[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9618-S9620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING SECRETARY OF EDUCATION RICHARD RILEY

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today, I would like to 
recognize the extraordinary work and dedication of our Secretary of 
Education, the Honorable Richard Riley. I am quite proud to call 
Secretary Riley a good friend. Over many years, I have had the 
privilege of working closely with the Secretary to promote quality 
education and help children and families. I believe everyone in the 
Senate understands the importance of quality education for every child, 
even if we may sometimes disagree on the best ways to achieve this 
fundamental goal.

[[Page S9619]]

  I believe that education technology provides enormous promise for 
strengthening education, enhancing choice, and helping every child gain 
access to the wealth of information and educational resources on the 
Information Superhighway. In my our state of West Virginia, distance 
learning has provided access to advance courses in math, science, and 
even foreign languages like Japanese in some of the poorest, most rural 
areas. And this is just one example. There is much we can do, as noted 
by the Secretary's speech to the National Conference of Young Leaders 
about the role of technology and education. I ask unanimous consent 
that Secretary Riley's remarks be printed in the Record so that all of 
my colleagues can review these compelling remarks.
  The remarks follow:

    Technology and Education--An Investment in Equity and Excellence

                         (By Richard W. Riley)

       Thank you Senator Glenn. I am so grateful that you could 
     take the time out of your busy schedule--between being a 
     Senator and preparing to return to space--to be here with us 
     today. I am especially delighted by your presence because I 
     can think of no American who better exemplifies the link 
     between education and technology--and whose life has been a 
     constant quest of new challenges, new experiences and, 
     perhaps most importantly, new knowledge.
       On that note, let me say what a great delight it is to 
     address the many students who are taking part in the National 
     Young Leaders Conference who are here in Washington to study 
     our government. I also want to welcome those education and 
     technology leaders who are with us today--as well as the 
     students, teachers, librarians, and others who are joining us 
     across the country on the Internet.
       I am very pleased--and I think it is so appropriate--that 
     this event, which focuses on the critical relationship 
     between education and technology, is being Webcast via the 
     Internet. It is an example of the kind of opportunity 
     available to those who might not otherwise be able to 
     participate in these kinds of discussions.
       My friends, I come before you to talk about the promise and 
     the possibilities of technology in education. I want to 
     assure you that this future can be a rich and limitless one, 
     full of opportunity for students of all ages. But I also want 
     to make clear that to achieve this kind of bright future 
     requires a real commitment by this nation to end the great 
     disparity that exists between those who have, and those who 
     do not have these exciting tools for learning. We have the 
     potential to do great things with technology in our schools, 
     but it is a potential still largely unrealized.
       Right now, if I had to describe the application of 
     technology in our nation's schools, I would say that it is a 
     tale of two worlds. One world is a world of families and 
     communities that have the best in educational technology and 
     are reaping the benefits.
       In the other world, the use of technology in schools to 
     achieve maximum educational benefit is usually little more 
     than a dream. Figures from the Commerce Department--just 
     released--confirm that we are in the midst of a severe 
     digital divide--a gap between those who have access to 
     computers and the Internet--and those who do not. The figures 
     show that it is a divide centered largely on racial, 
     economic, and other demographic lines. But it is a divide 
     that does not have to be.
       The Commerce numbers show, for instance, that White 
     Americans are more than twice as likely to own a computer as 
     African Americans or Hispanics, 41% to 19%. Households 
     earning more than $75,000 have more than 75 percent computer 
     ownership, while households with incomes under $10,000 have 
     11 percent or less computer ownership. And Americans with a 
     college degree are almost ten times more likely to own a 
     personal computer than those with eight years of school or 
     less.
       The statistics are equally disappointing in our schools. 
     Too many of our nation's classrooms lack the resources and 
     connections to hook into these effective learning 
     technologies. According to the National Center for Education 
     Statistics, although 78 percent of our public schools are now 
     connected to the Internet, thanks to communities and schools 
     working together, only 27 percent of classrooms have access. 
     What is more, in low income communities and minority 
     neighborhoods, only 13 percent of classrooms have such 
     access.
       Now, it doesn't take a statistician to figure out what all 
     these numbers mean. We, as a nation, are missing the 
     opportunity of a lifetime. It is the opportunity it offers a 
     student living in a rural area to experience the greatest 
     museums and libraries in our cities and around the world. It 
     is the chance a student with a disability has to gain access 
     to all kinds of information.
       It is the ability of all students--no matter whether rich 
     or poor, or whether they are from a small town, a city, a 
     rural area, or a suburb--to learn at the highest levels with 
