[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 101 (Wednesday, July 8, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7263-S7265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 1409. A bill to expedite the adjudication of employer petitions 
for aliens with extraordinary artistic ability; to the Committee on the 
Judiciary.
  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, one of the best ways that the U.S. can gain 
understanding and appreciation of other cultures is through the arts. 
Exposing children and adults alike to the creativity of other countries 
enriches our own artistic talents and helps bridge the gap between 
nations. It is for those reasons my colleague Senator Hatch and I have 
introduced the Arts Require Timely Service, ARTS, Act.
  This legislation helps streamline the visa process and waive fees so 
that foreign artists and musicians can share their talents in the U.S. 
Currently, the visa process for visiting artists is slow and costly, 
often times prohibiting artists from coming to the U.S. to share their 
talents. Breaking down these barriers is important and we shouldn't let 
the politics of immigration interfere with expanding our cultural 
horizons.
  I am proud to stand with Senator Hatch and the Performing Arts Visa 
Task Force to try and help artists visit our country and inspire our 
communities. I hope our colleagues will join us and pass this sensible 
reform to expedite cultural exchanges and artistic expression.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to introduce with my colleague, 
Senator John Kerry, the Arts Require Timely Services, ARTS, Act.
  For some time, I have been working to improve the processing of visa 
petitions filed by nonprofit arts organizations. Unfortunately, years 
of delays, errors, and unpredictability have forced some U.S.-based 
nonprofit arts organizations from even trying to bring international 
artists into the United States. We must eliminate some of the 
bureaucratic barriers that have been negatively affecting performing 
artists.
  There is no doubt that nonprofit arts organizations across the 
country engage foreign guest artists in their orchestras, theatres, and 
dance and opera companies. In my home state of Utah, I am aware that 
many organizations that will benefit from passage of the ARTS Act, 
including Brigham Young University, Cache Valley Center for the Arts, 
The Orchestra of Southern Utah, University of Utah, Murray Symphony 
Orchestra, Salt Lake Symphony, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival, to 
name a few.
  The ARTS Act would apply only to temporary, nonimmigrant visas for 
foreign artists visiting the United States. The legislation would 
require U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to treat as a Premium 
Processing case, or a 15-day turn-around, free of additional charge, 
any nonprofit arts-related O- and P-visa petition that it fails to 
adjudicate within 30 days. In November 2007, the Congressional Budget 
Office issued a cost estimate for the ARTS Act, stating that the bill 
would have no significant cost to the Federal Government.
  It is my hope that my colleagues will support passage of this 
legislation in the near future.
      By Mr. REID (for Mr. Kennedy (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. 
        Sanders, Mr. Harkin, and Mr. Brown):
  S. 1410.--A bill to establish expanded learning time initiatives, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is a privilege today to be introducing 
two bills to improve our schools and bring them into the 21st century. 
The Time for Innovation Matters in Education Act, S. 1410, or TIME Act, 
seeks to expand our 19th century school calendar to provide more time 
for learning across the curriculum. The Keeping Parents and Communities 
Engaged Act, S. 1411, or Keeping PACE Act, will encourage greater 
involvement of parents in their children's education, and engage 
community partners in supporting the comprehensive learning needs of 
students in school.
  These bills take different approaches, but both address critical 
challenges for our Nation's schools. By providing the time and 
resources for students to succeed, we can ensure that all students are 
equipped with the tools needed to be successful in the 21st century 
economy.
  As a result of the current 6 hours a day, 180 days a year schedule, 
American students spend about 30 percent less time in school than 
students in other leading nations. This gap hinders the ability of our 
students to compete with their peers around the globe who derive a 
significant advantage by having more time to learn what they need to 
know. About 1,000 U.S. schools are already tackling this problem on 
their own, and now it's time for the Federal Government to step up and 
help more students obtain the time in school they need.
  The TIME Act authorizes $350 million next year, increasing to up to 
$500 million in 2014, to support schools in expanding learning time by 
300 hours a year and redesigning their school day to meet the needs of 
students and teachers. The act promotes partnerships between schools 
and community-based organizations in expanding and redesigning the 
school schedule to give students a broader learning experience and 
encourage innovation. The goal of the act is not merely to encourage 
schools to add more time at the end of the day, but to take a close 
look at how they use their time and redesign the entire school schedule 
for the benefit of students' learning experiences.
  Studies document the difference an extra hour of school each day, a 
few more weeks of school each year, or additional time after or before 
school for tutoring can make to all students. According to these 
studies, the students for whom this time is most important for are the 
students we need to be focusing on--our neediest students. Students in 
disadvantaged families show a drop-off in learning over long summer 
recesses compared to their better-off classmates, and they fall farther 
behind each year. A 2007 study found that \2/3\ of the reading 
achievement gap between 9th graders of low and high socioeconomic 
standing in Baltimore public schools can be traced to what they 
learned, or failed to learn, during their summers.

