[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H3897-H3898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE EDUCATION AT A CROSSROADS PROJECT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Kentucky [Mrs. Northup] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I wish to bring to the House's attention 
the visit last month of the Education at a Crossroads Project. I have 
had, as the mother of six children, a great interest in education and 
in the education of each of my children. For that reason, in the 9 
years that I was in the Kentucky General Assembly I was very involved 
in the education program, in working to implement the new Education 
Reform Act that was implemented by Kentucky in 1990. That act is often 
pointed to by departments of education around the country as an example 
of education and education progress.
  The implementation of that bill has been very challenging in our 
State. It is not universally acclaimed and it has not had universal 
success, but it has made a dramatic difference in the education 
opportunities for many children. I would like to talk today about some 
of the basis of that program that I think is accepted and is believed 
has made the most difference.
  The program is based on the fact that each child, each community, 
each faculty in a school face unique challenges to succeed and have 
unique talents to address those challenges. It was not believed that at 
the State level, and certainly, Mr. Speaker, not at the Federal level 
could we fashion an educational system that would meet all the 
differing needs of each neighborhood, each community across our State.
  So we put in place a program where each State, based on the parental 
involvement, the teacher involvement, have site-based decisionmaking. 
They have the ultimate responsibility for each child achieving at a 
higher level. Yes, we expect each child can learn at a higher level, 
can achieve high academic success if our expectations are high.
  In each of our schools, Mr. Speaker, we have site-based 
decisionmaking that assesses what the challenges are: what are the 
programs that are needed, what are the extended day programs, what are 
the after-school programs, the Saturday learning opportunities, the 
year-round schools; the challenges that are most needed so each child 
has the best opportunities for success?
  Each school is given the resources so they can determine themselves 
how to use those resources to meet those needs. As the Federal 
Government ponders how we make an impact in school, I think looking at 
Kentucky, as this administration so often does, is a good point of 
reference.
  Rather than fashioning programs that are going to be the same across 
the country, we need to designate our schools as the front line of 
education opportunity and make sure that they are not bound by more 
regulations, by more constraining programs, by programs that tie their 
hands, tie the teachers' hands, and tie their abilities to uniquely 
address the challenges that exist in that school.
  I have been proud to work with education in Kentucky, and I was 
thrilled that the Education at a Crossroads came to Kentucky, because 
it gave them an opportunity to see the Cane Run Elementary School that 
is in one of the most high-risk neighborhoods of Jefferson County, and 
the success they have achieved; the children whose grades and their 
achievement scores have gone up so dramatically, the parents who come 
to school every morning to that school so they, too, can get their GED 
and go on to better welfare-to-work opportunities.
  The Cane Run Elementary School has dramatically changed the 
opportunities not only of children who are in that school, but also of 
the mothers and fathers who are in that district, so their 
opportunities are better and improved too. There is such a sense of 
accomplishment, such a sense of achievement, such a sense of joy in 
that school for the achievement that has been realized.
  I think it points to the example of where, on the front lines, the 
school that is empowered to make the decision to use the money in block 
grant form to address its needs, the success it can achieve.
  They also visited Southern High School, that has a model program, 
school-to-work. It is helped by the private sector. They have invested 
a million dollars of equipment and energy to make sure that those 
students have the high-tech opportunities to learn, so

[[Page H3898]]

they can move into the work force in high-paying jobs.
  Every student in that senior high whose goal it was to have a good 
job came out well-trained with more job opportunities than there were 
students to fill that. These are not kids that are starting at minimum 
wage, but far above that. Their opportunities and their benefits are 
proof of the success that program has.
  I appreciate, Mr. Speaker, the opportunity to talk to the House today 
about what works and what does not.

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