     the greatest resources and have the promise of a future of 
     real opportunity. This is the potential of technology.
       Quite simply, technology can be one of the greatest 
     equalizers of opportunity that has existed since the first 
     textbook was distributed in our nation's public schools. But 
     a single computer in the principal's office won't allow kids 
     to benefit from these learning technologies. We need to get 
     the technology to where kids learn--in the classroom.
       I believe it is time to think seriously about the direction 
     in which we want to go and the kind of investment we want to 
     make in our nation and our children's future. It is time to 
     break the cycle of technological inequity--not perpetuate it.
       Today's students are the first generation that will be 
     expected to have technology skills for careers and future 
     success. These skills are the ``new basics.'' By the year 
     2000, 60 percent of all jobs will require high tech computer 
     skills. Over the next seven years, according to the Bureau of 
     Labor Statistics, it is estimated that there will be a 70% 
     growth in computer and technology related jobs--jobs with a 
     real future.
       In this Information Age, information is the currency that 
     drives the economy. If people do not have access to 
     information or the necessary tools, they cannot participate 
     in this economy.
       In some schools, students already are getting this kind of 
     training. Covington High School in Covington, Louisiana, for 
     instance--and I understand that Stephanie Piranio is here 
     from that school today--has integrated technology into almost 
     every aspect of learning to help students further their 
     development of basic and advanced skills like reading, 
     writing, mathematics, science, and geography.
       In one environmental science class, students focused on 
     cleaning up and restoring a local stream. They conducted 
     research on restoration, worked at improving water quality 
     and analyzed results. They wrote reports, prepared multimedia 
     presentations, and met with local and state leaders. The Army 
     Corps of Engineers even awarded a grant to the city, in large 
     part due to the students' work, which it said was the 
     equivalent of more than $50,000 in research and preparation.
       The ``Do-It Scholars'' program at the University of 
     Washington, is another exciting program that used technology 
     to expand learning opportunities. High school students with 
     disabilities who have interests in science and engineering 
     are provided with special tools and training to use the 
     Internet to explore academic and career interests.
       One student, who was totally blind used a computer with 
     speech output to explore the fields of biology and computer 
     science. That student commented, ``I have all of the 
     information for school projects. I no longer have to get help 
     from fellow students to do my research papers. In fact, a few 
     have even asked me for help.''
       But it's not just students who can reap these benefits. 
     Teachers can spend more individual time with students; they 
     can communicate with each other and be exposed to new and 
     engaging methods of teaching; and they can communicate with 
     parents about their children's schoolwork.
       I think a science teacher in Florida explained it best when 
     she said that using technology to learn is ``the difference 
     between looking at a picture of a heart in a textbook, and 
     looking at a beating heart and being able to slow it down and 
     analyze it to see exactly how it works, step by step.''
       Research by David Dwyer and others shows significant links 
     between computer-assisted instruction and achievement in 
     traditional subject matter. Students with access to these 
     technologies have shown better organizational and problem-
     solving skills when compared with students who do not have 
     access to these technologies.
       Perhaps even more important, research shows that students 
     in schools that integrate technology into the traditional 
     curriculum have higher attendance and lower dropout rates--
     which leads to greater academic success.
       This can be seen at one of our Blue Ribbon schools, 
     Westwood High School in Austin, Texas, which has developed a 
     comprehensive program to use technology to enhance teaching 
     and learning. I believe Stephanie Pan is here today from that 
     school. Westwood's SAT and ACT test scores are among the 
     highest in the state, and the school's AP placement programs 
     rank 20th in the nation.
       The use of computers has also been shown to be an 
     especially effective way to improve learning and educational 
     opportunities for at-risk students, as a recent study by City 
     University of New York demonstrates.
       Significant academic improvement was found, especially in 
     reading, when computers were provided in the homes of at-risk 
     middle school students. The greatest improvement was shown by 
     those who spent the most time on their computers because it 
     helped them learn to think and express themselves, and use 
     their time more productively.
       The strong connection between technology and learning only 
     serves to highlight the utter injustice of the continuing 
     inequity in computer ownership and access that was confirmed 
     so clearly in the Commerce Department statistics I mentioned 
     earlier.
       President Clinton and Vice President Gore have been working 
     hard to end this digital divide--and to give all young people 
     in poorer communities the chance to use these kinds of 
     resources and build stronger schools. One of the most 
     important of these initiatives is called the E-Rate, or 
     Education Rate.
       Now ``E'' could also stand for equality or equal access--
     because the fastest way I know

