatives.

2/11/99
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News from Capitol Hill...

Support Builds in House for Schol Modernization

U.S. House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer (R-TX) announced this week he will include a $1.4 billion school construction provision in the House tax bill he writes this year. The proposal represents a small downpayment on the $200 billion cost to build and renovate school buildings nationwide and a significant philosophical shift by the majority to support a local/state/federal partnership to modernize public schools. In the Senate, U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) has already introduced legislation this session, the Public School Modernization Act, S. 223, to provide tax credits to subsidize $22 billion in school modernization bonds. You can help to keep Congress focused on the importance of modernizing our public schools. Urge your Senators to become co-sponsors of S. 223. Ask your Representatives to support school modernization legislation now. To send a message using your home computer and personal e-mail address, visit NEA's online Legislative Action Center www.nea.org/lac and click on Send Your Representatives an E-mail.

Education Secretary Urges Senate Committee to Support Education

Education Secretary Richard Riley testified this week before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The law, which outlines the federal commitment to public education, is slated for congressional action this session. Riley urged lawmakers to support a three-part strategy to strengthen public education: Invest in disadvantaged students, support quality teaching, and strengthen accountability. The Secretary said, "As I travel around the country visiting schools, I really do get a sense that things are happening, that a very strong consensus has developed about what needs to be done to improve our schools. All the elements are coming together..." For the full text of the Secretary's testimony, visit http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/990209.html

Help Connect Students and Schools to the 'Net Now

There's still time to connect your local schools and libraries to the Internet in 1999-2000. Thanks to a deadline extension, school and library applicants now have until March 5 to apply for E-Rate funding. The E-Rate program, entering its second year of operation, provides schools and libraries with 20-90 percent discounts on access to the Internet and a wide range of telecommunications services. To request resources for your school or library in 1999-2000, complete and return Form 470 (the first and shortest in a series of application forms) to the Universal Service Administrative Company's School and Libraries Division by March 5. For help filing Form 470, visit the Division's web site, http://www.slcfund.org/, or call the customer service line (888-203-8100.) Help ensure no student -- or school -- is left behind. Urge your local schools and libraries to file their application now!

2/5/99
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News from Capitol Hill...

ED-FLEX

The Senate Education, Labor and Pensions Committee unanimously approved giving states more flexibility in waiving federal requirements for selected federally funded education programs. The Education Flexibility Act, S.280, was introduced on a bipartisan basis by Sens. Bill Frist (R-TN) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Under the current 12-state Ed-Flex pilot, the U.S. Department of Education can waive certain federal requirements if a state demonstrates that the rules impede the state’s ability to improve education programs. The bill expands the waiver authority nationwide. States would still have to comply with health, safety, and civil rights requirements and to show that a system is in place holding school districts accountable for progress. The bill is expected to come to the floor in late-February when amendments may be offered. The NEA has not taken a position on Ed-Flex, but applauds the emphasis on accountability.

School Modernization Update

The list of sponsors for the Public School Modernization Act, S.223 by Sen. Frank Lautenberg D-NJ continues to grow. The 16 co-sponsors include two additional names: Sens. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Patty Murray (D-WA).

NEA is working to get bipartisan sponsors for the bill. You can help by asking your U.S. Senators to be co-sponsors.

For updates on school modernization, visit NEA’s Modern Schools area: http://www.nea.org/lac/modern.

Real Victories – The Fruits of our Efforts
E-Rate Second Year Funding Application Window Extended to April 6, 1999

Thanks to last year’s successful E-Rate lobbying campaign, the Year 2 funding application window is now open! School districts can receive 20 - 90 percent discounts on local school district phone service, Internet access, and other telecommunications services through the "E-Rate."

To give more time to prepare the applications, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) has officially extended the application deadline (originally February 5) to April 6, 1999. Technically, this means that in order for all papers to be received by the April 6 deadline, the initial Form 470 must be received by March 9. The SLD recommends that the initial papers be filed by March 5. For help in filing the application, click on http://www.slcfund.org/ or via Fax on Demand at 800-959-0733, Document #206.

President Clinton Releases 2000 Budget, Proposes Modest Increases for Education

This week, President Clinton proposed a federal budget for FY 2000 that would increase education funding by $1.2 billion, or 4 percent. While the budget increases funding to reduce class size, modernize schools, and strengthen after-school programs, Head Start, Title I math and reading programs, and magnet schools, it freezes funds for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and vocational education, and cuts Impact Aid. NEA President Bob Chase urged Congress to build on President Clinton’s proposals and to “address the educational priorities that the American people have clearly articulated.” For a detailed summary of the budget, click here. To see a detailed summary of the budget prepared by the Department of Education, click here.

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