[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 117 (Friday, August 1, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10908-S10909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. MURRAY:
  S. 1554. A bill to provide for secondary school reform, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today I'm pleased to introduce a bill 
that will help America's teenagers graduate from high school, go on to 
college, and enter the working world with the skills they need to 
succeed. I'm proud to introduce the PASS Act--which stands for the 
Pathways for All Students to Succeed Act. Today, far too many students 
drop-out of school and never have a chance for college and a better 
life. My bill will reach out to vulnerable students during high school 
by providing the training, guidance and resources they need to stay in 
school and go on to college.
  Specifically, the PASS Act will: help schools hire literacy coaches 
to strengthen essential reading and writing skills. It will provide 
grants for high-quality Academic Counselors to ensure each student has 
an individualized plan and access to services to prepare for college 
and a good job. And finally, the PASS Act targets resources to those 
high schools that need the most help, so they can implement research-
based strategies for success.
  Many of America's high schools and high school students are in 
serious trouble, and it's only getting worse.
  With each new school day, 3,000 secondary students drop out of 
school. This year alone, nearly 540,000 young people will leave school 
without attaining a high school diploma. Our Nation's high school 
graduation rate is 69 percent. And in urban areas, that figure is even 
worse. Many urban school districts graduate fewer than half of their 
students. Dropping out has an enormous cost to these students, their 
families and our communities. Sadly, even those students who do receive 
a high school diploma are not guaranteed success in college or in life.
  Many graduate from high school unprepared for the academic rigor of 
post-secondary study. About 40 percent of four-year college students 
and 63 percent of community college students are enrolling in remedial 
courses in reading, writing, or math when they enter college.
  And although approximately 70 percent of high school graduates enroll 
in college, only 7 percent from low-income families will have earned a 
bachelor's degree by age 24--in part because they have not been 
properly prepared for college academics.
  That's why today I'm introducing a bill to improve our Nation's 
secondary schools, especially those serving high-need students. First, 
the PASS Act would ensure that middle or high school students who are 
still struggling to master literacy will get additional help. About 60 
percent of students in the poorest communities fail to graduate from 
secondary school on time, in large part because they don't have the 
reading or writing skills they need. We took a good step in creating 
the Reading First program to strengthen students' reading skills in the 
elementary grades. These skills are the foundation of their success 
throughout their academic careers. However, many middle and high school 
students struggle with serious reading deficits and substandard 
literacy skills that have gone unattended for years.
  The 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that the 
reading achievement of 12th grade students has declined at all 
performance levels since 1998. Thirty-three percent of 12th grade boys, 
and 20 percent of 12th grade girls read below the ``basic level.''
  While the percentage of 4th and 8th graders writing at or above a 
basic level has increased between 1998 and 2002, the percentage of 12th 
graders writing at or above basic has gone down.
  These numbers show that our concentrated efforts for elementary and 
middle school students have improved their writing skills, but by 
neglecting the needs of secondary school students. We are squandering 
these gains.
  In response, Title I of my bill creates a $1 billion ``Reading to 
succeed'' grant program.
  Building on the strong foundation of the Reading First program, this 
grant program will establish effective, research-based reading and 
writing programs for students in our middle and high schools, including 
children with limited English proficiency and children with 
disabilities.
  These grants will provide resources for schools to hire literary 
coaches at a ratio of at least one for every 20 teachers. The coaches 
will help teachers incorporate research-based literary instruction into 
their core subject teaching. This will strengthen the reading and 
writing skills of all students, while identifying and helping those 
students whose skills are especially poor. These coaches will assess 
students and coordinate services to address significant reading and 
writing deficits.
  In addition to hiring literacy coaches, funds can be used to provide 
relevant professional development, strengthen curricula in secondary 
schools, and implement diagnostic assessments, research-based 
curricula, instructional materials, and interventions in middle and 
high schools.
  These literacy coaches can help us make sure that no more students 
slip through the cracks because they never learned to read.
  In addition to strong literacy skills, careful planning, sound advice 
and strong academic support are critical to guiding students to 
success. Too many high school students make it to graduation, only to 
find that they cannot attend the school of their choice or enter a 
chosen career because they are not prepared. Many high school students 
are floundering--unable to find out what courses they need to take or 
how they can get past academic or other barriers.
  Unfortunately, most of our school counselors serve too many students 
with too few resources. High school counselors work with an average of 
450 students each, making it impossible to guide each individual 
student along the pathway to high school graduation and work or 
college. Title II of my bill seeks to address this problem by creating 
grants for thorough, high-quality academic and career counseling for 
our high school students.
  These grants will cultivate and promote parent involvement in their 
child's education, and will coordinate support services for at-risk 
high school students across the country.
  This ``Creating Pathways to Success Program'' would complement other 
existing successful high school programs by providing $2 billion to 
support systemic change in the way we guide our high school students to 
success.
  The funds could be used to hire and train Academic Counselors to work 
with no more than 150 students each, and to equip these counselors with 
the time, skills, and resources to work directly with students, 
parents, and teachers to give each student the individualized attention 
and service they need.
  Academic Counselors will work with students and parents to develop 6-
year plans outlining the path each student will take to reach his or 
her goals.
  They will coordinate new resources with existing ones such as GEAR 
UP, TRIO, Title I, IDEA and Perkins Vocational and Technical Education 
programs to ensure students receive the services identified in their 
plans and to facilitate a smooth transition to postsecondary education 
or a career.
  Schools that get these new funds must offer a rigorous college 
preparatory curriculum to all students, including access to Advanced 
Placement or International Baccalaureate courses.
  Working together we can make sure that our adolescents graduate 
prepared for any dream they may choose to pursue.
  Finally, my bill includes a third title called ``Supporting 
Successful High Schools'' to ensure that we take action to help turn 
around our low-performing high schools.
  Approximately 10 percent of the schools which have been identified so 
far as ``in need of improvement'' according to the requirements of No 
Child Left Behind are high schools.
  In about 1100 high schools, 75 percent or more of the students 
enrolled are living in poverty.
  Despite these numbers, most reform efforts are focused on elementary 
schools. We've overlooked struggling middle and high schools.

[[Page S10909]]

  Under the No Child Left Behind Act, Title I funding should be used to 
help all schools that need improvement, but high schools receive only 
15 percent of Title I funds, even though they enroll 33 percent of low-
income students.
  Until Title I is fully-funded, it is unlikely that high schools will 
receive a significant amount of these funds to address the problems 
they have identified.
  Meanwhile, high schools are being held to the requirements of No 
Child Left Behind without a targeted source of funding to turn around 
schools in need of improvement.
  Our states and districts have worked hard to figure out which high 
schools need improvement the most, and now it's time we improve them.
  That's why my bill would create a $500 million grant program that 
allows districts to identify, develop, and implement reforms that will 
turn around these low-performing schools.
  School districts can use funds for research-based strategies and best 
practices that will improve student achievement and bring success.
  Districts would work with parents, teachers, students and communities 
to choose any effective reform such as small schools, block scheduling, 
whole school reforms or individualized learning plans.
  For example, since research shows that small schools enhance student 
outcomes by allowing teachers to offer personalized assistance and 
connect with students, some districts may reduce the size of low-
performing high schools by creating smaller schools or academies within 
larger schools.
  Working together, we can do more than identify our schools in need of 
improvement--we can improve them.
  In conclusion, the Pathways for All Students to Succeed Act provides 
the grants America's students need to promote adolescent literacy, 
support college and career pathways for all our students, and to 
improve struggling high schools nationwide.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill and 
addressing the needs of our high school students.
                                 ______