[[Page S9620]]

     to help close the ``digital divide'' is by providing 
     significantly discounted telecommunications services for 
     schools and libraries. This initiative is critically 
     important because it guarantees affordable telecommunications 
     access to all schools--public and private.
       Curiously, in spite of the great benefits it would bring to 
     communities around the country, the E-Rate has faced a number 
     of serious challenges. This offers a good example of how even 
     the best ideas can get sidetracked or derailed by powerful 
     special interests. Let me tell you what happened.
       Two years ago, after months of public hearings and with 
     bipartisan support, Congress passed, and the FCC implemented, 
     the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This law deregulated the 
     industry and provided telecommunications companies with broad 
     new opportunities for growth.
       Linked to this opportunity was a responsibility to continue 
     Universal Service--a 60-year old program that has provided 
     affordable telephone services to some rural communities and 
     other areas with unusually high telephone costs. The Congress 
     also expanded this critical program to provide schools and 
     libraries with more affordable telecommunications services 
     through what is referred to as the E-rate. It was a win-win 
     situation.
       In exchange for their continued support of Universal 
     Service, the long distance telephone carriers were given 
     significant reductions in their costs through reduced access 
     fees. Unfortunately, after the plan was enacted, some of the 
     long distance companies sought to change the way it was 
     funded, jeopardizing the E-rate. And some members of Congress 
     have sought short term political gain by trying to pull the 
     plug on the program.
       The long distance companies added a surcharge to phone 
     bills purportedly to recover the cost of Universal Service. 
     But we argue that they already had been reimbursed through 
     the reduced access fees.
       They also failed to distinguish between all Universal 
     Service charges and the E-Rate. One large long distance 
     company put a 95 cent surcharge on telephone bills. But only 
     19 cents of that was for the school and library program--
     which amounted to less than a penny a day. I can think of no 
     more worthwhile investment for our children.
       Now, I am pleased to say that grass roots groups and 
     student organizations have fought diligently for this effort. 
     As a result, we were able to save the E-rate, but attacks on 
     it continue. If the E-rate is taken away or reduced any 
     further, as a recent report by the National School Boards 
     Association clearly demonstrates, students in schools and 
     people in libraries across the country will be left high and 
     dry. That is wrong and people need to speak out about it.
       Let me tell you in no uncertain terms--President Clinton, 
     Vice President Gore, and I will continue to fight any efforts 
     to dismantle the e-rate and widen the digital divide.
       What good is it to be the richest nation in the world--with 
     the greatest technological resources in the world--if the 
     ability to benefit from technology is dependent on whether a 
     student goes to a particular school?
       There are many who criticize the use of technology in our 
     schools. The irony is that those who belittle this use of 
     technology are those who already have access to computers and 
     the preparation to participate fully in today's Information 
     Age.
       This debate has never been about technology. It has been 
     about what our children have the opportunity to do. It's 
     about much more than just giving a young person a computer or 
     connecting that person to the Internet. It's about connecting 
     students to a whole new world of learning resources and 
     offering the mind the opportunity to expand and take on a new 
     and challenging future.
       As I'm sure many of you already know, the web is a wondrous 
     resource for those of you thinking about college. A recent 
     survey of college-bound high school seniors found that 78% 
     had used college web sites during their hunt for campus 
     information--up from 4% just two years earlier.
       The Department of Education's own web site provides 
     publications such as ``Getting Ready for College Early,'' the 
     ``Student Guide to Financial Aid'' and ``Funding your 
     Education.'' You can even get and fill out your financial aid 
     forms for college (FAFSA) via the web.