[[Page S7264]]

  These students also are less likely to have parents with the time to 
help them with their school work. Expanded learning time can help these 
needy students catch up by shortening their summer recesses, providing 
more time for educators to support student learning, and giving schools 
the opportunity to provide these students with additional nutritious 
meals.
  In addition to those at risk of falling behind, more time for 
learning helps students who are on grade level get ahead, by providing 
greater time for enrichment and a broader curriculum. Additional time 
also enables more students to participate in experiential and 
interactive learning, in service learning opportunities in their 
schools and communities, and in internships, all of which help keep 
students engaged in school and make school more relevant.
  For additional time to be used most effectively, it must also work 
for teachers. The act encourages the use of this time for greater 
teacher planning and collaboration across grades and subjects, so that 
teachers can work together to help their students. Today's elementary 
school teachers spend less than 10 percent of their time planning 
lessons and preparing for classes--compared to over 40 percent for 
their Asian counterparts. Just as it does for students, time matters 
for teachers, by helping them to help their students more effectively.
  To assess the difference these programs will make, the TIME Act calls 
for a comprehensive evaluation of the programs it supports. We're still 
in the learning stages of expanded learning time. It is intuitive that 
time matters, but we're still learning what practices work best--for 
teachers, for students, and for schools. This evaluation will ensure 
that we will learn as much as possible about what works, and that the 
Department of Education will be able to do a better job of sharing best 
practices nationwide in supporting these initiatives.
  Expanded learning is an idea whose time has come, thanks in large 
part to the leadership of Massachusetts. As John Adams wrote in the 
Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, the education of the people is 
``necessary for the preservation of their rights and liberties.'' Ever 
since, Massachusetts has been ahead of the curve in education reform. 
In recent years, the Commonwealth has developed a significant expanded 
learning time initiative that enables schools to offer 300 additional 
hours of instruction during the school year, allocated as each school 
chooses. The initiative began with 10 schools in 2006. Twenty-six 
schools are now participating, and more than 40 are now planning to 
participate.
  At the Edwards Middle School in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood, 
additional time has made a difference. The percentage of students 
scoring ``proficient'' on math tests rose almost thirteen points during 
its first year with expanded school hours, and the school is also 
offering a wide array of extracurricular activities, including Latin 
American Dance, Musical Theater, and valuable apprenticeship 
opportunities.
  We know that many schools and districts around the country are 
seeking better ways to strengthen the support they offer parents and to 
deepen their connection with their communities. The No Child Left 
Behind Law includes requirements to develop parent-involvement policies 
and programs, release school report cards, and engage parents and 
community representatives to construct plans to improve struggling 
schools. The Keeping PACE Act builds on these activities to support 
schools in making parents and the community full partners in the 
education of their children.
  Parents are their children's first teachers, and they have immense 
influence over their children's attitudes, focus, priorities and goals. 
Well-informed parents are more likely to be involved, to ask questions, 
to suggest constructive changes and to make a difference in their 
child's education. They deserve to know what their children are 
learning and being tested on, what their children's grades and 
assessment scores mean, and how assessment data can be used to improve 
learning. Informed and engaged parents can help turn around struggling 
schools.

  Educators have long recognized this fact, based on their own 
experience and abundant research. Unfortunately, a series of reports by 
Appleseed make clear schools and districts continue to face too many 
challenges that undermine the effort to achieve parental involvement. 
Parents may feel intimidated by language or cultural barriers, or have 
difficulty understanding their role as an advocate for their children. 
Parents too often find that the information provided by schools and 
districts is not released in a timely manner, is not clear and student-
specific, and uses technical terms that are unfamiliar. Poor 
communication also often obscures the school-choice and supplemental-
services options for parents under the No Child Left Behind Act.
  Heather Weiss, the director of the Harvard Family Research Project, 
emphasizes that with the conclusive evidence now available, the time 
has come for action. As she states, ``The question we must ask is, in 
addition to quality schools, what non-school learning resources should 
we invest in and scale up to improve educational outcomes, narrow 
achievement gaps, and equip our children with the knowledge and skills 
needed to succeed in the complex and global 21st century?''
  To encourage greater parent involvement, this bill amends the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act to enable States to award grants 
to local education agencies to assist schools in hiring and maintaining 
Parent and Community Outreach Coordinators. These coordinators will 
build vital partnerships among families, schools, and the community. 
They'll work with school principals, teachers, and staff to encourage 
parents to become more involved in their child's education and give 
them the tools necessary to become successful advocates for their 
children. Instead of giving teachers, counselors, and principals more 
to do, every school should have a resource they can turn to for help 
with identifying student needs and using community resources to help 
all students succeed.
  Educational research also shows that students flourish in 
environments in which learning is a community value and in which 
schools have the ability to address a broad range of student needs. 
Many school districts have established full-service community schools 
that directly involve parents, families, and the entire community in 
education. These schools use integrated services to students to help 
meet multiple local needs in areas such as education, health, social 
services, and recreation. President Obama has recognized the power of 
these schools, by often citing the extraordinary success of the Harlem 
Children's Zone and using it as a model for his Promise Neighborhoods 
proposal.
  Responding to this research and to success stories from around the 
nation, the Keeping PACE Act will help school districts do more to 
increase community involvement in schools, provide a wide range of 
support and services to children, and make schools the center of their 
neighborhood. The Keeping PACE Act supports incentives for local 
education agencies to coordinate with mayors, community-based 
organizations, for-profit entities, and other local partners to re-
design and modernize their current school plans and facilities to link 
students more effectively with existing resources.
  Improved coordination among parents, schools, and their communities 
can create networks that enable and empower students to take advantage 
of many more opportunities to learn, and by doing so, we will uncover 
innovations to help all schools.
  As with the TIME Act, establishing this network will benefit not only 
students who need the greatest help with their learning, or who are at 
risk of dropping out, but also those who need more challenging 
schoolwork to keep them engaged and making progress.
  Yet again, Massachusetts is leading the way. A current Massachusetts 
pilot initiative has placed 32 full-time family and community outreach 
coordinators in Boston public schools. These coordinators are 
responsible for supporting families, teachers, and the community in a 
common effort to help students academically and socially, and their 
efforts have been successful.
  For example, the Family and Community Outreach Coordinator at the 
Condon School in Boston has offered workshops for parents on middle 
school transition and math curriculum and coordinated parent 
participation on an

