[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 29 (Monday, July 26, 1999)]
[Pages 1417-1418]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Proposed Education Legislation

July 19, 1999

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. Leader:)

    Nothing will do more to prepare all of our people to succeed in the 
21st century than strengthening our public schools. That's why I am 
deeply concerned about the legislation that the House is preparing to 
consider that undermines a bipartisan commitment to reduce class size in 
the early grades across the nation. If the Congress sends me H.R. 1995 
in its current form, I will veto it in order to protect our nation's 
commitment to smaller classes and better schools.
    Last year, Congress came together across party lines to make a down 
payment to begin hiring 100,000 well-prepared teachers to reduce class 
size to a nationwide average of 18. Earlier this month, the Education 
Department released $1.2 billion in grants to help states and local 
school districts begin hiring the first 30,000 well-trained teachers for 
the new school year. Now is the time to work together to keep our 
bipartisan commitment on class size, not walk away from it.
    After all, research confirms what parents and teachers understand: 
smaller classes with well-prepared teachers have a lasting impact on 
student achievement, with the greatest benefits for lower achieving, 
minority, and poor children.
    Earlier this year, I sent to Congress my proposal to reauthorize the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act that would help all students 
reach high standards by strengthening accountability, improving teacher 
quality, and building on our progress to reduce class size in the early 
grades all across America. Regrettably, in its current form, H.R.

[[Page 1418]]

1995 abolishes a dedicated funding stream for class size reduction and 
replaces it with a block grant that fails to guarantee that any funding 
will be used for hiring new teachers to reduce class size. It eliminates 
the focus on early grades where smaller classes make the most difference 
and help children learn to read and master the basics. Moreover, the 
block grant could be used simply to replace state or local funding 
instead of increasing overall investment in our public schools. I urge 
the House to approve a substitute measure that I understand will be 
offered by Representative Martinez, that would improve teacher quality 
and maintain our commitment to the class-size reduction effort begun 
last year.
    Last year we made a promise to America's children to provide smaller 
classes with well-prepared teachers. I urge Congress to keep that 
promise by enacting legislation that improves our nation's schools by 
ensuring greater investments in education, improved teacher quality, and 
smaller classes all across America.
    Sincerely,
                                                  Bill Clinton

Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, and Richard A. Gephardt, minority leader, 
House of Representatives. An original was not available for verification 
of the content of this letter.