[Senate Hearing 109-88]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 109-88
NOMINATION OF MARGARET SPELLINGS
=======================================================================
HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION,
LABOR, AND PENSIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
NOMINATION OF MARGARET SPELLINGS, OF TEXAS, TO BE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
__________
JANUARY 6, 2005
__________
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COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS
MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming, Chairman
JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts
BILL FRIST, Tennessee CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut
LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee TOM HARKIN, Iowa
RICHARD BURR, North Carolina BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland
JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia JAMES M. JEFFORDS (I), Vermont
MIKE DeWINE, Ohio JEFF BINGAMAN, New Mexico
JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada PATTY MURRAY, Washington
ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah JACK REED, Rhode Island
JEFF SESSIONS, Alabama HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, New York
PAT ROBERTS, Kansas
Katherine Brunett McGuire, Staff Director
J. Michael Myers, Minority Staff Director and Chief Counsel
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
__________
STATEMENTS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2005
Page
Hon. Enzi, Michael B., Chairman, Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions, opening statement......................... 1
Prepared statement........................................... 4
Hon. Kennedy, Edward M., a U.S. Senator from the State of
Massachusetts, opening statement............................... 7
Hon. Hutchison, Kay Bailey, a U.S. Senator from the State of
Texas, prepared statement...................................... 10
Hon. Cornyn, John, a U.S. Senator from the State of Texas,
opening statement.............................................. 11
Spellings, Margaret, of Texas, nominated to be Secretary, U.S.
Department of Education........................................ 12
Prepared statement........................................... 15
Hon. Gregg, Judd, a U.S. Senator from the State of New Hampshire,
prepared statement............................................. 60
Hon. Alexander, Lamar, a U.S. Senator from the State of
Tennessee, prepared statement.................................. 65
Hon. Hatch, Orrin, a U.S. Senator from the State of Utah,
prepared statement............................................. 78
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.:
Letters of support........................................... 18
Hon. Mikulski, Barbara, a U.S. Senator from the State of
Maryland, prepared statement............................... 85
Margaret Spellings response to questions of:
Senator Enzi............................................. 85
Senator Hatch............................................ 87
Senator Roberts.......................................... 89
Senator Kennedy.......................................... 90
Senator Dodd............................................. 100
Senator Harkin........................................... 104
Senator Mikulski......................................... 105
Senator Murray........................................... 106
Senator Reed............................................. 109
Senator Clinton.......................................... 112
(iii)
NOMINATION OF MARGARET SPELLINGS
----------
THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2005
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:00 a.m., in
room SD-430, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Michael B.
Enzi (chairman of the committee) presiding.
Present: Senators Enzi, Gregg, Alexander, Burr, Isakson,
Sessions, Kennedy, Dodd, Harkin, Jeffords, Reed, and Clinton.
Opening Statement of Senator Enzi
The Chairman. I will call the hearing to order.
Good morning, and welcome to the hearing on the President's
nomination of Margaret Spellings to serve as our next Secretary
of Education.
It is a pleasure to welcome Ms. Spellings and all those in
attendance to our first hearing of the 109th Congress.
Before we begin, I want to mention that it has been the
tradition of the committee that the chairman and the ranking
member are the only ones who give statements; anyone else with
a statement can have it included in the record or can add oral
comments as part of their questioning period.
There are several ``firsts'' that are happening. For me, it
is the first committee hearing that I will be conducting as the
chairman, and I cannot think of a better or more important
opening hearing for the committee than talking about the State
of education in this country and how to make it better for
students of all ages.
It is also my first opportunity to welcome to the committee
and thank for their willingness to serve on it our new members,
Senator Burr from North Carolina and Senator Isakson of
Georgia, who will be here later, and also, I believe that the
former chairman of the committee, Senator Hatch, will be here.
Today's hearing is the first on the President's nominees
for his Cabinet for his second term, and it is also the
beginning of what I hope will be a continuing dialogue between
this committee, the Administration, and you and your staff at
the Department of Education.
Looking back, I believe that we have made an excellent
start, and we will have some real progress to show for our work
on education issues which have such a strong and direct impact
on our children. The centerpiece of that effort, the
President's No Child Left Behind Act, emphasized the
accountability and importance of getting results in the
classroom. As the President's domestic advisor, you were part
of that effort. Now you will be taking up the reins of the
Department of Education and bringing your own style and
substance to the task at hand.
You have more than 10 years of experience with these issues
on the local, State and national levels, and I do not think
anyone has a better understanding of the President's position
on them. Having had the chance to spend some time discussing
these issues with you, I know that you share my commitment to
ensuring that children receive the education they will need to
take their place in a workplace that continues to change and
evolve. Your record on those issues is very clear. You believe
as I do that every school can be a good one, and every student
can be a star achiever.
That has been my experience as the father of three college
graduates, one of whom is a former school teacher and principal
who has returned to teaching.
It is also my hope as the grandpa of a little boy--I know
he is counting on his grandpa and the other parents and
grandparents on this committee to ensure that he receives the
kind of education that he will need to find a good job and the
continuing training he will need to keep it.
We must provide a lifetime of learning to our students and
the workers of today and tomorrow that will enable the United
States to retain its competitive edge. It may sound like I am
jumping the gun by expressing my concerns about the kind of
world that my grandson will face in the years to come, but as
the old adage says so well, ``The future will be here before we
know it.'' It is our job to ensure that we are prepared for it
when it arrives.
That is why these reforms that we have been working on must
continue to be put in place as soon as possible. Our schools
need to take action today for the sake of tomorrow. Reforms
that will make our schools better in 10 years or more will not
help our children who need the foundation that only a good
education can provide now. They are looking to us to keep the
promise of No Child Left Behind and ensuring that they leave
school with the education they need to be prepared for the
challenges that await them as they join the workforce and begin
their careers.
I believe you also share my concerns about current workers
and the importance of ensuring that they have access to the
kind of skills training they will need to keep their abilities
up-to-date. The workplace is not what it used to be. Time was
that graduation day marked the beginning of a career that would
last a lifetime and the end of classes and the learning
experience. It is not like that anymore. In this global
economy, school is never out. A child starting school today
will probably have 14 different occupations, 10 of which have
not even been invented yet.
Today's workplace demands an ever-changing workforce that
can adapt to the requirements and skills of the new high-tech
jobs that are in such high demand. Keeping our workforce
abilities and skills current will be vital to not only our
Nation's families but our economy as well. That will mean
integrating our education programs so that they support a
lifetime of learning and changing the way that we think about
school and the education process.
In the past, we too often looked at the process of
education as if it existed in separate, distinct silos--
preschool, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, the end. This
perspective is often reflected in local, State, and Federal
policies. If we are going to be successful as a nation in
preparing the next generation of engineers, teachers, health
care professionals, and the thousands of other jobs in demand,
we need to make sure there is a seamless transition all the way
from preschool through postsecondary and beyond.
When we met to discuss your goals and your unique vision
for the Department of Education, you made it clear that you
understand the need for flexibility in our approach to
education. Each State has its unique needs, and we as
policymakers need to address each State's challenges
individually.
In my own State of Wyoming, for example, every school and
classroom is different. Some schools require teachers to handle
several subjects. Others require them to be highly specialized.
Rural areas like Wyoming face a unique challenge in this area
because we receive fewer dollars for almost every Federal
program because we have the smallest population. Complicating
matters, Wyoming also has one of the largest physical areas of
any State. That means that some schools exist to serve a
relative handful of students. If forced to close, those
children would have to travel 60 miles or more to school. We do
not consider that to be acceptable. It also makes teacher
recruitment and retention a very real problem that must be
constantly addressed. Unique demands of rural education needs
may require unique education solutions.
As a former mayor and now as I serve in the Senate, it has
always been my belief that the system that works best is the
one that keeps the decisionmaking process as close to home as
possible. There is a lot of wisdom at the kitchen dinner table.
We need to do all that we can to promote each parent's active
participation in the education of their children. That is a
vital component of the process.
In the end, it will not be enough for us to ensure that
each child has access to a good education, but we must ensure
that we produce well-educated young adults. Best of all, when
teachers, students, and parents work together, the teamwork
that results will help our children to gain a greater respect
for our historical traditions and a better appreciation of the
ideals and values that made our country great.
I believe that each child is born with a special gift,
destined to make a unique contribution in the world, a
contribution that only he or she can make. An integrated system
of education will cultivate the child's gift and help to
develop it so that it can be expressed and shared.
It is not an easy thing for us to do, but it must be done.
Providing a lifetime of learning for our children and continued
training to current workers is the key that they need to find
good jobs and keep them. Our success in that effort will ensure
that every child's life will be a success story and that the
cherished American dream is within every child's grasp, no
matter what school they attend, everything from early education
to career and higher education.
Today we have before us an excellent nominee who possesses
the skills, experience, and character to help shepherd our
students of all ages and backgrounds along the pathway of the
American dream. I look forward to Ms. Spellings' speedy
confirmation, and I look forward to working with her in her new
role as Secretary of Education to help achieve this goal.
[The prepared statement of Senator Enzi follows:]
Statement of Senator Enzi
Good Morning and welcome to today's hearing on the
President's nomination of Margaret Spellings to serve as our
next Secretary of Education. It is a pleasure to welcome Mrs.
Spellings and all those in attendance to this, our first
hearing of the 109th Congress.
Before we begin, we are marking several firsts today and I
would like to take a moment to call attention to a few of them.
For me, this is the first committee hearing that I will
conduct as its Chairman. I can't think of a better or more
important opening hearing for the committee than to spend this
morning talking about the State of education in the country and
how to make it better for students of all ages.
It is also my first opportunity to welcome to the committee
and thank for their willingness to serve on it our new members,
Senator Burr of North Carolina and Senator Isakson of Georgia.
In addition, it is a pleasure to welcome back a former Chairman
of this committee, Senator Hatch. It is good to be here with
you and my other colleagues who are returning to serve on this
committee, especially my good friend and our ranking member,
Senator Kennedy.
Today's hearing is one of the first on the President's
nominees for his Cabinet for his second term. It is also the
beginning of what I hope will be a continuing dialogue between
this committee, the Administration, and you and your staff at
the Department of Education.
Looking back, I believe we have made an excellent start. We
have some real progress to show for our work on the education
issues that have such a strong and direct impact on our
children.
The centerpiece of that effort, the President's No Child
Left Behind Act, emphasized accountability and the importance
of getting results in the classroom. Thanks to that important
legislation, our Nation's classrooms are more effective and
efficient places of learning and our children are benefiting
from that.
As the President's Domestic Advisor, you were a part of
that effort. Now you will be taking up the reins at the
Department of Education and bringing your own style and
substance to the task at hand. It will be difficult but I am
confident you will do a good job. You have more than 10 years
of experience with these issues on the local, State and
national level and I don't think anyone has a better
understanding of the President's position on them. You will now
be in the perfect position to promote his agenda and ensure
that we continue to make progress on an issue that I know is as
important to you as it is to him.
Having had the chance to spend some time discussing these
issues with you, I know you share my commitment to ensuring our
children receive the education they will need to take their
place in a workplace that continues to change and evolve. Your
record on these issues is clear--you believe, as I do, that
every school can be a good one and every student can be a star
achiever. That has been my experience as the father of three
college graduates, one of whom is a former school teacher and
current principal. It is also my hope as the grandfather of a
little boy. I know he is counting on his grandfather and the
other parents and grandparents on this committee to ensure he
receives the kind of education he will need to find a good job
and the continuing training he will need to keep it. We must
provide a lifetime of learning to our students and workers of
today and tomorrow that will enable the United States to retain
its competitive edge.
It may sound like I am jumping the gun by expressing my
concerns about the kind of world my grandson will face in the
years to come, but, as the old adage says so well, the future
will be here before we know it. It's our job to ensure we're
prepared for it when it arrives.
That is why these reforms we have been working on must
continue to be put in place as soon as possible. Our schools
need us to take action today, for tomorrow may be too late.
Reforms that will make our schools better in ten or more years
won't help our children who need the foundation only a good
education can provide now. They are looking to us to keep the
promise of No Child Left Behind and ensure they leave school
with the education they will need to be prepared for the
challenges that await them as they join the workforce and begin
their careers.
We have all heard the horror stories of young adults
graduating from High School or College unable to fully
participate in society--unable to even read the diploma they
have just been given by their school. The programs we will work
to support and improve here in committee and on the Senate
floor will continue to make those stories a thing of the past.
I believe you also share my concerns about current workers,
and the importance of ensuring that they have access to the
kind of skills training they will need to keep their abilities
up to date. The workplace isn't what it used to be. Time was
that graduation day marked the beginning of a career that would
last a lifetime and the end of classes and the learning
experience. It isn't like that anymore. In this global,
technology-driven economy, school is never out. Today's
workplace demands an ever changing workforce that can adapt to
the requirements and skills of the new high tech jobs that are
in such high demand. Keeping our workforce's abilities current
will be vital if workers are to continue to find the kind of
good jobs they will need to support their families and maintain
a constant and consistent standard of living.
That will mean integrating our education programs so they
support a lifetime of learning and changing the way we think
about school and the education process. In the past, we too
often looked at the process of education as if it existed in
separate, distinct silos. Preschool, elementary, secondary and
postsecondary education were thought of as separate programs
and, often, considered in isolation. This perspective was often
reflected in local, State and Federal policies. If we are going
to be successful as a nation in preparing the next generation
of engineers, teachers, healthcare professionals, and the
thousands of other jobs in demand, we need to make sure there
is a seamless transition all the way from preschool through
postsecondary education and beyond.
When we met to discuss your goals and your unique vision
for the Department of Education, you made it clear that you
understand the need for flexibility in our approach to
education. Each State has its own unique needs and we need to
address each State's challenges individually. In my own State
of Wyoming, for example, every school and classroom is
different. Some schools require teachers to handle several
subjects--others require them to be highly specialized. Rural
areas, like Wyoming, face a unique challenge in this area
because we receive fewer dollars for almost every Federal
program because we have the smallest population. Complicating
matters, Wyoming also has one of the largest physical areas of
any State. That means some schools exist to serve a relative
handful of students. If forced to close, those children would
have to travel 60 miles or more to school and that would be
unacceptable. The problem of providing good schools over such a
widespread area makes unique demands on our school system that
have to be dealt with on a case by case basis. It also makes
teacher recruitment and retention a very real problem that must
be constantly addressed.
As a former Mayor and now as I serve in the Senate, it has
always been my belief that the system that works best is the
one that keeps the decision making process as close to home as
possible. There is a lot of wisdom at the kitchen dinner table
and we need to do all we can to promote each parent's active
participation in the education of their children. That is a
vital component of the process because, in the end, it will not
be enough for us to ensure each child has access to a good
education. We must ensure we produce well educated young
adults. Increasing the level of parental involvement in our
children's education will help to make sure that happens. Best
of all, when teachers, students and parents work together--the
teamwork that results will help our children to gain a greater
respect for our historical traditions and a better appreciation
of the ideals and values that made our country great.
Looking ahead, studies show that today's workers will
change jobs and careers more times than they might change cars.
It is estimated that a worker starting a job today will have
around 14 different careers in their lifetime. It is also
suggested that 10 of those careers haven't been invented yet.
With each change, that person must learn a new skill set or
apply their current skills in a different way.
To meet this challenge, the Federal Government can and
should do a better job of coordinating Federal education
programs with Federal workforce preparation and anti-poverty
programs. Some programs are even working at odds with each
other. The lack of consistent objective outcome standards
across Federal programs creates unnecessary burdens for
students, schools, State and local governments, and just about
anyone else involved with more than one Federal education or
workforce program.
Congress needs to look at ways that we can ensure these
programs work together and meet the needs of business at all
levels of government, from city hall all the way up to the
halls of Congress. When we are successful at integrating these
programs, we will be successful at leveraging scarce resources
in a way that will have an immediate and immense impact on
outcomes for our students, our workers, and our businesses.
I believe every child is born with a special gift, destined
to make a unique contribution to the world that only he or she
can make. An integrated system of education will cultivate that
child's gift and help to develop it so that it can be expressed
and shared.
It won't be an easy thing for us to do, but it must be
done. Providing a lifetime of learning to our children and
continued training to current workers is the key they will need
to find good jobs and keep them. Our success in that effort
will ensure that every child's life will be a success story and
the cherished American Dream a possibility that will be within
every child's grasp, no matter where they live or what school
they attend.
Today, we have before us an excellent nominee who possesses
the skills, experience and character to help bring our students
of all ages and backgrounds along the pathway to the American
Dream.
I look forward to Mrs. Spellings' speedy confirmation, and
I look forward to working with her in her new role as Secretary
of Education to help achieve this goal.
Senator Kennedy?
Opening Statement of Senator Kennedy
Senator Kennedy. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
All of us on this side of the aisle want to congratulate
you as the chairman of this committee. All of us have had a
warm experience and a valuable professional experience working
with you on many of the issues that have been before this
committee over a very considerable period of time. I can think
just personally of working with you on a WIA reauthorization.
We were unable to get that achieved in the last session, but I
think all of us know you as a hardworking, dedicated, committed
leader, and we are looking forward to working closely with you
to meet the responsibilities that we have before this
committee.
It is nice to see our old chairman, Senator Gregg, here as
well.
Senator Gregg. Old? [Laughter.]
Senator Kennedy. Our old chairman--that he has not gone off
the reservation to other, greener pastures. We know he is out
there on the Budget Committee, and we know he will keep a close
eye on education issues as the chairman of the Budget
Committee.
We welcome back Orrin Hatch, who was chairman of this
committee for so many years, and we all enjoyed working very
closely with him on the Ryan White legislation and a host of
other pieces of legislation.
I want to say personally that we welcome our two new
members on the other side of the aisle, Senator Burr and
Senator Isakson, and we look forward to working with you as
well. We know that you have been interested in the issues that
have been before the committee. This is something that I think,
of all of our committees that at least I have had the chance to
serve on, is one that can really get some important things done
for families in this country.
It is a special privilege to join in welcoming Margaret
Spellings to our committee, and I commend her for her
nomination. She has an impressive record on domestic policy,
especially in education. She has been a champion for public
education. I look forward very much to working with her as
Secretary.
There is nothing more basic to our values as Americans than
good schools. Our Nation's founders understood this when they
put forward our first commitments to a free public education
for all citizens. John Adams' admonition to the citizens of
Massachusetts could not have been clearer in indicating the
responsibility that future legislators had to the education of
the children of our Commonwealth, and much of that language is
incorporated in State constitutions across the country.
As our former colleague Claiborne Pell used to say, the
real strength and security of our Nation lies in the education
of our people, and over our history, we have come to learn that
a quality education is the golden gateway for fulfilling the
American dream, ensuring greater opportunity for our citizens,
encouraging good citizenship, commitment to community, for
building an economy that rises to modern challenges, and for
helping young Americans reach for the stars.
Today our commitment to education must be strengthened to
meet the challenges and opportunities posed by the global
economy. There is not a parent in America who doesn't want a
quality education for their children. We have an obligation to
provide everyone, whatever their background, with the best
possible education to develop their God-given talents to the
best of their abilities.
Now more than ever, we owe it to our citizens and to our
country to provide world-class public schools, more help with
the cost of college, and a new commitment in math and science.
These are the keys to American progress in the new century, and
they must be among our Nation's highest priorities as we look
to the future. The investments that we make today in stronger
schools and better teachers will bring rewards for tomorrow.
We have made some progress in recent years. The No Child
Left Behind Act marked a new national commitment to improve
public schools and raise student achievement. And the recent
reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act added to that progress.
We have seen the results in my own State of Massachusetts.
Student achievement is up across the board in both reading and
math, and we have made significant progress in educating
children with disabilities. We are seeing the results of the No
Child Left Behind reforms in other parts of the country, too.
High academic standards in reading, math and science and
working. Eighty-four percent of the States agree that the law's
standards have had a positive effect on student achievement, an
effect that can already be measured in almost every grade in
Illinois.
Research-based instruction, assessments, targeted
interventions are working. The Barrister Elementary School in
Baltimore has helped many more children reach the standards in
reaching over the past 2 years, raising achievement by 34
points in grade three and virtually eliminating the achievement
gap between poor students and other students.
Professional development is working. In Cuervo, TX, every
one of the district's African American students now meet the
State's standard in math, writing, and social studies in both
elementary school and middle school, and the district says that
progress comes from its streamlined professional development.
But these results are not possible without new investments.
We simply cannot reform our public schools and expand access to
college education on a tin cup education budget. You knew you
were going to hear that, Madam Secretary. [Laughter.] If we are
to move forward in this new century to meet the demands of the
global economy, we must overcome the deficiencies in today's
schools with continuing reforms and new resources.
Here is what we still see across the country: \2/3\ of 4th-
graders are not proficient readers, and \1/3\ are unable to
read even at minimum level. Less than \1/3\ of the Nation's
students are proficient in math and science. In fact, the most
recent study ranked America 29th out of the 40 most developed
nations in math and science. Access to qualified teachers is
still a promise denied for many children, especially in the
poorest schools, where the turnover of teachers is \1/3\ higher
than in other schools and where \1/3\ of all classes are taught
by teachers with no background in the subject matter. And half
of all public school districts are facing funding cuts at a
time when the Nation is in demand that they do more, not less.
I can take you to Holyoke, MA, where 45 percent of the students
come from poverty families. They are strongly committed to
trying to make the No Child Left Behind Act work, but they are
under increasing demands under the bill, and they are even
going to see reductions in the title I program.
Twenty percent of public schools are on watch lists in
their States. Over 10,000 schools have been identified as
needing improvement under No Child Left Behind, and 1/3 of the
students who begin high school fail to earn a diploma. The high
school dropout rate is four times as high for Latinos, twice as
high for African Americans, the rate for whites. Under the
leadership provided by Senator Bingaman on this issue, we hope
we can work with the Administration.
College tuition climbed 35 percent in the past 4 years, yet
the Pell grants for students remain stalled. The typical
financial aid package for needy students today consists of 60
percent grants and 40 percent loans, the exact opposite of 20
years ago. Once they reach college, 30 percent of students need
remedial courses in math and writing--30 percent of the
students. So barely half of those who enter college earn a
degree in 6 years, let alone four.
It is impossible to justify numbers like these. The public
schools need a partner at the Department of Education and a
road map for effective implementation of the No Child Left
Behind Act. That means more help for low-performing schools,
greater support for teachers, and the development of better
tests and accountability.
It is critical for Congress and the Administration to work
together to fully fund the act's essential reforms and to see
that they are fully implemented. We must do more as well to
extend opportunities in higher education. The dream of college
should come true for any student with the talent, desire, and
drive to pursue it. It is ridiculous in this day and age to
allow a dollar sign to bar the door to college for anyone or to
open it grudgingly at the price of crushing student debt.
And we must do more for our youngest children. There is a
scientific consensus that what we do for our children's
education and development starting at birth does more to ensure
success later in life than any other investment.
I hope it is not a kiss of death for the right wing, but I
welcome the opportunity to work with Margaret Spellings. Over
the past 4 years on education, we have had our differences, but
I believe she is an inspired choice to be Secretary of
Education at this critical moment in our Nation's history. I
look forward very much to working with her in the years ahead.
I want to just announce that I have just left our friend--
Senator Cornyn, I was listening to you about 15 minutes ago
down in the Judiciary Committee with Judge Gonzales, and since
I am ranking member there, I am going down to question Judge
Gonzales and will be back shortly. I apologize for that
absence, but I will read closely your statement and look
forward to asking questions. You are very welcome to the
committee.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Senator Hutchison wanted to be here today but was unable to
do so due to a scheduling conflict. She has sent us a statement
that I ask unanimous consent to enter in the record.
[The prepared statement of Senator Hutchison follows:]
Statement of Senator Hutchison
Mr. Chairman, I strongly support the nomination of Margaret
Spellings as the eighth Secretary of Education. Ms. Spellings
is a longtime public servant who for the past 4 years has
served as President Bush's chief domestic policy advisor. In
her White House efforts, she has helped implement policies on
education, health, labor and housing. Her familiarity with
America's students and teachers will prove invaluable in her
new role managing our public educational system.
Ms. Spellings also assisted President Bush when he was
Governor of our home State of Texas, where they worked together
on a number of important education programs including the Texas
Reading Initiative to improve literacy, the Student Success
Initiative to eliminate social promotion, and the State's
accountability standard which is the forerunner to the No Child
Left Behind Act. Because of her educational accomplishments,
each year the United States develops more qualified teachers,
better facilities and superior resources.
A veteran of the Texas Association of School Boards, Ms.
Spellings knows firsthand the advantages afforded by education
and has pledged to ensure every child acquires the skills
necessary to realize the American Dream. I am proud to support
her in that effort, and to support her nomination. I urge my
colleagues to vote swiftly to confirm her so she may continue
her important work.
The Chairman. We are fortunate today to have with us our
distinguished colleague from Texas, Senator Cornyn, to
introduce Ms. Spellings, and we know from the previous
conversation and from seeing you on television that you have
had a lot of work this morning with Texas connections.
Senator Cornyn?
STATEMENT OF THE HON. JOHN CORNYN, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE
STATE OF TEXAS
Senator. Cornyn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the
committee.
It is a pleasure to be with you this morning, and Senator
Kennedy and I have and will continue to shuttle back and forth
because of two great Texans who have been nominated for
positions of such importance in our Nation's government.
It is a real pleasure for me to say a few words of praise
for a personal friend and an outstanding nominee, and I must
say it was worth the price of coming here just to hear Senator
Kennedy's endorsement of the nominee.
Like you, I want to ensure that the Senate confirms someone
ready and able to continue this Administration's strong
leadership and the establishment of high standards that are
improving education for the Nation. It is critical that the
person who takes the helm at the U.S. Department of Education
be capable of leadership on a national scale, an innovator
willing to challenge conventional wisdom, someone who is
dedicated to the principle that people's lives are enriched
through learning and our country is made stronger through
education.
I am confident that today you will discover, if you do not
already know, that Margaret Spellings is a consummate
professional with the knowledge and experience to exceed every
expectation. She has a comprehensive knowledge of the education
system at the local, State, and Federal levels, and she is
dedicated to achieving challenging goals and, in short, an
ideal person to take up the mantle of Secretary of Education.
In Texas, Margaret played a significant role in every major
educational reform in the State for the last 2 decades. As you
well know, she brought this experience and success to the
national level and helped to transform Federal education policy
through the landmark No Child Left Behind legislation. The
results of her labor are higher levels of accountability for
schools, meaningful incentives that promote school improvement,
greater options for parents, increased support for teachers,
and solid improvements in fundamental subject areas.
On a personal level, I know that Margaret is a woman of
intelligence and compassion. You will never meet a more
genuinely devoted and passionate advocate for our Nation's
children and the quality of their education. She herself is a
proud product of Texas public schools and a mother of two,
which makes her both a consumer and an advocate. The
combination of her professional accomplishments and her
personal strengths makes Margaret an ideal candidate, one who
will be an excellent leader as part of the Administration and
an important partner to Congress in formulating education
policy.
Under the guidance of Rod Paige, another skilled Texan, the
Department of Education has achieved a more efficient and
meaningful Federal role in education. The United States must
continue the landmark efforts of the past years as well as
doggedly pursue the country's education needs in years to come.
There is no greater component of our Nation's quality of
life and global economic competitiveness than a well-educated
population. I am confident that Margaret Spellings will do an
outstanding job and is a wonderful choice to lead us in these
education challenges of this century, to challenge our
education system to new goals and to raise our Nation's
prominence in the world.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and members, for allowing
me to come and say these few words.
