Education Opportunities to Protect and Invest In Our Nation’s Students (Education OPTIONS) Act, H.R. 4141

Description:
This bill is the final piece of the House package to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). H.R. 4141 creates a new program, called “transferability,” which would eliminate the targeted federal purposes of the professional development program (including the class size reduction funds), comprehensive school reform, Safe and Drug-Free Schools, and education technology grant programs. It would also eliminate the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants, which funds after-school programs, by combining it into the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program. H.R. 4141 requires blocking and filtering software for the Internet in schools. An amendment to prohibit schools that receive ESEA funds from allowing third parties to obtain information intended for commercial purposes without prior written consent from the parent was added to the bill. Amendments were also adopted that would weaken the right of children with disabilities to receive alternative educational services if they fight or bring a weapon or drugs to school, and to set aside 30 percent of the Safe and Drug Free funds to help support alternative education programs for children who have been expelled from school.

Status:
H.R. 4141 was passed by the Committee on Education and the Workforce on April 12. Congress adjourned on December 15, 2000. There will be no further action on this bill.

National PTA Position:
National PTA opposes H.R. 4141. Specifically, National PTA opposes transferability, elimination of the federal support for after-school programs, and lack of support for meaningful parent involvement as outlined in the PARENT Act. National PTA opposes linking receipt of ESEA funds to the installation of blocking and filtering software and weakening the right of children with disabilities to receive alternative educational services if expelled, and supports the set-aside to support alternative education programs. PTA supports the privacy amendment.

Contact: Susan Nogan, Carolyn Henrich, Maribeth Oakes

Literacy Involves Families Together Act (LIFT), H.R. 3222, S. 1891

Description:
This is one of several House bills that would reauthorize portions of the ESEA. As amended, it would authorize $250 million for the Even Start program in FY 2001, and limit authorization to one year. Even Start funds partnerships of local school districts, community organizations or other educational agencies that combine early childhood education, parenting instruction and adult education into unified family literacy programs. Religious organizations are eligible to participate in the partnerships that provide services to Even Start participants, but no federal funds may be used for sectarian worship, instruction, or proselytization. Religious organizations are further prohibited from serving as the fiscal agents for partnerships, and no Even Start services may be provided through vouchers or certificates. However, private and religious schools would still receive money to administer programs, and would be permitted to discriminate based on religion in their employment practices.

Status:
The LIFT authorization was included in the FY 2001 education appropriations bill, which was enacted into law on December 21, 2000.

National PTA Position:
National PTA this bill because LIFT funds could be diverted to religious entities. National PTA supports the use of public funds for public schools only.

Contact: Susan Nogan

Teacher Empowerment Act (TEA), H.R. 1995, S. 1479

Description:
TEA would consolidate Title II of ESEA, Goals 2000, and the federal class size reduction initiative. The bill creates a block grant by combining funds for professional development and class size reduction. . The bill would allow class size reduction funds to be used to hire teachers in private schools and reduce targeting of funds to high-poverty areas. The bill would no longer guarantee that professional development activities are part of a coordinated school reform effort and would not ensure that professional development funds are spent on teaching teachers to work with parents.

Status:
H.R. 1995 was passed in the House on July 20, 1999. The Senate bill, S. 1479, was incorporated into S. 2, the Senate’s ESEA reauthorization bill. Congress adjourned on December 15, 2000. There will be no further action on these bills.

National PTA Position:
National PTA opposes this bill because it eliminates the focus on reducing class size as a national priority, reduces the targeting of funds based on poverty, and would allow class size reduction funds to be used to hire private school teachers.

Contact: Carolyn Henrich

Student Results Act, H.R. 2

Description:
H.R. 2, the second bill offered by the House leadership to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), would reauthorize Title I and other ESEA programs, including the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program. The bill would create a new rural schools block grant. H.R. 2 maintains much of current law in Title I, but includes new teacher standards; requires report cards at the state, school district, and school level; and adopts some provisions to strengthen parent involvement. The bill would require parents to affirmatively request bilingual services for their children, limiting the availability of language assistance services to children. H.R. 2 would also create new compliance requirements for school districts regarding participation of children enrolled in private schools. This bill would increase funding for Title I.

Status:
H.R. 2 was introduced by Rep. William Goodling on October 5, 1999. The full House approved the bill on October 21. Congress adjourned on December 15, 2000. There will be no further action on this bill.

National PTA Position:
National PTA supports the bill’s continued targeting of Title I dollars to the neediest schools, maintenance of the requirements that children receiving Title I services achieve the same high standards as all children, and adoption of provisions to strengthen the parent involvement requirements in the law. National PTA opposes the parent opt-in requirements for bilingual education and the block grant provisions in this bill. In addition, National PTA wants to have stronger parent involvement language from the PARENT Act included in the final ESEA bill.

Contact: Susan Nogan

Educational Opportunities Act of 1999, S. 2

Description:
This bill would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The bill strengthens some provisions in Title I, including parent involvement; continues the targeting of Title I dollars to schools with the highest concentrations of poverty; increases authorization for Title I and some of the other programs; and continues federal support for the comprehensive school reform demonstration program, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The bill includes block grants that would eliminate the focus of other federal programs, remove targeting of dollars to students and schools most in need, and weaken accountability for how the money is spent. The bill eliminates separate funding for class size reduction and does not assure that funds will be spent to improve professional development opportunities. The bill also eliminates the school construction program currently in ESEA. The bill contains two versions of the Straight A’s block grant. One plan could fund private school vouchers. Also the bill would make Title I funds “portable”, meaning a “per child” allocation of Title I funds would follow eligible students to schools or “tutorial assistance providers” of their choice, including private and religious entities.

Status:
S. 2 was introduced by Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-VT). The Senate began debate of S. 2 on the floor on May 4. Action on the bill is currently stalled while senators negotiate the terms of continued debate. A number of amendments are still pending. Disagreement over the more controversial issues like gun safety may postpone final deliberations on the bill. Congress adjourned on December 15, 2000. There will be no further action on this bill.

National PTA Position:
While National PTA supports some provisions in S. 2, we cannot support the overall bill in its current form. Primarily, National PTA opposes the Straight A’s block grant provisions, the portability provisions that would undermine Title I program and fund vouchers, and other block grant provisions in the bill.

Contact: Carolyn Henrich and Susan Nogan and Maribeth Oakes