[[Page S7265]]

anti-bullying initiative at the school, called the School Climate 
Committee. The Coordinator has helped teachers and parents make 
connections for parent-teacher conferences, bringing in over 200 
parents to participate in a fall open house, in which some of the 
teachers have reported contact with over 80 percent of their students' 
families. The Coordinator has also inspired donations to the school 
through the generosity of local businesses.
  Now is the time for the nation as a whole to make a greater effort on 
expanded learning and parent and community involvement. These two bills 
constitute a strong commitment to meet the comprehensive learning needs 
of children and families, guarantee a role for parents and families in 
local schools, and provide real hope to students most at-risk of 
dropping out. Addressing these challenges is essential to the future 
and prosperity of our nation as a whole.
  We know the dimensions of the problem we face. Today, 65 percent of 
12th graders do not read on grade level, and 1.2 million students who 
enter the ninth grade fail to receive a high school diploma four years 
later. We can no longer afford to pay this high price, either in terms 
of lost human potential or national productivity. These bills will help 
millions of young people reach their potential, and help make our 
education system the best in the world once again.
  The Keeping PACE Act is supported by 40 organizations representing 
education communities. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
their joint letter of support be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                    June 19, 2009.
       Dear Senator Kennedy: The 40 undersigned organizations 
     support the Keeping Parents and Communities Engaged (PACE) 
     Act. We commend you for your sponsorship and look forward to 
     working together to include Keeping PACE in the 
     reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
     Act.
       The Keeping PACE Act creates incentives and structure for 
     schools and communities to work together to support students 
     through coordinated, comprehensive, and targeted approaches 
     to meet the needs of students in school and outside school. 
     We're confident that this approach, supported by extensive 
     research, will lead to greater academic improvement and 
     future success for our young people.
       The legislation achieves these goals through a series of 
     voluntary programs that will be supported by federal grants. 
     Resources will be available to support parent and community 
     outreach coordinators to assist schools in engaging with the 
     community and achieving greater parental involvement. The 
     bill also will connect students to community resources and 
     comprehensive support services, so that effective community 
     organizations and others can provide students with support 
     outside the classroom to promote academic achievement. In 
     addition, resources will be provided to schools as centers of 
     communities, in order to expand the community school 
     movement.
       Extensive research and experience support the 
     implementation of each of these three approaches. Through 
     this approach, we believe that schools and communities will 
     be able to provide the services needed by students, 
     particularly those who are disadvantaged. We commend you for 
     introducing this legislation and we look forward to working 
     together to enact it.
           Sincerely,
         Communities In Schools; American Association of School 
           Administrators; American Association of University 
           Women; American Federation of Teachers; American Humane 
           Association; America's Promise Alliance; Association 
           for Supervision and Curriculum Development; Boys & 
           Girls Clubs of America; Big Brothers Big Sisters of 
           America; Center for American Progress.
         Center for Parent Leadership/Commonwealth Institute for 
           Parent Leadership; Chicago Public Schools; Children's 
           Aid Society; Citizen Schools; City Year; Coalition for 
           Community Schools; Family Connection of Easton; First 
           Focus; I Have A Dream Foundation; Massachusetts Parent 
           Information & Resource Center.
         Mentor; National Alliance of Black School Educators; 
           National Association of Elementary School Principals; 
           National Association of School Psychologists; National 
           Association of Secondary School Principals; National 
           Association of State Boards of Education; National 
           Association of State Directors of Special Education; 
           National Collaboration for Youth; National Coalition 
           for Parent Involvement in Education.
         National Education Association; National Youth Leadership 
           Council; PACER; Parent Teacher Association; Parent 
           Institute for Quality Education; Public Education 
           Network; The Forum for Youth Investment; The National 
           Coalition of ESEA Title I Parents--Region VII; Save the 
           Children; United Way; Youth Service America.
                                 ______