[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         EDUCATION FLEXIBILITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about an idea that the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) and I introduced as legislation 
last year called education flexibility.
  The gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), a Republican from Delaware, 
and I, a Democrat from Indiana, have worked on this proposal for 8 
months; and we are very excited about the good bipartisan potential, 
the bold idea that this proposal brings to our schools across this 
great country.
  Also, in addition to being a bipartisan idea, it is also an idea 
brought forward by the new Democratic coalition. Our new Democratic 
coalition is a coalition devoted to old values and new ideas.
  The old values in this education flexibility bill, the old value is 
local control, that our schools in Indiana and Colorado, California and 
New York decide what is taught, decide what action is taken in our 
schools. So the old value is local control.
  The new idea is enhanced flexibility, to try some new things, to 
boldly and creatively reform our education system and continue to fix 
public education in this great United States of America.
  So we have old values and new ideas. We have a Republican and a 
Democratic sponsor, and we have the new Democratic coalition working on 
this.
  I support this education flexibility bill that the gentleman from 
Delaware (Mr. Castle) and I have introduced for three reasons. One, 
because it is a bold, new, creative idea that is working substantively 
in 12 States. We tried Ed Flex as a pilot program four and a half years 
ago. It is working in Ohio. It is working in Michigan. It is working in 
Illinois. It is working in Texas. This idea is working across the 
United States in 12 States.
  How is it working? Let me give my colleagues a couple of examples. In 
Texas, which currently has this Ed Flex authority, Texas has outlined 
stringent accountability standards for its local schools. Ed Flex 
States have been innovative in the use of their waivers, and I think 
all States should be able to be innovative and have this opportunity.
  Secondly, Maryland was able to use Ed Flex and reduce the teacher-
student ratio in math and science classes from 25-1 to 12-1 and give 
more intensive teaching and schooling to those students in math and 
science programs.
  Also, in the State of Kansas, we have seen the Ed Flex have and show 
the opportunity to better coordinate title I to many of our 
disadvantaged students and to be there to allow a seamless delivery of 
services to some of the most at risk, some of the most disadvantaged 
students in inner city areas, without diminishing the targeting of 
title I monies.
  So one, it is working in 12 States, it is bold, and we should have 
all 50 States have this opportunity.
  Secondly, the second reason I support it, it is not a mandate, it is 
not new paperwork, it is not handcuffs. It is a string of 
accountability to one thing, student performance.
  And, thirdly, it is bipartisan.
  Let us show the United States that we can reach across the aisle, 
Democrat and Republican alike, on an education issue, a bold new idea 
like education flexibility, and help reform and fix our great public 
school network in this United States of America.
  I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor the Education Flexibility bill 
introduced by the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) and myself.

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