[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa and across the United 
States, a new school year is well underway. 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 several 
dedicated public servants at the Iowa Department of Education, and to 
report on their successful involvement 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 program of Harkin grants for Iowa public 
schools. Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 
million for the Iowa Department of Education, 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 Federal funding has made a real difference for the 304 Iowa 
school districts that have received Harkin grants over the past decade. 
The grants have helped school districts from Waukon to Glenwood and 
from Keokuk to Rock Rapids build new schools, add new classrooms, 
renovate facilities and bring buildings up to fire codes.
  The progress we have witnessed is due, in large part, to the hard 
work and leadership of the Iowa Department of Education. When this 
program began, the department did not have experience in administering 
a grant program of this kind, but key personnel stepped up to plate to 
create and implement the successful program we have today.
  In the last 10 years, department staff have received, reviewed, 
processed and scored 1,370 grant applications which resulted in 820 
grant awards and completion of 773 projects. The department processed 
thousands of payment requests for project costs, conducted more than 
300 site visits to monitor the program and provided the professional 
administration that taxpayers deserve.
  I salute the entire staff, administration, and governance of the Iowa 
Department of Education for their excellent work. In particular, I 
would like to recognize C. Milton Wilson, Leland Tack, Ann McCarthy and 
Ted Stilwill for their leadership in helping create the program in 
1998. They provided a strong foundation that was built on by their 
highly capable successors--Gary Schwartz, Janice Evans, Jeff Berger, 
Jim Addy and Judy Jeffrey.
  I would also like to express my appreciation to the individuals who 
have served on the School Budget Review Committee--Cynthia Eisenhauer, 
Michael Tramontina, Charlie Krogmeier, Clark Yeager, Wayne Drexler, 
Marilyn Perkins, Connie Cook, Su McCurdy, Don Hansen, and Jane 
Babcock--for their skilled oversight of the program and to the Iowa 
State Board of Education for their leadership and support.
  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 ultra modern 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 at the Iowa 
Department of Education. There is no question that a quality public 
education for every child is a top priority in our state. I salute them 
and wish them well.

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