By: Carol C. Brown
7/22/03 -- As we head into hurricane season across much of the nation, we're also heading into the eye of the hurricane with regard to federal education legislation.
Congress is working on three major issues -- education funding, overhaul of the special education law, and vouchers for the District of Columbia -- that could have a profound impact on school boards across the nation.
The full House and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee have now approved legislation to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Provisions of the House bill are somewhat more favorable to local school boards than those of the Senate bill. But both bills make significant improvements in IDEA.
Both bills reflect NSBA's substantive recommendations with regard to improving teacher recruitment and retention in special education.
Overregulation has caused high turnover of special education teachers. Both the House and Senate bills, in a variety of ways, remove counterproductive regulations that drive up educators' preoccupation with paperwork.
Both bills also expand school district authority and flexibility and improve due process.
As the legislation heads to a House-Senate conference committee, it will be important that NSBA retain our gains, ward off any efforts to add private school vouchers to the special education program, and work toward full, mandatory funding.
Meanwhile, both the Senate and House appropriations committees have passed disappointing funding bills.
The failure of these bills to include adequate amounts for education are even more striking in the context of the mandates in IDEA and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, as well as the budget crises that are limiting states' ability to cover the federal shortfall in meeting these costs.
The growing costs of the mandates in IDEA and NCLB will hit home for school districts as they begin to make difficult decisions on staffing and resources as they prepare for the 2003-04 school year.
Meanwhile, just as public schools across the nation are facing financial hardships, some pro-voucher members of Congress are considering legislation to create a voucher program for students in the District of Columbia. [See article on page 7.]
Despite dozens of studies, there is no evidence that vouchers have any effect on improving student achievement. Moreover, a public opinion poll sponsored by NSBA shows that D.C. voters overwhelmingly oppose vouchers if it means less money for public schools.
It is critical that Congress reject the D.C. voucher legislation. If this measure is approved, it would likely lead to a resurgence of voucher proposals across the United States.
And if all this weren't enough, Congress is also working on other legislation of importance to local school boards:
• The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has approved legislation to reauthorize the Head Start program. NSBA supports provisions in the bill to sharpen the program's focus on literacy because it's important that young students enter public school ready to learn.
• Legislation to reauthorize the school lunch program is expected to be introduced soon. NSBA would like to see school districts have as much flexibility as possible, while still ensuring that school meals meet children's nutritional needs.
• NSBA is pleased that the bill passed by the House to reauthorize the Higher Education Act would improve the quality of teacher preparation programs. We will work to ensure that the final legislation supports school district efforts to have highly qualified teachers.
Congress will take a break in August, and your senators and representative likely will spend at least part of that time back home in your community. This would be an excellent time to get in touch with them, set up a meeting, and invite them to come to back-to-school events.
Use these sessions to educate your members of Congress about the critical issues facing public education. Urge them to support full mandatory funding for IDEA, to support an adequate funding level for K-12 programs, to improve IDEA, and to oppose vouchers.
Let them know local school board members are watching their every vote -- and that if they care about the children in our nation, they will support public education.