[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 10 (Monday, February 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: February 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
SCHOOL-TO-WORK OPPORTUNITIES ACT
The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.
Mr. PELL. Madam President, I rise in strong support of S. 1361, the
School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1993. I am very glad to be an
original cosponsor of this important administration initiative, which
Senator Simon introduced on August 5 of last year.
In developing this legislation, President Clinton is keeping his
commitment to establish a comprehensive system to help ease the
transition from school to a changing American workplace that
increasingly demands highly skilled and well-motivated workers.
Madam President, I strongly believe we must continue to emphasize the
importance of obtaining a college education. We must not, however,
neglect to provide career education and training opportunities for the
75 percent of our youth who enter the workplace without a baccalaureate
degree, two-thirds of whom have never even been to college.
Far too many of our young people have lost hope for a brighter
future. Despite the best efforts of many dedicated educators, too many
of our secondary school students fail to find meaningful challenge in
the classroom. We can help restore that hope and inspire them to
realize their full potential by giving them the opportunity to link
what they are learning in the classroom to what they can accomplish and
receive financial reward for in the workplace.
Unlike most of our competitors in the global marketplace, we do not
have a comprehensive, cohesive school-to-work system. This bill would
build on a successful program such as Tech-Prep and cooperative
education while allowing for flexibility so the programs can best
address the needs of each individual community to better serve our non-
college-bound youth. It is a critical first step in the process of
creating a system of life-long learning.
Madam President, I congratulate Secretary of Education Richard Riley,
and Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, for their attention to this issue.
I look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure that the
quality school-to-work opportunities we seek to provide through this
legislation become a reality.
I wish to commend the chairman of the subcommittee, Senator Simon,
for his efforts and that of his able staff to accommodate the concerns
of other Senators. We must thank Senator Simon and the chairman of the
full committee, Senator Kennedy, for moving this bill another step
closer to enactment.
I hope that we all support this measure overwhelmingly.
Mr. SIMON addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
Mr. SIMON. Madam President, I thank our colleague from Rhode Island.
Let me just add, it is significant. No one in the House or Senate has
contributed more to education than the Senator from Rhode Island, and I
should add not only in education; the National Endowment for the Arts
is one of his monuments, and many other things. Of course, in the field
of foreign relations he has made a real contribution. His cosponsorship
is significant, and I am pleased to have it. I am pleased to welcome
his comments.
Madam President, I question the presence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The absence of a quorum has been suggested.
The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Wellstone). Without objection, it is so
ordered.
The Senator from South Dakota is recognized.
Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, in just a minute I shall send an
amendment to the desk. First I shall explain my amendment.
May I first ask, is it necessary for me to ask the pending amendment
be laid aside?
My amendment has been agreed to on both sides. I ask unanimous
consent the pending amendment be laid aside for about 5 or 10 minutes
while we deal with this amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Amendment No. 1427
(Purpose: To provide for assistance to consortia of congressional
districts with low population densities for the development and
establishment of school-to-work opportunities systems)
Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, my amendment is a very simple one. It
targets a portion of the funds authorized by S. 1361 to States with a
low population density.
My amendment will assist South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana,
Wyoming, Idaho and Alaska in training their work force. The average
population density for these States is less than 12.30 persons per
square mile. In addition, my amendment permits these designated States
to seek funding cooperatively.
While classified as rural, these sparsely settled States are
confronting issues which are unique to their region. In an article
entitled, ``How Demographic Trends for the Eighties Affect Rural and
Small-Town Schools,'' author Joyce Stern, notes that
The ups and downs of urban schools have been well
documented for many years. But during the eighties, the
dynamics of economic change, unemployment, eroding tax bases,
rising poverty, and significant outmigration disrupted rural
and small-town America, changing family patterns and forcing
educators to rethink approaches.
In recent years, we have seen an exodus of young adults from these
regions and an erosion of the traditional economic bases. Ms. Stern
succinctly summarized some of the problems of South Dakota when she
observed:
Moreover, in rural America, where for generations the
emphasis has been on producing crops, extracting raw
materials, and more recently, manufacturing products, rapid
economic restructuring disrupted many lives. At the same
time, it has been forcing educators to think in new ways
about appropriate instructional programs for educating rural
children and youth, forcing rural young people to explore
alternatives to their parents' way of life.
To address the need to restructure programs targeting young people,
Dr. Larry Bright, the dean of education at the University of South
Dakota [USD] has developed an initiative which supports the policies
and principles delineated in the school-to-work opportunities
legislation. My amendment will help initiatives like the one proposed
by Dean Bright.
USD has introduced a school-to-work model in a cluster of rural
communities in five States. USD is working with research universities
in Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, and Montana. The universities in these
States have created a consortium called WINSM. They are in the process
of linking their ideas, faculties, and technologies to change the
education and training system, focusing on emerging needs of the Nation
for a highly educated work force. The development of this five-State
School-to-Work Program will serve as a model for testing and
replication in other rural settings in the Nation.
Key points in the WINSM proposal according to Dean Bright are:
Five State involvement with economic development outcomes: Each of
the five WINSM States will have one cluster of rural communities which
would collaborate with WINSM universities and the initial USD site to
establish a school-to-work model unique to the region. The model will
require educators and business leaders to develop human capital
resources for economic development goals.
Funding for personnel and instruction: Funds would be used to provide
personnel, teaching materials, and interactive media teaching
resources. The USD model is a low personnel cost model. It focuses on
school district allocation of funds to release excellent teachers to
become mentors for peers working on curriculum redesign and work force
development goals.
They also work with the business community to design quality
internship experiences for students who work in business as part of
their educational program, and for mentoring teaching interns who are
themselves educated through a school-to-work internship as part of
their teacher education. This is a rural adaption of the national
professional development center model.
