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News
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2001 |
CONTACTS:
Dave Schnittger or Dan Lara Telephone: (202) 225-4527 |
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Study Shows Dollars Alone Won’t Close WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) today welcomed the findings of a new student achievement study by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) which shows that spending more on education doesn’t necessarily mean students learn more. The new study underscores the need for congressional passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (H.R. 1), President Bush’s education bill, which requires states and schools to be accountable for results in the use of federal education dollars. The ALEC study shows that while expenditures per pupil have increased nationwide by 22.8 percent in constant dollars over the past twenty years (from $5,087 in 1979 to $6,251 in 1999), standardized test scores have remained relatively stagnant. ALEC is the nation's largest bipartisan, individual membership association of state legislators, with nearly 2,400 members across America. Boehner issued the following statement: “The ALEC study is further confirmation that dollars alone are not sufficient to spark real improvement in America’s public schools. If we are serious about closing the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers, we must ask states and local schools that use federal dollars to be accountable for results. “President Bush has proposed increases in funding for education programs that have been proven to work, including a tripling in the federal commitment to reading programs rooted in scientific research. But the centerpiece of his plan is accountability and parental empowerment. For too long, Washington has increased education spending without requiring accountability. “Parents must also be accountable - but they should have the right to know how their children’s schools are performing, and whether or not their children are truly learning. Money alone cannot be the vehicle for meaningful change in America’s schools. Democrats and Republicans alike must recognize this reality and work together to pass H.R. 1.” # # # # #
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