More Federal Dollars for Education, Fewer Strings
Attached
By Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-New Hartford)
One of the most important long range investments for the nation is in education. That's why we all should be proud that Congress and President Bush have enacted the most comprehensive education reform we've seen in many years.
The "No Child Left Behind Act," signed into law on Jan. 8, not only provides more federal funding for our schools, but provides it in a smarter fashion by allowing local schools more flexibility as to how they spend the money.
While there are now fewer strings attached to federal education dollars, the law requires states to demonstrate achieved results through annual reading and math assessments for students in grades three through eight.
"No Child Left Behind" is especially good for New York's 2.8 million public school children, 4,273 public schools, and 216,000 teachers.
It increases federal education funding in the state to more than $3.5 billion, nearly $468 million more than last year and 36 percent more than 2000 levels.
It increases Title I (disadvantaged children education) funding to nearly $1.2 billion, which is about $258 million more than last year and 47 percent more than 2000 levels.
The legislation provides more than $68.4 million in funding for Reading First to ensure that every public school child in New York learns to read at or above grade level by the third grade and requires every classroom in New York to have a highly-qualified teacher and provides more than $230 million to train and retain educators.
The law is good for college students as well. It increases Pell Grant funding to an estimated $920 million – $65.3 million more than last year and a 25.5 percent increase over 2000 levels. This ensures greater access to a college education for New York students.
In keeping with the president's goal of improving the reading levels of children, "No Child Left Behind" triples the amount of money to be used for reading. Another significant education accomplishment this Congress was the appropriation of nearly $170 million for three science and math education initiatives I authored as Chairman of the House Science Committee.
The bills – the National Mathematics and Science Partnerships Act, the Noyce Scholarship Program and the Tech Talent bill will allow our nation to make significant progress in the important task of improving K-12 math and science education and helping to ensure that we have a skilled and competitive workforce.
The Math and Science Education Partnerships – originally proposed by President Bush – will bring scientists and mathematicians in the nation's colleges and universities together with local school districts, and the business community, to draw upon the expertise of each in crafting innovative ways to improve K-12 math and science education. I was proud to work closely with the president's education team on this legislation.
The Noyce Scholarship Program aims to attract top college junior and senior math and science majors into teaching and keep them there. The Tech Talent bill is intended to address the decline in our technical workforce and to improve undergraduate math and science education.
All children should have the opportunity to achieve the American dream. I am pleased that despite Sept. 11, despite the War in Afghanistan, and despite an ever-tighter federal budget, that we were able to make some historic progress to improve education in America. There's more to accomplish.