[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 303 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                 In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

                                                      October 12, 1999.
Whereas effective teaching begins by helping children master basic academics, 
        holding children to high standards, using effective, scientifically 
        based methods of instruction in the classroom, engaging and involving 
        parents, creating safe and orderly classrooms, and getting dollars to 
        the classroom;
Whereas our Nation's children deserve an educational system that provides 
        opportunities to excel;
Whereas States and localities must spend a significant amount of education tax 
        dollars applying for and administering Federal education dollars;
Whereas the administrative costs of the United States are twice the average of 
        other countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
        Development (OECD);
Whereas it is unknown exactly what percentage of Federal education dollars 
        reaches the classroom, but according to the Department of Education, in 
        1998, 84 percent of the Department's elementary and secondary education 
        dollars were allocated to local educational agencies and used for 
        instruction and instructional support;
Whereas the remainder of the Department's dollars was allocated to States, 
        universities, national programs, and other service providers;
Whereas the total spent by the Department for elementary and secondary education 
        does not take into account what States must spend to receive Federal 
        dollars and comply with requirements, it also does not reflect what 
        portion of the Federal dollars allocated to school districts is spent on 
        students in the classroom;
Whereas American students are not performing up to their full academic 
        potential, despite significant Federal education initiatives, which span 
        multiple Federal agencies;
Whereas according to the Digest of Education Statistics, during the 1995-96 
        school year only 54 percent of $278,965,657,000 spent on elementary and 
        secondary education was spent on ``instruction'';
Whereas according to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 1996, only 
        52 percent of staff employed in public elementary and secondary school 
        systems were teachers;
Whereas according to the latest data available from the General Accounting 
        Office, in fiscal year 1993, Federal education dollars funded 13,397 
        full-time equivalent positions in State educational agencies;
Whereas in fiscal year 1998, the Department of Education's paperwork and data 
        reporting requirements totaled 40,000,000 ``burden hours,'' which is the 
        equivalent of 19,300 people working 40 hours a week for one full year;
Whereas too much of our Federal education funding is spent on bureaucracy, 
        special interests, and ineffective programs, and too little is 
        effectively spent on our Nation's youth;
Whereas getting 95 percent of all Federal elementary and secondary education 
        funds to the classroom could provide substantial additional funding per 
        classroom across the United States;
Whereas more education funding should be put in the hands of someone in a 
        child's classroom who knows the child's name;
Whereas burdensome regulations, requirements, and mandates should be removed so 
        that school districts can devote more resources to children in 
        classrooms; and
Whereas President Clinton has stated: ``We cannot ask the American people to 
        spend more on education until we do a better job with the money we've 
        got now.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges the Department of 
Education, States, and local educational agencies to work together to 
ensure that not less than 95 percent of all funds appropriated for the 
purpose of carrying out elementary and secondary education programs 
administered by the Department of Education is spent to improve the 
academic achievement of our children in their classrooms.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.