[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 61 (Monday, May 7, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S4442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       BETTER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ACT--Continued

  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, our education system is in need of 
serious reform. Thirty-five years ago, Congress enacted the first 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Billions of dollars have been 
spent on Title I, the program that is the cornerstone of the federal 
investment in K through 12 education for disadvantaged children.
  However, only 13 percent of low-income 4th graders score at or above 
the ``proficient'' level on national reading tests. As the recently 
released results of the 2000 National Assessment of Education Progress 
show, the reading scores of 4th grade students have shown no 
improvement since 1992.
  Even worse, no progress has been made in achieving the program's 
fundamental goal, narrowing the achievement gap between low-income and 
upper-income students. It is obvious that the current system has 
serious problems and it is time that we make serious reforms.
  Some of my colleagues feel that the solution is to throw a huge 
amount of money at education. I disagree. Yes, education funding should 
increase, but continuing to expand the current federal system, which is 
characterized by its many duplicative and ineffective programs is not 
the answer.
  We should be working together to ensure that education legislation 
establishes real standards for measuring academic achievement, 
streamlines federal education programs, promotes local flexibility, 
encourages and protects good teachers, and gives parents of students 
who are trapped in failing schools the opportunity to seek a better 
education for their children.
  It is time to do something different. Although focusing on curriculum 
and teaching methods have fueled many of our past debates it is now 
important to shift our focus to the more general and structural aspects 
that affect learning. We need to allow parents, teachers, and schools 
to decide what is best for their children.
  I believe that decisions about a child's education should be made by 
people who actually know the child's name. I do not believe that 
bureaucrats and politicians in Washington should dictate how states and 
localities spend education funds. Students in my home state of Alaska 
face unique challenges due to the diverse population, size of the 
state, and the isolation faced in rural communities. We need greater 
flexibility in order to meet our students needs.
  The President's education plan demands that states demonstrate 
student academic gains in reading, and math, as well as progress in 
reducing the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their 
peers. We need accountability so that we can be assured that there's 
academic achievement. All of the educators that I speak to in Alaska 
tell me that they are not afraid of accountability. However, they 
maintain that they need more flexibility to reach high academic goals.
  I agree with the President that we should consolidate federal 
elementary and secondary programs, insist upon high standards and 
accountability, and allow states and localities the flexibility they 
need to educate children.
  It is time to recognize that we need to do something different. I 
call on my colleagues to work together to pass legislation that is 
``real'' education reform.

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