[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1625-S1626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN EDUCATION

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, 2 weeks ago, I sat through several days 
of discussion on education policy as we marked up the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act in the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
Committee.
  Just last week, I went home and visited schools across Washington 
State and met with administrators, teachers, parents, and students.
  The discussions we had here in Congress and the discussions I had in 
those classrooms could not have been more different. No wonder so many 
educators and parents are frustrated with Congress. Too often, what 
they hear from Congress has nothing to do with the real challenges they 
are facing.
  While some of my colleagues were pushing their agenda of block grants 
and vouchers here in Washington, DC, the teachers I met with in 
Washington State were concerned about their ability to teach the basics 
and maintain discipline in their classrooms.
  While these same colleagues of mine sought to diminish 
accountability, the parents I met with want us to insist that we have 
the highest possible academic standards in safe and modern classrooms.
  While these same colleagues of mine were figuring out ways to shift 
resources away from meeting specific needs, the students I met with 
were wondering when there would be enough fully qualified teachers in 
their classrooms to help them get the individual attention they need to 
succeed.
  Those parents, teachers, and students were shocked when I told them 
that my amendment to guarantee money for smaller class sizes was 
rejected by members of the Education Committee. It just does not make 
sense to them.
  I wish that when we discussed ESEA, we had a few of those teachers 
sitting in the room with us. And whenever the discussion drifted to 
things that are far from the realities in today's classrooms, I wish 
those teachers were here to stand up and bring the discussion back to 
the real challenges our students face, day-in and day-out.
  Today, too many teachers see overcrowded classrooms, children who 
arrive with basic needs unmet, jammed hallways, and tougher curriculum 
requirements.
  Today, too many parents see teachers who are overworked--teachers who 
spend so much time on discipline it is hard for them to give every 
child the time and attention they need.
  Today, too many students feel their needs are lost and their 
education is not a priority. All of us want to make sure that schools 
are safe centers of learning.
  To reach their potential, our kids need real help now. They need the 
common sense solutions that we know can help them succeed.
  It is simple. We know what works in education. We know what it takes 
to help children reach their potential. It is not a great mystery. 
These are the things that years of research have shown us are 
effective. They are the things that parents, teachers, and community 
leaders know make a difference. To show how simple this is, I have 
listed those ingredients we know work.
  I am proud that Democrats are focusing on results with a commonsense 
agenda. We know that if we want children to succeed in school, they 
need a highly-motivated, fully-qualified teacher. We know they need a 
safe and modern classroom. We know they need a small, uncrowded class 
in which to learn. We know they need a focus on the basics. We know 
they need high standards and discipline. We know they need support from 
family and adults. We know they need resources for the classroom.
  These are the commonsense policies that serve America's children--the 
policies that improve education and get results.
  But unfortunately, this Congress is ignoring these proven approaches. 
They are ignoring what works. They do not want money to be targeted to 
these essential ingredients. They do not want us to focus on making 
sure that every school has guaranteed resources in each of these areas.
  Many of us want to use these key ingredients to make the best schools 
possible. We want to guarantee that every school has the resources it 
needs. We want to change our schools--for the better--so we can get the 
results parents, students, and teachers are demanding.
  Some have proposed block grants as the cure-all for education. Today, 
our nation's education policy guarantees that specific resources will 
be targeted to meeting specific needs. That is how responsible 
budgeting is done. That is how we ensure accountability.
  But this Congress is working toward eliminating those guarantees. 
They do not want money to be guaranteed for reducing class sizes or for 
technology training for teachers or for modernizing schools. They want 
to eliminate all of those guarantees, create a pot of money, and give 
it to the States.
  One teacher asked me: ``Are there any studies that show that giving 
all the money to States in block grants actually improves education?''
  Of course not. In fact, 35 years ago the American people made the 
national Government a partner in education because they realized that 
State and local governments cannot do it all on their own.
  Public schools are one of the foundations upon which our democracy is 
built, and we need to do a better job of helping them perform at the 
highest levels.
  Most disconcerting about these proposals for block grants is they are 
simply a blank check policy that will diminish the guarantee that 
education resources go to the students who need them most. Money that 
currently goes to hiring and training teachers and helping students 
with special needs--under these proposals could be used ``for any 
education purposes''--anything from building a new lockerroom to 
redecorating office space.
  In response to many who want a better education, some have proposed 
vouchers. What will that do? Without a doubt, it will drain scarce 
dollars away from public schools where 90 percent of America's children 
are trying to learn. Vouchers plans shift taxpayer dollars away from 
public schools to private and religious schools.
  One parent in Washington told me last week: ``I don't want you to 
give me a few hundred dollars to send my kid to another school. I want 
you to make my school work better.''
  The real question, and the one we are failing to answer, is: How can 
we work in partnership with states, educators, and parents to make sure 
that every student gets the things they need to reach their potential?
  Many of my colleagues are asking the wrong question. they ask: How 
can the Federal Government's role in education be eliminated? They are 
talking about process, when we should be focusing on results.
  This Congress should be asking: How can the Federal Government 
support local schools? How can we meet our national education 
priorities, like making sure every child can read, write, and use a 
computer?
  And how can we help school districts do the things that are hardest 
for them to do, like hiring new teachers and building new schools?
  I am afraid some of my colleagues aren't looking for ways to answer 
these questions. I am afraid they just want to gut our national 
education partnership.
  In this country, we already have local control over education. State 
and

[[Page S1626]]

local school districts set the curriculum. They hire the staff. States 
set standards and certify teachers. States and localities raise and 
spend 93 percent of all education funding. A lack of local control is 
not the problem. It is a lack of sufficient support and resources.
  States, school districts, parents, and teachers are demanding that 
we, at the Federal level, work in partnership to ensure our kids get a 
good education. What matters to parents is that their kids get the best 
education possible. Parents don't care how the workload is divided. 
They care about results. And Democrats are focused on results.
  One of the problems with block grants is that--in the budgeting 
process--they always end up getting cut because those dollars are not 
longer tired to a specific need. With block grants, our kids end up 
with fewer educational resources than they had before. In fact, we are 
already seeing a move underway to give our students fewer resources.
  The Republican budget plan passed out of the House could jeopardize 
our ability to meet the needs in America's schools. Their plan could 
jeopardize our ability to keep hiring new teachers to make classrooms 
less crowded. They could jeopardize our ability to provide afterschool 
programs, to ensure safe and drug-free schools, to modernize old 
schools, and to build new ones.
  Their plan could result in having $2.6 billion less for education 
than the President has requested. We shouldn't be shortchanging 
America's students, but I am concerned that is what the House 
Republican budget plan would do.
  In fact, according the Congressional Budget Office, the Republican 
budget plan doesn't even keep up with inflation for key domestic 
investments, like education.
  Parents, teachers and students in my home State--and across the 
country--are asking for help in education.
  They want us to work in partnership with them to help their children 
reach their potential.
  They want us to support the commonsense solutions that produce real 
results for our students.
  And when they hear Members of this Congress talking about things that 
really don't make a difference in the classroom, they get pretty 
frustrated.
  After meeting with and listening to so many frustrated parents and 
educators, I have come to the floor today to carry their message.
  They want us to: Focus on what works. They want us to support the 
things that make a difference for children in the classroom. And they 
want us to work together in partnership with State and local educators 
to help children learn to meet the challenges of the new millennium.
  I urge my colleagues to hear these calls loud and clear, to respond 
by bringing the debate here in Congress back to the realities that 
teachers, students and parents see in their classrooms every day across 
this country, and to pass a budget that follows our recipe for success 
by investing in the resources that every student needs.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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