[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 28, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E76]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 28, 2003

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that 
all of us have a responsibility to prepare our children for the future. 
I believe that education is the key to preparing our children for the 
future.
  A year ago today, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left 
Behind Act (Act). This federal law requires annual testing and raises 
accountability standards for students and teachers. However, many 
states and school districts have complained that the funding has been 
inadequate and they lack guidance from the federal government to 
implement monumental reforms in the new education legislation. 
Furthermore, states are under a severe time crunch to make changes 
because the Department of Education did not issue final regulations on 
accountability and school improvement until late November 2002. In 
fact, accountability plans are due at the end of this month.
  Earlier this month, the Center on Education Policy (Center) issued a 
report entitled, From the Capital to the Classroom, that reiterates a 
concern among educators--the Act's goals could be undercut by a lack of 
state and federal money as states face a budget shortfall. The federal 
government needs to provide more money to meet the requirements of the 
Act.
  In my state of Maryland, like many other states in the country, 
improvements and progress have been made, but more planning is needed 
to implement the new federal law. It is unfair for the federal 
government to require new standards but then not provide the funds to 
carry out these standards. Mandates without resources provide an empty 
opportunity for our children.
  I now urge Congress and the President to follow through on the 
promise made to students across America a year ago. More money must be 
given for states to fully implement the Act or this new law will be 
just another unfunded mandate for the states. The Bush Administration 
must give states more flexibility in implementing the Act to ensure 
that no child is truly left behind. Our children deserve no less. Our 
children deserve the education to prepare them for the future.

                          ____________________