The Chairman. Thank you for being here and for that great
introduction.
The Chairman. Before your statement, Ms. Spellings, would
you like to introduce your family members who are here today?
Ms. Spellings. I would. They are in my remarks as well, but
my husband Robert is sitting right there, and my daughter Mary
LaMontagne and daughter Grace LaMontagne; also, my sister and
brother-in-law, Nan and John Lawson, are here with me, and I am
thrilled that they are.
The Chairman. Thank you for being here, and we look forward
to your testimony.
STATEMENT OF MARGARET SPELLINGS, OF TEXAS, NOMINATED TO BE
SECRETARY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Ms. Spellings. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, Senator Kennedy, and members of the
committee, I am gratified for the opportunity to appear this
morning before you as President Bush's nominee to be Secretary
of Education.
There is no more important obligation each of us has to the
American people than to educate our citizens. In our diverse
country, we share the belief that education is the great
equalizer. It is the key to success for individual Americans
and the key to the success of our Nation--not just economic
success but civic and democratic success. In our country, we
believe that a great education must be available to each and
every American.
It is in that spirit that I am honored and humbled to be
nominated to this post, and I am most grateful to President
Bush for asking me to serve our country and our children in
this important way.
I am further gratified to be the first order of business
before this reorganized Senate Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions Committee, and I congratulate you, Senator Enzi, on
your chairmanship. I have had the opportunity to work with
members and staff of this committee under the able leadership
of Senator Gregg and Senator Kennedy, with whom I worked on No
Child Left Behind, and I am grateful to them as well.
I appreciate very much the kind remarks of Senator Cornyn.
I am sorry that Senator Hutchison could not be here as well. I
am proud to be represented by them in this body, and I have
known both of them for many years.
I too want to thank Secretary Rod Paige, who has given his
life in service to children. There is no more passionate
advocate for leaving no child behind than Secretary Paige. He
has laid the foundation for improving education, and if
confirmed, I will work to honor his lifelong commitment to
children by continuing the good work he started.
As I mentioned a minute ago, my family is with me--my
husband Robert and my daughters Mary and Grace. As you all know
well, public service is a commitment for families, and I love
mine dearly for their sacrifices on my behalf.
I have been involved in our public schools for more than 2
decades and in many different ways. I am the parent of school-
age children, one in private school and one in public school. I
have worked in public education as a policy wonk and a
legislative advocate. I have worked in both the legislative and
executive branches of government as well as at the local,
State, and Federal levels. From parent to policymaker, I have
seen public education from many angles and often been in the
other person's shoes. As a proprietor of shoe stores, Mr.
Chairman, I know you will appreciate that.
In short, in 2 decades in public education, I have learned
two main lessons. First, I have learned that every player in
education has an important and rightful place. Those involved
in education are people of good will who mean to serve
children. There is plenty to do, and we must respect the role
that we each play. In other words, not everybody should do
everything. That is not always the case.
In the early and mid-1980's, we focused on fixes and fads
with little attention to results for kids. At the State level,
we dictated who could play in the game on Friday night; we
created career ladders for teachers; we established school
councils, and on and on. We looked at averages and felt
satisfied and complacent about the needs of individual
children, especially poor and minority children.
By the mid-1990's, the tide was beginning to turn. Through
the implementation of sound data gathering and analysis,
through standards and assessment, through enhanced
accountability, we gained clarity of purpose and a clarity of
roles and responsibilities that is now getting results for
children and schools.
Second, I have learned specifically about the appropriate
role for each of us who works on behalf of students--in other
words, what should we all do? Parents must be active
participants in a child's education. They deserve information
about their child's school, they deserve to know who is
teaching their children, and they deserve options when their
schools are not serving their children.
Teachers--those loving adults who work with our children
day to day--must have the support and tools necessary to teach
all children. They deserve curricula based on the best research
science has to offer about how best to teach. They deserve to
know how their students are doing and who needs help with what.
They deserve to teach in safe schools and orderly classrooms,
and they deserve our deepest gratitude and utmost professional
respect.
Principals, superintendents and school boards, as leaders
and managers of our schools, need data to evaluate programs and
practices and to know what students and teachers need. They
need resources aligned with priorities and results. They need
to know what is working outside their communities as well as
within them.
State policymakers, who typically devote more than half
their State budgets to education, expect that the students in
their States will be prepared to compete in our country and the
world. They need flexibility to meet the needs of their unique
States and communities, and they need to be trusted to do right
by their students.
Federal officials, like us, have a responsibility to set
strategic goals and provide resources aligned to these goals to
ensure that our Nation is preparing our students to compete in
the global economy. We must assist States in holding our
schools accountable for the education of every child and
promote access to high-quality education for all students
irrespective of economic status, geography, or disability. We
must foster the sharing of best practices and commission the
research to keep our education system moving forward.
This new governance paradigm, which is the foundation upon
which the No Child Left Behind Act is built, is working for
children across the land. We are investing resources and
calling for results. In States all over our country, like in
Maryland, Georgia, New Mexico, and Minnesota, students are
scoring higher on State reading and math tests, and the
achievement gap between African American, Hispanic, and low-
income students and their white peers is beginning to close.
We have laid the foundation, and now we must take the
necessary next steps in three key areas.
First, we must do so politically. there is no more
important example of real bipartisanship in this Congress or in
this Administration than our work together on education. The
recent enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act, as well as No Child Left Behind, are proof that education
is an area where we can truly come together. IDEA passed this
body by unanimous consent, and NCLB passed by a vote of 87 to
10.
Do we agree on everything? Of course we do not, and we will
not. But if confirmed, I pledge to do all I can on behalf of
the President to work with you to continue the spirit of
bipartisanship that has been built. When we do so, we serve
children by enacting policies and programs in their interest,
and we model how government should work. I am committed to be a
part of that lesson in good government for America's students.
Second, we must build on the policy foundation that has
been laid in NCLB. The focus of the act was establishing an
accountability framework for schools. We called for annual
assessment in grades 3 through 8 and called for attention to
each student and each student group. It was largely focused on
elementary and middle schools, and it gave special attention to
the importance of reading. All were necessary and right.
With only 67 of every 100 9th graders graduating from high
school on time, and with the United States lagging behind in
math, as recently reported in the Program for International
Student Assessment Study, or PISA, we must turn our attention
to high schools and to math and science.
President Bush has called for additional resources to help
middle and high school students who have fallen behind in
reading and math. To ensure that high school principals and
faculty have the data they need to improve instruction, the
President has called for extending assessments to grades 3
through 11 and for a high school intervention initiative which
focuses on reading skills and the critical 9th grade year.
We must also focus on the needs of adult learners. Of those
100 9th graders I just spoke about, only 26 will still be in
college in their sophomore year in a day and time when the
fastest-growing jobs require at least that level of education.
In this area, the President has called for additional resources
for community colleges and other institutions to implement dual
enrollment programs and ease student transfers. The President
has also called on Congress to integrate a rigorous academic
program for students in career and technology programs.
With our authorizations of the Higher Education Act, the
Workforce Investment Act, and the Carl A. Perkins Act which
funds vocational education, we have a great opportunity to meet
the needs of older students and adults to help them compete and
succeed in our ever more competitive world.
We must address the issues of affordability and
accessibility by increasing resources for Pell grants and
revamping the student aid system to better meet the needs of
today's college students, 2/3 of whom are nontraditional
students.
Finally, we must work together to improve the process of
implementing this new law. No Child Left Behind is transforming
our system of education. We must listen to States and
localities, to parents and reformers, about their experience
with the act. We must stay true to the sound principles of
leaving no child behind, but we in the Administration must
engage with those closest to children to embed these principles
in a sensible and workable way.
I know there are many other areas of interest and concern
to all of us, from charters to choice, from funding to
families. My time today does not allow me to delve into all I
would like. I would simply say that as we confront other policy
areas together, we should do so in a way that supports the
policies we have put in place in No Child Left Behind. In fact,
we will celebrate the third anniversary of NCLB just 2 days
from now. This law set in motion an historic transformation of
American education that says every child matters, and every
child can learn.
We have begun that journey together, and if confirmed, I
pledge to continue to travel that road with you, to work
alongside you, to fulfill the promise of our great Nation to
each and every citizen.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I
appreciate very much the courtesy I have been shown by you and
your staff. I look forward to listening to you, getting to know
you better, and working together on behalf of America's
children.
I would be pleased to respond to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Spellings follows:]
Statement of Margaret Spellings
Mr. Chairman, Senator Kennedy, and members of the committee, I am
gratified for the opportunity to appear this morning before you as
President Bush's nominee to be Secretary of Education. There is no more
important obligation each of us has to the American people than to
educate our citizens. In our diverse country we share the belief that
education is the great equalizer. It is the key to success for
individual Americans and the key to the success of our Nation. Not just
economic success but civic and democratic success. In our country we
believe that a great education must be available to each and every
American. It is in that spirit that I am honored and humbled to be
nominated to this post and I am most grateful to President Bush for
asking me to serve our country and our children in this important way.
I am further gratified to be the first order of business before
this reorganized Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Committee and I congratulate you, Senator Enzi, on your Chairmanship. I
have had the opportunity to work with members and staff of this
committee under the able leadership of Senators Gregg and Kennedy with
whom I worked on No Child Left Behind and I am grateful to them as
well.
I appreciate very much the kind remarks of Senator Cornyn. I am
sorry Senator Hutchison could not be here as well. I have known both of
them for many years and am proud to be represented by them in this
body.
I wish to thank Secretary Rod Paige who has given his life in
service to children. There is no more passionate advocate for leaving
no child behind than Secretary Paige. He has laid the foundation for
improving education and if confirmed I will work to honor his lifelong
commitment to children by continuing the good work he started.
Finally, I wish to acknowledge my family; my husband, Robert, my
daughters, Mary and Grace, and sons, Robert and Britain. My husband,
Robert, and my daughters are here today. As you all know well, public
service is a commitment for families and I love my family dearly for
their sacrifices on my behalf.
I have been involved in our public schools for more than 2 decades
and in many different ways. I am a parent of school-aged children--one
in public school and one in a private parochial school. I have worked
in public education as a policy wonk and as a legislative advocate. I
have worked in both the legislative and executive branches of
government as well as at the local, State and Federal levels. From
parent to policy maker, I have seen public education from many angles
and often been in the other person's shoes. As a proprietor of shoe
stores, Mr. Chairman I know you will appreciate that.
In short, in 2 decades in public education I have learned two main
lessons. First, I have learned that every player in education has an
important and rightful place. Those involved in education are people of
good will who mean to serve children--there is plenty to do and we must
respect the role we each play. In other words, not everybody should do
everything. That was not always the case.
In the early and mid 1980's we focused on fixes and fads with
little attention to results for kids. At the State level, we dictated
who could play in the game on Friday night, we created career ladders
for teachers, we established school councils, and on and on. We looked
at averages and felt satisfied and complacent about the needs of
individual children--especially poor and minority children. By the mid
1990's, the tide was beginning to turn.
Through the implementation of sound data gathering and analysis,
through standards and assessment, through enhanced accountability, we
gained clarity of purpose and a clarity of roles and responsibilities
that is now getting results for children in schools.
Second, I have learned specifically about the appropriate role for
each of us who work on behalf of students. In other words, what should
we all do?
Parents must be active participants in a child's education--they
deserve information about their child's school, they deserve to know
who is teaching their child and they deserve options when their schools
are not serving their children.
Teachers, those loving adults who work with our children day to
day, must have the support and tools necessary to teach all children.
They deserve curricula based on the best research science has to offer
about how best to teach. They deserve to know how their students are
doing and who needs help with what. They deserve to teach in safe
schools and orderly classrooms and they deserve our deepest gratitude
and utmost professional respect.
Principals, Superintendents, and School Boards, as leaders and
managers of our schools, need data to evaluate programs and practices
and to know what students and teachers need. They need resources
aligned with priorities and results. They need to know what is working
outside their communities as well as within them.
State policymakers, who typically devote more than half their State
budgets to education, expect that the students in their State will be
prepared to compete in our country and the world. They need flexibility
to meet the needs of their unique States and communities and they need
to be trusted to do right by their students.
Federal officials--like us--have a responsibility to set strategic
goals and provide resources aligned to these goals to ensure that our
Nation is preparing our students to compete in the global economy. We
must assist States in holding our schools accountable for the education
of every child and promote access to high quality education for all
students irrespective of economic status, geography or disability. We
must foster the sharing of best practices and commission the research
to keep our education system moving forward.
This new governance paradigm--which is the foundation upon which
the No Child Left Behind Act is built--is working for children across
the land. We are investing resources and calling for results. In States
all over the country--like in Maryland, Georgia, New Mexico and
Minnesota--students are scoring higher on State reading and math tests.
And, the achievement gap between African-American, Hispanic and low-
income students and their white peers is beginning to close.
We have laid the foundation and now must take the necessary next
steps in three key areas:
First, we must do so politically. There is no more important
example of real bipartisanship in this Congress or in this
Administration than our work together on education. The recent
enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as
well as No Child Left Behind, are proof that education is an area where
we can truly come together. IDEA passed by unanimous consent and NCLB
passed the Senate by a vote of 87 to 10.
Do we agree on everything? Of course we don't. And we won't. But if
confirmed, I pledge to do all I can on behalf of the President to work
with you to continue the spirit of bipartisanship that has been built.
When we do so, we serve children by enacting policies and programs in
their interest and we model how government should work. I am committed
to be a part of that lesson in good government for America's students.
Second, we must build on the policy foundation that has been laid
in NCLB. The focus of the act was establishing an accountability
framework for schools. We called for annual assessment in grades 3
through 8 and called for attention to each student and each student
group. It was largely focused on elementary and middle schools, and it
gave special attention to the importance of reading. All were necessary
and right.
With only 67 of every 100 9th graders graduating from high school
on time and with the United States lagging behind in math, as recently
reported in the Program for International Student Assessment study
(PISA), we must turn our attention to high schools and to math and
science. President Bush has called for additional resources to help
middle and high school students who have fallen behind in reading and
math. To ensure that high school principals and faculty have the data
they need to improve instruction the President has called for extending
assessments to grades 3 through 11 and for a high school intervention
initiative, which focuses on reading skills and the critical 9th grade
year.
We must also focus on the needs of adult learners. Of those 100 9th
graders I just spoke about only 26 will still be in college in their
sophomore year in a day and time when the fastest growing jobs require
at least that level of education. In this area, the President has
called for additional resources for community colleges and other
institutions to implement dual enrollment programs and ease student
transfers. The President has also called on Congress to integrate a
rigorous academic program for students in career and technology
programs.
With the authorizations of the Higher Education Act, the Carl A.
Perkins Act, which funds vocational education, and the Workforce
Investment Act, we have a great opportunity to meet the needs of older
students and adults to help them compete and succeed in our ever more
competitive world. We must address the issues of affordability and
accessibility by increasing resources for Pell Grants and revamping the
student aid system to better meet the needs of today's college
students--2/3 of whom are nontraditional students.
Finally, we must work together to improve the process of
implementing this new law. No Child Left Behind is transforming our
system of education. We must listen to States and localities--to
parents and reformers about their experience with the act. We must stay
true to the sound principles of leaving no child behind but we in the
Administration must engage with those closest to children to embed
these principles in a sensible and workable way.
I know there are many other areas of interest and concern to all of
us, from charters to choice, from funding to families. My time today
does not allow me to delve into all I would like. I would simply say,
as we confront other policy areas together, we should do so in a way
that supports the policies we have put in place in No Child Left
Behind. In fact, we will celebrate the third anniversary of NCLB 2 days
from now. This law set in motion a historic transformation of American
education that says every child matters and every child can learn. We
have begun that journey together and if confirmed I pledge to continue
to travel that road with you to work alongside you to fulfill the
promise of our great Nation to each and every citizen.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I
appreciate the courtesy I have been shown by you and your staff. I look
forward to listening to you, getting to know you better, and working
together on behalf of America's children. I will be pleased to respond
to your questions.
The Chairman. Thank you for your testimony.
You have generated a lot of interest. So far, we have
received 63 letters of support for you as the next Secretary of
Education, and they come from a wide variety of stakeholders--
they are teachers, administrators, school board members, and a
number of other groups--and I would ask unanimous consent that
these be made a part of the record.
Without objection. [Letters follow:]
------
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC),
Arlington, VA 22203,
January 7, 2005.
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator: On behalf of Associated Builders and Contractors
(ABC) and its 23,000 construction and construction-related member
firms, I urge you to support the nomination of Margaret Spellings as
the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Ms. Spellings' prior experience working with the State of Texas
educational system, coupled with her recent experience serving as
domestic policy advisor for the Bush Administration, makes her an
excellent candidate to lead this vital Department.
ABC has long been involved with the Department of Education's
efforts to strengthen the quality of career and technical education
programs at the secondary school level. We share the vision that
students who are well prepared through career and technical education
programs will have an array of college and career choices, and will
ultimately be ready to step into the workforce and make an immediate
contribution.
There are more than 240,000 job opportunities opening every year in
the construction industry due to the aging and retiring of our
workforce. Most of the skilled trade positions are experiencing job
growth rates of 10 percent and above, while unemployment among the
skilled trades is below 2 percent. Many high school students are eager
to enter the workforce immediately following graduation and apply the
academics they have learned in a hands-on, practical manner. ABC craft
training and apprenticeship programs offer today's youth pathways into
a high-skilled career with corresponding high wages.
Again, I urge you to support the confirmation of Margaret Spellings
as Secretary of Education when her nomination is considered by the U.S.
Senate. ABC looks forward to continued collaboration with the
Department of Education and the 109th Congress, particularly in the
reauthorizations of the Workforce Investment Act and the Carl Perkins
Act.
Sincerely,
Gary D. Roden,
2005 National Chairman.
______
American Enterprise Institute
for Public Policy Research,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: I am honored to have the opportunity to write
this letter in support of Margaret Spellings' nomination to serve as
U.S. Secretary of Education. Margaret Spellings is a committed and
experienced reformer who has been at the forefront of efforts to
promote educational excellence in the State of Texas and in the United
States. She is superbly suited to lead the U.S. Department of Education
in its effort to improve schools across the Nation.
Ms. Spellings is highly regarded by analysts, observers, and
partisans across the breadth of the education community. She is widely
recognized for her acumen, mastery of complex issues, and leadership in
school improvement. She is particularly well-known for her efforts to
make school performance transparent and ensure that all families have a
choice of effective schools.
Those of us who follow education policy on a routine basis have
been impressed by the critical role Ms. Spellings has played in shaping
and enacting education legislation, most notably the landmark No Child
Left Behind Act. Those who have negotiated and worked closely with her
have testified to her knowledge, passion, and steadfastness while
working to improve education. It is a testament to Ms. Spellings'
character that she has endeavored to maintain a modest profile during
the past 4 years while assisting Secretary Paige and his team in their
efforts to implement No Child Left Behind. Ms. Spellings seems
especially well-suited for the position at this point in time, when
ongoing negotiations with States may be best accomplished by a measured
tone and a steady hand.
Ms. Spellings is a committed education reformer and an ally of
those who would use the principles of accountability, competition,
flexibility, and reinvention to help ensure that our Nation's schools
are equal to the challenges of the 21st century. I wholeheartedly
support her nomination for U.S. Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Frederick M. Hess,
Director of Education Policy Studies.
______
State of Alabama
Department of Education,
Montgomery, AL 36130-2101,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Mike Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: I am writing to request your support for the
confirmation of Mrs. Margaret Spellings who, as you know, has been
nominated by President Bush for the position of Secretary of Education.
I believe that Mrs. Spellings has proven that she is an energetic
reformer and will be an outstanding Secretary of Education. She shares
your deep commitment to education and your passionate desire to make
America's schools the finest in the world. She also understands that it
is through the education of America's children that the strength and
greatness of America will continue.
Mrs. Margaret Spellings, like Dr. Rod Paige, has held a lifelong
commitment to children and has distinguished herself as an education
and domestic policy advisor and a champion for the strengthening of
public schools. Through her work with the Texas Association of School
Boards, two Texas governors, and the U.S. Domestic Policy Council, Mrs.
Spellings displayed the intellect, discipline, and determination needed
of a person who serves as the highest education official in America. I
believe that her talent, idealism, good humor, and her grounded
perspective on life make her ideal to become one of the most effective
Secretary's of Education in our Nation's history. It is with this
belief that I ask for your support for Mrs. Spellings confirmation as
Secretary of Education.
Thank you for your leadership, your intolerance of failure, and
your inspired commitment to all students in America's public schools.
As State Director of Special Education in Alabama, I know that every
child can learn and that no child should be left behind. It is up to
you, me, and leaders like Mrs. Spellings to ensure that every child,
including a student with disabilities, has the skills and qualities
necessary to realize the American Dream. We cannot fail. We must keep
this promise that our Nation has made to ALL our children.
Sincerely,
Mabrey Whetstone,
State Director,
Special Education Services.
______
Business Roundtable,
Washington, DC 20036-5610,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi and Senator Kennedy: On behalf of Business
Roundtable, an association of CEOs of leading corporations with a
combined workforce of more than 10 million employees in the United
States, I would like to convey our strong support for the confirmation
of Margaret Spellings as U.S. Secretary of Education. We are confident
that Ms. Spellings has the necessary experience and character to lead
the Department of Education at a time when knowledge and skills
increasingly provide the foundation for both individual and national
success.
Improving U.S. education performance is one of Business
Roundtable's top priorities, and we are encouraged by early signs of
progress since passage of the No Child Left Behind Act. However, as
recently released international assessments of student performance
indicate, we still have a long way to go. We are particularly concerned
about the need for a stronger national commitment to science,
technology, engineering and mathematics education. We urge you to
confirm Ms. Spellings as quickly as possible so that she can begin to
work on these critical issues.
As Members of Congress and the Administration work to promote
policies that help build a healthy, prosperous economy and secure
America's future, Ms. Spellings is a strong education leader who
deserves speedy confirmation.
Thank you for your tireless leadership in working to improve
education for all of our children. The CEOs of Business Roundtable are
eager to work with you to support education reform aggressively
throughout the country.
Sincerely,
Joseph M. Tucci,
Chairman, Education & the Workforce Task Force,
Business Roundtable,
President and CEO,
EMC Corporation.
______
American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF),
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: I am writing in support of the nomination of
Margaret Spellings to be U.S. Secretary of Education.
As Director of the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), a nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization that provides information on effective
education and youth policies and programs to policymakers, I have had
an opportunity to become familiar with Margaret Spellings and her work
as Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. I have been
particularly encouraged by her leadership of the White House Task Force
on Disadvantaged Youth, which has highlighted a number of serious
issues affecting youth populations such as foster care youth, youth
involved in the juvenile justice system, and those who drop out of high
school. As an organization that focuses to a large extent on high
school reform, I am also very pleased by the interest expressed by the
President to ensure that the Nation's secondary schools prepare every
student to graduate with the skills needed to succeed in today's
economy and society, and am certain that Ms. Spellings will be a
forceful advocate for this position. The Administration's policy focus
on educational standards and accountability for high schools has been
needed, but it is balanced and supplemented by an emphasis on improving
adolescent literacy and helping youth improve their reading skills,
which Ms. Spellings has helped articulate.
I look forward to working with Ms. Spellings and the Administration
as it continues efforts to strengthen educational opportunities and
outcomes for all American youth.
Sincerely,
Betsy Brand,
Director.
______
Department of Public Instruction,
Bismarck, ND 58505-0440,
January 3, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: In the deliberations ahead regarding President
Bush's nominee to be the next Secretary of Education, I respectfully
encourage your support for Margaret Spellings. It's my understanding of
Ms. Spellings' background that she is a former teacher. Nominating a
teacher to be the key policymaker in education in our Nation would send
a clear signal to the education community that the time has come for a
new level of collaboration with the frontline education professionals
in our Nation.
My principal reason in writing to express support for Ms. Spelling
is because of her longstanding commitment for our Federal special
education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Ms. Spellings was also instrumental in designing the No Child Left
Behind Act (NCLB) that has so dramatically altered the plane of focus
in American education. With the reauthorization of the IDEA we have
seen an increased alignment of the IDEA with NCLB. It is imperative at
this critical juncture that an individual who is truly knowledgeable
about all aspects of both of these major pieces of Federal legislation
be guiding the U.S. Department of Education. I am confident that Ms.
Spellings would keep in mind the needs of our Nation's students who
have disabilities, their families, and the educators who work so
tirelessly to serve them.
Your consideration of Margaret Spellings to be the next Secretary
of Education would he greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Robert Rutten,
Director of Special Education.
______
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Re: Nomination of Margaret Spellings as U.S. Secretary of Education
Dear Senator Kennedy: I am writing in support of the nomination of
Margaret Spelling as U.S. Secretary of Education. I have known Mrs.
Spellings since April of 1999, and I give her my strongest endorsement.
I am a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution,
where I specialize in education policy. I am the editor of and a
contributor to a number of books on K-12 education, as well as having
written articles for newspapers and magazines. On a practical level, I
am an elected member of the Santa Clara County School Board and the
former board president of the East Palo Alto Charter School. I also
serve on official California State panels that approve K-8 history
textbooks, run training programs for K-12 history teaching, and write
and approve test questions in mathematics and in history for the
statewide program of student testing. I served as a member of the U.S.
Department of Education's National Educational Research Policy and
Priorities Board, from 2001 to 2002.
I worked with Mrs. Spellings during the 2000 George W. Bush
campaign and during her tenure as domestic policy adviser to the
President. She gave me counsel before and while I was in Iraq as senior
education adviser to Ambassador Paul Bremer (July-December 2003).
I have found Mrs. Spellings to be unfailingly straightforward,
friendly, sensible and realistic. In my experience, she has always
shown herself be a person of good judgment. She is dedicated to every
child attaining his or her academic potential and wants to ensure that
all of our schools are effective in this endeavor. She is thoroughly
knowledgeable about education policy at the various levels of
government and has a broad and extensive familiarity with research on
education.
I give her my wholehearted endorsement.
Sincerely yours,
Williamson M. Evers,
Research Fellow,
Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
(The views in this letter are those of the author and not
necessarily the views of Stanford University or the Hoover
Institution.)
______
Thomas B. Fordham Institute,
Washington, DC 20006,
December 27, 2004.
Senator Mike Enzi,
Chairman-designate,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I want to applaud and endorse the nomination of
Margaret Spellings to become the 8th U.S. Secretary of Education and to
encourage the committee and the Senate to confirm her in that position.
Though Margaret and I are not always in complete agreement on
issues of education policy, she is an accomplished and knowledgeable
policymaker in this field. She is conversant with a wide range of
issues. She enjoys the President's complete confidence. She is a major
architect of the No Child Left Behind Act, the successful
implementation of which is probably the greatest single challenge
facing the Education Department during the President's second term. She
is capable of working closely with the Congress. She has ample state-
level experience. She is not intimidated by education's army of
interest groups. And she will assemble a capable team.
In sum, she's a fine choice for this important position. Thanks
very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Chester E. Finn, Jr.,
President.
