Statement by Congresswoman Jane Harman

Congresswoman Jane harman - Press Release

STATEMENT OF CONGRESSWOMAN JANE HARMAN ON ESEA REAUTHORIZATION

December 13, 2001

As a product of the Los Angeles public school system, I know the value of public education.

As a businesswoman, I also know the value of flexibility to allow our schools to develop innovative solutions to the problems our public education system faces today.

Too many of our schools today are starved for funding, frustrated by regulations that hamstring their ability to create the programs they know will help students, or held unaccountable for providing a substandard education to students.

The status quo for public education is unacceptable. Thoughtful reform that improves opportunities for all students is the only path that builds an exceptional education system.

By improving our public education system, we reduce inequalities between individuals of different economic and racial backgrounds. I firmly believe that a quality education for all students is the best affirmative action program for our nation.

To achieve this goal, elementary and secondary education must provide students the skills they need to excel in the new economy. This means first and foremost an emphasis on basic skills — schools cannot graduate students without strong reading, writing, and analytical skills. But we must also ensure that students are well versed in the latest technologies and have the opportunity to develop their full potential in the arts, sciences, or literature.

The Conference Report helps us take the first step toward reinvigorating our public education system — and provides schools the resources they need to implement reform.

This legislation will require an unprecedented testing regime to hold schools accountable for improving the achievement of all students. Schools that fail to make the grade will at first receive more federal assistance to improve their curricula, then if they continue to fail, will have to provide funds to their students for tutoring or to travel to another public school.

The bill provides funds to local school districts to implement these reforms. It increases federal education funding by 20% — an increase of almost $4 billion — to allow schools to develop accurate tests, improve the training and recruitment of teachers, buy computers, and develop afterschool programs. It targets these funds at the school districts that need it most — those with a large number of low-income students — while allowing all school districts more flexibility in how they use federal funds.

I am, however, deeply disappointed that this Conference Report did not increase federal funding for special education. Special education remains the biggest constraint on the budget for school districts in my district and the federal government must live up to its commitment to pay 40% of the cost of educating students with special needs. I will continue to fight for increased appropriations for special education while I am in Congress. There are legitimate arguments for why this program needs reform, but these concerns cannot be an excuse for not meeting our federal obligation to special education.

I support this Conference Report as a strong and significant step toward an education system for the 21^st century.