House-Senate Education Conference Approves President’s Reading Initiatives, Other Agreements

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bipartisan momentum behind President Bush’s education reform plan resumed today as House and Senate education leaders ratified another series of agreements, including approval of the President’s ambitious Reading First and Early Reading First initiatives, meant to ensure that every public school student reads by the third grade. Today’s meeting, originally postponed in the wake of the September 11^th terrorist attacks on the United States, paves the way for quick resolution of remaining issues in the coming days.

“We’re sending a message to the nation and the world that America’s domestic policy agenda is moving forward,” said Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), the chairman of the House-Senate conference. “We’re going to finish this process, and send a bill to the President that he can sign into law.”

"It is vitally important that all our students can read by the time they reach third grade,” said House Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE). “If our children are not literate by then, they surely will be “left behind” on the road to excellence in education. Reading is the heart of every subject and once they learn to read, they will be able to read to learn.”

Among the provisions ratified by conferees:

• Reading First. One of the key components of President Bush’s No Child Left Behind plan, the Reading First initiative would encourage states and local schools to establish reading programs based in scientific research for all children in kindergarten through Grade 3. Federal funding for reading programs would be tripled from $300 million in FY2001 to $900 million in FY2002.
  
  
• Early Reading First. A companion initiative to Reading First, Early Reading First will enhance reading readiness for children in high poverty areas, and where there are high numbers of students who are not reading at grade level. The $75 million initiative is designed to provide the critical early identification and early reading interventions necessary to prevent reading failure among America’s children and to ensure that all children are skilled by the end of the third grade.
  
  
• State and Local Education Reform. Reauthorizes the most flexible education funding program currently contained in ESEA, Innovative Education Program Strategies, which allows states and local schools to use funds with only limited strings attached in support of state and local education reform efforts. The agreement authorizes this program at $450 million for FY2002.
  
  
• Deletion of References to Goals 2000. The agreement deletes all references to Goals 2000 and the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. The Goals 2000 education initiative was repealed by Congress in 1999.
  
  
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Reauthorizes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act, which provides funds to local educational agencies to increase students’ and communities’ access to after-school and before-school activities and school building services, and maintains the Safe and Drug-Free Schools initiative as a separate program.
  
  
• Charter Schools. Makes technical changes in support of charter schools, which are given varying degrees of freedom from state and local rules in exchange for greater accountability and student performance.
  
  
• Magnet Schools. Authorizes $125 million for FY2002 in support of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program and places a renewed emphasis on student academic achievement. Magnet schools offer special vocational or academic programs designed to attract students from outside the school’s traditional enrollment area.

Boehner again emphasized the importance of program consolidation and targeting funding increases to proven programs for disadvantaged students, rather than using funding increases to create new, unproven programs. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the Senate-passed version of the bill would significantly increase the overall number of ESEA programs from 55 to 89, while the House-passed version would streamline the overall number modestly from 55 to 47.

“Will we target funding increases toward existing programs that have been proven effective in helping poor children learn? Or will we use funding increases to create new programs that, while well-intentioned, may not help students who need help the most?” Boehner asked conferees.

While acknowledging that differences would have to be resolved over funding levels, Boehner urged conferees to focus on the reforms at the heart of the legislation and to ensure that they’re properly crafted. Boehner expressed confidence that the conference would produce a consensus accountability standard that is “rigorous, achievable, targeted to all groups, and raised gradually,” as President Bush has asked.

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