Federal Legislative Update Archives
    November 1999

     

    November 29, 1999
    November 12, 1999
    November 5, 1999

    11/29/99
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    News from Capitol Hill...

    SOLID PROGRESS AND AN UNFINISHED AGENDA -- CONGRESS GOES HOME

    *SOLID PROGRESS*

    Cutting the Cuts!
    After months of heated debate, Congress voted to increase federal education spending by $2.07 billion (6.2%). Thanks to your support time and time again during this prolonged first session of the 106th Congress, children and public education made solid progress.

    • Where we were: Education programs faced an 18 percent cut below current funding levels when Congress began to craft spending bills for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000. Hundreds of thousands of children faced the loss of critical services.

    • Where we are: A 6.2 percent increase in education spending means added support for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), after-school learning centers, class size reduction, middle school mentoring, Safe and Drug Free Schools, teacher education and professional development, Title I, Gear Up (to help students aspire to and prepare for college), and Pell Grants.

    Class Size Reduction -- Knowing Our Children Well!
    The critically important class size reduction proposal was maintained and increased by $100 million. Local school districts may devote up to 25 percent of class size reduction funds for professional development. All teachers hired through the program must be fully certified by the start of the 2000-2001 school year.

    The initial education spending bills blocked the goal of 100,000 additional teachers and jeopardized the continued service of the 29,000 teachers hired with this year's class size reduction dollars. These 29,000 teachers are benefiting 1.7 million students.

    "No!" to Vouchers
    In bipartisan House and Senate votes, Congress said "NO!" to taxpayer-supported vouchers.

    "Yes!" to E-Rate
    Congress maintained the E-Rate program in the face of ill-informed attacks. The $2.25 billion program provides discounted Internet access to schools and libraries based on need. The E-Rate is helping students acquire skills for a high-tech economy and gain access to a wealth of learning resources. Parents also benefit by connecting with their children's schools.

    "Yes!" to QZABS
    Congress extended the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABS) program through 2001. QZABS allow school districts in needy areas to finance the repair, renovation and/or equipping of school facilities on an interest free basis through the use of federal tax credits. More than half the states are now using or preparing to use QZABS. [Note: QZABS may be used to repair and renovate, but not to build schools].

    *THE UNFINISHED AGENDA*

    Strengthening Public Education

    • Title I needs an additional $16 billion to serve all eligible low-income children.

    • IDEA received a $700 million increase, but still falls some $11 billion per year short of its original legislated goal - paying 40 percent of the cost of educating special needs students.

    • Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization remains to be completed. Reauthorization must support standards-based reform with resources for recruiting and training quality teachers, helping our rural schools, and targeting high-poverty schools. NEA continues to oppose block granting program funding. This landmark legislation, in addition to Title I, includes more than 40 critically important programs.

    • School modernization bills sponsored by Representatives Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Nancy Johnson (R-CT) won 233 bipartisan House sponsors - 15 beyond a majority. NEA President Bob Chase expressed pride in winning majority House support. State and local communities face an estimated $200 billion cost in school repair, renovation, and construction "…it's only a matter of time before Congress addresses this enormous priority," Chase said.

    Maximizing Student Learning

    • Class Size Reduction needs to be extended for at least five years - with a major increase in funding - to reach its goal of hiring 100,000 new teachers in grades K-3.

    Ensuring Children's Health and Safety

    • Sensible gun safety measures and other efforts to improve school safety, including more counselors, stayed bottled up in the House-Senate Conference Committee on Juvenile Justice legislation.

    Respecting Public Employees

    • Pension portability to encourage teacher mobility and the repeal of harmful social security government pension offset provisions that tend to disproportionately punish women are still before Congress.

    NEA is firmly committed to accomplish the unfinished agenda.

    State specific data will be at www.nea.org/lac/funding as it becomes available.

    11/12/99
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    News from Capitol Hill...

    CLASS SIZE REDUCTION -- A BIG WIN FOR CHILDREN!