       I am delighted to announce that today we are unveiling our 
     ``Think College Early'' web site. This new site (www.ed.gov/
 thinkcollege) will provide middle school students, parents, 
     and teachers critical information they need to know to begin 
     to get prepared for college. If parents are not computer 
     literate, I would encourage students to download a copy of 
     the Department's own ``Parents Guide to the Internet''--so 
     that parents and children can discuss and research these 
     issues together.
       We also need to improve opportunities for teachers to use 
     technology--so that it is just as easy as it is for most 
     teachers to use a chalkboard today. The best high tech 
     learning equipment is of little value if a teacher doesn't 
     know how to use it effectively in the classroom. Colleges of 
     education need to incorporate technology resources and 
     training into their curriculum. Some already use this, most 
     do not, and all of them should.
       This Administration has proposed a number of initiatives 
     designed to strengthen teacher training, with an emphasis on 
     application of technology in the classroom. One such effort 
     would provide $75 million to help ensure that all new 
     teachers entering the workforce can integrate technology 
     effectively in the curriculum.
       This is particularly important, given the expected need 
     over the next 10 years for more than two million new 
     teachers. And I hope when the full House of Representatives 
     takes up this issue, it will reverse the decision of the 
     House Appropriations Committee, which refused to fund this 
     important initiative.
       Now before I close, I want to emphasize another very 
     important point. While we know that technology makes a very 
     real difference in helping teaching and learning, it is not--
     I repeat--it is not a panacea for fixing all of the 
     challenges that our schools face. It is a not a substitute 
     for solid teaching and learning, but an opportunity to 
     enhance and build upon it.
       The benefits of technology in schools can only be achieved 
     by entire communities coming together. And this 
     Administration is fighting to make the investment to improve 
     education and our schools. We want to give every community 
     more resources--through efforts to raise standards, lower 
     class size, strengthen teaching, improve reading, build and 
     modernize schools, and expand after-school programs. And 
     technology is an important part of this.
       The majority in Congress has so far been only negative and 
     opposed full investment in these initiatives. But I hope with 
     the new school year they will get the education spirit. Quite 
     simply, we need to work together--in our local communities 
     and with national leadership and assistance--to make sure 
     that all schools have the hardware, software, wiring, and 
     teacher training they need and every child has the 
     opportunity to click into the educational promise of 
     technology.
       We have it in our power to make sure that this tool for 
     learning not only does not exacerbate the divide between rich 
     and poor--but also works to close it.
       Most parents and educators understand the value of 
     technology even if they don't understand the technology 
     itself. It is a reflection of Americans' overall deep feeling 
     about the promise and the power of education--its enormous 
     capacity to open doors, create opportunities and help make 
     people better citizens. Americans understand that without 
     education, we can have neither excellence nor equity. I hope 
     Congress will hear the voices of America.
       As President Clinton said recently, ``We can extend 
     opportunity to all Americans--or leave many behind. We can 
     erase lines of inequity--or etch them indelibly. We can 
     accelerate the most powerful engine of growth and prosperity 
     the world has ever know--or allow that engine to stall.''
       I say it is time we take on the challenge and commit 
     ourselves to ending the digital divide. I challenge this 
     nation to work to ensure that every young person in America 
     has the opportunity to sign on to the Internet, to conduct 
     research, look for information about colleges, and just 
     express a natural curiosity and strengthen a love for 
     learning.
       What we can not do is let this opportunity pass us by. We 
     must fulfill the promise of this new age of education and 
     information.

                          ____________________