By Anne C. Lewis for America Tomorrow
Anne C. Lewis
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 24 --- Politely pledging to be non-partisan about it all, staff members from the House and Senate and from both parties outlined at a session for policymakers here ambitious activities on federal education programs that will begin immediately. The bi-partisan part, however, may fall by the wayside pretty quickly.
The Republican agenda will take place gradually instead of through the last Congress' promise of a "revolution," declared Vic Klatt of the majority staff of the newly named House Education and Workforce Committee. Now, he said, Republicans want to have an "open door to the education community and move the process forward incrementally." This process takes more work, he admitted, because "it is easier to take a hard line and charge forward than it is to be bi-partisan."
The Republican majority will focus on three issues, according to Klatt--parental involvement, basic academics, and the amount of dollars getting to classrooms. Its major agenda item already has a name: Education at the Crossroads: What Works and What's Wasted. The committee will pursue it through about 15 hearings around the country. After hearing from the public, the Committee will then decide what programs are worth being improved.
The hearings will begin next week in California (Rep. Frank Riggs, R-CA, chairs the House elementary and secondary education subcommittee). Hearings in Napa on Jan. 29 and in San Fernando on Jan. 30 will focus on phonics versus whole language and on charter schools. A hearing on Jan. 31 in South Phoenix, Ariz., will focus on charter schools. The hearings topics were announced by June Harris of the minority staff of the House committee, not by Klatt, and do not reflect the priorities she listed later for Democrats on the committee.
The Senate will open its activities with a hearing on Jan 28 on the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), followed by a field hearing on Feb. 3 and a presentation by Secy. of Education Richard Riley on Feb. 27.
Both the Senate and House must deal with federal programs other than IDEA that have expired already, including vocational education, juvenile justice, adult education and literacy. Programs slated to expire that will be considered by this Congress also include higher education, Goals 2000, the National Community Service Act, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Pam Devitt of the majority staff of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources said the Senate will be working closely with the House on proposed legislation. "The degree to which we can agree will make our lives easier," she noted. Sen. James Jeffords (R-VT), chair of the committee, will keep education as a priority despite a crowded agenda in other areas of the committee, she said, with IDEA as the first order of business.
The lack of bi-partisanship in the last Congress resulted in no legislation being passed by the committee, noted Harris. "We accept your offer of bipartisanship," she told Klatt, pointing out, however, that education legislation had always been done on a bi-partisan basis before the last Congress. She cited polls showing support for federal involvement in education and against "assaults on education programs." She mentioned a greater emphasis on at-risk students in vocational education and reintroduction of opportunity to learn standards as priorities for some Democrats.
Among the bills that Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) wants action on before Easter, said Devitt, will be school choice/vouchers.
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