The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has been in effect for less than three years, yet Congress has already failed to meet its financial commitment to this federal mandate. Mark supported a recent amendment that would have added $8.6 billion to fully fund NCLB. Unfortunately, that amendment was defeated by the Senate majority.

The federal Title I program for disadvantaged children – the program primarily responsible for helping schools with additional costs associated with the NCLB Act – received $6.2 billion less than was initially promised under the original NCLB Act. To compound the financial problems for Minnesota schools, formulas using outdated U.S. Census numbers resulted in significant reductions in Title I funding for most Minnesota school districts during the 2004-2005 school year. If this problem is not corrected, Minnesota will be one of only two states to receive an additional cut in Title I funding for the 2005-206 school year. Mark continues to press for Congressional action to prevent 325 Minnesota school districts from losing this important funding. He has successfully convinced the Senate Appropriations Committee to restore most of Minnesota's lost Title I funding. It is now up to the full Senate and the House of Representatives to accept Mark's amendment.

Mark believes we must provide adequate funding for public education immediately to restore optimal class sizes, prevent further ravaging cuts to extracurricular programs, and furnish teachers and students the textbooks and school supplies they need for the best possible education. Mark recently voted for legislation to fully fund NCLB and address these shortcomings. Once again, the amendment was defeated by the Senate majority