    The Class Size Initiative - The Budget Battle's
    "Poster Child"
    Budget negotiators - their work still incomplete - reached a tentative agreement on funding to reduce class size. The agreement retains the integrity of the original program and strengthens accountability and teacher quality provisions. Class size has been the lightening rod for disagreement on education funding since the budget process began. Originally one of the staunchest opponents, Representative Dick Armey (TX) described the tentative agreement as an "Hooray for children."

    Action! Urge your U.S. Representative and Senators to support the class size agreement and to make investing in education a budget priority.
    Funding issues affecting five of the 13 spending bills that make up the annual budget, including education spending, are still in negotiation. The final negotiated agreement must go to the full House and Senate for approval. A vote is expected by mid-week. The rush to adjournment is on! Send your message today. Check the NEA Legislative Action Center for updates. www.nea.org/lac/funding.

    Some Details - The agreement:

    • Continues and expands the Class Size Reduction Initiative. Negotiators agreed to continue current funding and provide an increase of $125 million (10 percent) to reduce class size in the early grades (K-3).

    • Continues targeting funds to communities with the greatest need under the current formula for distributing funds, 80 percent based on poverty and 20 percent on enrollment.

    • Continues flexibility to create smaller classes with highly qualified teachers. Communities continue to apply the funds to recruit, hire and train new highly qualified regular and special education teachers.

    • NEW: Up to 25 percent (currently 15 percent) of the grant can be used to recruit, test and train new teachers.

    • NEW: In states currently designated as "Ed-Flex" states, school districts with more than 10 percent of teachers not fully certified, can apply to the state for a waiver to use more than 25 percent of the grant for training uncertified teachers to become fully certified by the next year.

    • Strengthens Teacher Quality Provisions. All teachers must have the subject matter knowledge and teaching skills necessary to teach effectively in their assigned teaching areas.

    • Strengthens Accountability. Schools must report publicly how they are reducing class size; how the reductions help student achievement; and progress in increasing the percentage of classes in core academic areas taught by fully certified teachers with competency in the content area they teach.

    BLOCK GRANTS AND VOUCHERS

    In an end-run around the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, a Senate version of the House-passed Teacher Empowerment Act (TEA) and Title I vouchers were introduced as amendments to the bankruptcy bill (S. 625) (!) moving to the Senate floor. Discourtesy to committee colleagues is a behavior seldom seen in the Senate.

    NEA and the education community strongly oppose TEA and Title I vouchers. The voucher language is included in the Student Safety and Family School Choice (drug free/safe schools and vouchers) amendment sponsored by Senators Hatch (UT), Abraham (MI), and Ashcroft (MO). The Senate approved the "Hatch Amendment" by a vote of 50-49 on the eve of the Veterans’ Day recess.

    TEA consolidates class size reduction and professional development funding into a block grant that can be diverted to other uses. The House bill, for example, allows the block grant funds to be used for "tenure reform" and "merit pay." TEA Amendment sponsors include Senators Gregg (NH), Collins (ME), Abraham (MI), Coverdell (GA), Frist (TN), Brownback (KS), and Hutchinson (AR).

    Debate on the bankruptcy bill - including the TEA amendment - continues next week

    SCHOOL MODERNIZATION

    Advocates are working to include school modernization bonds and an extension of the current program, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABS), in "end game" tax negotiations. For final action, see www.nea.org/lac/modern.

    NEWSFLASH -- E-RATE WINDOW OPENS

    The Form 471 filing window for Year 3 (July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001) is now open. The window will close on January 19, 2000. All properly completed applications received during the window period are treated as if they arrived on the same day. Applications received after the closing date will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Applicants who have completed the Form 470 28-day posting period, selected vendors, and executed contracts as necessary for contractual services, may begin now to file Form 471, Services Ordered and Certification Form.

    The Year 3 FCC Forms 470 and 471 are available on the SLD Web Site www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/forms.asp or by calling 888-203-8100.

    11/5/99
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    News from Capitol Hill...

    THE "END GAME" -- IT AIN'T OVER 'TILL IT'S OVER."

    On November 3rd, President Clinton vetoed the education spending bill and returned it to Congress. Thirty-four days into the new fiscal year, there is no budget agreement. The Leadership is pressing for agreement and adjournment by November 10.

