[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 172 (Sunday, November 23, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EDUCATION FUNDING

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 21, 2003

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express concern over the 
failure to fund and adequately implement the No Child Left Behind Act 
(NCLB).
  This bipartisan legislation attempted a comprehensive approach to 
reforming our schools by refocusing our national education policy on 
helping states and local school districts raise academic achievement 
for all children, while providing more funding and flexibility to 
states and local districts.
  The legislation passed with overwhelming support because it included 
tough accountability requirements aimed at closing the achievement gap 
between students of different economic backgrounds; stronger 
professional development standards and training for teachers; 
additional resources do turn around low performing schools; allowances 
for an unprecedented level of flexibility for local school districts; 
and rewards and sanctions for States based on the academic performance 
of students.
  Despite the bill's good intentions and tremendous support in 
Congress, the legislation has become largely a hollow promise to our 
children because of inadequate funding. The Administration's budget 
request this year provided only $22.7 billion for these important 
education efforts--$9.7 billion less than what Congress agreed was 
necessary.
  The commitment of significant federal funding to assist local schools 
in meeting the new testing, achievement and training requirements was a 
solemn promise made to all the children of our nation. NCLB imposes 
strict standards on our school districts with considerable penalties if 
they do not comply. But how can our schools be expected to meet these 
new standards without adequate federal funding to meet these 
challenging mandates?
  For this reason, I have cosponsored legislation, the Keeping Our 
Promises to America's Children Act of 2003, to suspend application of 
NCLB until the funding that was promised to our schools is actually 
delivered to our schools. The alternative merely sets up our schools 
for failure.
  Implementation of this important law has also been unduly harsh. 
Award-winning science teachers who have excelled at teaching for 
decades are deemed unqualified because their bachelor's degree was in a 
different subject. As someone who supported passage of NCLB, I am 
alarmed by its poor funding and implementation.
  Passing the NCLB was only one step in the lawmaking process. To enact 
real education reform and to implement the new education standards 
within NCLB, we must appropriate the full funding required, and not 
blind ourselves in its application. We must not shortchange our 
children's education.
  I ask my colleagues today to reaffirm the Congress's commitment to 
the No Child Left Behind Act and support full funding authorized by the 
legislation.

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