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Statement on the Elementary Secondary Education Authorization Bill
December 18, 2001
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator John McCain today made the following statement regarding the Elementary Secondary Education Authorization Bill (ESEA):"One of the most important issues facing our nation continues to be the education of our children. Providing a solid, quality education for each and every child is critical not only to the prosperity of our nation in the years ahead, but also to ensuring that all our children reach their full potential.
"Whether we work in the private sector or in government, we all have an obligation to develop and implement initiatives that strengthen the quality of education we offer our children. It is essential that we provide our children with the essential academic tools they need to succeed professionally, economically and personally.
"Unfortunately, we can no longer take for granted that our children are learning to master even the most basic skill of reading. A recent survey reported that less than one-third of fourth- graders in America are "proficient readers." In fact, forty million Americans cannot fill out a job application or read a menu in a restaurant much less a computer menu. In this high-tech information age, these Americans will be lost and that is unacceptable.
"In addition, American children lack basic knowledge of their nation's cultural and historical traditions. For example, a recent report indicated that half of American high school seniors did not know when Lincoln was president; did not know the significance of "Brown v. Board of- Education"; and had no understanding of the aims of American foreign policy, either before or after World War II.
"Since the tragic events of September 11th, the American people, especially our young citizens, have demonstrated through their courage and generosity that they are prepared to meet the challenges that face our nation. But we must help them in their quest for knowledge and instruction.
"We must work to ensure that our students do not continue down the path of cultural illiteracy and educational under-performance. But how? Well, one major step in the right direction is to take away power from education bureaucrats and return it to those on the front lines of education -- the local schools, the local teachers and the local parents.
"Fortunately, the education authorization bill before the Senate today is a step in that direction, This bill provides support and guidance to our state and local communities to strengthen our schools, while also giving much needed flexibility for every state related to the use of federal education dollars. This education bill contains many initiatives that will help ensure that more federal education dollars reach our classrooms rather than being lost in bureaucratic black hole.
"This bill also strives to improve the quality of our nation's teaching force by allocating $3 billion for recruiting and training good teachers. We must ensure that our teachers are continually improving their skills and retain their desire to teach. We also need to ensure that we recruit the brightest and enthusiastic students into the teaching profession.
"This measure helps make schools more accommodating and friendly for parents. In addition, it works to ensure that parents are better informed about the public education system by providing pertinent information regarding their child's school. Annual report cards pertaining to each school's specific performance, along with statewide performance results, will be available for public view.
"Mr. President, one of the most important factors in our children's success in school is parental involvement. Parents are our first teachers. Our first classroom is the home, where we learn the value of hard work, respect, and the difference between right and wrong. As I've said before, the home is the most important Department of Education.
"Parental involvement is the best guarantee that a child will succeed in school. I am genuinely excited when I think of the many reforms taking place across the country -- namely school vouchers and charter schools -- that are wisely built on this premise: Let parents decide where their children's educational needs will best be met.
"In the broadest sense, this is what school choice is all about.
"School choice stimulates improvement and creates expanded opportunities for our children to get a quality education. Our public school system has many good schools, but there are many schools that are broken. Instead of serving as a gateway to advancement, these schools have become dead-end places of despair and low achievement. In urban settings, the subject performance of 17-year-old African-American and Hispanic students is at the same level as 13- year-old-white students. This is an unacceptable and embarrassing failure on the part of our public schools.
"Exciting things are happening in Milwaukee and Cleveland, where school voucher programs have been put in place. There, minority school children are being given a chance to succeed. The early signs are good: test scores and performance are up.
"We need more such experiments, and I am gravely disappointed that this authorization bill failed to contain such a provision. Repeatedly, I have proposed legislation for a three-year nation- wide test of the voucher program. It would be funded not by draining money away from the public schools but by eliminating federal pork barrel spending and corporate tax loopholes.
"This is an important component that sadly was left out of this measure. I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide parents and our students with choices to ensure that our children, no matter what their family's income, have access to the best possible education for their unique academic needs.
"Finally, I am very disappointed that the conferees eliminated an important provision adopted during the Senate debate that would have ensured that the federal government finally fulfill its obligation to fund 40 percent of the cost for meeting the special educational needs of our nation's children through the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
"My dear friend and colleague, Senator Hagel, fought valiantly for this provision but unfortunately it was watered down. This is unacceptable. Congress needs to follow the laws it makes and provide full funding for the federal portion of IDEA. We ask our schools to educate children with disabilities, but we don't give them enough money for the expensive evaluations, equipment and services needed to do that. There are six million children that receive special education funding, so let's fully support their academic needs.
"Mr. President, James Madison once wrote that without an educated electorate, the American experiment would become "a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both." Let us stop the slide in the performance of our students. Let us return the control of education to our local communities. Let us renew our trust in our parents and teachers and do what is best for our children.
"This is why I am supporting this measure today. While it could be strengthened, Mr. President, the bill does make needed strides to improve our nation's schools."
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