    Meanwhile, Yogi Berra's adage holds true. Of the 13 spending bills that make up the budget, four have yet to be approved by the President. The biggest of the four is the Labor-Health & Human Services (HHS) and Education Appropriations bill. Budget negotiations between Congress and the White House are now underway.

    The "end game" is here. Thank the President for his support and urge him to stand firm for funding class size reduction, Title I, and professional development. Urge your U.S. Representative and Senators to work with the President to make education investment a national priority. http://www.nea.org/lac/funding

    APPROPRIATIONS BILL FAILS AMERICA'S CHILDREN

    "As it's written right now, this bill fails America's children and public education," NEA President Bob Chase said.

    Title I - The bill would cut Title I reading and math help for 120,000 of our neediest students. Already, current funding provides this much needed academic support for only one-third of eligible students.

    Smaller Classes vs. a Back-Door to Vouchers - H.R. 3064 provides no guarantee of continued funding for the 29,000 teachers hired this year with class size initiative dollars. These teachers are already on the job and making a difference.

    The bill makes class size initiative dollars a "piggy bank" for other needs. It would allow class size reduction funds to be used for "any other local need that is designed to improve student performance." That extraordinarily broad authority - found in no other program - opens the door for using federal dollars to fund vouchers - an option the House voted down only a week ago.

    Teacher Quality - The bill undermines teacher quality initiatives and fails to invest in proven teacher professional development practices.

    After-School Services - The bill provides only half the funds the President has requested, denying 400,000 students access to after-school programs - one of the most effective ways to help students academically and prevent youth crime.

    Gear Up - The bill underfunds this initiative to help young people have high expectations and take the right courses to go to college.

    Modern Schools - Efforts continue to move the program, that has the support of a bipartisan House majority, in end-game negotiations.

    E-RATE NEWSFLASH -- YEAR THREE!

    Schools and libraries can take the first step in applying for E-Rate discounts for Year Three (July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001) under a streamlined application process.

    Form 470 and Form 471 Now Available - Call 1-888-203-8100 or download from the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) web site - http://www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/forms.asp

    New Window Period …for filing the second E-rate form, Form 471, Services Ordered and Certification Form, opens in early November and closes January 19, 2000. Form 471 applications received during this window period will be treated as if they were simultaneously received. Forms filed after the window period closes will be treated on a first-come, first-served basis.

    More Information on How Schools and Libraries Can Apply for E-rate Discounts on Telecommunications Services, Internet Access and Internal Connections: SLD web site - http://www.sl.universalservice.org/ or Client Service Bureau -1-888-203-8100 or Fax-on-Demand -1-800-959-0733.

    THE UNFINISHED AGENDA

    Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) - The House approved renewal of many of the 40+ programs in three separate bills. The 1999 Student Results Act (H.R. 2) renews the landmark Title I and selected other programs. The Teacher Empowerment Act (H.R. 1995) focuses on professional development programs. The Academic Achievement for All Act (H.R. 2300), called "Straight A's," the Leadership's Flagship bill, invokes "flexibility" and redefines the federal/state partnership.

    Both the Teacher Empowerment Act and Straight A's would consolidate ESEA funding into block grants that could be used for purposes unrelated to the original programs. Under the Straight A's bill, at the discretion of the governor and state legislature, funds could be used even for vouchers. The bills are unacceptable to NEA and the education community.

    The Senate will not act on ESEA until next year. Seven of the nine member majority on the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions (HELP) Committee, are pressing Chairman Jim Jeffords (VT), to include the House Teacher Empowerment Act (H.R.1995) and Academic Achievement for All Act (Straight A's - H.R.2300) before submitting a Senate proposal to the committee. www.nea.org/lac/esea

    Late News Flash! The Teacher Empowerment Act will be offered as an amendment to the bankruptcy bill on the Senate floor. A vote is likely on Monday. The amendment will be offered by Senators Gregg (NH), Collins (ME), Abraham (MI) and Coverdell (GA). The amendment not only combines school improvement, professional development and class size dollars into a block grant, it cuts funding for the combined programs by 22 percent below current levels and even more below the House level.

    It ain't over 'till it's over!"

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