[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 55 (Thursday, May 1, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E818-E819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        DOLLARS TO THE CLASSROOM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 1997

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House today because I 
believe that one of the greatest challenges that faces our Nation today 
is the education of our children and grandchildren. Recently, a fifth 
grade student wrote to me commenting that ``people are taking our 
parents for granted, because they're paying taxes which they assume are 
to schools, but most of the money doesn't make it to the classroom 
where it should be.'' I agree with this student.
  Currently, we are failing the school children of America. We are 
failing their parents as we allow their hard-earned education tax 
dollars to be funneled through layers of bureaucracy. The problem with 
our education system today is not how much money we spend, but how we 
choose to spend it.
  While it is unknown exactly what percentage of Federal education 
dollars reaches the classroom, a recent audit of New York City public 
schools found that only 43 percent of their local education budget 
reaches the classroom. Another study found that only 85 percent of 
funds administered by the U.S. Department of Education for elementary 
and secondary education reach the school district level. Even if 65 
percent of Federal education funds presently reach the classroom, it 
still means that billions of dollars are not directly spent on children 
in the classroom.
  For these reasons, today I am introducing the Dollars to the 
Classroom resolution. My Dollars to the Classroom resolution expresses 
the sense of the U.S. House of Representatives that Department of 
Education, State education departments, and local education agencies 
should spend more Federal education tax dollars for our Nation's 
children--in their classrooms.
  For far too long, Americans' hard-earned tax dollars have gone to 
Federal bureaucrats and have churned through a Washington labyrinth--
instead of rightfully being placed in the hands of someone who knows 
your child's name.
  Of the $15.4 billion which goes to elementary and secondary programs 
in the Federal Department of Education, the classroom may be lucky to 
see 65 percent of that. That means over $5.4 billion is lost in the 
abyss of

[[Page E819]]

Department studies, publications, and grant administration.
  I believe Americans would rather see their dollars at work--providing 
more teachers and teacher aides, purchasing updated software and state-
of-the-art microscopes, and even seeing that every American classroom 
is connected to the Internet and brought into our new Information Age.
  The classroom is where the action is. The classroom is where 
knowledge grows and the learning takes place. Not in some stuffy 
Washington office--where miles upon miles of paperwork and publications 
are produced--and even teachers must pay if they want to benefit.
  The Dollars to the Classroom resolution calls on the Department of 
Education to see that 90 percent of Department of Education elementary 
and secondary education funds get into the classrooms of this Nation--
directly.
  If this actually happened roughly $1,800 would be added to each 
classroom budget across the United States. Even President Clinton has 
said, ``We cannot ask the American people to spend more on education 
until we do a better job with the money we've got now.'' As he and Vice 
President Gore have said, the reinventing of public education begins 
not in the halls or offices of Washington, but in communities across 
the country. We must ask the fundamental questions about how dollars 
which are to go to the public school systems are spent.
  Education dollars in the classroom can make a tremendous difference 
and can enhance a child's learning experience. I would like to share 
some comments from school children about the Dollars to the Classroom 
resolution. They have said that, ``I support this bill because . . .

       Our books are falling apart, so it is kind of hard to learn 
     with them.
       My Social Studies book was new in 1988. Hey, it's 1997, we 
     need to get new books!
       I think more of the taxes for education should go to the 
     schools. We really need more money in our classroom because 
     our teacher always has to buy things for our classroom with 
     her own money.
       We need to get more teachers so the children can get more 
     education.
       We need more money in the schools for things such as books, 
     paper, posters and items (our teacher) needs to teach.
       Many chairs are wobbly, the books are torn, in the winter, 
     the classrooms are practically freezing. All of this makes it 
     very difficult to learn. This bill will hopefully improve our 
     learning.
       I hope this bill is supported and becomes official. The 
     classrooms in the U.S. need more things and equipment to help 
     the kids.
  Yes, let's help the kids. We have a moral responsibility to 
drastically improve our current education system for our children.
  Mr. Speaker, for the sake of our Nation's kids--I call upon all of us 
to choose to put children first. I urge Members of the House to support 
the Dollars to the Classroom resolution. I thank the Speaker, and look 
forward to working with him during the 105th Congress on this important 
issue.

                          ____________________