______
The International Dyslexia Association,
Baltimore, MD 21286-2044,
January 5, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Member Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Confirmation of Margaret Spellings as Secretary of Education
Dear Senator Enzi: The one area where Republicans, Democrats,
Liberals, and Conservatives display a mutuality of interest, concern,
and dedication is education. ``If you think education is expensive, try
ignorance!'' (Peter Drucker) Forty percent of children in this country
are significantly delayed in their acquisition of literacy skills by
the 3rd grade. This is not a mere fact, it is an indictment. In the
United States our policy has been to respond to failure not the risk of
failure. If medicine followed the same policy a doctor would tell a
patient whose cancer was detected early to comeback when his ability to
walk is affected. In education the impact goes beyond the life of the
individual; the economy suffers, society suffers, and future
generations suffer. John Kenneth Galbraith (in comparing freedom,
democracy, and literacy) has said that, ``the conquest of literacy
comes first.'' The conquest of literacy is a war we can all agree to
fight in our country, in our time. This war is bloodless, everyone
wins, and the rest of the world will learn by our example,
Margaret Spellings is the right person at the right time to lead us
in this campaign and to move our front lines from research to practice.
She is dedicated to a model of early intervention that prevents rather
than merely responds to failure.
No Child Left Behind is like a huge lumbering cargo ship; its holds
need to be filled with quality goods and it has to be sailed with
finesse and restraint by someone who respects what works, recognizes
what doesn't, and knows where to look for answers. There could be no
better leader in this time of change than someone who values prevention
and who has drawn close the most informed, expert, and respected
advisors in the field of education. Margaret Spellings does not merely
bring her individual talents to the position, but more significantly,
she brings a team of the most talented, expert, and experienced
advisors that are available.
As President, President-Elect, and Executive Director of the
International Dyslexia Association we respectfully encourage you to
support and move quickly to confirm the nomination of Margaret
Spellings as Secretary of Education.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Hennessy,
President.
G. Emerson Dickman,
President-Elect.
J. Thomas Viall,
Executive Director.
______
Manhattan Institute for Policy Research,
New York, NY 10017,
January 4, 2005.
Dear Senators Enzi and Kennedy: I was pleased to learn that
President Bush nominated Margaret Spellings to be Secretary of
Education.
From my experience with her in Austin and Washington, I believe
that she is extremely capable and dedicated to improving the quality of
American education. She appears to share the President's commitment to
an education reform strategy based on the twin pillars of increasing
choice and accountability. In particular, I understand that she played
key roles in passing the No Child Left Behind legislation as well as
Washington, DC's pilot voucher program.
I expect that upon confirmation by the Senate she will continue her
promotion of choice and accountability as Secretary. I look forward to
working with her in that role to assess the effectiveness of reform
efforts and advocate for policies that help children achieve greater
success in school and their later lives.
Sincerely,
Jay P. Greene, Ph.D.,
Senior Fellow.
______
National Association of Manufacturers,
Washington, DC 20004-1790,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Chairman Enzi and Ranking Member Kennedy: On behalf of the
members of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the
Nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and
large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 States, I
write to express our strong support for the nomination of Margaret
Spellings to serve as Secretary of Education.
Ms. Spellings is eminently qualified to serve as the Nation's
Secretary of Education. Ms. Spellings understands the importance of a
strong education system in ensuring America's economic competitiveness
in a challenging global economy. Perhaps more importantly, she
appreciates the critical role that education plays in providing hope
and opportunity and believes strongly that every child can succeed. In
Texas, where she served as then-Governor Bush's chief education
advisor, Ms. Spellings was instrumental in developing and implementing
strong standards, good assessments and tough accountability measures in
Texas schools. That first hand experience and know-how served her well
as the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy where she, among
other things, advised President Bush on No Child Left Behind. I believe
Ms. Spellings has the experience, commitment and passion for education
to fully realize the promise of that law in addition to the all other
matters under the purview of the Department of Education.
I hope that you will act promptly and favorable upon Ms. Spellings
nomination. If there is any way that the NAM can be of assistance to
you, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
John Engler,
President and CEO.
______
National Association of State Directors
of Special Education, Inc. (NASDSE),
Alexandria, VA 22314,
January 3, 2005.
Hon. George W. Bush,
President,
United States of America,
Washington, DC 20510.
Attn: Ms. Joey Lee, Office of Public Liaison
Dear President Bush: On behalf of the members of the National
Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), I am
writing in support of your nomination of Margaret Spellings to be the
Secretary of Education. NASDSE represents the directors of special
education in the States, the District of Columbia, the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, the Department of Defense and other Federal jurisdictions and
Freely Associated States.
Ms. Spellings is uniquely qualified to be our Nation's next
Secretary of Education and we look forward to her confirmation by the
U.S. Senate. Her background at the State level in Texas and involvement
with the enactment and implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act
(NCLB) will enable her to work well with the States, not only on the
ongoing implementation of NCLB, but also on the newly enacted
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA).
NASDSE's members are eager to begin implementation of the new IDEA
and look forward to working with Ms. Spellings to ensure that all
students with disabilities achieve to their maximum potential.
Sincerely,
Bill East, Ed.D.,
Executive Director.
______
National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.
(NCLD),
New York, NY 10016-8806,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Nomination of Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education
Dear Chairman Enzi: The National Center for Learning Disabilities
(NCLD) strongly supports the nomination of Margaret Spellings as the
U.S. Secretary of Education. As a leading organization in support of No
Child Left Behind (NCLB), as well as the recently signed Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), we believe that millions of
students nationwide will benefit from Ms. Spellings' forthright
commitment to improving achievement for all students. As one of the
Nation's leading experts in education policy, she has been a driving
force behind Federal policy in support of scientifically-based research
and instruction.
NCLD has noted Ms. Spellings' dedication to improving public
schools. We have begun to see the results of NCLB as it seeks to close
the achievement gap for students with disabilities. Although States
have fought the implementation of the NCLB accountability measures, Ms.
Spellings and her staff have led the way for policy makers to preserve
the integrity and intent of the law. NCLD supports these efforts to
raise expectations for all students, especially those with learning
disabilities, who are most likely to be in the general classroom for
the majority of their day.
As one of our close advisors told us, ``Margaret Spellings is
absolutely committed to improving results for students, all students.
Her integrity is backed by her intelligence, tenacity, toughness, and
administrative skills.'' All of those qualities are needed as the
Department, State and local education agencies, nonprofit education
organizations like NCLD, business leaders, and parents work together to
implement and align NCLB and IDEA.
Thank you for the opportunity to recommend Margaret Spellings as
U.S. Secretary of Education. We respectfully request that you give Ms.
Spellings your full consideration.
Sincerely,
James H. Wendorf,
Executive Director.
______
National Council for Agricultural Education,
Alexandria, VA 22911,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Kennedy: On behalf of The National Council for
Agricultural Education, I would like to express our support for the
nomination of Margaret Spellings to become the Nation's next Secretary
of Education.
Agricultural Education and the National FFA Organization have
worked closely with the Administration and the Department of Education
to reach out to the Career and Technical Education community in support
of national goals for education. Further, the proven, integrated model
of academic, personal, and career development through agricultural
education and FFA provides a compelling strategy for increasing the
effectiveness and accountability of the Nation's secondary school
systems. We believe Margaret Spellings will provide effective
leadership for extending this model, to even, more local communities.
Having been granted a Federal charter in 1950, the National FFA
Organization today provides \1/2\ million students with opportunities
to develop leadership skills. It also delivers important recognition
programs that encourage students to apply academic knowledge in
competitive and work based experiential contexts. With studies in
animal science, horticulture, biotechnology, and numerous other areas,
secondary agricultural education and PTA are enabling students to
succeed in their academic pursuits, careers, and communities. We
believe the contributions of our program and others in Career and
Technical Education are essential in broadly educating all of our young
people, regardless of background or individual learning needs.
Please know that all of us in agricultural education--our State
leaders, university teacher educators, classroom teachers, FFA staff,
and industry supporters--will continue to work with the Department of
Education to achieve success for all of our students.
Sincerely,
Ed Osborne,
President.
______
California Department of Education,
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-5004.
Dear Senator Kennedy: I am writing to urge you to confirm Ms.
Margaret Spellings as the Secretary of Education. The education of our
youth is among our most vital responsibilities, one that can only be
fulfilled through the dedicated effort of individuals like Margaret
Spellings. For 20 years, Ms. Spellings has demonstrated a commitment to
excellence in developing and implementing programs and policies that
give our children and youth the rigorous, world-class education they
will need to be the contributing 21st Century citizens whom our great
country deserves and needs.
As Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction and Director of
Special Education for the California Department of Education, Ms
Spellings' efforts and beliefs have enhanced the work I do to ensure
that California's 680,000 children with disabilities are able to
participate in and benefit from the general education curricula. Her
advocacy for high quality educational opportunity for all children,
including children with disabilities, has moved forward a national
agenda with great promise!
In my role, first as President, and currently as Past President of
the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, I
have seen the benefit from No Child Left Behind on systems' change
efforts in schools, school districts and State education agencies. This
is due in no small part to Ms. Spellings' leadership and advocacy in
this landmark education reform effort.
Your approval and confirmation of Ms. Spellings as Secretary of
Education will help our Nation's schools and school systems continue
this critical work to move beyond adequate to exemplary for each child
in the public system and to solidify America's educational system as
the leader in the world.
I urge you to quickly confirm Ms. Spellings' appointment so that
our national promise to all children will be achieved.
Sincerely,
Alice D. Parker, Ed.D.,
Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Director of Special Education.
______
Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA),
New York, NY 10013,
December 13, 2004.
Senator Michael Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: The New York City Sergeants Benevolent
Association, whose 10,000 members make it the fourth largest police
union in the country, wholeheartedly support President Bush's
nomination of Margaret Spellings for Secretary of Education of the
United States.
Her long and distinguished educational career makes her well-suited
for this position. Although she now serves as Assistant to the
President for Domestic Policy, where she is responsible for the
development and implementation of White House policy on education,
health care, labor, transportation, justice, and housing, she has a
rich and illustrious educational legacy.
During President Bush's tenure as Governor of Texas, she was the
Associate Executive Director of the Texas Association of School Boards.
Besides developing the Nation's strongest school assessment and
accountability system, she oversaw strong reading programs and
innovative charter school law.
On a national level, she was instrumental in the development of the
No Child Left Behind Act, which is producing significant improvements
in reading and math for America's children.
As Secretary of Education, Ms. Spellings will work tirelessly to
eliminate social promotion, while also promoting accountability among
educational institutions, and improving the educational system at all
levels for every student in this country.
In the past few years the Sergeants Benevolent Association has
implemented numerous scholarship programs for the children and
dependents of its members. In addition, we have initiated art and
writing contests for those children in grades K-12. Being a very
educationally-oriented organization, we have researched Ms. Spellings'
credentials and believe her to be the best candidate for this position.
American schoolchildren have the right to dream the American Dream,
and they have an even greater right to see their dreams come to
fruition if they are willing to work hard enough to attain them. Ms.
Spellings has already proven her commitment to this Nation's youth, and
we at the SBA are honored to support the President's nomination of her
to such a crucial post. We encourage you to do the same.
Sincerely,
Ed Mullins,
President.
______
Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development (ASCD),
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714,
January 3, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: On behalf of the 165,000 members of the
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), I write
to support the nomination of Margaret Spellings for U.S. Secretary of
Education. We have been impressed with her ability, candor, and
willingness to work with the educational community in her current post
as Domestic Policy Advisor to the President. Ms. Spellings will bring a
wealth of experience and knowledge to the Department. We are also
confident she will help build stronger relationships with the
professional education community for the benefit of our Nation's
students.
ASCD is an international, nonprofit education association with
affiliates in all 50 States. Our focus is on learning and teaching and
the necessary professional development to support best practices and
innovation. We provide fair, balanced, and research-based information
to our members, professional educators, and policy makers across the
United States and worldwide.
Again, on behalf of the dedicated members of ASCD and the young
people we serve, I appreciate the opportunity to offer our support for
Margaret Spellings as the next Secretary of Education. If you need any
additional information, please contact me. Best wishes for a successful
hearing and confirmation.
With warmest personal regards,
Gene R. Carter,
Executive Director and CEO.
______
Best Friends Foundation,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Re: Letter of Commendation for Margaret Spellings
Dear Senator Enzi and Senator Kennedy: I am writing to lend my
unequivocal support to Margaret Spellings' candidacy for the critical
position of President Bush's Secretary of Education. As one of the
principal authors of President Bush's ``No Child Left Behind''
initiative, Margaret Spellings has shown admirable wisdom and
determination in seeing the legislation through to nationwide
implementation, and even more importantly has demonstrated a commitment
to ongoing rigorous research and support of methods that work to
improve student learning and achievement. In my work which takes me to
over 150 public schools in Washington, DC and across the Nation, I have
seen the benefits of the ``No Child Left Behind'' initiative. Even in
the inner city schools there has been improvement in standardized test
scores.
My area of expertise is in adolescent development in primary and
secondary school students. As the founder of one of the longest running
abstinence education programs in the United States, Best Friends, I
have seen first-hand how important high standards, both behavioral and
academic, are to school achievement. Our extensive work which spans
almost 20 years with at-risk youth in Washington, DC, Milwaukee,
Newark, Charlotte and many other cities has clearly demonstrated the
link between behavioral standards, reduction of risk behavior and
increased academic achievement. Best Friends is an in school, long-term
program which helps students reject premarital sex, drugs, alcohol and
violence and encourages achievement and positive peer activities.
Mrs. Spellings has taken the time to request our research and
review our curriculum. She is especially interested in education
programs for urban youth and the effectiveness of their models. She has
impressed me with her intelligent questions and thorough understanding
of the important issues. Mrs. Spellings believes that abstinence is
best taught in a developmental framework which promotes cognitive
development and reasoning skills. We share her philosophy and her
adherence to consistent and rigorous evaluation of intervention
programs. Margaret Spellings knows that risk behavior is often
clustered and that drugs and alcohol are consistently linked with
sexual activity. She has reviewed our research data (see the following)
which supports her belief that school-based risk prevention programs
are wise to treat multiple risk behaviors.
The 2003-04 Best Friends students' behavior as compared to
their peers evaluated by the YRBS (Youth Risk Behavior Survey)
survey from the Center for Disease Control demonstrates that in
DC public schools:
Alcohol use is 24 percent among Best Friends, as
compared to 55 percent among their peers.
Drug use is 3 percent among Best Friends, as compared
to 36 percent among their peers.
Sexual activity is 6 percent among Best Friends, as
compared to 30 percent among their peers.
Similar differences in risk behavior have been demonstrated in the
Best Men program. Especially noteworthy is the increase in academic
achievement and higher standardized test scores. We are gratified that
our research is an additional validation of the accuracy of her
position.
In my conversations with her, I have seen that Margaret Spellings
is an astute judge of worthwhile educational programs. I am confident
that under Margaret Spellings' energetic leadership, the Department's
dedication to reform and the interest in research and the use of
accountability standards will flourish. As a researcher and program
implementer. I wholeheartedly endorse her candidacy, and I look forward
to working with her, for the future of our children and our country's
public schools. We would indeed be fortunate to have Margaret Spellings
as the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Most sincerely,
Elayne Bennett,
President and Founder,
Best Friends Foundation.
______
Council for American Private Education,
Germantown, MD 20874,
December 21, 2004.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: We at the Council for American Private Education
(CAPE) are very much looking forward to working with Margaret Spellings
as the next U.S. Secretary of Education. Her distinguished service as
the President's domestic policy adviser gives every indication that she
will have an outstanding tenure as secretary.
In her remarks upon being nominated, Ms. Spellings committed
herself ``to make our schools the finest in the world.'' In pursuit of
that goal, she pledged ``to work alongside America's educators.'' CAPE
is equally eager to work with her and to bring the private school point
of view to discussions about school reform. The 17 member organizations
of CAPE and our extensive State CAPE network collectively represent
about 80 percent of the Nation's private school community. One in four
of the Nation's schools is a private school; 11 percent of all students
attend them. That translates into 29,000 schools and 6.2 million
students. One of CAPE's purposes is to foster communication and
cooperation with policymakers to improve the quality of education for
all the Nation's children. In pursuit of that purpose, we anticipate an
effective and enduring alliance with Secretary Spellings.
Ms. Spellings' comments have demonstrated strong support for
pluralism and choice in education. That is especially reassuring now
that she will be the chief spokesperson and advocate for the entirety
of American education. Our Nation is blessed by a rich diversity of
schools--some rooted in religious tradition, some that provide
intensive academic experiences, and some that are specialized for
specific populations. Whether public or private, these diverse schools
constitute the American educational experience and share a worthy goal:
the education of our country's children. Together, public and private
schools work to ensure an educated citizenry; together they strive to
help students reach their potential and contribute to the common good.
It is essential that the country's top educator be a solid advocate for
educational pluralism, and we believe Ms. Spellings is one.
CAPE's relationships with past secretaries of education have been
excellent. We expect to continue that pattern with Secretary Spellings.
CAPE is committed to working with the new secretary to shape the future
of education in America, and we are eager to share with her a
perspective shaped by the private school experience.
Sincerely,
Joe McTighe,
Executive Director.
______
Center for Education Reform,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: I am writing to express my support for the
nomination of Margaret L. Spellings to serve as U.S. Secretary of
Education.
Ms. Spellings possesses a wealth of knowledge and offers years of
experience in handling delicate public policy issues concerning
education. These attributes are the most critical part of being able to
manage well the affairs of the Federal education programs that are such
an important part of our Nation's commitment to children.
The Center for Education Reform is a nonprofit organization that
combines education policy with grassroots advocacy to work deep within
the Nation's communities to foster positive and bold education reforms.
We represent thousands of supporters who bring more choices to
children and higher standards to all of our Nation's schools.
We look forward to the possibility of working with Ms. Spellings in
the capacity of education secretary.
Best Regards,
Jeanne Allen,
President.
______
Hispanic Council for Reform and
Educational Options (Hispanic CREO),
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: On the behalf of the Hispanic Council for Reform
and Educational Options (Hispanic CREO), I write to acknowledge and
support the recent presidential nomination of Mrs. Margaret Spellings
for the Secretary of Education position. Hispanic CREO recognizes her
consistent dedication to improving the educational outcomes of our
Nation's children. As, the organization's President and CEO, I look
forward to working with Mrs. Spellings as we move forward, particularly
among the Nation's Hispanic communities in addressing the educational
crisis among Latinos. It will be with our united efforts, as community
based organizations, national leaders in education reform, the
Department of Education, and legislators that we will successfully
improve the educational outcomes of our children.
As the Nation's only Latino organization focused on improving
educational outcomes for Hispanic children specifically by empowering
families through parental choice in education, we recognize that to
decrease the educational gaps among Latinos, it takes a united effort.
We look forward to moving forward in collaboration to empower parents
to know their educational options, to increase parental participation,
and to the creation of greater access to all educational options that
exist.
During the past year, Hispanic CREO effectively established parent,
community, and school resource operations with the goal of building
public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the options available
under the No Child Left Behind Act. With the support of the Office of
Innovation and Improvement, Project CREO works in collaboration with
the public schools, and community organizations, to strengthen their
ability to service students and Hispanic families. Currently, this
project has touched over 21 million families through media and is
directly working with over 20,000 parent leaders. The project has
developed Spanish-language communication tools and disseminates the
information locally.
I am confident that our combined efforts will directly impact our
communities, especially the Latino community which is in dire need of
access to high quality education options. I thank you for your
dedication to education reform and commitment to working together.
Sincerely,
Rebeca Nieves Huffman,
President and CEO.
______
The Medical Institute for Sexual Health,
Austin, TX 78716-2306,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: It's my privilege to recommend Margaret
Spellings for the position of Secretary of Education of the United
States. I have known Margaret since 1996 when she was in the Texas
Governor's office in charge of then Governor Bush's education
initiatives. I worked with her during that time and observed her
involvement and leadership in extremely creative and necessary
initiatives to benefit the children of Texas. It became obvious to me
that she was a woman of great energy, effectiveness, and intelligence.
I have also had the pleasure of working closely with Margaret on a
number of occasions since she has been in Washington, DC with President
Bush as Domestic Policy Advisor. I further recognized her enormous
capacity for comprehending and working through delicate and difficult
issues.
One of the qualities I must appreciate about Margaret is that she
is totally committed to President Bush, his philosophy and his goals. I
have observed her furthering his agenda in a most competent and
effective manner.
I am totally confident that Margaret Spellings is the ideal person
for the position for which she has been nominated. Her years of
experience, interest and understanding concerning educational issues,
and her intense desire to see young Americans well-educated to enable
them to achieve their potential, well qualify her for this position.
I highly recommend Margaret Spellings for the position of Secretary
of Education for the United States.
Sincerely,
Joe S. McIlhaney, Jr., M.D.,
President and Founder.
______
National Association of
Charter School Authorizers (NACSA),
Alexandria, VA 22314-3513,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Enzi: The National Association of Charter School
Authorizers (NACSA) is pleased to support the nomination of Margaret
Spellings for U.S. Secretary of Education.
NACSA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization composed
of chartering entities from across the country. Our mission is to
promote the establishment and operation of quality charter schools
through responsible oversight in the public interest. Established in
2000 by a diverse group of charter school authorizers nationwide, NACSA
is dedicated to supporting and strengthening the capacities of
authorizers to charter quality schools. We believe that charter schools
can improve public education by increasing educational opportunities
for students and educators and increasing educational accountability
for all public schools.
Ms. Spellings is a proven education reformer and she has been a
valuable adviser to President George Bush and the U.S. Congress,
especially during the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act. Based on
her past accomplishments with the Texas Association of School Boards,
as a senior advisor for 6 years to, then, Governor Bush and as a White
House Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy since 2001, we are
confident Ms. Spellings will serve the Nation well if you confirm her
cabinet appointment to lead the U.S. Department of Education.
Under the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, this Nation has
embarked on a revitalization of the public education system by
insisting on strong measures of accountability, embracing parental
choice, improving and targeting resources to those students most at
risk and making high student achievement the hallmark of public
education. We need a caring and committed advocate for youth to work
with the Administration, the Congress, States, districts and the
education community to carry on this important effort and address other
needed reforms, and Ms. Spelling is well-equipped to lead in this
fashion.
We hope our comments have been helpful to your committee's
deliberations. Please feel free to contact us should you have any
questions.
Sincerely,
Greg Richmond,
President.
Mark Cannon,
Executive Director.
______
National Center for Family Literacy,
Louisville, KY 40202-4237,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: On behalf of the National Center for Family
Literacy (NCFL), I support President George W. Bush's nomination of
Margaret Spellings as the next U.S. Secretary of Education. I have
known Ms. Spellings for many years, originally when she worked to
improve education for children in Texas. She is passionate, energetic
and knowledgeable about working to, improve America's schools. I
support the nomination of Margaret Spellings in the strongest manner
possible and without reservation.
Ms. Spellings is a dynamic leader that is both dedicated and
principled as she brings about change in our education system. Her goal
to ensure that every child can learn and every school can be successful
is one that she pursues with great tenacity. We have made great
progress in the last 4 years, but much remains to be accomplished. I
believe that Margaret Spellings is the person to help us continue
climbing the ladder to success.
The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) fully supports Ms.
Spellings' confirmation in the Senate. Moreover, we look forward to
working with her to achieve our mutual goal of a literate Nation,
accomplished by pursuing success for parents as well as their children.
As a proponent of family literacy, I look forward to working with
Ms. Spellings. Together, we can move family literacy forward by
investing in research and the application of proven techniques for
achieving results in multiple generations, as family literacy has
proven.
Please let me know if you would like additional information on our
support of Ms. Spellings' nomination or the work of NCFL.
Sincerely,
Sharon Darling,
President & Founder.
______
National Council of La Raza (NCLR),
Washington, DC 20036,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Gentlemen: I write on behalf of the National Council of La Raza
(NCLR), the largest national constituency-based Hispanic organization
in the U.S., on the nomination of Margaret Spellings for Secretary of
Education. NCLR views the post of Secretary of Education as vitally
important to the Latino community, and believes that Ms. Spellings has
the opportunity to be an extraordinarily effective Secretary at a
critical time in our Nation's history. Thus, we welcome her nomination.
In the future America's schoolhouses will largely comprise Hispanic
children. The number of Latino children attending the U.S. public
schools has grown significantly over the last 30 years. In 1975, only 3
million Latinos were attending public schools, accounting for 6.7
percent of the K-12 student population. By 2000, more than 7.6 million
Latinos were enrolled in public schools, representing 16.6 percent of
K-12 students.
Hispanic students are a growing presence in public schools in every
region of the U.S. The proportion of Hispanic K-12 public school
students in the West grew from 14.8 percent in 1975 to 31.6 percent in
2000. During that same period, the Hispanic student population also
increased in the South (6.6 percent to 16.0 percent), the Northeast
(6.1 percent to 11.4 percent), and the Midwest (1.6 percent to 5.5
percent).
A large number of these children are English language learner (ELL)
students. During the 2000-2001 school year, there were a reported 4.7
million ELL students enrolled in public schools, representing 9.8
percent of the total K-12 public school enrollment. This represents a
95 percent growth since the 1991-92 academic year.
NCLR believes that a nominee for Secretary of Education should
understand and be responsive to the needs of Latino children, and
should be prepared and committed to ensuring their academic success.
NCLR has studied the path toward education reform in Texas, and we are
aware of the critical role Ms. Spellings played as a key advisor to
then-Governor George W. Bush in designing reforms in that State. Thus,
NCLR is encouraged by Ms. Spellings' nomination and hopes to work with
her, President Bush, and Congress to pursue an agenda that will provide
Latino students with the opportunity to meet the academic standards set
by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), complete high school at higher
rates, and pursue postsecondary education. We believe NCLR and the
Department of Education can share a common agenda for Latino children
and that we can work effectively with Ms. Spellings, as Secretary, in
the areas outlined below:
No Child Left Behind Act Implementation. NCLR supports the
principles of NCLB because it requires schools to help ELL students
make strides in acquiring English and improving their reading and math
skills, and it supports greater parental involvement. Over the past
several fiscal years, however, Federal funding for ELL programs and
parental involvement has been inadequate. Furthermore, we believe that
the Department has not been as effective as it could have been in
assisting States and districts in developing authentic assessment and
accountability systems to maximize performance of ELL children under
NCLB. Based on her record in overseeing education reform in Texas, we
expect Ms. Spellings to work with us toward promoting more authentic
accountability systems, and to pursue increased funding for ELL and
parental involvement programs under NCLB.
Immigrant Students. Every year, our Nation's high schools
graduate thousands of talented immigrant students, many of whom have
grown up in the U.S., attended the same elementary and secondary
schools as native-born students, and excelled at the same academic
requirements as their classmates. Unfortunately, many of these students
are blocked from the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education and
legally enter our Nation's workforce simply due to their immigration
status. In response, Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Richard Durbin (D-
IL), and Representatives Chris Cannon (R-UT), Howard Berman (D-CA), and
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) introduced bipartisan bills. These bills,
the ``DREAM Act'' and the ``Student Adjustment Act,'' seek to
facilitate college access for certain immigrant students and put them
on the path to U.S. citizenship. We expect to work with Ms. Spellings
to vigorously support passage of these bills in the next Congress.
Charter School Development. Charter schools have become a
significant part of the education landscape. This is especially true
for Latino students. There are currently more than 90 charter schools
in NCLR's network of affiliates, providing quality services to children
from various backgrounds. However, some charter schools continue to
face challenges in obtaining quality facilities, meeting NCLB
benchmarks, and recruiting and retaining qualified teachers. We pledge
to work with Ms. Spellings, who has a long history of supporting the
charter school movement, to provide charter schools the support they
need to provide their students with quality education services.
