[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12016-12017]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              DIPLOMA ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Chu) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, for so many, education is the key to the 
American Dream. But for so many, a good education seems like it is 
beyond reach. That is why I am introducing the DIPLOMA Act, or 
Developing Innovative Partnerships and Learning Opportunities that 
Motivate Achievement.
  This legislation will address obstacles to learning by giving out 
grants to schools, social service programs, and the local community to 
create comprehensive, community-based solutions that will ensure that 
our struggling students will succeed.
  For awhile now, I have advocated for changing the tone of debate that 
surrounds school reform. Too often critics point fingers instead of 
offering solutions. That is why I am pushing for

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real change, dramatic change in our schools that harnesses the energy 
of parents, the community, and the school to turn around our failing 
schools that lift up all our students.
  Now, there is no denying that this approach can be challenging and 
hard work, but research shows when communities, parents, and schools 
collaborate and work together, there is nothing we can't achieve. I 
know this because I have seen it firsthand in my district.
  In East Los Angeles, Esteban E. Torres High School is a shining 
example of a community school. It's the first new school built in the 
neighborhood in 85 years, and its facilities and classrooms are simply 
magnificent. But to me, the most awe-inspiring part is the community-
based approach at the heart of Esteban Torres. With the help of the Los 
Angeles Education Partnership and the Federal Full Service Community 
Schools Grant Program, Esteban Torres tapped into the resources of the 
surrounding community to overcome challenges facing their students 
regarding health care, limited English proficiency, and financial 
literacy.
  Esteban Torres partnered with Bienvenidos for a full-service health 
service on campus that will help maintain the health and well-being of 
their students so they are ready and able to learn.
  Pan American Bank partnered to help the high schoolers create a 
student-run financial center to teach the importance of a budget and 
proper money management, skills which will stick with these students 
for the rest of their lives.
  Luis Rodriguez and Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural joined the effort to 
establish the first-ever bookstore in East Los Angeles, making it 
easier for students to expand their education outside their classroom.
  And the effect of these programs is apparent on the smiles of the 
students' faces on their way to school, in the cafeteria and the 
classroom. This type of engagement and support is giving students in 
the community new opportunities and opening their world.
  Across America, our students face problems like homelessness, lack of 
health care, and limited English proficiency. Research tells us that 
two-thirds of the achievement gap is due to factors outside of school, 
and even the best teachers have a hard time overcoming these obstacles.

                              {time}  1020

  A recent study from Chicago found that when we don't address 
students' social and economic disadvantages outside schools, the hard 
work done inside the school can be futile. That's why the DIPLOMA Act 
is so necessary. Local groups can coordinate, integrate, and facilitate 
services aimed at strengthening student achievement, such as dropout 
prevention, family engagement, tutoring, extending learning services, 
health care, and social support. The bill contains strong 
accountability measures, including independent evaluations to measure 
results and identify best practices.
  These partnerships will make a difference in the lives of students in 
my district. When students are provided the right kind of support and 
opportunities to help them learn, nothing can stop them. The DIPLOMA 
Act ensures that America's next Nobel Prize laureate can come from any 
background or community because they had the support they needed to 
succeed.

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