[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 30, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               DES MOINES INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY EDUCATION

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa and across the United 
States, a new school year has begun. As you know, Iowa public schools 
have an excellent reputation nationwide, and Iowa students' test scores 
are among the highest in the Nation.
  I would like to take just a few minutes today to salute the dedicated 
teachers, administrators, and school board members in the Des Moines 
Independent Community School District, and to report on their 
participation in a unique Federal partnership to repair and modernize 
school facilities.
  This fall marks the 10th year of the Iowa Demonstration Construction 
Grant Program. That is its formal name, but it is better known among 
educators in Iowa as the Harkin grants for Iowa public schools. Since 
1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 million for the 
State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school districts to 
receive these grants for a range of renovation and repair efforts--
everything from updating fire safety systems to building new schools or 
renovating existing facilities. In many cases, this Federal funding is 
used to leverage public and/or private local funding, so it often has a 
tremendous multiplier effect in a local school district.
  The Des Moines Independent Community School District is Iowa's 
largest public school district, with more than 30,000 students, 5,000 
teachers and staff members, and 60 schools in our State's capitol city. 
Serving more students than even our State universities, Des Moines has 
received several grants, totaling $4,275,000, to help meet the diverse 
and important needs at dozens of their schools.
  The school district received five construction grants totaling 
$3,250,000. The first construction grant for $750,000 was awarded in 
1999 to Capitol View Elementary, a new school just a few blocks from 
our State capitol building. In 2000, a $500,000 construction grant went 
to Moulton Extended Learning Center, a K-8 school in the heart of the 
city. East High School, the oldest high school in Des Moines, received 
a 2002 grant for $1 million to help with the construction of their new 
Community Activity Center. A 2004 construction grant for $500,000 
helped build a new elementary school combining Longfellow and Wallace, 
now known as the George Washington Carver Community School. And in 
2005, a $500,000 construction grant helped to renovate the Walnut 
Street School, a growing elementary school located in the city's 
business district. These schools are the modern, state-of-the-art 
facilities that befit the educational ambitions and excellence of this 
school district. Indeed, they are the kind of schools that every child 
in America deserves.
  The Des Moines Independent Community School District also received 
five fire safety grants totaling $1,025,000 to install fire alarm 
systems and make other safety repairs at over two dozen schools 
including, Central Campus, home to some of the Nation's top high school 
programs, McCombs Middle School, King Elementary School, East High 
School, Hoover High, Meredith Middle School and Lincoln High School. 
The Federal grants have made it possible for the district to provide 
quality and safe schools for their students.
  Excellent schools do not just pop up like mushrooms after a rain. 
They are the product of vision, leadership, persistence, and a 
tremendous amount of collaboration among local officials and concerned 
citizens. I salute the entire staff, administration, and governance in 
the Des Moines Independent Community School District. In particular, I 
would like to recognize the leadership of the board of education--chair 
Ginny Strong, vice chair Jeanette Woods, along with members Connie 
Boesen, Teree Caldwell-Johnson, Patty Link, Dick Murphy and Jonathan 
Narcisse, and former board members Ako Abdul-Samad, Som Baccam, 
Margaret Borgen, Graham Gillette, Jane Hein, Jon Neiderbach, Jim Patch, 
Phil Roeder, Laura Sands, Mark Schuling, Nadine Hogate and Marc Ward.
  I would also like to recognize superintendent Nancy Sebring, former 
superintendent Eric Witherspoon, chief operating officer Bill Good, 
chief financial officer Patricia Schroeder, former executive director 
of facilities management Duane Van Hemert, grant specialist Kris 
Mesicek along with the principals, teachers, staff and parents at more 
than two dozen Des Moines schools who have helped make the most 
effective use of these funds.
  As we mark the 10th anniversary of the Harkin school grant program in 
Iowa, I am obliged to point out that many thousands of school buildings 
and facilities across the United States are in dire need of renovation 
or replacement. In my State of Iowa alone, according to a recent study, 
some 79 percent of public schools need to be upgraded or repaired. The 
harsh reality is that the average age of school buildings in the United 
States is nearly 50 years.
  Too often, our children visit ultramodern shopping malls and gleaming 
sports arenas on weekends, but during the week go to school in rundown 
or antiquated facilities. This sends exactly the wrong message to our 
young people about our priorities. We have to do better.
  That is why I am deeply grateful to the professionals and parents in 
the Des Moines Independent Community School District. There is no 
question that a quality public education for every child is a top 
priority in that community. I salute them, and wish them a very 
successful new school year.

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