High School Reform. NCLB has the potential to ensure that
low-income, minority, and ELL students graduate in greater numbers with
a diploma that prepares them for postsecondary education or meaningful
employment. However, some high schools face the challenge under NCLB to
help ELL and recently-arrived immigrant high school students acquire
English, meet academic benchmarks, and graduate; all this must occur in
a very short time frame. As the Department develops its emerging high
school reform proposals, we expect to work closely with Ms. Spellings
to develop high school reform proposals that address the myriad
challenges that recently-arrived immigrant students face in pursuing
high school diplomas that prepare them for college and the workforce.
It is clear that ensuring a well-prepared Hispanic workforce is in
the best interest of the Nation as a whole, and that carrying out these
proposals will achieve that. We have every expectation that, if
confirmed, Ms. Spellings will work closely with the Hispanic community
to make it happen. If you have any questions, please feel free to
contact me or Raul Gonzalez of my staff at (202) 776-1760.
Sincerely,
Janet Murguia,
President and CEO.
______
National Indian Education Association (NIEA),
Alexandria, VA 22314,
January 12, 2005.
Hon. Mike Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Hon. Ted Kennedy,
Ranking Minority Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Chairman Enzi and Senator Kennedy: I am writing to express the
support of the National Indian Education Association for the
confirmation of Margaret Spellings as Secretary of Education.
At her confirmation hearing, Ms. Spellings noted, ``In our diverse
country we have the belief that education is the great equalizer. It is
the key to success for individual Americans and the key to the success
of our Nation. . . . In our country we believe that a great education
must be available to each and every American.'' NIEA welcomes her
words, and even more her extraordinary commitment over the years,
whether as a government official at the State or Federal level, or as
an advocate on behalf of Texas school boards, to expanding educational
opportunity for all citizens. Education truly is the key to success for
Native students and, indeed, the key to survival for Native cultures.
And yet, Native students for a variety of reasons that have still not
adequately been addressed, continue to struggle in the mainstream
education system.
The great Lakota leader Sitting Bull said, ``Let us put our minds
together and see what life we can make for our children.'' In that
spirit, we look forward to working closely with Ms. Spellings on
implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act and on Education
Department budget issues. The NCLB Act generally expanded the Federal
Governments role in education. Of course, for Indian tribes, who have a
government-to-government relationship with the United States and to
whom the United States has a trust obligation, Federal involvement in
education is an old, and all too often tragic, story. However, NIEA
supports the NCLB Act and lauds President Bush for responding to tribal
concerns that the implementation of the act needed to be tailored to
the unique needs of Native peoples by signing an executive order whose
purpose is to assist American Indian and Alaska Native students to meet
the challenging academic standards of the No Child Left Behind Act in a
manner consistent with tribal traditions, languages and cultures (BO
13336). We look forward to working with Ms. Spellings on the
implementation of this executive order.
We also look forward to working with Ms. Spellings on the
Department of Education budget. In recent years, the Department of
Education, as a whole, has received budget increases on the order of 3
percent; however, inexplicably, the Native programs within the
Department during this same period have received no increases despite
the extraordinary educational needs in Indian Country.
Native communities understand that it is essential that we improve
the educational opportunities for our youth. I thank the committee for
its consideration of these comments and look forward to working with
the committee this year on the important educational issues that will
come before you.
Sincerely,
David Beaulieu, Ph.D.,
President.
______
The Latino Coalition (TLC),
Washington, DC 20003,
December 20, 2004.
The Latino Coalition Supports the Nomination of Margaret Spellings as
the next Secretary of Education
Washington, DC--The Board of Directors of The Latino Coalition
(TLC) today announced their support for the nomination of Margaret
Spellings as the next U.S. Secretary of Education, and urged the
members of the U.S. Senate to quickly move on confirming this
outstanding nominee.
``Margaret Spellings is one of President Bush's closest and most
trusted advisors,'' said TLC Vice Chairman Susan Alvarado. ``She has
been an instrumental part of the President's efforts to reform
education since his days as Governor of Texas and then as President. We
can think of no better person to expand on the historic and successful
reforms of No Child Left Behind. Her nomination clearly indicates that
President Bush wants to make improving education one of his top
priorities in his second term.''
Aside from her experience and her successful record reforming
education in both Texas and as the Advisor to the President for
Domestic Policy, the Board of Directors considers her closeness to
President Bush will bring new energy and access to the U.S. Department
of Education. ``Everyone knows that Margaret Spellings is one of
President Bush's most trusted advisors,'' said TLC President Robert
Deposada. ``She will have the opportunity to bring to the Education
Department more access to the White House than any of her predecessors.
She also brings a strong commitment to implement and expand the reforms
which are close to the heart of President Bush. We know of no one who
better understands President Bush's views and passions on education
reform as much as Margaret Spellings. She has been there with the
President at every step of the way, and will make sure that one of
President Bush's legacies is improving the education of all our
children.''
The Latino Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based
in Washington, DC. TLC was established to address policy issues that
directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. TLC's
agenda is to develop and promote policies that will foster economic
equivalency and enhance overall business, economic, and social
development of Hispanics. For more information please visit our Web
site at www.TheLatinoCoalition.com.
______
The Washington Center for
Internships and Academic Seminars,
Washington, DC 20037-1427,
December 20, 2004.
Hon. Mike Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: On behalf of The Washington Center for
Internships and Academic Seminars, I would like to extend
congratulations on the nomination of Margaret Spellings for Secretary
of Education.
For the past 30 years, The Washington Center has brought over
33,000 students to intern and study in our Nation's capital. Our
success can be attributed to developing educational and strategic
partnership with such Federal agencies as the Department of Education.
We look forward to working with Ms. Spellings in ensuring our country's
future educated workforce.
We look forward to working with the future Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Arleen Borysiewicz,
Vice President for External Affairs.
______
Women Impacting Public Policy,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), on behalf
of the 505,000 women business owners its represents, would like to
express its support of Margaret Spellings for Secretary of Education.
There has been no greater champion in the White House for women
business owners than Margaret Spellings. As the Domestic Policy Advisor
to the President, she has not only listened to the concerns of women in
business, she has also been proactive in finding solutions to those
concerns.
Margaret is to be commended for her leadership in the flextime
initiative because of its importance on small businesses and the
challenges all women face with regard to balancing their work and their
families.
As Secretary of Education, we feel confident that she will take the
same proactive approach to the challenges facing the educational system
in this country. As women business owners, we know firsthand the
importance a good education plays in the quality of our workforce. We
view education as a vital component of this Nation's ability to compete
in the global marketplace.
We believe Margaret Spellings will continue to be a strong leader
and wholeheartedly endorse her nomination.
Sincerely,
Terry Neese,
President and Co-Founder.
Barbara Kasoff,
COO and Co-Founder.
______
Women Presidents' Organization,
New York, NY 1022,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: I am writing to you to endorse the appointment
of Margaret Spelling as Secretary of Education.
I have had the pleasure of working with her in the past year and am
aware of how instrumental she has been in helping to improve our
Nation's elementary and secondary schools.
As the president of a women's business organization with 50
chapters in the United States and Canada, one of the ongoing issues for
our members is hiring and retaining competent employees. Our members
average $11M in annual revenue, 199 employees and have been in business
an average of 16 years. In order to accelerate their company's growth,
it is my belief that we must first face the lack of education among
today's youth. Without a proper education from the very beginning,
young people face challenges of not being able to find economically
sound employment. In order to build confidence and succeed on a
personal and professional level, they need to be better equipped to
face the demands the adult world can bring.
I am positive that Margaret Spellings as the Secretary of Education
will not only address today's ongoing issues with education, but also
can change the direction of education and help today's limited youth
become tomorrow's educated adult.
Again, it is my pleasure to endorse the appointment of Margaret
Spellings as Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Marsha Firestone, Ph.D.,
Women Presidents' Organization.
______
Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA),
Arlington, VA 22203,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: The Association of Educational Service Agencies
(AESA) is proud to submit a letter in support of the nomination of
Margaret Spellings as U.S. Secretary of Education.
Ms. Spellings is a product of public schools and has spent her
entire professional life dedicated to improving the quality of schools
in Texas and throughout the United States. The Texas Education Service
Centers have worked with Ms. Spellings throughout her distinguished
career in Texas. Our Texas members have worked with her in a variety of
programs and activities: when she was working in the Texas Legislature
as clerk of the House Public Education Committee under a Democratic
chair, as lobbyist for the Texas Association of School Boards, and as
political and education advisor to the then Texas Governor George W.
Bush. She gained trust and respect with our AESA members for her
interpersonal, analytical and political skills.
Margaret Spellings is a practical, no nonsense manager who supports
high standards and accountability. While in Texas she was involved in a
campaign to end social promotion, a campaign that we support. Ms.
Spellings has always supported flexibility and funding for public
education, which she lobbied for when at the Texas Association of
School Boards. While in the Governor's Office, she listened to
stakeholders' concerns and addressed them.
While working at the White House, she worked with Congress in
drafting and helping pass the No Child Left Behind Act. We believe Ms.
Spellings will work hard to maintain the fundamental principals of NCLB
while tweaking rules and regulations for greater implementation success
in our schools. She also is well versed in the important issues of
early childhood, high school reform and higher education.
We also believe that because of her communication skills and
practical approach to solving problems that Ms. Spellings appointment
will insure that the U.S. Department of Education continues to be
responsive to the educational needs of educational service agencies and
the districts they serve.
It is our belief that with her knowledge of White House operations
and the inner workings of Congress, Margaret Spellings is the right
nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education. We urge the Senate to confirm
Margaret Spellings as our next Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Brian L. Talbott Ph.D.,
Executive Director.
______
American Federation of Teachers,
Washington, DC 20001,
January 5, 2005.
Hon. Judd Gregg,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Gregg: The American Federation of Teachers represents
more than 1.3 million members, including K-12 teachers,
paraprofessionals and higher education faculty and staff. Our members
care deeply about their students; AFT members also care about the
myriad issues they face in their role as education professionals,
including how to give their students the best possible education. Much
of what our members and their students deal with on a day to day basis
is directly affected by decisions made by the U.S. Department of
Education. This is one of the reasons why the decision as to who will
head the Department is so important.
Margaret Spellings, the nominee for this position, has been
accessible, open and willing to listen to AFT positions and concerns in
the past. We are sure that the good working relationship we have
established with Ms. Spellings will continue, and our union is ready to
work with her and others in the Administration who share our goal of
ensuring that all students have access to the high-quality education
they deserve.
Certainly, one challenge in meeting our shared goal will be
correcting the structural problems of the No Child Left Behind Act,
including adequate funding. But the Nation faces a host of other
challenges that are outside the scope of NCLB; these include better
working conditions and compensation to attract and keep good teachers;
better preparation for those entering the profession; and greater
access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education.
We look forward to working with Ms. Spellings on these and other
issues upon her confirmation.
Sincerely,
Edward J. McElroy,
President.
______
California Association of
School Business Officials,
Sacramento, CA 95814,
November 23, 2004.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Enzi: I am writing to voice our strong and
enthusiastic support for the President's nomination of Margaret
Spellings as the U.S. Secretary of Education. There is no better test
for the credibility of education policy makers in Washington DC than
the reputation they possess at the local level in States, towns and
local school agencies across the Nation. In California, Margaret
Spellings is known well by school officials because she has always
taken the time to listen and understand the issues we face.
We worked collaboratively with Margaret for many years during her
tenure with the Texas School Boards Association and while she has
served at the White House on critical education issues including the
President's No Child Left Behind Act and special education
reauthorization. Margaret's solid grasp of complex issues in education
is the result of years of direct involvement in the development of
thoughtful policies and recommendations on behalf of local schools.
Representing the interests of local schools, she has fought in the
trenches for better education funding, accountability and higher
achievement.
Margaret is a wonderful collaborator and knows how to get things
done. Her personal style is always friendly and open and she also
possesses a wonderful sense of humor. She always exhibits the utmost
professionalism and above all, has a passion for education and the well
being of children. It is not surprising that she enjoys strong
bipartisan support including the endorsement of Representative George
Miller (D) California. We are very excited about this nomination and
hope you will quickly grant Margaret Spellings the confirmation she
deserves.
Sincerely,
Kevin R. Gordon,
Executive Director.
______
Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO),
Washington, DC 20001-1431,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: As Executive Director of the Council of Chief
State School Officers (CCSSO), I am writing in my official capacity
regarding the nomination of Margaret Spellings as Secretary of
Education. It is with great excitement that CCSSO heartily endorses Ms.
Spellings' nomination--we are very pleased with this nomination and
believe it holds great promise for the future of education in our
Nation.
Ms. Spellings is viewed by our members as hard working,
knowledgeable, honest and forthright--traits we believe are essential
to building and maintaining the confidence of the public and the
education community as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) continues to be
implemented. From her days working for the Texas School Boards
Association to her role in the White House, Ms. Spellings has
consistently exhibited the traits mentioned previously. In short, with
Ms. Spellings we know that while we might not always like her answers,
she will always ``tell it to you straight,'' and we believe this is
critical to successful implementation of NCLB, IDEA and the other
education programs under the purview of the Secretary of Education.
Clearly Ms. Spellings has a firm grasp and understanding of the
vision of No Child Left Behind. In addition she understands that
implementation and ideology sometimes need to blend to make a new
vision successful. Yet at the same time, Ms. Spellings has the backbone
to stand strong in the face of opposition and to exhibit a sense of
calm confidence in getting the job done. She is both a policy person
and an implementation person--two traits we believe are essential to
the success of education improvement in the United States.
We at the Council of Chief State School Officers lend our
unqualified support for the nomination of Margaret Spellings as the
next Secretary of Education. We are thrilled with this nomination, look
forward to working with Ms. Spellings, and believe her role as
Secretary of Education will advance educational improvement across the
Nation.
Thank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts on this
important decision by the Senate. If we can be of further assistance,
please do not hesitate to call or write. Best wishes for a positive and
productive new Congressional session.
Sincerely yours,
G. Thomas Houlihan,
Executive Director.
______
Council of the Great City Schools,
Washington, DC 20004,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing on behalf of the Council of the
Great City Schools, the Nation's primary coalition of large urban
public school systems, to express our enthusiastic support for Margaret
Spellings' nomination as Secretary of Education.
Our organization has worked closely with Ms. Spellings over the
last 4 years and has always found her to be knowledgeable, responsive,
and committed to the Nation's schoolchildren. She is a person of
enormous capacity and integrity, and is sure to bring a practical and
forward-looking perspective to her job as Secretary just as the
Nation's schools are struggling with some of the most challenging parts
of No Child Left Behind.
The Administration and the Congress will face a number of important
education issues in the next few years, including the reauthorization
and possible expansion of NCLB, the renewal of the Vocational Education
Act, the Higher Education Act, and other critical pieces of
legislation.
The Council of the Great City Schools is confident that Ms.
Spellings will make an excellent Secretary and will provide the
leadership necessary to move the Nation's schools forward. We support
her confirmation as the next Secretary of Education and would welcome
any questions you might have. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael Casserly,
Executive Director.
______
Luce & Williams,
Dallas, Texas 75225,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator: It is with great pleasure that I write to urge the
nomination of Ms. Margaret Spellings as Secretary of Education. I have
worked on education issues with her for the past 21 years and have
always found her to be smart, absolutely dedicated to the improvement
of education for all our children and possessing great leadership
skills. She is a person of great integrity.
If I can supply any additional information regarding her career,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for holding a prompt hearing.
Cordially,
Tom Luce.
______
National Association of Elementary,
School Principles (NAESP),
Alexandria, VA 22314-3483,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: On behalf of the National Association of
Elementary School Principals, representing 30,000 elementary and middle
level principals in the United States and abroad, I write to encourage
the HELP Committee's confirmation of Margaret Spellings as U.S.
Secretary of Education.
NAESP appreciates Ms. Spellings' longstanding commitment to
education and her strong interest in literacy, early childhood
education, and other issues that are important to principals. We look
forward to working with Secretary-designee Spellings and her colleagues
at the U.S. Department of Education on these matters.
As principals and other educators strive to implement No Child Left
Behind, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, and other
Federal education laws, NAESP will continue to offer suggestions
designed to improve these laws while continuing to support their
laudable goals. We are optimistic that Ms. Spellings will lead by
example in promoting positive and productive communication between the
Bush Administration and interested stakeholders.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments, and best wishes
for your work with your colleagues on the HELP Committee in the 109th
Congress.
Sincerely,
Vincent L. Ferrandino,
Executive Director.
______
National Association of State Boards of Education
(NASBE),
Arlington, VA 22314,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Chairman Enzi: On behalf of the National Association of State
Boards of Education (NASBE), representing the Nation's State and
territorial boards of education, I would like to express our support
for the nomination and confirmation of Margaret Spellings as United
States Secretary of Education.
Margaret Spellings has been instrumental in shaping and promoting
President Bush's education reform initiatives. The result of these
efforts was the passage of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act that
includes high State academic standards, the use of state assessments to
measure school progress in meeting such standards, and rigorous
accountability measures for schools that fail to make adequate yearly
progress in improving student proficiency in reading and math.
As you know, the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted with
overwhelming bipartisan support and embodies a new Federal education
vision of concentrating attention on the academic performance of all
children, increasing resources for schools, empowering parents, and
emphasizing literacy skills. The success of these policies is due in no
small part to the work of Margaret Spellings.
In addition to her accomplishments during President Bush's first
term, Margaret Spellings has strived for more than 2 decades to improve
education at both the local and State levels. As such, she brings a
far-ranging perspective and invaluable expertise about the advantages
and challenges of education reform at all three levels of government.
Again, we commend the selection of Margaret Spellings as Secretary
of Education and urge her quick and unanimous confirmation.
Sincerely,
Brenda Lilienthal Welburn,
Executive Director.
______
National Association of Secondary School
Principals,
Reston, VA 20191-1537,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: On behalf of the National Association of
Secondary School Principals (NASSP)--the preeminent school leadership
organization representing the Nation's middle level and high school
principals, assistant principals, and aspiring principals--I write to
encourage confirmation of Margaret Spellings as U.S. Secretary of
Education.
Today's schools are vast different from the institutions of the
past. Middle level and high school leaders are meeting new challenges
in order to transform schools into high quality educational
institutions for all students, and will look to the Nation's new
education secretary for the support that is necessary in order to turn
visionary goals into reality.
NASSP admires Secretary-designate Spellings' passion for school
improvement, and we look forward to working closely with her to help
develop Federal education policies that are fair, effective, and
beneficial to all students.
Sincerely,
Gerald Tirozzi, Ph.D.,
Executive Director.
______
National Education Association (NEA),
Washington, DC 20036-3290,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Mike Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20515.
Dear Chairman Enzi: On behalf of the National Education
Association's (NEA) 2.7 million members, we would like to express our
support for the nomination of Margaret Spellings as United States
Secretary of Education. We believe Ms. Spellings has the experience and
perspective necessary to serve effectively in this capacity.
Ms. Spellings has a long history in the education arena. Her
experience as Associate Executive Director of the Texas Association of
School Boards allowed her to understand first-hand the concerns of
those working every day in America's public schools. Public education
advocates who have worked closely with her, including the Texas State
Teachers Association, have admired her professionalism, knowledge, and
passion for issues.
We look forward to working with Ms. Spellings to ensure great
public schools for every child. We hope the committee will move quickly
to confirm her nomination.
Sincerely,
Reg Weaver,
President.
______
PBS,
Arlington, VA 22314-1698,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: It is with great pleasure that I write in
support of Margaret Spellings' nomination to be the U.S. Secretary of
Education. We believe her leadership of the Department of Education
would serve the parents, teachers and children of America very well.
The U.S. Department of Education is a critical partner for PBS and
PBS stations as the administrator of the ``Ready To Learn'' cooperative
agreement, a national effort to improve the school readiness of young
children through the reach of public broadcasting. Thanks to the
generosity of the department, PBS reaches 97 million households with
high-quality educational children's programs, and has impacted over 1
million children and 8 million parents and teachers through workshops
and outreach activities promoting literacy and school readiness.
Additionally, for the past 5 years, PBS has administered TeacherLine
through the ``Ready To Teach'' program that provides more than 100
online professional development courses to improve teacher quality.
Mrs. Spellings has been a tireless advocate for children and
quality education throughout her career. She has served at both the
State and national levels of policy development, and shares PBS'
commitment to seeing that each and every child has the skills and
qualities necessary to begin school ready to learn.
PBS would like to urge the committee to approve Ms. Spellings'
nomination with all due consideration.
Most sincerely,
Pat Mitchell,
President and Chief Executive Officer.
______
Texas Association of School Boards,
Austin, Texas 78767-0400,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: It is with great pleasure and pride that I write
to support the nomination of Margaret Spellings to the position of
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Ms. Spellings will be an
outstanding Secretary and a passionate advocate for our Nation's
schools.
I have known Ms. Spellings for more than 20 years, dating back to
her service as a staff member in the Texas Legislature. Subsequently,
we were colleagues at the Texas Association of School Boards and we
worked closely on education issues during her tenure on then-Governor
George W. Bush's staff. Throughout this period, she maintained a focus
on improving education through high standards and strong
accountability.
``No child left behind'' is more than a landmark piece of
legislation to Ms. Spellings. Based on many conversations with her
through the years, it is clear to me that she holds a passionate
conviction that every child can learn if given the opportunity to be
educated in an environment with academic rigor and a focus on results.
I have no doubt that Ms. Spellings will work tirelessly to ensure that
every school in America creates this type of environment.
To characterize Ms. Spellings in a few words is difficult, but two
traits stand out when I think of her career and accomplishments. First,
Ms. Spellings is a true leader. Her leadership skills result from her
intelligence, her listening skills, and her sense of humor. She is
keenly intelligent and is a quick-study on issues about which she is
unfamiliar. In dealing with others, she listens to all points-of-view
and perspectives, even when different from her own. Her sense of humor
is legendary and she uses it effectively to make others feel at ease
and connected to the cause. The other characteristic that Ms. Spellings
possesses is the ability to get things done. She has a strong work
ethic, outstanding organizational skills, and the tenacity to see any
goal or project through to completion. The combination of these two
qualities will serve her well in the capacity to which she has been
nominated.
Without reservation, I commend Margaret Spellings to you and
encourage you to confirm her to the position of Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
James B. Crow,
Executive Director.
______
Texas Elementary Principals and
Supervisors Association (TEPSA),
Austin, TX 78701-2697,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: This letter is in support of Margaret Spellings
for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. As Executive
Director of the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association
(TEPSA), I wish to commend Margaret to you and your esteemed colleagues
in the Senate. Margaret has earned the admiration of the education
community. With extraordinary professionalism, integrity and
willingness to do dialectical thinking on important issues, Margaret
has mobilized action and resources on behalf of children.
Since 1987, I have had the privilege of working with Margaret in
various capacities. Throughout this time, mutual respect has
undergirded our efforts as we collaborated to craft the Texas Reading
and Student Success Initiatives. During President Bush's gubernatorial
leadership, these successful programs included Accelerated Reading
Instruction time for children, Reading Academies for K-3 teachers and
Reading Leaders. As a result, Texas elementary schools significantly
closed the gap between diverse student groups, even as 60 percent of
the new children entering Texas schools were English language learners
from poverty or had special learning needs.
TEPSA represents 5,500 Texas elementary principals and supervisors.
These administrators supervise 153,000 teachers who direct the
activities of 2.3 million school children.
Margaret Spellings' leadership exemplifies Pierre Teilhard de
Chardin's words: ``The future belongs to those who give the next
generation reason to hope.''
Respectfully,
Sandi Borden,
Executive Director.
______
Teach for America,
New York, NY 10018,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Chairman Enzi: I am writing to express my strong support for
Margaret Spellings' nomination for Secretary of Education. In all of
our interactions with Ms. Spellings, we have admired her commitment to
doing what's right for children in low-income communities, as well as
her pragmatism and work ethic in pursuit of dramatically expanding
their educational opportunities.
Ms. Spellings is a leader in the effort to close the achievement
gap that exists between students who grow up in low-income and high-
income communities. Furthermore, her support for innovative education
programs with proven results demonstrates her commitment to creative
solutions that address the needs of low-income children.
Teach For America's commitment to these same objectives has led us
to strongly believe that the focus on student achievement and academic
outcomes championed by Ms. Spellings as part of No Child Left Behind is
critical. Through our work running a highly selective national teacher
corps, we have seen first-hand that students in low-income communities
can achieve at the same levels on an absolute scale as their wealthier
peers. We remain fueled by the potential of these students and
motivated by the reality that despite this potential, there remains a
large achievement gap in low-income areas.
Margaret Spellings has been a key ally for those of us working on
the ground to help fulfill the promise of public education in America.
She shares the same belief that children of all backgrounds can achieve
great things when given the proper resources and tools. It is a great
pleasure to support Ms. Margaret Spellings' nomination for Secretary of
Education.
Best Regards,
Wendy Kopp,
President & Founder.
______
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC),
Washington, DC 20036,
Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT),
Washington, DC 20035,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Enzi and Senator Kennedy: On behalf of America's
community college leadership, we respectfully urge speedy confirmation
for the President's nominee for Secretary of Education, Margaret
Spellings.
We believe that Ms. Spellings is more than qualified to be the next
Secretary of Education and America's community college leadership looks
forward to working with her and the committee on the reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act and Carl D. Perkins Act during the next
Congress.
We appreciate your leadership on behalf of education and for the
continuing support of the Nation's community colleges.
Most respectfully,
George R. Boggs,
AACC President and CEO.
Ray Taylor,
ACCT President and CEO.
______
Association of American Educators,
Laguna Hills, CA 92653-4627,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: The Association of American Educators is pleased
to support the nomination of Ms. Margaret Spellings for U.S. Secretary
of Education. We feel that her extensive policy experience in public
education will serve America's teachers well. In particular, her
detailed understanding of the No Child Left Behind Act--including both
the needed requirements that it places on States and the areas in which
flexibility and decision-making are left to State policy-makers--should
help to move the public discussion forward to more positive and
productive ground.
This positive dialogue is essential if educators and policy-makers
are to work together to evaluate and improve the implementation of
NCLB. This professional approach is in the best interest of all
involved, but especially that of America's children and their teachers.
Ms. Spellings' experience as a former Associate Executive Director
of the Texas Association of School Boards is also a significant asset
and gives her a ``hands-on'' perspective that school board members
across the country should recognize and respect.
But perhaps her most unique qualification is the leadership role
that she has taken in shaping education policy, both in Texas in the
1990's and in the White House over the last 4 years. These experiences
give her unmatched insight into the President's education policies.
This familiarity and experience in shaping current education policy
should also help her articulate clearly to the public and to the
Nation's teachers the reasons that the Administration supports certain
policy details. We know that teachers are best served when they receive
accurate, candid, and direct information on the policies that affect
them--and Ms. Spellings has a reputation for being both direct and
extremely knowledgeable on education policy.
The members of our association are professionals who have chosen to
belong to a nonunion organization--and they will certainly appreciate
this candor. Our members may agree with Ms. Spellings on many issues,
and may have legitimate concerns and disagreements on others, but we
will always approach the issues from a perspective of mutual
professional respect and the foremost concern for what is best for our
Nation's students.
Our organization, the Association of American Educators (AAE), is a
nonprofit, nonpartisan professional association for America's teachers.
