Copyright 1999 Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony
July 15, 1999
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 703 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY July 15, 1999 MIKE CASTLE HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE
WORKFORCE EARLY CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND FAMILIES REAUTHORIZATION OF ELEMENTARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT
BODY:
Opening Statement
CONGRESSMAN MIKE CASTLE Chairman, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and
Families Elementary and Secondary Education Act - Educating Diverse Populations
July 15, 1999 GOOD AFTERNOON. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE NEXT HEARING IN
THE SERIES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT.
TODAY, WE WILL HEAR TESTIMONY ON PROGRAMS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO MEET
THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF CHILDREN ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. EACH OF US WANT TO ENSURE THAT
OUR CHILDREN RECEIVE A QUALITY EDUCATION AND MY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN GATHERING
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EXPERTS LIKE YOU TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO ACCOMPLISH THAT
GOAL. SO FAR, I HAVE LEARNED THAT OUR APPROACH MUST FOCUS ON ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT AND INCREASED FLEXIBILITY BUT IT MUST ALSO IMPROVE TEACHER QUALITY
AND HELP INVOLVE PARENTS IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN. MOST IMPORTANTLY,
NO CHILD -- REGARDLESS OF HIS OR HER SPECIAL TALENT OR NEED -- MUST BE LEFT
BEHIND IN OUR ATTEMPT TO EDUCATE TODAY S STUDENTS FOR THE CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW
S WORLD. AT THIS HEARING, I HOPE TO LEARN HOW TO IMPROVE THE PROGRAMS THAT MEET
THE VARYING NEEDS OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION. WE WILL FOCUS ON EDUCATION
INITIATIVES INCORPORATED IN TITLE X OF ESEA GENERALLY AND, THE
INEXPENSIVE BOOK DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM, THE STEWART B. MCKINNEY HOMELESS
ASSISTANCE ACT, THE JACOB K. JAVITS GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS EDUCATION
PROGRAM, THE CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND THE ARTS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM
SPECIFICALLY. WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER TODAY, SO I LL BRIEFLY REVIEW THESE
PROGRAMS. I WANT TO HAVE AMPLE TIME TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES WITH OUR WITNESSES.
THE INEXPENSIVE BOOK DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM OPERATES A SINGLE, NONCOMPETITIVE
AWARD TO READING IS FUNDAMENTAL, INCORPORATED - OR RIF. IT SUPPORTS THE
DISTRIBUTION OF INEXPENSIVE BOOKS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN TO READ, WITH PRIORITY
GIVEN TO THOSE THAT SERVE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, SUCH AS CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITIES, CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, AND CHILDREN
AT RISK OF SCHOOL FAILURE. THE NEXT PROGRAM, THE STEWART B. MCKINNEY HOMELESS
ASSISTANCE ACT, WHICH IS NOT PART OF TITLE X, PROVIDES EQUAL ACCESS TO A FREE,
PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS STUDENTS. THESE FUNDS ARE USED TO ESTABLISH AN
OFFICE OF COORDINATOR OF EDUCATION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITHIN EACH
STATE EDUCATION AGENCY, IMPLEMENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOL
PERSONNEL, AND PROVIDE HOMELESS STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE TO THE SAME
HIGH STANDARDS AS THEIR MORE ADVANTAGED PEERS. THE JACOB K. JAVITS GIFTED AND
TALENTED STUDENTS EDUCATION PROGRAM HELPS BUILD OUR CAPABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. SINCE 1989,
THE JAVITS PROGRAM HAS SUPPORTED MODEL PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO EDUCATE
TALENTED STUDENTS NATIONWIDE. PROJECTS UNDER THE PROGRAM IDENTIFY GIFTED AND
TALENTED STUDENTS, INDIVIDUALIZE INSTRUCTION, AND EXPAND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY. THE CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
ENCOURAGES INSTRUCTION ON THE PRINCIPLES OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY AND THE
HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS. IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE ANNUAL
COMPETITIONS OF SIMULATED CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.
MORE RECENTLY, LANGUAGE WAS ADDED TO SUPPORT ADVANCED TEACHER TRAINING ON THE
CONSTITUTION AND THE U.S. POLITICAL SYSTEM, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUCTION ON
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. FINALLY, THE ARTS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM INCORPORATES
ARTS EDUCATION INTO ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULA. THE PROGRAM
SUPPORTS THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, WHICH HELPS
TEACHERS INTEGRATE THE ARTS INTO THE CLASSROOM, AND IT SUPPORTS OTHER PROGRAMS
LIKE PERFORMANCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ARTIST TRAINING. ARTS IN EDUCATION ALSO
SUPPORTS THE VERY SPECIAL ARTS PROGRAM, WHICH CREATES PROGRAMS TO BRING ARTS
EDUCATION INTO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH
DISABILITIES. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I WANT TO KEEP MY REMARKS
BRIEF, SO I LL END HERE BY THANKING OUR WITNESSES FOR THEIR APPEARANCE BEFORE
THE SUBCOMMITTEE THIS AFTERNOON. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR TESTIMONY AND I WILL
YIELD BRIEFLY TO RANKING MEMBER KILDEE FOR HIS OPENING STATEMENT.
LOAD-DATE: July 19, 1999 
