FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 CONTACT: Khristyn Brimmeier

May 23, 2001                                                 Office:(202) 225-6565

 

Lampson Helps Pass Education Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson helped pass H.R. 1, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization today. “Education is the number one issue on the mind of America, and today Congress took major steps forward to improve the education that our children receive at school,” said Lampson. “This was a bi-partisan effort and a great example of what the House can accomplish when we put politics aside and put children first.”

The bill was negotiated between Congressional Democrats and Republicans and the Bush Administration. H.R. 1 authorizes significantly increased funding levels for ESEA programs, authorizing ESEA programs in FY 2002 at $24 billion.

“Title I, the country’s flagship program for helping improve the quality of education for communities in need, is strengthened by this bill. It preserves the targeting of resources to high-poverty school districts and schools and maintains the requirements for challenging academic standards and assessments in reading and math,” Lampson said. “It also provides school districts with increased flexibility.”

Improvements to what is now the Eisenhower Professional Development program are made, requiring states to have a plan that all teachers within the state be fully qualified within four years. The bill devotes between 15 and 20 percent of each state’s allotment to math and science partnerships and targets resources to school districts most in need.

“It is our responsibility to make sure that kids have the resources they need to learn and grow in safe, productive environments, and today Congress stepped up to that responsibility” said Lampson. “This bill maintains the 21^{st Century Community Learning Centers Program so kids have a place to go after school, as well as maintaining the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program.”}

“Education is key to our country’s economic success in the 21st century,” Lampson said. “The right and access to a high quality public education goes to the very core of the American values of fairness, opportunity, hard work, and democracy. As a former teacher I was proud to vote for this bill.”

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