We are a national organization and are part of a coalition of over
250,000 teachers nationwide who have chosen to belong to a professional
association rather than to a teachers' labor union. AAE is not a labor
union and does not engage in collective bargaining, but is focused on
professional development and support for our teachers.
We look forward to working with Ms. Spellings on behalf of
America's teachers and students.
Sincerely,
Executive Director.
______
Association of State Colleges and Universities
(AASCU),
Washington, DC 20005-4701,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senators Enzi and Kennedy: The American Association of State
Colleges and Universities (AASCU), an organization representing more
than 430 public colleges and universities and more than 3.5 million
students, is pleased to support the nomination of Margaret Spellings to
be Secretary of Education. President Bush makes an excellent choice for
this important position, and we urge the members of the Senate Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to recommend confirmation by
the full Senate.
While serving as the chief education advisor for the State of
Texas, Secretary-Designate Spellings demonstrated a facile knowledge of
education policies and their implementation. Her tenure as Assistant to
the President for Domestic Policy has given her the experience needed
to work within the Federal Government and has sharpened her passionate
advocacy for education. She has likewise demonstrated a genuine
interest in working with the higher education community.
There are many challenges facing the new secretary, particularly
the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. We are confident Ms.
Spellings will serve as an excellent steward for the Department of
Education and work tirelessly to ensure this process produces the best
possible outcome.
Thank you for your continued good work on behalf of the higher
education community and particularly for public colleges and
universities.
With kind regards,
Constantine W. Curris,
President.
______
American Council on Education,
January 3, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20515.
Dear Senator Enzi: I write on behalf of the American Council on
Education and the higher education associations listed below--
representing the Nation's 2- and 4-year, public and private colleges--
regarding the nomination of Margaret Spellings to be Secretary of
Education.
Secretary-designate Spellings has been involved in education policy
at the Federal and State levels for many years. As the President's
primary advisor on domestic policy, Ms. Spellings has worked directly
with Members of Congress and their staffs on a wide array of issues and
is deeply respected for her knowledge and commitment to expanding
educational opportunities for all Americans. She has overseen the
Department of Education and is familiar with the agency's management of
the student aid programs. Our member institutions in Texas, where she
has spent much of her career, uniformly report that she is a willing
listener who seeks to find common ground and build consensus.
The next Secretary of Education will confront a host of complex and
multifaceted public policy issues involving higher education, including
the pending reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Successfully
addressing these issues will ensure that higher education remains a
platform for economic growth and social progress. I believe that her
extensive experience will be a great asset as we move to address these
matters in the years ahead.
We are pleased that President Bush has chosen to nominate Ms.
Spellings to fill this important position and we ask the members of the
Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to approve her
nomination as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
David Ward,
President.
On behalf of: American Association of Community Colleges; American
Association of State Colleges and Universities; American Council on
Education; Association of American Universities; National Association
of Independent Colleges and Universities; and the National Association
of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.
______
Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO),
Washington, DC 20036,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Enzi: The Black Alliance for Educational Options
(BAEO) is pleased to support the nomination of Margaret Spellings for
the 8th U.S. Secretary of Education.
The Black Alliance for Educational Options is a national,
nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization whose mission is to
actively support parental choice to empower families and increase
quality educational options for Black children. Our organization was
founded December of 1999. BAEO is focused on making sure that low
income and working class black families have the expanded educational
options that are available to more affluent families in our society.
Ms. Spellings is the type of committed individual that the country
needs to continue on the path of education reform established by her
predecessor, Rod Paige. We believe her experience with the Texas
Association of School Boards and her experience as a White House
Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy has prepared her well to
assume this important position. It is clear that Ms. Spellings is a
trusted advisor to the President and that bodes well for her ability to
be an effective advocate with him on the issues facing the Department
and the Nation's schools and more importantly the Nation's children.
There is much work to be done in this country to meet the oft-
stated goal of ``leaving no child behind.'' We believe the bi-partisan
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has set the tone for progress by
establishing standards for accountability, making the case for making
sure all of our children have highly qualified teachers, and most
importantly giving parents the ability to either opt out of schools
that are not making adequate yearly progress or giving them the
capacity to involve their children in supplementary educational
services. We believe that if given the opportunity Ms. Spelling will
continue to work on these and other crucial issues involved in the
implementation of NCLB, as well as other critical areas that come under
the scope of authority of the Department.
We sincerely believe that Ms. Spelling is the type of caring and
focused individual needed to keep the Department moving forward to help
all of the Nation's children but particularly the children who are
being most ill-served by our traditional systems of education. We are
certain that if confirmed, Ms. Spelling will be an effective U.S.
Secretary of Education.
If we can be of any further assistance to the committee during your
deliberations, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Howard L. Fuller, Ph.D.,
Chair of the Board.
Lawrence C. Patrick III,
President & CEO.
______
Career College Association (CCA),
Washington, DC 20002-4213,
January 3, 2005.
Hon. Mike Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: On behalf of the 1270 member institutions in the
Career College Association, I write in support of President Bush's
nomination of Margaret Spellings as Secretary of Education.
The Career College Association (CCA) is a voluntary membership
organization of postsecondary schools, institutes, colleges and
universities that comprise the for-profit sector of higher education.
In addition, our sector represents 46 percent of postsecondary
education and educates, prepares and supports 1 million students each
year in more than 200 occupational fields.
CCA was the first postsecondary association to support the
President's No Child Left Behind initiative. I found that Ms. Spellings
has a deep commitment and passion for reform of our education system by
setting high standards and providing the necessary resources to meet
those standards. Ms. Spellings' commitment to access and accountability
has been a bright spot in the reauthorization of the Higher Education
Act. CCA believes that with the President's nomination of Margaret
Spellings at this critical time during the reauthorization of the HEA,
she will provide the leadership needed to work with Congress and
stakeholders to provide the very best policies not only for students
attending career colleges but all higher education students.
Again, we applaud President Bush on his nomination of Ms. Spellings
as Secretary of Education and I ask that you and your colleagues on the
HELP Committee support and confirm her nomination. We believe that she
is the best person for the students of America. If you desire
additional comments, I may be reached at 202-336-6756 or via email at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Bruce D. Leftwich,
Vice President,
Government Relations.
______
Congress of Racial Equality,
New York, NY 10003,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. William H. Frist, M.D.,
U.S. Senate,
Washington DC 20510.
Dear Senator Frist: On behalf of the Board of Directors of the
Congress of Racial Equality, it is with great honor that we support
President George W. Bush's nomination of Ms. Margaret Spellings as
Secretary of Education. As a close confidant to the President, Ms.
Spellings' experience and sincere concern for quality education are
significant traits that are of vital importance for today's youth.
We at CORE congratulate Ms. Spellings in this endeavor.
Sincerely,
Roy Innis,
National Chairman.
Niger Innis,
National Spokesman.
______
Education Finance Council,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 3, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC. 20510.
Dear Senator Enzi: The Education Finance Council (EFC), requests
your endorsement of the appointment of Margaret Spellings as the next
Secretary of Education. Ms. Spellings's extensive background in
education policy-making on both the State and Federal level makes her a
natural fit to guide our Nation's education policy. As you know,
Spellings's service as the Assistant to the President for Domestic
Policy earned her the respect of Department of Education staff, as well
as the broader education community and Members of Congress. EFC fully
supports her appointment and we welcome the opportunity to work with
Ms. Spellings in the coming year as the reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act progresses.
Education Finance Council is a national trade association
representing not-for-profit, and state-based education loan secondary
markets from all around the country. Each year, EFC member
organizations finance the issuance of billions of dollars of student
loans to millions of postsecondary students. EFC members operate in
every State helping families finance postsecondary education by
ensuring the availability of private funding for education loans. As
public-purpose organizations, EFC members are dedicated to ensuring
that every qualified student can access the resources and financial
support necessary to attend college.
We thank you for your consideration of this request and your
continued support of our mission.
Sincerely,
Steven McCullough,
Chair.
______
Institute for Research and Reform In Education,
Philadelphia, PA 19102,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Hon. Edward Kennedy,
Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Messrs. Enzi and Kennedy: I am writing in support of Mrs. Margaret
Spellings' nomination for Secretary of Education. As founder and
president of the Institute for Research and Reform in Education (IRRE),
I have had the opportunity to work with the Department of Education
over the past 6 years in its effort to improve secondary education in
America with a particular focus on improving high schools serving
economically disadvantaged communities.
My colleagues and I at IRRE support wholeheartedly the continuation
and strengthening of these efforts. We hope the appointment of Mrs.
Spelling signals the President's and his Administration's continued
commitment to strengthen this critical and culminating phase of our
young people's transition from childhood to young adulthood.
The work on high schools has begun, but there is much more to do.
The Department and its leadership have created urgency at the State and
local level--to look hard and do something meaningful about how our
high schools are organized and how teaching and learning occur. These
investments in research and program development must continue, in my
view, if these initial efforts are going to pay off--and particularly
for those millions of students who depend deeply on public education to
launch them toward successful adult lives.
Mrs. Spellings' experience working at the State and Federal level
on education and other central components of the President's agenda,
brings a broad perspective to the Department that will serve it and the
American education system well. I strongly support her nomination and
urge you and your colleagues to do so as well.
Sincerely,
James P. Connell, Ph.D.,
President.
______
KnowledgeWorks Foundation,
Cincinnati, OH 45202-3611,
December 22, 2004.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: KnowledgeWorks Foundation fully supports the
appointment of Margaret Spellings as Secretary of Education. We have
confidence that her past experience in the education arena and
commitment to public schools will enable her to continue the positive
reform efforts the Department of Education has engineered over the past
4 years.
The Foundation partnered with the Department of Education on the
largest statewide high school transformation initiative in the country.
The initiative aims to bring rigor, relevance and relationships back to
the forefront of the high school experience. The Department's generous
financial support, constant championing of our efforts, and guidance on
the technical assistance provided to each school and district involved
has led to the conversion of 17 large urban high schools into over 70
new, autonomous small schools.
The President's commitment to making high schools a key part of the
Administration's agenda is directly aligned with our efforts. We
believe Ms. Spellings will effectively implement the President's
interests and help to maintain and improve upon the progress that has
already been made on the renewal of the American high school and the
public education system as a whole.
Sincerely,
Chad P. Wick,
President and CEO.
______
National Council of Higher
Education Loan Programs, Inc.,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Chairman Enzi: On behalf of the National Council of Higher
Education Loan Programs (NCHELP), I would like to express support for
the nomination of Margaret Spellings as Secretary of Education.
With her commitment to a strong and accountable public education
system, we believe Ms. Spellings is an excellent candidate to lead the
Department of Education. In her role as the Senior Domestic Policy
Adviser to the President, Ms. Spellings has had a unique opportunity to
see the role education plays in a broader, national context. As the
higher education community prepares to reauthorize the Higher Education
Act, we need a leader with a keen understanding of the policies and
procedures involved. Ms. Spellings' contributions to the No Child Left
Behind Act provide a foundation for ensuring the success of this
important legislation.
NCHELP members are committed to improving college access and
affordability for America's students. We commend the efforts of
President Bush to ensure that Federal funds are available to students
and their families in pursuing postsecondary goals and believe that his
choice in Ms. Spellings to carry on this important work at the
Department of Education will be rewarded.
Sincerely,
Brett E. Lief,
President.
______
National School Boards Association,
Alexandria, VA 22314-3493,
January 5, 2005.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Senate Confirmation Hearing on Ms. Margaret Spellings as United
States Secretary of Education
Dear Chairman Enzi: The National School Boards Association,
representing 95,000 school board members and our State school boards
associations across the Nation, is pleased to support the nomination of
Ms. Margaret Spellings as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Education.
Ms. Spellings has had a distinguished career as a strong advocate
and policymaker in the field of public education. From her earlier
experience with the Texas Association of School Boards, followed by her
experience as a key official on the staff of the Governor of Texas, to
her most recent experience as Domestic Policy Advisor to the President
of The United States, Ms. Spellings has demonstrated her strong
commitment to quality public education.
Perhaps of utmost importance in her career has been her intense
leadership in ensuring that public schools and school districts across
the country are held to a higher level of accountability for the
academic performance of all students regardless of socio-economic
conditions, race, ethnicity, or disability. Such increased emphasis has
sparked renewed energy and innovation in securing major reforms in
delivering quality education to all students.
We believe that Ms. Spellings brings the credentials, commitment,
and experience to this position to ensure that the goals of the No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and other Federal programs will be
achieved. Additionally, she will bring strong leadership to cause
continuous improvements in the design of Federal education programs and
in the manner in which these programs are administered by the
Department of Education,
We look forward to working closely with Ms. Spellings on major
issues affecting our public schools and urge you to move expeditiously
in confirming Ms. Spellings.
Sincerely,
Anne L. Bryant,
Executive Director.
George H. McShan,
President.
______
Project GRAD USA,
Houston, TX 77002,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: I am writing to express my unqualified support
for the nomination of Margaret Spellings to be the next Secretary of
Education. I have been deeply involved in improving public education
for many years, first as the CEO and Chairman of Tenneco, a Texas-based
Fortune 500 company, and later as the founder and Chairman of Project
GRAD USA, a school reform organization which began in Texas and now
serves low-income schools across the country. As someone who has had
the opportunity to work directly with Ms. Spellings and observe her
work for more than a decade, I strongly believe that the President
could not have made a better choice.
The No Child Left Behind Act is one of the most significant pieces
of Federal public school legislation ever passed. I know from our work
at Project GRAD with more than a dozen of the Nation's most challenged
public school districts that a strong accountability framework must be
in place before real improvements can be made. It's a lesson that I
learned in my days running Tenneco--without a strong focus on results,
you don't get results.
As a Nation, we find ourselves at a crossroad. Any change on the
scale of what the No Child Left Behind Act demands often meets with
resistance. Some people of good will who share a commitment to provide
a sound education to all of our children want to make commonsense
improvements to the law. Others, I'm afraid, want to scuttle it. If we
falter, and turn back, we will have squandered an historic opportunity.
Above all, we need someone who can lead us through what promises to
be a trying period to consolidate the gains we have made and extend
them to high school and other areas. Ms. Spellings is the ideal choice
to be that leader. Our Secretary of Education must be grounded by a
deeply felt commitment to improving educational opportunities for all
of our children. No one who has worked with Ms. Spellings doubts the
depth of her commitment.
But what uniquely qualifies Ms. Spellings to be Secretary is that
she brings the strengths and skills to translate that commitment into
reality. Her strong principles give her the freedom to be pragmatic and
the ability to judge when flexibility is needed to get the job done.
She has a thorough understanding of the policymaking process, which
will be crucial in an arena in which Federal, State, and local
officials all play significant roles. She is well-liked and has earned
the respect both of those at the highest levels of government and of
educators across the political spectrum and throughout the country.
For the sake of our Nation's children, I urge you to give your
consent to the nomination of Margaret Spellings as Secretary of
Education.
Sincerely,
James L. Ketelsen,
Founder and Chairman.
______
SallieMae,
Reston, VA 20190,
January 5, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Enzi: I am to writing to express my support for
President Bush's nomination of Margaret Spellings to be Secretary of
Education.
As a major employer in Texas, Sallie Mae became acquainted with Ms.
Spellings when she served as a top education advisor to Governor Bush
in 1997. We were impressed with her knowledge of higher education and
her willingness to openly consider issues facing higher education.
In her role as a chief domestic policy advisor to the President,
Ms. Spellings has exhibited an exceptional understanding of problems
facing education in our Nation. Margaret served as one of the chief
architects of a plan that President Bush introduced in his first week
in office to reform our Nation's elementary and secondary schools to
ensure that all children are proficient in reading and math by the
2013-14 school year. Passed by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan
majorities and signed into law by President Bush, the No Child Left
Behind Act represents the most important Federal education reform in a
generation. The testing, accountability and high standards contained in
this law, together with record new funding, will help ensure the
opportunity for educational excellence for every child in the country.
From all accounts, we are already seeing progress.
From my perspective, the more children that successfully complete
high school and move into post secondary education, the stronger our
economy and our Nation will be. Ms. Spellings' commitment to improving
education and her proven record of success make her an excellent
candidate to be our Nation's next Secretary of Education.
I respectfully urge the committee to move quickly to approve her
nomination.
Sincerely,
Albert L. Lord,
Vice Chairman and CEO.
______
SkillsUSA,
Leesburg, VA 20177-0300,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Sir: SkiIIsUSA looks forward to the swift confirmation of
Margaret Spellings as the next U.S. Secretary of Education so the
Administration and Congress may return to the important work of
reauthorizing career and technical education and the Higher Education
Act. We have read news stories and public statements quoting leaders in
Congress, as well as representatives of organizations such as the
National Educational Association, the American Federation of Teachers
and the National School Boards Association, commending Ms. Spellings on
her accessibility, willingness to listen, her strong belief in
assessments and accountability and her dedication to excellence in
student achievement.
SkiIIsUSA will be happy to work with a secretary of education
exhibiting these qualities. They are, after all, the kind of
employability and leadership skills we teach and attitudes we work to
develop in our students. We also appreciate the fact that Ms. Spellings
will have the direct and personal confidence of the President.
SkilIsUSA continues to welcome opportunities to work with the
Office of Vocational and Adult Education to explore the important role
of career and technical education in No Child Left Behind and in high
school renewal. We look forward to being a partner in transforming
American education--through high quality career and technical education
in high schools, colleges and apprenticeship programs--to meet the
education and training needs of students and employers.
Thank you for your consideration and thank you for your continuing
work on behalf of public career and technical education.
Sincerely,
Timothy W. Lawrence,
Executive Director.
______
Southern Regional Education Board,
Atlanta, GA 30318-5790,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Senator Enzi: You will be considering the nomination of
Margaret Spellings as Secretary of Education. While many persons in
Washington know Margaret Spellings as a policy advisor to the President
and for her role as part of an impressive coalition that drafted the No
Child Left Behind Act, I think Margaret Spellings' experiences in Texas
are more important to her preparation to be Secretary of Education. In
Texas, in her role with the legislature and with Governor George W.
Bush, Margaret Spellings was working with educators who were skeptical
about proposed education reforms from the new Governor and with a
legislature that was controlled by members of the Democratic party. It
was in this environment that the Texas version of the No Child Left
Behind Act was developed and its early implementation begun.
The skills and experiences that characterized Margaret Spellings'
work with the legislature in Texas and later with the Governor of Texas
on statewide education issues could be important and instructive for
the approach and actions that will be needed in the further
implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. Education reform and
educational improvement in Texas, or at the national level, will not
occur unless we know clearly the direction in which we want to move.
Even then it takes a spearheaded effort to move an enterprise of
millions of children and millions of persons who want to do the right
thing for children, but for which there are many different opinions and
for which there is the powerful natural inertia of a large enterprise.
What Margaret Spellings showed in Texas was that while she was
certain, as was the Governor, about the direction that needed to be
taken she was also willing to listen to the views of education and
political leaders and to recognize that while one may be certain about
the initial direction to be taken there are changes and adjustments
that are needed on the journey.
I think Margaret Spellings is a realist and a pragmatist. While she
believes very strongly in fundamental principles, she also recognizes
that sometimes it is necessary to change speeds and to alter directions
to achieve the goals. In my opinion, the task facing the Secretary of
Education is to adhere to the fundamental goals of the No Child Left
Behind Act and to discern from all that she hears from around the
country the pragmatic course and the actions that are necessary to help
States and our Nation reach the fundamental goals.
My years of experience working with Margaret Spellings were
primarily when she was in Austin, Texas but I have been in touch with
her several times in her role as policy advisor to the President. I
know of no personal or professional reason that the Senate should not
confirm her appointment.
Sincerely,
Mark Musick,
President.
______
Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Inc.,
New York, NY 10038,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Dear Honorable Enzi: The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund (TMSF)
enthusiastically supports the nomination of Margaret Spellings to
become the next Secretary to the U.S. Department of Education. We
respectfully urge the Senate to move quickly toward her confirmation.
As you may know, founded in 1987 and headquartered in New York, the
Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund is the only organization chosen by
Thurgood Marshall, Associate Justice of the U.S. U.S. Supreme Court, to
bear his name, and is the only national organization that provides
merit scholarships, programmatic, and capacity building support to the
47 Public HBCUs and the five historically Black law schools. TMSF's
mission is to prepare a new generation of leaders by bridging the
technological, financial, and programmatic gap between public and
private Historically Black Colleges and Universities, making the dream
of a college education a reality. Nearly 80 percent of all HBCU
students attend one of our member institutions.
Through the development of the No Child Left Behind Act, Margaret
Spellings exemplifies initiative, leadership and devotion to education
reform. These traits provide a strong indication of her ability for
tremendous success as Secretary of Education. TMSF is also confident
that Ms. Spellings will continue the Bush Administration's strong
support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), by
creating strong partnerships with HBCUs and their national
organizations.
Thank you for your consideration of our request. If you should have
any questions or need any additional support, please contact our
Director of Government Affairs, Charles L. Mason, Jr. at (202) 715-3070
or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Dwayne Ashley,
President and CEO.
______
Hispanic Scholarship Fund,
January 4, 2005.
Hon. Michael Enzi,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510-6300.
Senator Enzi: It is with great enthusiasm that I write you to
recommend the rapid confirmation of Margaret Spellings as U.S.
Secretary of Education.
You have stated that one of your priorities is to develop ``a
comprehensive approach to education and training that promotes a
lifetime of learning for the American workforce and (that) ensures our
long-term competitiveness in the global market.'' The best foundation
for this is to ensure that America's students graduate from high school
college-ready. Margaret has played an instrumental role in developing
legislation that holds our public school systems accountable for
accomplishing this.
I have had the opportunity to view Margaret's work through two
lenses--one as president and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund
(HSF), the Nation's largest organization supporting the higher
education of Hispanic Americans, and the other as a board member of the
National Center for Education Accountability, a collaborative effort to
improve learning through the effective use of school and student data
and the identification of best practices.
Margaret is a strong leader. She is bright, innovative,
collaborative and stimulating--encouraging better thinking from those
who work with her. But I'd like to focus on two additional attributes
that I think make her uniquely qualified to lead the U.S. Department of
Education at this time.
One is her curiosity. I first met Margaret in 1998 when she was
senior advisor to then Texas Governor George W. Bush. I had written a
letter to Governor Bush, commending him for legislation that would
improve access to higher education for Texas' Hispanic students. She
took the initiative to ask for a briefing on HSF's work. Since then, I
have seen Margaret, on numerous occasions, look to connect the work of
outside organizations with the policy and legislative work she is
creating.
The second is her passion for improving public education. Her
achievements in this area have been publicly documented. The quantity
and quality of these accomplishments stem, in large part, from her
fundamental desire to ensure that all children get the education they
deserve and from her willingness to tackle--many times head-on--any
obstacle to public education reform.
The continued successful implementation of No Child Left Behind
will require both of these attributes, as the hurdles to school success
are identified and solutions created.
You also have described your priority for ensuring that ``college
is accessible, affordable, and within reach of any student who wants to
attend, and that students leave college ready for the workforce.'' For
Hispanic students, that is the core of HSF's work. We know that our
success will be enhanced with an Education Secretary who is curious
enough to identify all the partners required and passionate enough to
see that these partnerships yield results.
In short, I think Margaret Spellings will make an excellent
Secretary of Education, and I look forward to working with her to
ensure that your committee's priorities are met.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sara Martinez Tucker,
President and CEO,
Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
______
The Chairman. I do have a couple of questions. You touched
on it briefly, but I would like a little more of an explanation
about the President's rationale in looking to expand No Child
Left Behind to high schools; what are the Administration's
plans to ensure that more students graduate from high school,
and how does the Perkins Act reauthorization that we need to do
fit into these high school initiatives?
Ms. Spellings. Senator, the President and, I think, NCLB,
is showing us that what gets measured gets done. And the
assessment and data information systems that we have put in
place in No Child Left Behind, the opportunity for every
teacher to know how every child is doing in grades 3 through 8,
for parents to know how their kids are doing, is really working
to improve education. And he believes that that same theory
ought to hold true for the high school level as well. Certainly
it could be a little more complicated because of different
types of offerings and the way a high school is organized, but
I do think that that same philosophy can apply that
measurement, sound data, more information both for educators,
students, and parents is useful to improvement in the system.
With respect to high school completion, as I said, we have
too few kids--only about 62 kids of every 100 entering 9th
grade really get out of high school. And part of our big
problem obviously in college completion is that we do not get
enough of them in college in the first place. So we really have
to stick to our knitting, I think, as far as preparation in
many ways.
The President has called for intervention programs with 9th
graders, literally that we make a contract with students and
families to see how we are going to get each and every child
out of high school. One of the things we have learned as we
have implemented the reading initiative is that far too many
kids have gotten through junior high and into high school
without the requisite reading skills to be able to perform
successfully there. So reading is certainly an area of focus.
With respect to career and technology programs and the
programs that are embedded in the Perkins Act, the President
believes that those programs as well--and I am a product of
vocational education; I spent my senior year in high school
working in a work-study program--must have academic rigor. We
are cheating kids if we do not require them to have the skills
necessary to be effective in the workplace, and some day, in
postsecondary education if they elect to.
The Chairman. Thank you.
I also want to go into continuing education and adult
learning because there is a growing consensus that education at
all levels in this country needs to do a better job preparing
students for the workforce. Under your leadership, how will the
Department of Education ensure that education programs are
helping to support a lifetime of learning that will prepare
students of all ages for success in the workplace, and how will
you coordinate those efforts with similar initiatives
administered by the Department of Labor?
Ms. Spellings. Senator, let me take the last part of your
question first. In April of last year, the President proposed a
Workforce Investment Act proposal which merged about four of
the largest programs together and attempted to coordinate some
of these funding streams more broadly.
I think the President's philosophy, just as it is in No
Child Left Behind, is that we ought to be clear with the States
and with employers and with individuals about what we expect
from these programs, and we ought to allow State leaders,
Governors, mayors, higher education leaders and the like, to
effectively tailor programs to meet the needs of those local
populations. So, I think, more authority, clearer results.
On the second part, with respect to lifetime of learning,
as I said in my testimony, many, many, many of our students
these days are what we call nontraditional students. The
President has called for a year-around Pell grant. Currently,
you can only get Pell aid for two semesters. If kids or adults
are willing to go year-around, they ought to be able to get
financial aid year-around. He has called for a State Scholars
Program that says if you are college-ready as evidenced by a
rigorous course of study, you ought to be rewarded to the tune
of an additional $1,000 a year for the first 2 years of college
to make college more accessible and more affordable.
We must use technology and eliminate barriers to
technology-based course work. I was just reading an article
yesterday that many, many kids, particularly community college
kids--or adults--are taking technology-based course work that
is helping them enhance their careers and doing it on their
time.
So I think we need to break down some of these barriers
that we have had in higher ed financing that are around the 9-
month school year and geared more to people who are going
straight from high school into college, more favoring some of
these lifelong learners, as you called them.
The Chairman. Thank you.
I am trying to set a precedent here that we take five
minutes in a round, and I have one second left. [Laughter.] I
will abide by that.
We do have the opening of the electoral college ballots
today at 12:30, so we do have some time constraint, but not a
great one, so at this point, I will recognize Senator Dodd.
Senator Dodd. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
When you said ``one second left,'' I remember doing an
interview once on television, and the reporter said, ``I have
30 seconds left,'' and the Middle East was the question.
[Laughter.]
First of all, congratulations, Mr. Chairman, and welcome to
our new members, Senator Burr, Senator Isakson, and Senator
Hatch coming back to the committee.