Linkage of the pilot communities: Electronic linkages with fiber
optics and a core interactive media curriculum related to school-to-
work curricular objectives will be established.
USD support for pilot development: Each of the five collaborating
WINSM States will consult with the USD School of Education to build on
the rural professional development center [PDC] model. That model
encourages school districts and community economic development leaders
to identify superior teachers to work with business and education
personnel in designing and implementing a school-to-work rural model
for testing and replication as a national model.
There is also the Interactive Media Technology for Teaching. Basic
school-to-work goals, objectives, and curriculum components will be
designed for an interactive media format with the support of the USD
Interactive Technology Center. The transfer of emerging instructional
technology will help develop quality programs to prepare people for
tomorrow's work force needs.
Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and to
foster the future economic development of States with low population
density.
Mr. President, I send the amendment to the desk and ask for its
immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Pressler] proposes an
amendment numbered 1427.
Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of
the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
At the end of section 202, add the following:
(d) Grants to Consortia.--
(1) In general.--The Secretaries may make grants under
subsection (a) to consortia of Congressional Districts with
low population densities, to enable each such consortium to
complete development of comprehensive, statewide School-to-
Work Opportunities systems in each of the Congressional
Districts comprising the consortium. Each such system shall
meet the requirements of this Act for such a system, except
as otherwise provided in this subsection.
(2) Amount.--The amount of a development grant under this
subtitle to a consortium may not be greater than the product
of--
(A) $1,000,000; and
(B) the number of Congressional Districts in the
consortium,
for any fiscal year.
(3) Application.--For purposes of the application of this
subtitle to a consortium:
(A) Governor.--References to a Governor shall be deemed to
be references to an official designated by the consortium to
carry out the duties of a Governor under this subtitle.
(B) State.--References to a Congressional District shall be
deemed to be references to the consortium.
(C) Official.--References to an official of a State shall
be deemed to be references to such an official of any of the
States comprising the consortium.
(4) Definition.--As used in this subsection, the term
``consortia of Congressional Districts with low population
densities'' means a consortia of Congressional District, each
Congressional District of which has an average population
density of less than 20.0 persons per square mile, based on
1993 data from the Bureau of the Census.
At the end of section 212, add the following:
(i) Grants to Consortia.--
(1) In general.--The Secretaries may make grants under
subsection (a) to consortia of Congressional Districts with
low population densities, to enable each such consortium to
implement a comprehensive, statewide School-to-Work
Opportunities systems in each of the Congressional Districts
comprising the consortium. Each such system shall meet the
requirements of this Act for such a system, except as
otherwise provided in this subsection.
(2) Amount.--The amount of an implementation grant under
this subtitle to a consortium may not be--
(A) greater than the product of--
(i) the maximum amount described in subsection (e); and
(ii) The number of Congressional Districts in the
consortium,
for any fiscal year; or
(B) less than the product of--
(i) the minimum amount described in subsection (e); and
(ii) the number of Congressional Districts in the
consortium,
for any fiscal year.
(3) Application.--For purposes of the application of this
subtitle to a consortium:
(A) Governor.--References to a Governor shall be deemed to
be references to an official designated by the consortium to
carry out the duties of a Governor under this subtitle.
(B) State.--References to a State shall be deemed to be
references to the consortium.
(C) Official.--References to an official of a State shall
be deemed to be references to such an official of any of the
States comprising the consortium.
(4) Waivers.--In order for a consortium that receives a
grant under this section to receive a waiver under title V
with respect to a State, the State and officials of the State
shall comply with the applicable requirements of title V for
such a waiver.
(5) Definition.--As used in this subsection, the term
``consortia of States with low population densities'' means a
consortia of States, each State of which has an average
population density of less than 12.30 persons per square
mile, based on 1993 data from the Bureau of the Census.
In section 301 (2), insert ``, and to implement such
programs in States with low population densities,'' after
``in high poverty areas of urban and rural communities''.
In section 301 (2), insert ``or in States with low
population densities'' after ``designated high poverty
areas''.
In section 303, strike the title and insert the following:
``SEC. 303. SCHOOL-TO-WORK OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM GRANTS IN
HIGH POVERTY AREAS AND IN STATES WITH LOW
POPULATION DENSITIES.''.
In section 303(a)(1), insert ``and to partnerships to
implement such programs in States with low population
densities'' after ``in high poverty areas''.
In section 303(a)(2), strike ``Definition.--'' and insert
``High poverty area.--''.
At the end of section 303(a), add the following:
``(3) State with a low population density.--For purposes of
this subsection, the term `State with a low population
density' means a State with an average population density of
less than 12.30 persons per square mile, based on 1993 data
from the Bureau of the Census.''.
In section 507(b), strike ``High Poverty Areas.--'' and
insert ``High Poverty Areas and States With Low Population
Densities.--''.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Senator from Illinois is recognized.
Mr. SIMON. Before the Minnesota delegation caucuses up there, let me
get a word in here, Mr. President.
I am pleased to support the amendment offered by my colleague from
South Dakota.
I come from rural, sparsely settled southern Illinois. So I have
sympathy for what he is trying to do.
I point out that it contains permissive language. It does not require
this, but permits this and encourages it by having it in the statute.
I think it is a step in the right direction. We have both consulted
with Senator Kassebaum's staff. She has indicated it is acceptable to
her also.
So, Mr. President, I have no objection to the adoption of the
amendment at this point.
Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, I urge the adoption of the amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no further debate, the question is
on agreeing to the amendment.
The amendment (No. 1427) was agreed to.
Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the
amendment was agreed to.
Mr. PRESSLER. I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, if no one else seeks the floor, I suggest
the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I might
proceed as though in morning business for 8 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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