Copyright 1999 Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony
September 08, 1999
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 498 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY September 08, 1999 MICHAEL N. CASTLE CHAIRMAN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD,
YOUTH AND FAMILIES HOUSE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE EARLY
CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND FAMILIES CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS IN ELEMENTARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION
BODY:
OPENING STATEMENT
CHAIRMAN MICHAEL N. CASTLE EARLY CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND FAMILIES SUBCOMMITTEE
"CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS IN K-12 EDUCATION" SEPTEMBER 8, 1999 GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS MIKE CASTLE AND I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND
FAMILIES SUBCOMMITTEE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE
NEXT IN OUR SERIES OF FIELD HEARINGS ON THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
ACT. AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, THE EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE COMMITTEE HAS
WORKED TO DEVELOP EDUCATION INITIATIVES WHICH FOCUS LIMITED FEDERAL DOLLARS IN A
WAY THAT PROVIDES A BETTER CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE.
THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDE THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT, THE
CREATION OF THE READING EXCELLENCE ACT, AND THE REFORM OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, BUT THEY ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF
OUR EFFORTS TO FOCUS NATIONAL ATTENTION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FOR ALL
AMERICANS. THIS YEAR, WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ON OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THE
ENACTMENT OF THE ED-FLEX ACT, A PLAN TO PROVIDE STATES AND LOCALITIES WITH THE
FLEXIBILITY THEY NEED TO RAISE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE PASSAGE OF THE
TEACHER EMPOWERMENT ACT. THIS BILL WILL PROVIDE SCHOOLS WITH MORE THAN $2
BILLION TO SUPPORT THE HIGH QUALITY TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS CLASS
SIZE REDUCTION EFFORTS. IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS, WE WILL TURN OUR
ATTENTION TO THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT,
THE PRIMARY MEANS BY WHICH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO OUR
NATION'S ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. AS CHAIRMAN, IT IS MY JOB TO ENSURE
THAT THIS REAUTHORIZATION PROVIDES OUR SCHOOLS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO
HELP OUR CHILDREN OBTAIN THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION. THIS INCLUDES FEDERAL
SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMS TO PLACE COMPUTERS -- AND TEACHERS TRAINED TO USE THEM --
IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL AS EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR
TEACHERS LEARN AND WORK IN A SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. MY SUBCOMMITTEE HAS
ALREADY HELD A NUMBER OF HEARINGS ON ESEA -- BOTH IN WASHINGTON
AND IN THE FIELD -- BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE TESTIMONY WE RECEIVE WILL HELP US
IDENTIFY WEAKNESS IN THE CURRENT LAW AND FRAME OUR REFORM PROCESS. I AM
ESPECIALLY PLEASED THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE FIRST HAND
EXPERIENCE IN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION OF THESE PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE YOU ARE BEST
SUITED TO TELL US WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T IN YOUR SCHOOLS. FOR THESE
REASONS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR WITNESSES FOR TAKING THE TIME TO APPEAR
BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR TESTIMONY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
RECOGNIZE RANKING MEMBER DALE KILDEE AND REPRESENTATIVE BOB ETHERIDGE FOR THEIR
ATTENDANCE TODAY AND THANK REPRESENTATIVE DAVID PRICE AND HIS STAFF FOR
ORGANIZING THIS HEARING. I WILL NOW YIELD TO REPRESENTATIVE KILDEE FOR ANY
OPENING STATEMENT HE MAY WISH TO MAKE AND THEN TO REPRESENTATIVE PRICE FOR HIS
OPENING STATEMENT AND WITNESS INTRODUCTIONS.
LOAD-DATE:
September 20, 1999