And Judd Gregg, we thank you for your leadership of the
committee over the past and previous Congress. It was a
pleasure to work with you, and I look forward, Mike, to working
with you as well on a number of issues that are of interest to
all of us.
And Ms. Spellings, congratulations on your nomination.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Dodd. People who are willing to do these jobs and
take on these responsibilities regardless of the outcome of
votes have earned my enduring appreciation for your willingness
to serve our country, and I appreciate very much your
willingness to do that.
This morning--and I am not going to indicate any particular
bias, but any candidate who has a daughter named ``Grace,'' I
am particularly well-disposed toward as the father of a Grace.
So, I welcome Grace to the committee and your family as well
for being here.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you.
Senator Dodd. This morning, as you know, Ms. Spellings,
some 55 million children went off to school, and 50 million of
them went to a public school; about 5 million go to private or
parochial schools across the country. And we know--Senator
Kennedy has talked about it, you have addressed it, the
chairman and others have--the tremendous pressures today on so
many of these children to guarantee what your predecessor
talked about, and that is, of course, an equal access to
education and a determination to see to it the quality and the
excellence of education for these children, particularly a
commitment, obviously, to those in public schools as our
primary responsibility. The idea that we are going to
accommodate any significant percentage of the 50 million who go
to public elementary and secondary schools in a private or
parochial school setting is rather unrealistic. Certainly some
of that can happen, but to a large extent, we have to make a
commitment to see to it that children who have no other choice
but a public education get that quality of education.
Thomas Jefferson said more than 200 years ago that ``Any
Nation that expects to be ignorant and free expects what never
was and never possibly can be.'' As we enter this information
high-technology age, probably the best indicator of a person's
success is going to be whether or not they have the quality of
education to meet the challenges of a 21st century world in
which we are already 5 years into.
I know there are other jobs at the Cabinet table which are
often considered more important--Secretary of State, Secretary
of Defense. I do not exaggerate when I suggest to you here that
in my view, your job is the most important one, because if we
fail to do this well, we leave every other challenge that we
will face as a nation in the coming years completely to chance
and probably less likely success.
So education is the critical piece. It has been fundamental
to this country since its founding days. So I commend you for
being willing to take on the responsibility. I am assuming you
are going to be confirmed. I intend to support you and hope we
can work together.
Just a couple of things if I can in the limited time we
have in our rounds, and I have an obligation as well that I am
going to have to step out--I am going to try to get back a
little later--but let me get right to No Child Left Behind.
I commend you in your statement for saying--and I am
paraphrasing here--but that you want to listen very carefully
to those who are closest to the children--that is, the
principals, the educators, the teachers themselves, the parents
and others. I know that you have heard this, and we hear it,
all of us at this table--No Child Left Behind is a Federal
mandate. It is a Federal mandate. And we have heard over the
years the concerns of people at the local level about Federal
mandates that do not receive adequate funding--the Federal
Government telling you to do something and then not being
willing to help, at least in a major way, to contribute to the
cost of that.
There are many who will argue that we are some $9.8 billion
behind in the funding levels of No Child Left Behind. Two
thousand five and 2006 are going to require different
requirements be met in that time frame that are going to
trigger in, and the shortfalls have already indicated in many
States, talking to us already about their concerns given their
own budget constraints, their ability to be able to meet and to
finance properly the obligations that the No Child Left Behind
Act will require.
Can you share with us briefly this morning how we intend to
overcome this gap that we hear about every, single day. When
every one of us goes back to our States, I do not care where it
is in the country, we get this--from our teachers, from our
principals, from our superintendents--this growing gap and
their inability, without cutting dramatically into existing
programs.
For instance, only 8 percent of elementary schools today
have any kind of formal gym programs. We heard a lot about
obesity and what needs to be done, and I know you care about
that as well, but eliminating program after program in order to
have the resources necessary to meet the requirements that we
have required under this law--how are we going to close that
gap? Can we offer more assistance to these States and
localities?
Ms. Spellings. Senator, obviously, the President will be
presenting his 2006 budget here in early February, and it will
speak for itself. Public education has been a priority for
funding for him over the course of his Administration. Title I
funding is up 45 percent in the course of that time period.
Total No Child Left Behind funding is up about 40 percent. And
as you all know and do this yourselves, it is always a
balancing act to figure out how best to allocate resources.
Further, you know obviously that the Federal Government is
essentially a minority investor in public education, with about
8 or 9 percent of the funding coming from the Federal
Government and the vast majority of it coming from States and
localities.
To the extent that some of the provisions are considered to
be mandates, particularly the assessment one, we have upward of
$400 million appropriated in this Act to meet the requirements
of assessments, and they have been deemed by various studies to
be fully funded, those assessment provisions.
Further--and I know some States have debated this, and of
course, this has gone on in previous Administrations about
whether No Child Left Behind is for them, and should they leave
money on the table and walk away from the requirements of the
Act. And happily, in my opinion, no State has elected to do
that, because I do think that educators, particularly over the
past 4 years or 3 years since this law has been in place, are
now buying into the philosophy of this. Yes, I hear a lot about
resources, but I also hear a lot of support for the tenets of
No Child Left Behind and what it is doing and that they are
worth paying for by State and local officials as well.
Senator Dodd. My time is up, I presume, Mr. Chairman. I
will try to come back a little later.
Thank you very much.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
The Chairman. I now turn over the microphone to the former
chairman, my mentor, and the new chairman of the Budget
Committee, Senator Gregg.
Senator Gregg. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It is a great honor and privilege to be here today with you
chairing the committee. You have been an incredibly effective
and strong member of this committee and to see you move into
the chairmanship is something that is going to be very positive
for the Congress and for the areas of jurisdiction of this
committee, so I congratulate you and look forward to working
with you.
It is also a great pleasure to be here with Secretary-
designate Spellings, who has played such a huge role in
fundamentally changing in a very positive way education in
America. No Child Left Behind has had a dramatic impact, and it
has caused a massive reevaluation of how we approach education
in this Nation. We have gone from an input system to an output
system where we are actually finding out what kids are learning
and making sure they are learning the right things and
hopefully making progress. We're making sure that kids know how
to read and know how to do math at the proper level for their
grade.
I congratulate you for what you have already done; it has
been impressive.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Gregg. There is still a lot to do, as we all know,
so maybe you could give us your thoughts on three particular
areas that I am interested in.
First, if you could spell out your position on how we are
going to deal with the Pell issue. We know that we are facing a
situation where outlays exceed appropriations and where we
could run out of money.
Second is the issue of supplemental services, which I view
as one of the key elements of No Child Left Behind. How do we
make the whole concept of supplemental services have larger
visibility and have more people take advantage of it?
And third, we have talked about high school, but let's talk
about preschool. The Administration put forward a proposal, an
extremely strong, substantive, effective proposal in the area
of Head Start, and we have attempted to address that in this
committee. I would be interested in your thoughts as to how we
should adjust Head Start to reflect the efforts that you made
initially in No Child Left Behind in putting education on the
agenda in the preschool period.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
With respect to Pell, yes, we are very much committed to
that, and in fact the President has called for increases as
long ago as the 2000 campaign, and we have raised the award
from $3,750 to $4,050, as you know, once since he has been in
office.
The shortfall is a critical issue and I think has impeded
our ability to raise the award for college students, and
affordability is something that obviously will be at issue with
the reauthorization of the Higher Ed Act. And we are thrilled
on this committee--I will speak for all of us--with you in the
post that you are going to be in, that you have a great
understanding of how all of that works, so we might be doing a
little lobbying of our own.
Also, as you know, on the tax tables, this Congress has
required that the tax tables upon which the Pell formula is
calculated be updated by the Department, and the Department has
just done so. And unfortunately, that has caused some students
to lose some level of financial aid, and I think it is
certainly an area of concern for all of us, and we need to work
on it this next Congress. The President will be presenting his
2006 budget, and I am hopeful there will be some pathways
through this issue in that document.
On supplemental services, I absolutely agree with you on
the hope and promise that is provided there. And I think that
while in some places, it got off to a slow start, it is
starting to take hold. I think we can do a much better job of
notifying parents in a timely way about what their options are.
I think we are seeing providers crop up around the country that
are high quality. States have put in place rigorous approval
processes so that they can create the authorized service
provider list. I think we need to work that more and regularly
together, both you as elected office holders and those of us in
the Administration, to make parents aware of those options.
I also think it is an integral part of the accountability
system that it serves as an incentive for those schools that
want to keep kids performing in public schools. So I think
there is a real genius to the supplemental service provision in
No Child Left Behind, and we need to continue to work it and
enhance it, and I pledge to do that.
Last, on preschool and Head Start, as you said, we did put
forth a proposal called ``Good Start, Grow Smart,'' about a
year and a half ago, and it had several elements including more
offerings and more information for parents as the child's first
teacher to be able to ingrain reading skills or language skills
with young children. It also had a provision that would have
allowed Governors to do more coordination of funding within
their local preschool systems.
In Texas, we had offered preschool programs that were in
the schools for 3- and 4-year-olds as far back as the mid-
eighties and had contributed very significant resources. No
Child Left Behind says Governors are accountable for having
those kinds on grade level and reading by the end of 3rd grade,
and for us to say hands off everything related to Head Start
does not really make sense. I think we can and should trust
Governors, those Governors who have been early investors in
early childhood education, those Governors who are committed to
offering at least the levels of service provided in Head Start,
comprehensive services like immunization and nutrition. I think
those Governors ought to be trusted to take a look at what we
could do in a more coordinated way to offer more access and
higher-quality preschool so that we will have kids on track to
enter school ready to be successful.
Senator Gregg. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[The prepared statement of Senator Gregg follows:]
Statement of Senator Gregg
As the 109th Congress begins, we face many important issues
in the area of education. While we as a nation have made
progress in improving our schools, we have much vital work yet
to do. It is critical that we have at the helm of the U.S.
Department of Education someone dedicated to raising standards
and expanding options for all students to prepare them for
success in whatever endeavors they choose.
In nominating Margaret Spellings of Texas to be the
Secretary of Education, President Bush has underscored his
commitment to our Nation's children. Mrs. Spellings is
eminently qualified to serve as Secretary, bringing with her a
wealth of experience and a great devotion to improving our
schools. She currently serves as an Assistant to the President
for Domestic Policy, and served as then-Governor Bush's senior
advisor on education, helping to build in Texas what is widely
regarded as one of the strongest State systems of standards
accountability in the country.
In recognition of her special passion for education, the
President has noted that there is no individual he trusts more
on the issue than Mrs. Spellings. However, Mrs. Spellings'
dedication and expertise has earned her admiration across the
political spectrum. My good friend and colleague, Senator
Kennedy, has called her a ``capable, principled leader.'' This
bipartisan respect will certainly enhance Mrs. Spellings'
efficacy as an advocate for children within the Department and
assist her in working with Congress to advance reform.
As a key architect of the policy sea change and landmark
education reform known as the No Child Left Behind Act, Mrs.
Spellings has helped improve education nationwide. I am proud
to have worked with her on this law, which has changed the way
we think about education and is already spurring improvement in
student achievement among children of every background. This
progress is due in no small measure to Mrs. Spellings' vision
and commitment to reform. She knows that every child can learn
and every school can succeed, and as Secretary of Education she
will dedicate herself to ensuring that this happens. She also
believes in expanding educational options for children. She
helped develop and has consistently supported the supplemental
services and public school choice provisions in No Child Left
Behind, and was also instrumental in the passage and
implementation of the DC School Choice Incentive Act last year.
This committee will soon be engaged in the reauthorizations
of a number of key laws, including the Higher Education Act,
the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, and
in time, the No Child Left Behind Act. I look forward to
working with her on these upcoming reauthorizations.
Mrs. Spellings will bring knowledge, experience, energy and
integrity to her position at the Department of Education, and
will carry on Secretary Paige's fine work on behalf of our
Nation's schoolchildren. I anticipate her swift confirmation.
The Chairman. Senator Reed?
Senator Reed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and let me commend
you and congratulate you on your first hearing.
Let me also welcome Senator Burr and Senator Isakson and
state the obvious to Margaret Spellings. You are an eminently
worthy appointee. I commend the President for his nomination.
My prediction is that you will get confirmed--and that is the
safest bet I have had in a long time--so we can get down to
some of the more difficult questions that we will face over the
next several years.
Just picking up on the issue of the Pell Grant, I realize
that the Department was required legislatively to reevaluate
the formula based on tax burden of States, but the stark
reality is that about 100,000 students lost all access to Pell
Grants, and more than a million had their Pell Grants reduced.
And we all sincerely recognize that higher education is
becoming more and more difficult to afford for working
families, and the impact of this particular change was
particularly pronounced among families earning $50,000 or
less--all the people that we say quite sincerely we want to
help.
What are we going to do? I mean, people now are without
access to Pell Grants, and I know the President is talking
about year-around programs, etc, but what do we do?
Ms. Spellings. Well, as you know, unfortunately, that
provision was not discretionary with the Department of
Education. They were required by this Congress to update those
tax tables to reflect most accurately the income levels of
families and the State tax burden that they bear.
My understanding on the burden is that, yes, it was about
90,000 or 80,000 families affected, but that the average level
of the grant was about $400. So it was not the full $4,000 that
we often think about.
And I do think that the Higher Ed reauthorization, the
budget, the opportunities before us do give us a chance to
address these affordability issues. I think we must do that,
and we need to find ways to--obviously, you all worked to close
the 9.5 percent loan loophole that was then used to provide
loan forgiveness for teachers teaching in critical need areas.
But I think that those are the things that we need to address
in enhancing affordability, and I pledge to work with you on
that.
Senator Reed. Let me raise another issue on the President's
budget, and that is the LEAP program, which is an incentive
program to encourage the States to participate in supporting
low-income students in terms of higher education. Several years
ago, Senator Collins and I sort of saved that from extinction.
It is a bipartisan-supported program.
I would hope also that you would support us in that regard,
too, in terms of the President's budget and making sure that
there are real resources there.
Ms. Spellings. The President's philosophy about higher ed
funding sources, or K-12 funding for that matter, is to have
larger funding streams as opposed to singled-out different
programs, and I think that that is what was at issue in the
LEAP program, but we will certainly look at that. I will look
forward to working with you on it. I am not advised as to what
the 2006 budget will provide in that regard, but I look forward
to working with you, Senator.
Senator Reed. Good. Let me turn in the last few moments to
another topic, and that is professional development of
teachers. We have provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act,
the IDEA, the Higher Education Act, the Perkins Act, and I
would ask how you are going to try to coordinate these efforts
and put more emphasis, because frankly--and this is without any
analytical basis, more sort of feeling--my sense is that that
is probably one of the most effective levers of improving
performance, of having teachers better-prepared, more competent
in their subjects. How are you going to do that?
Ms. Spellings. I could not agree more with you. I think
that professional development is critical to reading success,
to science and math success, to graduation rates, and on and on
and on. So I think the Department does have a role to play
there.
I think that technology can offer some promise and some
efficiencies so that we do not have States and local
jurisdictions having to reinvent over and over key practices.
The reading initiative, the Reading First Initiative, I think
is a good example. It is about a $1.3 billion program. We have
quadrupled funding for reading here with the commitment of you
all and the President, and much of that money goes to train
teachers in effective reading skills based on the newest brain
research. And I am confident that the reason we are getting
some of these key results is because teachers have the best
information and tools possible, and that is getting results for
kids.
So I absolutely agree with you, and I think it ought to be
a key part of any initiative.
Senator Reed. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Next is the subcommittee chairman for Education and Early
Childhood Development, Senator Alexander.
Senator Alexander. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I look forward to working with you and with the other
members of the committee and with Margaret Spellings.
Mr. Chairman, I once held the same job that President Bush
hopes Margaret Spellings will hold, and at my first Cabinet
meeting, I learned that not everyone in Washington thinks it is
the most important job in Washington. My seat was at the end of
the table, and when they gave us the security briefing, I
discovered that the Secretary of Education, at least at that
time, was the last to be evacuated. [Laughter.]
But I believe, as Senator Dodd said, that there is no more
important job, no more important seat to hold for our country's
future. As I look at our future, I see three great challenges.
One is terrorism, one is preserving our common culture, and one
is keeping our jobs. And in my experience, better schools,
colleges, and universities means better jobs. The jobs are
going to the countries with the trained workforce, and we have
a real challenge ahead of us.
I believe you will be an excellent Secretary. You
understand that your job is really not to be the great
Education Secretary but to help the President be the great
education President, which I believe he fully can be during
this 8-year period.
I have two questions. I want to go back to No Child Left
Behind, but I won't do that until the second round of
questions. I do not want this ``tin cup'' image to be left
hanging there, because we are being a little hard on ourselves
as a Congress and hard on the President. Especially if we
suggest that a Congress that over 4 years increased K through
12 spending by 40 percent at a time when most States are
increasing spending by only 10 or 12 or 15 percent. The tin cup
may be in Nashville or in Boston, but it has not been here.
But these are my questions. I would like to ask for your
help in looking at the early education and then, as Senator
Enzi said, later education. On early education, we talk about
Head Start, but that is only $6 or $7 billion. There are 69
programs that spend all or part of their funding for children
under the age of 5, not including Medicaid or any of the
entitlement programs. We spend $18 or $21 billion on those
programs, $34 billion in our Department. And I think that
working together, we could over the next year or two make sure
that at least we are spending that money well.
We have an oversight function, you have a management
function, and I would like to ask if you would be willing to
work together on that. That is my first question.
My second question is at the other end of the spectrum. I
am afraid that we are going to wake up in 10 years and have
diminished our secret weapon for job growth, which I believe is
higher education. India and China are creating better colleges
and universities. Visa problems are keeping many of our
talented foreign students from coming in here. States are
reducing their spending for colleges and universities. When I
left the Governor's office in Tennessee, we were spending 50
cents of every State dollar on education. Today it is 40 cents,
because of the pressure of health care costs. Funding for the
physical sciences by the Federal Government is flat.
I would like for us to work together over the next few
years to try to get on a trajectory that will refocus this
country on the importance of our system of colleges and
universities. No other country has the great research
universities that we have. No other country has the National
Laboratories that we have. We have figured out how to do this,
and I do not want us to lose it by attrition.
So would you work with us in helping to take a broader look
at the higher education functions that are spread throughout
the Government? When I left the Secretary of Education post, I
regretted that I had not asked the first President Bush if I
could have been the point person for higher education so that
it would not get, as the chairman often says, lost in different
silos around the Administration. We needed to have a major
focus on higher education.
Ms. Spellings. Absolutely. I call early childhood and
higher education the bookends of our K-12 system, and I think
we have work to do in both of those areas, clearly. You
mentioned the number of programs that the Department of
Education manages in early childhood development. I think we
have not been clear with either parents or with community-based
providers or educators about what the expectations are. I think
we have lacked offering them research-based materials and
programs and guidance to make sure those programs are
effective. And absolutely I pledge to work with you on that,
because coming from a State where we were early adapters and
early investors in early childhood, it is one of the things
that gets the biggest payoffs, and if we are going to educate
every child and have them reading on grade level by the end of
3rd grade, we have got to get about the business of effective
pre-K programs, no doubt about it.
On higher education, absolutely, and I do think we have a
long way to go in this arena to make sure that we continue to
maintain and foster and enhance the higher ed institutions that
we have here today. You mentioned India and China. They are on
the move, no doubt about it. And I think that parents need more
comprehensible information about what higher ed offerings are
available to them, at what price--how long does it take to get
in and out of this school versus that school, and so on and so
forth. I think we can play a role there, absolutely, and I very
much look forward to working with you.
I think the fact that we have all of these reauthorizations
in these subject areas before us will provide a great
opportunity for us to work together on all of this.
Senator Alexander. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[The prepared statement of Senator Alexander follows:]
Statement of Senator Lamar Alexander
Mr. Chairman, I once held the same job that President Bush
hopes Margaret Spellings will hold. At my first Cabinet
meeting, I learned that the Secretary of Education sits at the
end of the Cabinet table and is the last to be evacuated in
case of an emergency. In other words, by some Washington
standards, it is not a very important job.
But I believe that there are few jobs in Washington more
important than United States Secretary of Education. Our
country is faced with three great issues. One is terrorism. One
is preserving our common culture. And one is keeping our jobs
in an increasingly competitive world marketplace. And nothing
is more important to keeping our jobs than having a superior
system of education at every level. Jobs will migrate wherever
the brainpower exists. In short, better schools and colleges
mean better jobs.
I believe Margaret Spellings will be an excellent Secretary
because she is uniquely suited to help President Bush be an
Education President. The President knows and trusts her. She
has played a critical role in education policy in Texas and in
domestic policy in Washington, DC. She and the President know
that Washington can exhort and encourage standard-setting and
provide some funding, but that the quality of our schools,
colleges and universities depends primarily upon parents,
faculty members, communities, State and local governments and
our private sector.
During his 8 years, the President has a great opportunity
to be our most important Education President. Here are my
suggestions for how he and his Secretary might focus their time
during this next 4 years:
I. Establish a point person within the Administration for
higher education. One of my great regrets as I left the office
of Secretary of Education in 1993 was that I did not ask
President George H.W. Bush that I be that point person. The
National Academy of Sciences estimates that half of our new
jobs since World War II have come from our technological
superiority. Much of that brainpower has come from 50 or so
research universities and 50 major Federal research
laboratories. No other country in the world has anything like
this. We spent $19 billion this past year on Federal dollars
for research at these universities. The education of the
greatest generation at more than 6,000 institutions of higher
education has come primarily because 60 percent of those who
attend colleges and universities have a Federal grant or loan
that follows them to the school of their choice.
Yet I fear we are taking our higher education system for
granted. Other countries, such as China, are waking up. More of
their best students are staying home instead of coming to the
United States. Visa problems in an age of terrorism discourage
the importing of more foreign brainpower. Federal spending for
the physical sciences is flat. And States are reducing their
support for higher education because of increasing health care
costs, among other reasons.
This Administration and this Congress should create a new
focus on how to make sure that we don't wake up in 10 years and
discover we have lost our secret weapon in keeping good jobs:
our superior colleges, universities and research labs.
II. Find ways to involve parents in the education of their
children by giving them more choices of educational
opportunities. The genius of Federal policy toward higher
education is that we respect the autonomy of individual
institutions and allow Federal dollars to follow students to
the schools of their choice. This creates opportunity,
competition and diversity. Since these policies have created
the best colleges, why not use them to help create the best
schools?
This President, I believe, should propose that new Federal
funding for elementary and secondary education should begin to
follow the successful example of Federal funding for higher
education and increasingly be given to parents who then spend
it at the school or the educational program of their choice.
III. Make sure we are spending Federal dollars for children
age 0 to 5 years as well as possible. The Federal Government
spends $18 to $21 billion each year on 69 different programs
that dedicate part of their budgets toward early education and
care programs that serve children under age 5. The Department
of Education administers 34 of the 69 programs. States and
local government spend even more. Almost everyone agrees that
the earlier children are helped, the better they learn. But now
is an excellent time to examine whether we are spending well
what we already spend.
IV. Make sure No Child Left Behind is funded, flexible and
working before it is expanded. During the last 4 years
President Bush and the Congress have increased Federal funding
for K-12 education by 36 percent, while State funding in my own
State of Tennessee has increased by 10.7 percent. Despite GAO
and Accountability Works findings to the contrary, there are
still complaints that the Federal requirements of No Child Left
Behind aren't properly funded.
My own experience has been that 70 percent or even more of
the consternation about NCLB among local school systems came
simply from confusion about what the Federal and State
governments did or didn't require. This Congress and, I
believe, the Administration have a responsibility to make sure
that the current requirements of No Child Left Behind are
properly funded and are as flexible as possible so that
teachers and principals can use their own common sense and good
judgment to reach State standards.
We want to learn as much as we can from the testing already
underway in grades 3-8 before authorizing an expansion of No
Child Left Behind to the high school levels. A good place for
the new Secretary to show good faith in this is to work quickly
to implement the new State flexibility that Congress has
granted States to define a ``highly qualified'' teacher for
special education students in middle and high schools. About
100,000 teachers are required to meet this new requirement by
August--and the authority to set the more flexible requirements
was only signed into law last month.
V. Restore the civic mission of our public schools,
especially by helping children learn American History. The late
Al Shanker, President of the American Federation of Teachers,
once said the rationale for the common school in America was
``to help immigrant children learn the 3 R's and what it means
to be an American with the hope they would go home and teach
their parents.'' It is a national embarrassment that high
school seniors make lower scores on United States history than
on any other subject tested by the National Assessment for
Educational Progress.
Congress enacted legislation that Senator Reid and I
sponsored last year to authorize summer academies for
outstanding teachers and students of American history and
civics. I strongly urge the Secretary to ensure that a few of
these Presidential Academies for Teachers and Congressional
Academies for Students are up and running in the summer of
2005. Senator Kennedy and I have sponsored legislation that
will allow 10 States to compare scores on U.S. history NAEP
exams in the 8th and 12th grades. The Congress and the new
Secretary can work together to coordinate a variety of Federal
programs designed to restore the civic purpose of our public
schools. The rudiments of our common culture are our common
language, English, our common history, and our common ideals,
like liberty and equal opportunity, which we are constantly
striving to achieve. The common school exists to help make sure
each generation knows this.
I look forward to working with the President, his new
Secretary and members of this committee to place the proper
national spotlight on education. If confirmed, Mrs. Spellings
may sit at the end of the Cabinet table and be the last to be
evacuated in case of an emergency, but in my judgment there is
no more important chair at the table than the one she has been
nominated to sit in.
The Chairman. Thank you.
The very patient Senator Clinton.
Senator Clinton. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and
congratulations. I am looking forward to working with you--and
also with you, Ms. Spellings. I am delighted that the President
has nominated you for this important position.
I have several questions, and I would like to ask them in
order, and I know we do not have the time for a lot of in-depth
response, but perhaps we could get written responses that would
provide some additional information.
First, though, let me thank you for your response to an
earlier question about the President's commitment with respect
to nontraditional students. That is something that I have
worked on and have legislation that I introduced with former
Senator Bob Graham, the Nontraditional Students Success Act,
and I am excited to work with you on this because I think it is
an area that goes to what Senator Alexander was saying. Our
higher education system is not only the best in the world, it
is unique because it is filled with second chances, and the
community colleges are such a tremendous resource for so many
people and for our Nation as a whole.
My first question goes to the provision in No Child Left
Behind with respect to transfer opportunities. The
Administration's regulation for carrying out public school
choice says that school districts cannot use lack of capacity
to deny students the option to transfer. Now, this has forced
many districts to make a very difficult choice, and in New York
City, which as you know tried very hard to comply with this, we
have been transferring tens of thousands of students. The
result is that we now have overcrowded schools that
occasionally become violent. We have a lot of difficulty
getting access to the resources that the good students need,
because often what is required in order to comply with the
choice provision is to overcrowd a school that was actually
doing quite well before it became overcrowded. It is a very
specific problem for New York City, and it may be a problem
elsewhere, but I would particularly like to work with you to
try to find some ways to realistically deal with this, because
as it stands now, many of our schools are facing some very
difficult issues and do not have the resources that they would
want in order for the students transferring in to get an
adequate education.
Along with several of my colleagues on this committee, I
have introduced legislation that would give us a start. It
would prevent school districts from allowing transfers into
overcrowded schools when doing so would violate health and
safety regulations. The reason that is important is another
provision in the No Child Left Behind Act which I authorized
which asks the Department to conduct an investigation into
health and learning impacts of poor environmental conditions in
schools.
