- Native American Education - In 1970-71, Sen. Kennedy played a central role in passage of the Indian Education Act, which improved educational opportunity for Native American students and adults.
- Bilingual Education - He introduced the Bilingual Education Reform Act of 1973, which expanded existing law and increased the number of trained bilingual educators.
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - In 1975, Sen. Kennedy served on the committee that approved the original IDEA, the federal special education law.
- Student Loan Reform - In 1979, he championed the National Student Loan Reform Act which ensured the availability of loans to all students in need, and made payback mechanisms more flexible.
- Early Childhood Education - In 1989-90, Sen. Kennedy introduced Smart Start legislation, to help create education programs for children prior to kindergarten.
- Head Start - He introduced the Head Start Entitlement Act of 1991, to provide specific funding for the 1990 Head Start reauthorization; in 1994, he led the cause to reauthorize the program, which provides early childhood development, educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services to primarily low-income preschool children and their families.
- Goals 2000: Educate America Act - Sen. Kennedy was instrumental in the passage of this act in 1993-94, which provides federal support for local school reform based on high standards for student achievement.
- School-to-Work Opportunities Act - He helped pass this legislation in 1993-94, which encourages high schools, vocational schools, and colleges to collaborate to create locally designed programs that integrate learning in school with learning on the job.
- School Modernization - In 1997-98, he gave strong support to an amendment that would have provided $5 billion for improving school facilities.
- Class Size Reduction - Sen. Kennedy gave crucial support toward the 1998 passage of President Clinton's legislation to hire 100,000 new teachers to reduce class sizes in grades K-3 nationwide.
- Reading Excellence Act - He fought vigorously for this legislation in 1998, to strengthen state and local literacy initiatives.
- E-Rate - Sen. Kennedy fought efforts to eliminate the E-Rate in 1999, and urged funding in the amount of $2.25 billion. The FCC concurred, and maintained full funding for the program to ensure that schools and libraries across the country could afford access to the information superhighway.
- Teacher Excellence Act of 1999 - He introduced this legislation, which calls for an investment of $1.2 billion in FY2000 to improve the recruitment, retention, and on-going professional development of the nation's teachers.
- Pell Grant Increases - Sen. Kennedy backed legislation in 1999-2000 to set a new minimum Pell grant allowance of $3,525, which more accurately reflects the true cost of most community and state four-year colleges.
- After-School Care - In 1999, he sponsored the America After School Act to provide $7.25 billion over five years for states to expand after-school care for summer and weekend activities.
For More Information:
NEA Communications: 202 822-7200
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2000
News Release
NEA Honors Sen. Kennedy for Steadfast Leadership in Education
Kennedy Vows to Continue Fight in Passing School Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. -- The 2.5 million-member National Education Association (NEA) today gave its highest honor - the Friend of Education Award - to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. The award recognizes individuals whose leadership, acts, and support have raised the level of excellence in American public education. Upon receiving the award, Kennedy vowed to live up to the honor of the award by returning to the Senate business of passing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Kennedy chastised his Senate leadership, who for the first time in history failed to pass an education-funding bill prior to their fall recess.
NEA President Bob Chase gave Kennedy the award during NEA's Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C. Chase noted that every major education law passed since the 1960s has borne Kennedy's imprint, including Head Start, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Native American Education, Federal Aid to Higher Education, the Goals 2000 Educate America Act, and the Class Size Reduction Act.
In his acceptance speech, Sen. Kennedy expressed outrage for the Senate leadership's poor track record recently in passing education funding. Kennedy applauded the assembled educators for their work and success in spite of policymakers frequent neglect. "You, the teachers in America, are the linchpin in the success of this nation," said Kennedy.
"What is most impressive is not just the individual bills he sponsored, but his sustained commitment - the sheer persistence of this man's service to children and public education," Chase told the delegates. "Americans have so much affection for the Kennedy family, and they often fail to see past the legend and the celebrity. But let us be clear: This award is about concrete accomplishment. It is about four decades of tenacious, hard-fought, hard-won victories for children and public education.
"We are deeply grateful for all that this man has done to advance the causes we hold dear," Chase said. "In battle after battle on Capitol Hill, Senator Kennedy has always been there for children and public education - always."
Kennedy was nominated by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which cited a lengthy list of legislative achievements, including:
NEA's Friend of Education Award has been given annually since 1972. Prior recipients include President Lyndon B. Johnson (1972); former NAACP Executive Secretary Roy Wilkins (1976); U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall (1979); the late Christa McAuliffe (1986); education writer and reformer Jonathan Kozol (1992); U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley (1995); and former Georgia Governor Zell Miller (1998).
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The National Education
Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization,
representing more than 2.5 million elementary and secondary teachers,
higher education faculty, education support personnel, school
administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become
teachers.
