[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 39 (Thursday, March 11, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             EDUCATION FLEXIBILITY PARTNERSHIP ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 10, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 800) to 
     provide for education flexibility partnerships:

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Miller Amendment 
to the Ed Flex Bill to promote educational accountability. We all 
recognize that education is central to the lives of America's children 
and is central in our effort to develop healthy communities. At today's 
Appropriations Subcommittee Labor-HHS-Education Hearing, I listened to 
the Department of Education's testimony.
  They stress the importance of results and performance based 
educational instruction and funding. While Federal education programs 
should be administered with flexibility, this flexibility must be met 
with effective accountability provisions and assurances funds targeted 
for America's impoverished children.
  For these reasons, I support Democratic amendments to strengthen 
educational reporting and accountability requirements and to require 
local districts to target funds to economically disadvantaged students. 
To be effective and accountable, states and schools must develop and 
maintain effective management and information systems, collect student 
data, design and implement effective assessment plans, and issue timely 
and parent-friendly reports.
  I support Representative Miller's amendment to require States that 
seek waivers to first have in place a viable plan to assess student 
achievement. It also requires States to use the same plan throughout 
H.R. 800's full five-year flexibility plan. States must establish, as 
they determine appropriate, concrete quantifiable goals for all their 
students as well as specific student subgroups, such as impoverished 
students. If states find achievement gaps between student subgroups, 
they must set goals to close these gaps.
  We must not choose between flexibility and accountability. America's 
children deserve both. We must work for both and target our education 
funds effectively. I urge my colleagues to support the Miller 
amendment.

                          ____________________