The report has just come out--it was a survey of all
existing literature--and it is quite shocking, because what it
says is that there is direct impact on children's performance
in school because of poor environmental conditions--inadequate
ventilation, mold, dampness, all of those problems.
So I think these two issues go hand-in-hand. We are
creating some health and safety problems in some of the schools
that are now being overcrowded, but we have a tremendous number
of schools throughout our country that do not really present
quality conditions for our children. And I would like to work
with you to try to see ways that we can creatively address
this. We need to continue to get more information, obviously,
but it is something that I see as a continuing issue.
Particularly with the rise in special education problems, there
are health and environmental linkages to many of these
conditions that I think we should do more to determine how to
deal with.
My next concern is on title IX. I would hope that as
Secretary of Education, you would continue a commitment to keep
the longstanding title IX policies in place. This is an issue
that is of great concern. In fact, a recent poll showed that 7
of 10 adults familiar with title IX think the law should
actually be strengthened, but it certainly should be left
alone. We had some issue about that in the first term of the
Administration. I hope that you would commit to making sure
that title IX stays in place and strongly enforced.
My next issue concerns this new data system that I have
been reading about that would create a data system that would
put an enormous amount of information about our children into
it, and I am quite concerned about the privacy provisions
connected with that. On November 29, I wrote Secretary Paige
inquiring about the feasibility study on the overhaul of what
is called the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. I
have not received a response to that letter, but I would
appreciate one as soon as possible.
Finally, two other quick points. One, on Perkins. The
Perkins Program has been, like the Pell Grant Program, a
tremendous assistance in helping a lot of students enter
lucrative and rewarding technical careers. We marked up a bill
out of this committee unanimously that asked that we maintain
the current funding structure, and I would hope you would look
at that.
And finally, my last question, Mr. Chairman, is on the
research issues that come out of the delays in the National
Assessment Governing Board, its independence, and the National
Center for Education Statistics. I think it is critical that
they remain independent, that they have credibility in the
information they put forth. I do not expect you to answer all
of these questions, but I, like so many of my colleagues,
cannot stay for a second round, and I just wanted to express
both my strong support for you but my concern about these
issues.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you very much, Senator. Let me dive in
as best I can.
With respect to NCLB transfer opportunities, I think that
is a fair point, and we do need to work on the capacity issues.
But also I think, now that we are several years into this,
supplemental service options may be more viable for some of
those parents and families as well. So, as I said to Senator
Gregg a bit ago, I think we obviously need to continue work on
that.
The other thing, I think, the whole reason for the service
provisions obviously is to provide parents an opportunity when
schools are not working, and in a place like New York City--and
I know they have worked a lot on this--to make sure that the
schools are working in the first place, to avoid the provisions
kicking in in the first place. I think that is going on,
particularly in the area of reading.
With respect to the health study, I have just learned of
it. You are right, it has just come out. I know the EPA is
reviewing it, and I am anxious to see what the findings are. I
do agree that those are issues for schools and for families and
for parents, not only in our schools but elsewhere.
With respect to title IX, as you know, Secretary Paige
appointed a commission to look at that issue, and it was very
bipartisan, if you will. They had hearings all over the country
and so forth. And I think what they recommended was that we
continue to be committed to title IX, that it is a good law,
and that there are three prongs to the test to meeting
compliance. One is substantial proportionality, which had been
largely used by institutions, but also, a history of continuing
to work on and grow programs for women as the second prong; and
the third prong is ascertaining levels of interest. We have
talked a lot about nontraditional students, and interest levels
certainly come into play there. We are very committed to the
act, to the law, but I do think there are other tools available
to institutions besides strict proportionality. The Department
has held some regional forums and provided information to
provide best practices. Some schools, some institutions, have
used the survey instruments effectively and have withstood
litigation and the like. So we are committed to finding ways to
more fully implement title IX.
With respect to the data system, I will certainly look into
that. I am not familiar with the November 29 letter that you
wrote, but I certainly will be.
On research, NAGBE and NCES, absolutely, we share your
belief that they ought to be independent. I think they have
worked well, and I think they are validating the good practices
of No Child Left Behind and are a good, valid check on the
system.
As for Perkins funding, as I said, the President's budget
will be forthcoming here shortly, and it will speak to the
issue of Perkins funding.
So, thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Senator Burr?
Senator Burr. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for
your very gracious welcome to the committee and the inclusion
to Senator Kennedy for his remarks.
Mr. Chairman, I find myself here today, the first day of
work for myself here in the Senate, not as a member of the U.S.
Senate per se, even though the title exists, but as a parent,
because I think that parents have to be included in the
decisions that are made about education of their children. They
are certainly the ones who understand whether they have hit the
threshold long before we even test. It is a mother or a father
who sees the trend.
I welcome our nominee here today. It was Thomas Jefferson
who said, ``I am not an advocate of frequent changes in laws
and constitutions, but laws and institutions must advance to
keep pace with the progress of the human mind.''
There are many people who would like tomorrow to be like
yesterday. You said in your written statement that 67 of every
100 9th-graders graduate from high school, and only 26 of 100
complete their sophomore year of college. I think that that
displays that you have a tremendous understanding of the
challenge that we are faced with in the education system of our
country, because given that scenario and the economic changes
that have happened and the job changes that have happened, we
understand how deficient a large section of the population will
be, lacking the skills to compete in the job market.
So I look forward to and welcome the bipartisan support
that everyone has shown to your confirmation.
Like many States, North Carolina has a growing immigrant
population. Did the Bush Administration factor in that trend
when setting the education goals for the next 4 years?
Ms. Spellings. Yes, absolutely, Senator. You come from
North Carolina, and North Carolina and Texas were some of the
early pioneers in what became kind of the policy principles of
No Child Left Behind, making sure that we disaggregate data,
that we find out how Hispanic kids are doing, how African
American kids are doing, how poor kids are doing.
And as you know, in No Child Left Behind, the law requires
that States establish proficiency standards for students--those
are state-set--and that all children be required to meet those
over a trajectory by the 2013-14 school year.
So, yes, it was factored in. I do think it is important for
us all to believe that those folks who are coming here to our
country and doing so legally and are in our schools need to be
able to have the skills necessary to compete in this workforce
as well, and a high-quality education is integral to that. So
absolutely we take that into consideration. In a State like
Texas, that is something that we have struggled with and
addressed. I think we know that we have curricula reforms that
are similar in the Hispanic culture and in alphabetic language
as we do in reading, so I think we have made some progress in
reading with Hispanic populations around the country, and I
think we will continue to do so.
Senator Burr. I think most around the country see North
Carolina's community college structure as a model of success,
with 59 institutions strategically throughout the State,
vitally important to worker retraining, to really being a
staple of our State's continued economic growth. How do you see
the future of community colleges in the mix of the educational
changes that this country will go through?
Ms. Spellings. I think they are our first line of providers
for training and job retraining. I have worked at a community
college before, providing professional development services,
ongoing continuing education to various professional groups.
The President has called for a very creative program where
companies, public sector institutions like community colleges
and private sector employers, guarantee employment and
basically tailor a curriculum for particular individuals to go
through and complete a course of study and then be employed. We
are seeing a lot of that in health care around the country. We
are seeing that in Tennessee, Senator; North Carolina obviously
is a model for community colleges. The President has visited
some down there, as I recall.
But I think they are our front-line providers. I think they
can be responsive quickly. I think they tailor curricula to
local employers and to local students. So I believe they are
our best bet.
Senator Burr. Once again, a welcome to you and a thank you
to you and to your family for the commitment to serve.
I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Welcome back, Senator Kennedy. We appreciate you being
here.
Senator Kennedy. Thank you.
It is nice to see my old friend and colleague Senator
Hatch. I do not usually see him at the far end of the table.
[Laughter.]
Senator Hatch. But you like me there, I am sure.
Senator Kennedy. Yes. We will keep you right down on that
end. [Laughter.]
Thank you, and I have seen in your statement the focus and
emphasis--Senator Jeffords, you were here during the time; I
would be glad to yield if you want to go ahead.
Senator Jeffords. Thank you.
Senator Enzi, I know you are not officially the chairman
yet, but I want to congratulate you for what you have done. We
have worked together closely since we acme into Congress
together.
I also want to welcome the new members, particularly
Senator Hatch; it is good to have him back.
And now I would like to turn to Ms. Spellings, if I may. As
you know, since 1965, the year the Federal Government began
playing a key role in education, there has been a struggle to
define that role. What is your vision of the Federal role in
balancing Federal programs with State and local efforts?
Ms. Spellings. Senator, thank you for that question. I
tried to speak to some of that in my opening statement. I have
worked on behalf of local school boards. I have worked
obviously at a Governor's office and in a State legislature and
now here. So I do have some appreciation for how those various
levels fit together, and I think at the Federal level, our job
is to set key strategic roles, particularly around our neediest
children--special ed kids, title I kids. That has been the
longstanding role since the mid-sixties, as you said, of our
public Federal role. And I think we must be clear about what we
expect from schools and States about that, and I think we ought
to align the resources around those goals and expectations. I
think that No Child Left Behind is a major step forward in
doing so. I think the new IDEA reauthorization is certainly
part of that as well. But I think it is to see about,
irrespective of geography, disability, or economic status, an
educational opportunity for all children around the country.
Senator Jeffords. I would like to turn to higher education.
In your testimony, you mentioned the reauthorizations that will
come before the committee this year. When can we expect a
detailed higher education proposal from the Administration? I
have not seen much activity in that area.
Ms. Spellings. Senator, the President has called for
various things around higher education policy, including more
recognition that there are many nontraditional students, that
we need to free up the way that we manage financial aid, look
at technology-based courses and allow financial aid to be used
for those in a more robust way, allow for year-around financial
aid, allow for students to be rewarded who take a rigorous
course of study, and so on.
Obviously, you all are working on the fine print of the
various financing systems and loan details. Obviously, the
President just signed the closing of the 9.5 percent loan
loophole. But he will be offering as part of his 2006 budget
some key parameters around a higher ed agenda, and we look
forward to working with you on that.
Senator Jeffords. We look forward to seeing your proposals.
Thank you.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Senator Isakson?
Senator Isakson. First of all, Mr. Chairman, I am delighted
to be on your committee and look forward to serving with you
and Senator Kennedy and the other members, and I am delighted
to join the chorus--and it obviously is a chorus when you look
at all the endorsements and hear this morning's statements--of
Margaret Spellings as the next Secretary of Education. She has
a distinguished record, and I am delighted to be a part of a
committee that I am sure will confirm that appointment.
Before I ask the question that I want to ask, I do want to
make a couple of comments, if not for anything, for the record.
Eight-and-a-half years ago, at a time of trouble in my State at
least in education, I found myself appointed in a rather
emergency situation as chairman of the State Board of
Education. And on a Sunday night, I watched ``60 Minutes'' do a
special on what was called the TASK, the Texas Assessment of
Students, which was the beginning of student assessment and
accountability and the reform that then Governor Bush and Ms.
Spellings put in place in the State of Texas. And I remember
the great questions and concerns about assessment and
accountability and the predictions of doom that had made it to
that broadcast.
As chairman of the State Board of Education in Georgia that
was itself having great difficulty, I followed closely and
began working with the State Department of Education in the
State of Texas, and I want to commend you and the President,
because what was predicted in that projection of doom that
night on that television show actually ended up being the
reverse, that inner-city minority children, rural poor
children, nonEnglish-speaking children, began testing at
remarkable improved rates in terms of their language arts
ability, their reading ability, and their mathematics ability,
which became the fundamental foundation of No Child Left
Behind.
So we are very fortunate, Mr. Chairman, to have a
distinguished woman who has been an advisor to a Governor and a
President, who initiated what I believe is the best reform of
education this country has ever done and one that the States
are buying into at a remarkably successful and rapid rate.
To that brings, I guess, my comment and my question. One of
my great frustrations in 28 years of elected office is that we
tend to seem to want to reform education every 6 years, yet it
takes 13 years for a child to go from kindergarten through the
12th grade.
I think your tenure of service in the next 4 years will be
the essential ingredient or the glue, if you will, that will
hold us to our commitment of leaving no child behind, giving
parents more choice, giving the assessment to the teachers and
the parents, and understanding that we do not have social
promotion anymore in this country, but we have a country that
provides opportunity for all.
So I just want you to elaborate on three words in your
statement, ``sensible and workable,'' because those three words
you made about the approach toward seeing no child left behind
through, I think will be the essence in dealing with the issues
of assessment, special education as a disaggregated component
and the effect it has had.
So would you just for our benefit talk about ``sensible and
workable'' approach as a Secretary of Education toward those
challenges?
Ms. Spellings. I will be glad to, and thank you for asking
me to do that.
I think we have learned some things since this act was put
in place. I think educators have learned some things. I think
policymakers have learned some things, and I think we ought to
inform the policy that we have put in place as we go forward. I
intend to listen to educators on the ground, to look at what
urban districts are finding, what rural districts are finding,
and see what we can do administratively, as I said, to embed
the principles of this act.
No one is served, not the children and not this policy,
with horror story type examples that undermine the credibility
of the law and undermine service to children.
So I am going to do a lot of listening, and I am going to
look at ways that we can improve our interactions with States
and local communities on a whole realm of things, and we are
not necessarily always going to agree about the calls that come
down, but I do think we have learned some things in 4 years,
and we ought to work from there.
With respect to the Texas record, thank you. I will try not
to be a Texas braggadocio, but I do think that as this act
becomes more mature, we are seeing educators buying into this
and starting to see--and we certainly saw this in Texas--that
it is working for them, that it is really in their interest to
know how kids are doing and to figure out that it is in a
principal's interest to see how is Curriculum A working
compared to Curriculum B across town. And I think the
information, the data, and this focus on each and every child
is critical.
We talk a lot about special education students and limited
English students, and it is thrilling for me, let me say, to
know that we are having these discussions around the
technicalities of how to put this law into place. Without No
Child Left Behind, we would not be talking about how those kids
are doing.
Senator Isakson. Thank you, ma'am.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Senator Kennedy?
Senator Kennedy. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Ms. Spellings, we have noted in particular in your opening
statement about the importance of math and science emphasis,
and we want to work closely with you. I think if we are going
to try to deal, both for our national security and defense as
well as international competition as well as our industry and
innovativeness and creativity here, this is going to have to be
an important priority. So we are particularly looking forward
to working with you.
I have looked through your comments, and I know you have
been asked a number of questions. In the area of the funding,
we have talked about this very extensively, and we see the
important increases particularly in the 1st year of the
Administration, some modest reduction, $90 million, in the 1st
year and $2.2 billion in the second, but then Congress
responded with some increase.
I think the best way of finding out about the adequacy is
going to be you traveling the country and listening and making
your own assessment, talking to parents, to teachers, and to
school boards as to whether we are going to make sure that all
of the children--as you well remember, in that legislation, it
was going to be that all children by the end of the 12 years
were going to reach proficiency. And we want to make sure that
we are giving that opportunity. That is always what the
President said, and maybe there are other ways that we can do
it, but we appreciate you recognizing, particularly in the next
2 years--yearly progress will rise in 35 States this year; for
the first time, schools will be required to demonstrate a
higher number of students proficient on State standards, as you
know. Next year, every State has to have on line tests in
grades 3 through 8, new science standards, and in nonrural
areas, a highly-qualified teacher in every classroom, as has
been mentioned by some of our colleagues and by our chairman,
the challenge and difficulties. And more schools than ever,
over 100 in Michigan alone, will be reconstituted and demanding
the additional resources.
So this is the reality, and we want to try to make sure
that we get the job done on it. We will certainly work with
you. We are mindful of the budget pressures and the rest, but I
think, as we hear from all of our members, the priorities in
terms of education--with 2.2 or 3 percent, whatever, of the
budget on education, I think most parents would feel that of
whatever taxpayers' dollars that we are spending, education
probably ought to have a higher priority. We will have to
wrestle with that, but I know that you are well aware of the
new kids of demands that we are placing on the schools and also
the general reduction in terms of title I, to which I referred
earlier.
So I welcome the fact that you are going to keep an eye
out, and we are going to have a chance--I know that with
Senator Dodd you responded to this, so I do not want to take up
much time going through it.
On the areas of higher education and the area of retention
and graduation rates in postsecondary education, I am
interested in whether you think colleges ought to be held
accountable for these gross disparities in retention rates,
geographically, demographically, and just by groups. In
particular, we have Federal funding for some of these that are
going out in scholarships and others, and many universities,
even some of those that have a higher concentration of sports,
have exemplary records in terms of graduating their athletes;
others just do not, and we have an increasing problem in this
area.
I do not know if you have some ideas on it, and I know that
it is not the subject of today's hearing, but have you given
this some thought?
Ms. Spellings. I have, Senator, and thank you for asking
that. K through 12 education, as we talked about, the Federal
Government provides 8 or 9 percent of the funding, but in
higher education, we provide nearly \1/3\, including the
research dollars that we allocate. So we are a major investor
in higher education in this country and rightfully so.
I think what we have learned in alot of policy areas,
including and especially No Child Left Behind, is that when we
provide information to parents and to policymakers, people can
act on it, and I think the Department of Education can do a
better job. Currently, we require lots of data from higher ed
institutions. It is not necessarily presented in a very usable
format for either policymakers or for parents to figure out
what is the best value for me and my kid. I am literally going
through this with my own child just now, who is graduating from
high school this year, to figure out is it a better value if my
kid gets out of ``X'' school in 6 years, or State U in 4, and
so on and so forth.
I think parents are confused about it. There are some
private commercial--U.S. News, Princeton Review, and other
places--that put out data, but I am not fully confident that we
really have much truth-in-advertising about what the state of
the world is with respect to getting out of college.
Senator Kennedy. We want to work with you on it, because I
know this is an increasing problem.
I know my time is up, but if I could just ask one more
question, Mr. Chairman.
You have referenced early education. I know that Senator
Gregg has talked about tying Head Start into the K through 12,
and we want to be able to achieve that. In terms of early
education, a number of States are moving ahead in this area.
You are familiar with Jack Shonkoff's wonderful book, ``Neurons
to Neighborhoods,'' that brings together all of the National
Academy of Science's research, and it is even more compelling
now, about the development of the mind of the child at a very,
very early time. We understand that the first teacher is the
parent, and we certainly understand and respect that, but we
also understand that there are some important opportunities in
this area. I know that Mrs. Bush has been very interested in
it. So I would be interested if you want to make a brief
comment about whether you think we might be able to make some
progress in this area.
Ms. Spellings. I do, and I think we must. I do not know if
you were in the room at the time, but I think if we are going
to be true to holding Governors and States accountable for
achieving results at 3rd grade, we certainly need to make sure
that kids enter school ready to be successful there. I think
there are multiple programs that Senator Alexander asked me
about, housed over at the Department of Education, with
somewhat conflicting goals, and I do think it is an area that
we can very much improve and work together on.
Senator Kennedy. I want to thank you. I will submit some
other questions, but I welcomed having had the chance in the
past to work with you and talk with you prior to the hearing.
We have a lot of work to do in this committee and on education,
and we look forward to it.
I would just mention--I mentioned this earlier to you--if
you would be good enough at different times to maybe just come
up in groups, and we could talk informally as well. I think
that would be very valuable. We started that with Secretary
Paige, and in the last year or two, we got off-track on it, but
it was enormously helpful in terms of helping us to kind of
reflect on what we are getting back home and having you listen
to this and help us to try to deal with some of these issues.
We look forward to following up on that.
I want to thank you very much, and I thank the chair.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
The Chairman. Thank you.
At this point, you have been questioned by three former
chairs of the education committee. Now you get a fourth.
Senator Hatch, welcome back to the committee.
Senator Hatch. Thank you so much, Senator Enzi, and
congratulations to you. I expect you to be a great chairman of
this committee. It is a very important committee.
And commiseration to Senator Kennedy for having to put up
with me again after all these years, but I am very appreciative
to be on this committee because it does so much good for our
society.
Ms. Spellings, I welcome you to the committee. I am a
strong supporter of yours. I know how competent you are and how
great you are, and I just want you to know that I am sure this
committee will put you through as quickly as possible so that
you can get about the work of doing what you should.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Hatch. I would also like to take a moment to thank
our outgoing Secretary Rod Paige for his service. During his
tenure, he led the implementation of a lot of major education
reforms. He showed great commitment in providing our children a
quality education notwithstanding their circumstances, thereby
honoring the pledge to leave no child behind. And while so
doing, Secretary Paige demonstrated willingness to consider
certain adjustments in an effort to align the implementation of
the No Child Left Behind Act within the intent of the law. And
we want to thank him for his service as well. I think he
deserves our thanks and congratulations.
I have looked forward to this hearing, and I look forward
to supporting you not only here in the committee but on the
floor, as you serve in this very, very important endeavor.
I would like my full statement to be placed in the record,
and let me just say that we are grateful to have your family
with us today, Mary and Grace, who I understand are here today
with your husband. We are grateful to have all of you here. We
welcome you.
Without a doubt, being a mother is the greatest classroom
in the world--that is where we really need to teach. But I
attended public schools. All of our children have attended
public schools, and our grandchildren are attending public
schools, and I have faith in our Nation's schools.
During the past 28 hears, I have been an active and strong
supporter of education, and as you know, education is the
hallmark of domestic issues. While I believe that our current
education system ranks among the world's greatest and finest,
we can still make a lot of improvements. As you know, I have
been supportive of the No Child Left Behind Act. Even those who
do not agree with everything in the NCLB agree that they are
now focused on making sure that every child is progressing and
many are using innovative approaches in tracking student
achievement and motivating them to meet the new standards. Of
course, this does not mean the law is perfect. We need to
continue to do what is working in the NCLB but also look to see
what is not.
As I travel around my own great State of Utah, there is no
single issue of greater concern to us in Utah than education.
We spend better than 50 percent of our budget on education in
Utah, and of course, we have been in the forefront of the
debate on No Child Left Behind, that particular act, because I
believe we were the first State to make moves toward possibly
opting out. I do not want to see us do that. That was due in
part to concerns about retaining State control and objections
to Federal mandates without sufficient funding.
I would just like to ask basically one question, or maybe
just a couple here. How do you anticipate addressing the
concerns that have been raised with the No Child Left Behind
Act, like in my home State of Utah, and would you be willing to
visit our State of Utah and help address these issues so that
we can make sure that our State benefits from that bill?
Ms. Spellings. Absolutely, and I am committed to do that.
Obviously, this is a theme here. You all have a lot of concern,
as do I, about how this law is working and being implemented in
your local communities and in your schools, and absolutely I am
committed to listen, to obviously stay true to the principles
that we all agree to of leaving no child behind, of proficiency
within a period of time, disaggregation of data, regular
assessment--but none of us wants to tip the boat over, if you
will, with these horror story types of examples. We in the
Administration are committed to make this law workable and
stable, and I look forward to coming to Utah and hearing what
your folks have to say.
Senator Hatch. Well, thank you so much. I want you to know
how much I support you, and I hope that I can be of great help
to you up here on Capitol Hill.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Hatch. Nice to have you here and your family.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Senator Hatch follows:]
Statement of Senator Hatch
Thank you for being here today, Ms. Spellings. I have been
impressed by the President's complete confidence in you and
your ability to serve our Nation and its most valuable asset,
our children, as our top educator.
I would like to take a moment to note outgoing Secretary
Roderick Paige's service. During his tenure, he led the
implementation of major education reforms. He showed great
commitment to providing our children a quality education,
notwithstanding their circumstances, thereby honoring the
pledge to leave no child behind. While so doing, Secretary
Paige demonstrated willingness to consider certain adjustments
in an effort to align the implementation of the No Child Left
Behind Act with the intent of the law. We thank him for his
service.
Know that I am a strong supporter of education and have
been pleased to play an active role in every piece of education
reform legislation that has come before the Congress in the
past 28 years. I attended public schools, as did my children
and now my grandchildren, and I have faith in our Nation's
schools.
While your credentials and experience are very impressive,
none is greater than your role as a mother and primary educator
of your two daughters, Mary and Grace (who are here today with
your husband, Robert). Without a doubt, the home is the
greatest classroom.
We are aware of your background of service in Texas as
chief education advisor to then-Governor George W. Bush. I have
been pleased to work with you during the past 4 years in your
capacity as the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.
As you know, education is the hallmark of domestic issues.
While I believe our Nation's education system ranks among the
finest in the world, we can still make improvements. I believe
funding for schools is very important, and I have consistently
supported Federal funding to assist our Nation's teachers,
schools, and students. I will continue to support programs to
enrich and improve our school system.
I have been supportive of the No Child Left Behind Act
(NCLB), signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2002.
Even those who don't agree with everything in NCLB agree that
they are now focused on making sure every child is progressing,
and they are using innovative approaches to tracking student
achievement and motivating them to meet the new standards.
Take Granite School District in Salt Lake City, Utah, for
example. This is an inner-city school district with a large
majority of students in low-income, nonEnglish-speaking
families. Granite used funds from NCLB to purchase a student
tracking database that shows how each child is doing in each
subject with every teacher. They know who needs the extra help
and in what areas. They are enlisting the support of parents,
teachers, and the community to make sure that these kids get
the help they need. And they are having great results. Test
scores are up. Honor roll is up. Parents are more satisfied.
Students are taking pride in their education. And, that's what
NCLB is all about.
But this does not mean the law is perfect. We need to fund
it better, and too many schools do not make Annual Yearly
Progress or AYP because they just do not understand what is
required, or misinterpreted the law. I think it is going to
take some time to adjust. We need to continue to do what is
working in NCLB and look at what is not.
Make no mistake, I am a strong advocate for local control
of education and want to make sure that there is sufficient
flexibility for our States. I trust that the Department of
Education will keep open lines of communication with the States
and localities as we work together to ensure that truly no
child is left behind.
The Chairman. Senator Harkin?
Senator Harkin. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and
first of all, let me congratulate you on assuming the
chairmanship of this great committee. I look forward to working
with you.
I welcome our new members and also want to pay my respects
again to Senator Hatch and our former chairman, Senator Gregg,
and our ranking member, Senator Kennedy, who has been
unerringly supportive of all of the matters that come before
this committee.
I want to again congratulate you, Ms. Spellings, on your
selection to be Secretary of Education, and I look forward to
working with you in that capacity.
I would just say that for as long as you are going to know
me in terms of our association in this committee, you will
think that I am a broken record, because I will continue to say
over and over and over again: Please do not talk to me about No
Child Left Behind unless you also talk to me about kids with
disabilities.
The one reason I supported No Child Left Behind--I worked
with you and President Bush and others on this committee at
that time--was because of my long history working on issues
pertaining to disability rights in this country.
We know the long, sad history of what has happened to kids
with disabilities in our educational system--the segregation,
the denial of any kind of support, the shunning off into State
schools for this and for that, the lack of any real involvement
with kids with disabilities in education.
Well, we have come a long way, we truly have, in a
bipartisan--not one party or the other--but we have come a long
way. The one thing that appealed to me about No Child Left
Behind was that if we really mean it, this was our opportunity
to put the force and power of our entire country behind finally
making sure that kids with disabilities get their rightful
place in our public education in this country.
