[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 34 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S2240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          REDUCING CLASS SIZE

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise in support of an amendment to be 
offered by my colleagues from Washington and Massachusetts, Senators 
Murray and Kennedy, to S. 280, the Education Flexibility Partnership 
Act of 1999. The amendment represents a true investment in education, 
as well as in the future of our Nation and my State of Hawaii.
  Built on a bipartisan agreement passed last year, the amendment seeks 
to reduce class size in early grades through the hiring of additional 
well-qualified teachers. This would mean more individualized attention 
for students from their teachers, increased learning in the basics that 
will immeasurably help them in future grades, and a better chance at 
success from an early age.
  I also support other amendments to be offered to S. 280. One will be 
offered by my colleague, the senior Senator from New Jersey, Mr. 
Lautenberg, regarding an equally vital school modernization initiative. 
I have spoken in support of this initiative in the past. This plan 
would finance the building and renovation of public schools through tax 
credits in lieu of interest on bonds. Hawaii would receive tax credits 
to support $50 million in school modernization.
  The other amendment that will be offered by Senator Boxer to help 
communities fund afterschool programs for kindergarten, elementary, and 
secondary school students will be one that I will support. This will 
help keep students off the streets after school, for too many youths in 
my State are left with nothing to do but turn to drugs, alcohol, gangs 
and other destructive behaviors. And this happens also in other 
States. These amendments have my full support.

  Now I would like to focus my remarks on the class size amendment. I 
commend my colleagues for supporting the first installment of the 7-
year class size reduction proposal last year. We passed $1.2 billion in 
1998 to hire 30,000 teachers. Under this spending, Hawaii will receive 
more than $5.6 million. We must pass the Murray-Kennedy amendment to 
finish the job and assure that the teachers hired under last year's 
downpayment will continue to be funded.
  This amendment would provide $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2000 to hire 
38,000 teachers, which would give Hawaii nearly $7 million for 178 
teachers. So this is something that Hawaii really looks forward to.
  Students in my State need these well-qualified, well-trained 
teachers. I hear from students, parents, and teachers alike that 
classes are too large. The average size of a class in Hawaii is in the 
mid-twenties. However, research shows that the optimum number of 
students in a class, particularly lower grades, is in the mid- to 
upper-teens.
  Among other problems, larger classes create discipline problems, 
especially in communities with large numbers of at-risk children. If we 
want to give our students the best possible chance to learn, they need 
smaller classes and teachers who are able to give them enough personal 
attention.
  In addition to helping students, this amendment would also help 
Hawaii's teachers. As a former teacher, I have taught both small and 
large classes. I have taught in different kinds of systems. I know when 
students are grasping ideas. And we know when they are not. One of the 
most rewarding things a teacher can experience is to see the faces of 
students light up when they realize they have learned something new. 
When there are too many students in a class and only one teacher to 
supervise them, the result is a difficult and poor learning 
environment.
  Mr. President, I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will 
join me in voting for this class size amendment. It makes sense to 
focus our efforts this way on students during their early grades, 
because these represent some of the most vital years in a child's 
educational development. We must give our children a rock-solid 
foundation in the basics so they may continue to build a strong base of 
knowledge throughout their educational history. We know that well-
educated children will mean a great citizenry for the future of our 
country.
  I thank my colleagues, Senators Murray and Kennedy, for giving me 
this opportunity and this chance to speak on their amendment at this 
most important time in the history of our country.
  Thank you very much, Mr. President. I yield back the remainder of my 
time.
  Mr. ABRAHAM addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.

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