So you mentioned--I was not here for your opening
statement, and I apologize; we all have other committees that
we are paying attention to this morning--but I read your
statement, and you mentioned disability in your statement,
about not discriminating and about making sure that they are
part of No Child Left Behind. But if we are going to do that--
and believe me, I have followed this now--you mentioned about 3
years coming up now--I have followed this, and there is a great
deal of apprehension on the part of parents of kids with
disabilities in our communities that what is happening is that
kids with disabilities are not getting the same kind of
residual support so that they fit into the rubric or under the
umbrella of No Child Left Behind as nondisabled kids.
Now, here is what I mean by that. In order for a kid with a
disability to have a quality education and to not be left
behind, certain things have to pertain to that child. There
have to be better assessments. We have to assess these kids.
Ms. Spellings. Absolutely.
Senator Harkin. I do not think we are doing a good enough
job of that right now, and that means that a kid with a
disability gets put in one direction that that kid should not
be in because they did not get a good up-front assessment and
periodic reassessments.
The second thing is accommodations and making sure that
kids with disabilities have the kinds of accommodations that
they need in the classroom and in the school so that they too
can progress; supplemental services that kids with disabilities
need. If we are going to have remedial programs for schools and
kids that are not meeting the AYP, what about the kids with
disabilities? They are going to need supplemental services,
too, whether it is tutoring or after school programs or
whatever it is. But that is not really thought about. It may be
thought about, but I am not sure it is being pushed very hard,
and I think there is probably one reason for it.
A lot of us say that money is not all the answer in
education, and we know that. But when it comes to kids with
disabilities, it is a big part of the answer. It costs money.
You know as well as I do that an up-front investment in early
childhood, first of all, in intervention services when a child
is born with a disability, early childhood intervention
services, early educational help for a child with a disability
will save us billions later on. We know that--aside from the
quality of life that that individual will have when he or she
grows to adulthood.
The IEP teams that are mandated in IDEA for kids with
disabilities--how do we get them educated on assessments and
supplemental services and accommodations so that they know how
to fashion an IEP for a kid? To me, that is missing when we
talk about No Child Left Behind.
So again I mention these because there is a big universe
out there in education. We talk about higher education, and we
talk about other things, and we are all involved and all that.
But I have one laser beam, and that is what I am going to focus
on, so I will be a broken record on it time and time again.
Whether you come here or whomever you send up or when we are
talking about the legislation, if we are going to continue with
No Child Left Behind--and I supported it because of this--we
had better make sure that IDEA fits in and meshes with No Child
Left Behind, that all the things we talk about for a kid
without a disability, we had better be talking about it with
kids with disabilities. And bottom line--how do we pay for it?
Our school boards out there in Iowa--and I am sure in other
States that I visited--are ready to tear their hair out,
because if they are really going to meet this requirement, it
is going to cost money, resources, especially for kids with
disabilities. And I do not believe--this is just my own
philosophy--I do not believe that we as a nation should simply
dump upon a local school district the requirement that they
have to come up with every penny--something, yes, but not every
penny--to ensure that a child with a disability in that school
district gets all of the help and support that they need to
make No Child Left Behind work. This ought to be a national
commitment that we have.
So, Ms. Spellings, I look forward to your thoughts on that,
on how we can improve the assessments. Again, a lot of these
kids do not do well on tests. They do not have the capability,
they do not have the knowledge. They have not been given the
early childhood support that we know is so necessary. So that
some kids enter school a little bit behind, but kids with
disabilities more often than not are way behind.
So in all those areas of accommodations, assessments,
supplemental services, the IEP teams, meshing IDEA with No
Child Left Behind and resources, again, your thoughts on that
and how you view making sure that we do not leave children with
disabilities behind.
Ms. Spellings. Senator, thank you very much.
I too share your concern for these kids, and I think that
while we obviously do not want school boards pulling their hair
out, I do think some of that hair-pulling is for the first time
focusing on these kids. We do have a way to go with them, and
particularly with respect to measurement systems. And you are
right, the Federal Government ought to foster some of these
best practices, and we should learn from them. But we are in
the early, early stages of figuring out how best to do this
with some of these kids, and there are some leaders--Kentucky,
Massachusetts, Kansas are starting to pioneer some of this
early assessment so that we can provide those opportunities for
these kids--but I have to say that without No Child Left
Behind, I am not 100 percent sure that that would be going on.
So I think we are making progress. You all obviously took a
very big step when you just reauthorized IDEA and aligned it
very closely with the principles of No Child Left Behind. There
is a quick deadline on the rulemaking provisions that are
there, and I am going to work hard to meet those so that we can
be clear with our guidance and do it in a timely way so that we
can at least have sound and clear and consistent guidance
across our education system.
I do think IEP teams need to know more about what resources
are available, what options are available, and what the State
of the art is, if you will, with respect to curriculum and
assessment. And I think we have a lot of work to do, and I
pledge to work with you on that. I know this is a bipartisan
issue, absolutely, as you said, and we are in the early stages
on some of this stuff, but at least we are in the stages on
some of this stuff, and without No Child Left Behind, I am not
sure we would be.
Senator Harkin. I appreciate that.
Thank you very much, Ms. Spellings.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Senator Sessions?
Senator Sessions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It is an honor to serve with you on this committee, and
congratulations on your chairmanship. There is no one in the
Senate I admire more, who works harder, who understands the
real role out there in the States where teachers and schools
are operating. You have great decency and commitment to
America, so it is a pleasure to serve with you.
Ms. Spellings, congratulations on your nomination. I have
talked with you at some length, and I know how excited you are
about this challenge. You are just itching to get it, and I
think you are going to do a great job.
I would like to just discuss one issue or focus on one
thought that I have. I taught 1 year. My wife taught a number
of years in public schools. The teacher's job is more difficult
than people realize. If children come to school who have not
been encouraged at home, if they have stayed up all night
watching some movie on TV and sleep through class, no matter
how decent and determined that teacher is, it is hard to reach
those children. So we have some difficult challenges out there
in education, and I would first like to say let us not blame
the teachers too much. They have a difficult challenge.
Second, as part of that, Alabama has developed what we
refer to as the Reading Initiative. Other States have a similar
reading initiative in which a host of studies of reading that
have been done that are authoritative have been analyzed, and
the principles that came out of those studies that are
demonstrated scientifically to improve a child's ability to
read have been put in this program. I have traveled my State
and talked to a lot of teachers who are using this new
technique throughout their schools, and the first thing I would
say is they all like it in every school that I have been in.
They have not resisted. They are sold on it, and they are
telling me that children learn to read better.
Now, it is my observation that you can build new schools,
you can at a certain point reduce classroom size, you can raise
teacher pay, you can have more activities in the school, but I
am not sure that learning is certain to go up. Sometimes it
does, sometimes there is no increase in learning.
But from what I can understand with this initiative,
reading scores go up. It takes several weeks of training for
the teachers, maybe some new textbooks, and that is about it as
far as cost. As the children go through 12 years of a system
that is based on that, we hope there will be even bigger
numbers.
The State is also working on a scientifically-based program
to teach science called the Science Initiative.
It seems to me that one thing that the Department of
Education could do is to study these programs and make sure
that some person who just got elected to the school board in
Alabama or Texas or wherever has access readily to programs
that work so they can ask their principals and superintendents
why aren't we doing this, and the examination of these programs
show progress or lack of it.
I guess what I am saying is that to me, that would be the
number one, foremost role of the Department of Education, is to
examine programs around the country to see which ones are
working and make sure that information is getting down to the
schools.
What are your thoughts on that?
Ms. Spellings. I could not agree more with you, and that is
why we have quadrupled funding for the Reading First
Initiative, which was based on the work the science, the brain
research that came out of the National Institute of Child
Health and Development.
When I talked about the role of the Federal Government,
this is absolutely it. We have a strong and rich research base
that informs these reading practices. I think there are two
effective things in educating kids--a great curriculum that
works and a great teacher--and I think we have frankly avoided
some of this curriculum or left it unattended for too long. I
think we are starting to make some good progress in reading. We
are going to have the NAEP reading test next year, and I am
confident that we are going to see some gains because of these
investments, because of the teacher training, and most
important, because of the research base that these things are
built on.
I think we need to do the same thing for math and science
and some of these other areas, as you said. That is an
appropriate role for the Department, for the National Institute
of Education Science. So I look forward to looking into those
things and to fostering these best practices around the
country, because we do not need to have every teacher trying to
reinvent it every day, when the cure for cancer, if you will,
is available and on the shelf.
So thank you.
Senator Sessions. I thank you for that, and I think you
should be relentlessly looking for techniques in teaching and
education that help students learn better. I believe we can do
a better job of that.
I would just close with this. You mentioned curriculum.
There is a small town in Alabama near the Mississippi line,
Winfield, a wonderful community, but it has no particular
industry or special universities or anything. Their test scores
are at the top of the State of Alabama every year. I visited
there and I asked the superintendent, who had been there for
many, many years--actually, I ended up talking to one of his
new principals, and I asked, ``Why? How are you able to do
this?'' He said the superintendent meets every morning with his
principals, and we discuss curriculum, what we are teaching and
how we are teaching it.
So I hope that you will focus on that. You and I have
talked about it. I think you have a grasp of that important
issue.
Mr. Chairman, I thank you. I believe we have a nominee who
has had great experience in education from the inside as well
as a perspective from the outside, and mostly, a real desire
and commitment to get about this job. I am excited for you.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator.
The Chairman. Thank you.
I would now ask unanimous consent that members be allowed
to submit statements for the record and that the record would
stay open for questions that can be submitted and answered. Is
there any objection?
[No response.]
The Chairman. Without objection.
Senator Kennedy and I have been discussing how it would be
possible to have a vote to get this out of committee. We have
reserved the President's Room for 12:15 today. At 12:30, we
begin the opening of the electoral ballots, so that would be
the time when people would be congregating over in the chambers
to go on over for the opening of the electoral votes. So I
would ask everyone to go to the President's Room at 12:15--let
us make it 12:20, just to give everybody a little more time--
and if everybody will show up at 12:20, we can have a quick
vote on it, subject of course to the questions being answered,
and that way, on the day of the Inauguration, we can have the
floor vote on this nomination.
I want to thank Ms. Spellings for her attendance here today
and her outstanding job of answering questions. That is as much
enthusiasm and knowledge as I have seen displayed at any
hearing for a nominee that I have ever attended. I do look
forward to working with you and my colleagues here to make
education in America even stronger.
Ms. Spellings. Thank you, Senator. I appreciate it.
The Chairman. With that, this meeting is adjourned.
We will be convening at 12:20.
[Additional material follows.]
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Statement of Senator Mikulski
Welcome, Ms. Spellings. You have an impressive record
working to improve education in this country and I respect your
reputation as a reformer and someone who believes in
accountability. I agree that each and every child has the
skills and qualities necessary to realize the American Dream.
Our schools must keep their promise to all our children. It is
our responsibility to help both those children and the schools
to make sure they have the resources they need to succeed.
I'm a former social worker so I strongly believe in giving
people the tools they need to practice self-help. To do that,
every child must have access to the opportunity ladder, and the
most important rung on that ladder is education. We must make
sure we have a public school system that works. That means
focusing on achievement and accountability. But to do that,
schools need resources from the Federal Government.
For higher education, community colleges are the gateway to
the future both for first time students looking for an
affordable college education and for mid-career students
looking to get ahead in the workplace. Their low cost,
convenient location, and open door admissions policy have made
them the key to the American dream for so many. As college
tuition at 4-year colleges continues to rise, more and more
students are turning to community colleges for the education
they need to prepare for 21st century jobs from nurses to
computer techies, and even lab techs for new industries, like
biotechnology.
Yet soon we may not be able to count on our community
colleges being available to everyone. They're growing faster
than 4-year colleges. Enrollment at Maryland's community
colleges is expected to grow 30 percent in the next 10 years,
while 4-year colleges will grow by 15 percent. The combination
of budget cuts and increased enrollments is forcing community
colleges to make tough choices between raising tuition and
turning students away. Now, more than ever, it's important to
invest not only in our public schools but in our community
colleges so they can continue to be affordable and accessible.
I think you are a good choice for our next Secretary of
Education and I look forward to working with you on these
issues and many others so that each American receives the
education they deserve.
Response to Questions of Senator Enzi by Margaret Spellings
Question 1. Federal education policy has often focused on the needs
of urban, high-poverty schools. Accordingly, rural educators are placed
in the difficult position of having to implement Federal requirements
that were not designed to meet their needs. How will you ensure that
the needs of rural educators are met?
Answer 1. I am committed to ensuring that every child, whether in
an urban or rural school, receives a high-quality education, and I look
forward to working with you to ensure that rural schools have the tools
they need to ensure that this goal is met. In April 2003, the
Department of Education (ED) established the Rural Education Task
Force. The Task Force coordinates the efforts within the entire
department concerning rural education's needs and issues. Examples of
ED's efforts to respond to rural educators concerns were demonstrated
with the additional flexibility granted to small and rural schools in
the areas of Highly Qualified Teachers, English as a Second Language
students, and allowing a smaller sample size.
Furthermore, outreach to rural educators will increase with the
recent establishment within the Office of Vocational and Adult
Education (OVAE) of the Center on Rural Education. The Center will
bring attention to the challenges and issues that face rural schools,
while also examining what role community colleges can play in meeting
the needs of high school students and working adults. Also, the
National Research and Development Center on Rural Education was
recently established at the University of North Carolina under a 10
million dollar 5-year grant from ED.
Question 2. The President's budget for the past several years has
requested additional funding to help offset costs incurred by the
Federal direct loan program. When the program was established it was
expected to have significant savings over the course of several years.
It is my understanding that these savings have never materialized. To
date, what savings has the Federal direct loan program generated on a
cash flow basis?
Answer 2. A preliminary analysis of the Department's cash records
shows that, since its inception in 1994 through 2004, the Federal
Direct Loan Program has net cash inflows of $2.3 billion on loan
disbursements of almost $146 billion. This net cash inflow is the sum
of almost $70 billion in net operating cash outflows and $72 billion in
Treasury financing inflow activity. The table below shows the cash
flows. These cash flows are not the same as subsidy estimates under the
Credit Reform Act. Costs and savings of Federal loan programs are
usually calculated on a net present value basis that look at the life-
time cash flows of the loans made in any 1 year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Cash
Activity in
Millions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan Disbursements to Borrowers......................... $145,605
Borrower Interest Payments.............................. (11,462)
Borrower Principal Payments............................. (60,394)
Borrower Origination Fees............................... (3,262)
Net Default Collections................................. (1,060)
Contract Collection Costs............................... 285
Payment of Origination Services......................... 180
Net Operating Cash Flows, Direct Loans.................. 69,892
Loan Capital Borrowings from Treasury................... (150,139)
Net Interest Payments to Treasury....................... 27,480
Principal Payments to Treasury.......................... 50,503
Net Treasury Activity................................... (72,156)
Net Cash Flows, Direct Loans............................ (2,264)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 3. The National Native American, Alaskan and Hawaiian
Educational Development Center in Sheridan is one of a number of
programs receiving funds through the Fund for the Improvement of
Education. As you know, this program has had remarkable success in
improving student achievement, and recently, that Center has begun an
effort to expand its training programs to reach more communities.
Please comment on the quality and the operation of the program and any
changes that could be made to improve the program and its expansion
efforts.
Answer 3. The St. Labre Native American Professional Development
Center in Sheridan, Wyoming, was awarded a 1-year fiscal year 2004
earmark grant under the Fund for the Improvement of Education in the
amount of $497,050. The Center was awarded the grant to ``expand a
program to train teachers serving Native American students in an early
literacy learning and math framework.'' In fiscal year 2005, the
National Native American Professional Development Center Foundation in
Sheridan, Wyoming, was awarded a second earmark grant for $100,000 for
similar activities. Working in partnership with the Center to gain a
greater understanding of the overall work of the Center, the Department
hopes to ensure this program carries out the work of No Child Left
Behind by providing accountability for results, research-based
instruction, and increased flexibility for schools. I look forward to
working with you to make projects like this deliver results and improve
student outcomes.
Question 4. Technology and distance learning are important tools
for helping schools to meet the goals and requirements of No Child Left
Behind. How do you envision the Department of Education helping schools
to adopt effective technologies for the instruction, testing,
accountability, supplemental services, and other areas to improve and
facilitate student achievement?
Answer 4. The Department of Education is helping schools by
providing a framework for improving student achievement by focusing on
technologies for instruction, assessment, accountability, supplemental
services and other areas to empower a transformation in education.
Recently, the Department's Office of Educational Technology published
the National Educational Technology Plan 2004, titled, Toward A New
Golden Age in American Education: How the Internet, the Law and Today's
Students Are Revolutionizing Expectations. This national long-range
technology plan is based on a nationwide assessment of the continuing
and future needs of the Nation's schools in effectively using
technology to improve student learning. The plan outlines seven key
areas for action: (1) Strengthen leadership; (2) Consider innovative
budgeting; (3) Improve teacher training; (4) Support e-learning and
virtual schools; (5) Encourage broadband access; (6) Move toward
digital content; and (7) Integrate data systems.
The Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology is
conducting the Nation's first annual survey tracking online learning
trends in K-12 schools. The survey will help to identify the number of
students enrolled in online courses, the grades and subjects in which
online learning is being offered, what technologies are used, and what
type of institution provides the courses. The Department is also
working with States, districts and e-learning providers to help
accommodate e-learning opportunities in their policies and regulations.
We will continue to explore ways the Federal Government can assist
schools--especially in rural areas--improve education through
technological breakthroughs in embedded assessments, curriculum
delivery, and data management.
In addition, the Department has created the Teacher-to-Teacher
Initiative to give teachers clear information about NCLB, high-quality
professional development, and access to the latest research through e-
learning courses on the web. I will continue to support these
initiatives.
Question 5. Studies have shown that afterschool programs provide
lasting, positive effects for our Nation's children and our society.
The advancement of such programs is most effective when government
partners with the private sector. For example, the JCPenney Afterschool
is a longstanding example of such a public/private partnership. Please
comment on what the Department of Education has done to promote these
programs and what do you believe can be done by the Department to
foster more partnerships between public and private entities like
these?
Answer 5. Central to the success of the 21st Century Community
Learning Centers program is an unprecedented public/private partnership
between the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Charles Stewart
Mott Foundation (Mott Foundation). The ED-Mott Foundation partnership
was founded on two related concerns: that unsupervised children will
have better outcomes if provided meaningful learning experiences in the
afternoon hours, and that communities get no value out of an empty
school building. By creating an extended multiyear agenda addressing
both organizations' primary concerns, the partnership has provided
thousands of children with quality afterschool opportunities. I am
committed to continuing this partnership.
National organizations also have had a role in the ongoing
operation of the partnership agreement. The National Governors'
Association, the National Council of State Legislators, the National
League of Cities, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and the
National Association of Elementary School Principals are working toward
expanding afterschool programming through the 21st Century authority
and State and local funding streams.
Response to Questions of Senator Hatch by Margaret Spellings
Question 1. As I travel around the great State of Utah, there is no
single issue area of greater concern than education. As you know, Utah
has been in the forefront of the debate on the No Child Left Behind Act
and was the first State to make moves toward possibly opting out, due
in part to concerns about retaining State control and objections to
Federal mandates without sufficient funding. Ms. Spellings, how do you
anticipate addressing concerns States have with No Child Left Behind
and would you be willing to visit Utah and meet with educators and
legislators?
Answer 1. Over the coming months I look forward to speaking with
educators, legislators, and all other interested parties, both in Utah
and the other 49 States, about their concerns with NCLB. I will be
happy to work with States and local school districts to make NCLB work
on the ground, within the parameters of the law. And as I indicated at
the hearing last week, I look forward to a future visit to Utah to
begin this important conversation.
Question 2. An important principle that we must take great care to
safeguard is that of federalism, that is, that the Federal Government
must only legislate where there is a compelling national interest and
allow the States to govern for themselves. That being said, what is
your personal philosophy with regard to federalism and the funding of
education?
Answer 2. The education of our Nation's children is unquestionably
a State and local responsibility. The Federal Government plays, and
must only play, a supporting role in this endeavor, especially in
helping disadvantaged and low-income students receive a quality
education. However, it is appropriate for the Federal Government to
demand high expectations and results from our Nation's schools in
exchange for the investment of Federal dollars. In return, the Federal
Government can and should assist States in the funding of their State
and local systems to ensure that no child is left behind. Federal
resources can and should be used to assist States and local schools in
educating children who are disadvantaged, and to assist them in meeting
their Constitutional obligations to educate children with disabilities.
Question 3. I would like to call to your attention another matter
involving the calculation of title I and efforts to prevent using
recent child poverty data from being used. If the 10-year census,
rather than the annual method is used, there will be an unfair
distribution of title I funds, and Utah is listed as the ninth most
affected State. For example, in fiscal year 2004, Utah would have lost
nearly $2.5 million of title I funds. I have been a long-time advocate
for equity, and most recently joined some of my colleagues in letters
to the Department of Education and this committee stressing the
importance of using the annual data to ensure that title I funding be
distributed to school districts with the greatest number of poor
children. Are you aware of this aspect of title I funding and what do
you think can be done to ensure it is fairly addressed?
Answer 3. It is critically important that title I resources go to
schools with the highest needs in terms of educating low-income
students. The law clearly requires the use of annually updated LEA
poverty estimates in allocating title I funds. The Administration has
consistently followed the law and will continue to do so. It is
entirely appropriate for Federal dollars to follow the neediest
students.
Question 4. It is my understanding that of the 10 States that have
received their highly qualified teacher (HQT) monitoring visits from
the Department of Education, so far four of them, including Utah, have
been informed verbally that their elementary teacher definition of
highly qualified is not in compliance with the No Child Left Behind
Act. That would mean that the vast majority of elementary teachers are
being told that they are no longer highly qualified. What kind of
technical assistance did the Department of Education provide to States
prior to submitting their HQT plans? Now that teachers are only a year
away from having to be highly qualified, what process do States have to
appeal the Department's findings that their definition is not in
compliance? What is the purpose of State licensing or credentialing or
even putting together an HQT plan if the Department of Education is not
going to give States flexibility in determining whether teachers are
highly qualified?
Answer 4. The Department has worked diligently, through
distribution of three versions of nonregulatory guidance, tool kits for
States and teachers explaining the highly qualified teacher
requirements, and conversations with State officials in all 50 States
through the Teacher Assistance Corps, to ensure that State and local
officials and teachers understand the highly qualified teacher
requirements of NCLB. In each communication, the Department emphasized
that the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) defines a ``highly qualified
elementary school teacher'' who is new to the profession as one who
holds at least a bachelor's degree, full State certification or
licensure as defined by each State, and has demonstrated subject
knowledge and teaching skills by passing a rigorous State test. Veteran
teachers, who are the majority of teachers within States, have the
option to demonstrate subject matter competency through the high
objective uniform State standard of evaluation (HOUSSE). Each State has
the responsibility to ensure they have the procedures and systems in
place to allow teachers to meet the requirements. States such as
Montana have chosen not to offer their veteran teachers a HOUSSE and
other States have chosen not to offer teachers tests of subject
knowledge and teaching skills. The Department will continue to work
with States to ensure this law works and that includes a highly
qualified teacher in every classroom.
Question 5. Ms. Spellings, we've often heard complaints about the
lack of Special Education funding to the States. I think I've heard
that under this Administration there have been record amounts of
funding requested, and that in the past 4 years, Utah alone has
received 60 percent more funding. Is that right?
While this is commendable, special education funding falls short of
the 40 percent Federal commitment and is still less than 20 percent.
This issue is extremely important. Parents and teachers talk to me all
the time about deficiencies in the level of funding, particularly when
the law says full funding. I recognize that there are competing
budgetary priorities, but this is important to me and to families. Do
you anticipate that the Administration will support efforts to put
special education on the pathway to full funding?
Answer 5. Yes, this President has requested four record-level
increases of $1 billion per year since 2001 for the Special Education
Grants to States program and Congress has enacted increases that
represent 73 percent more funding (or $41 million more) for Utah since
the President entered office. I expect the Administration to continue
to support increased funding for special education, while taking into
account and appropriately addressing other important education
priorities.
Question 6. And on the subject of special education, there have
been valid concerns raised that the Individuals with Disabilities in
Education Act (IDEA) conflicts with No Child Left Behind, in principle
and application, and States are unable to comply with both. What are
your thoughts on separating IDEA from NCLB?
Answer 6. NCLB and IDEA work hand in hand. The recent
reauthorization of IDEA recognized this and took steps to align the two
acts. Both are based on four basic principles: stronger accountability
for results; increased flexibility and local control; expanded options
for parents; and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven
to work. The IDEA focuses on providing the necessary special education
services and supports at the individual level, while NCLB holds schools
and States accountable for the learning of all students at the systemic
level.
Rather than separating the IDEA from NCLB, Congress made the wise
decision to align State programs for students with disabilities under
the IDEA with the accountability requirements of NCLB. Advocates for
children with disabilities and their families widely support alignment
because, for the first time, schools are now thinking about children
with disabilities as part of their overall learning programs, rather
than separating disabled children from the regular educational
programs. This is a strong step forward to fully integrating all
children in their schools and communities.
Both NCLB and the newly reauthorized IDEA emphasize the academic
achievement of students with disabilities and ensure that special
education teachers are highly qualified so that students with
disabilities have the same opportunities to reach their potential as
their nondisabled peers. This can only happen if we hold schools and
States accountable and provide them with the resources they need.
Question 7. Are you familiar with the Department of Education's
eLanguage Learning System or ELLS? While it seems to me that Chinese
students learning English is a very worthy goal, it is a market that is
already well-served by the private sector, in particular by American
companies. Ms. Spellings, what is your view on the Department of
Education using taxpayer dollars to compete with our own private sector
when Congress has made it fairly clear that it does not support the
ELLS program?
Answer 7. The U.S.-China E-Language Learning System Project (ELLS)
is designed to determine the effectiveness of an Internet-based program
of second-language instruction for middle-school students through the
use of animation, gaming techniques and voice recognition.
This project is a research-and-development effort that was never
intended to compete with the private sector. Consistent with the
sentiment expressed by the Senate, the Department of Education will not
expend any fiscal year 2005 funds on this project.
Response to Questions of Senator Roberts by Margaret Spellings
Question 1. We all recognize that ensuring success in college does
not begin in college; the earlier support and guidance are provided to
students, the more likely students are to successfully complete
college. Can you tell me if you view programs, such as TRIO, as
important to providing this early academic support and guidance to
middle school and high school students, and how these programs can be
strengthened to serve more students?
Answer 1. President Bush is very concerned about our Nation's high
school students, which is why he proposed a new High School
Intervention Initiative that will prepare our high school students for
the future. His education proposals would help ensure that every high
school student graduates with the skills needed to succeed in
postsecondary education and in a globally competitive workforce.
President Bush believes that States should have more flexibility to use
funds to best meet the needs of their students, as long as they are
also ensuring results.
Question 2. How do you view the Department of Education, including
the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and
the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), working with the
Department of Labor to assure that individuals with disabilities can
get the services and supports they need to engage in competitive
employment?
Answer 2. The President's New Freedom Initiative sets employment as
one of its primary objectives and demands interagency collaboration to
achieve those objectives. The employment of capable, qualified people
with disabilities is aligned with business interests as well as the
President's initiatives that the Department of Labor has responsibility
for: High-growth Job Initiative and measures to speed economic
recovery. The activities of the Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA) can be better integrated with the Department of Labor's One-stop
system at the local level to respond quickly to immediate and future
employer needs. I support doing so.
Question 3. What steps or initiatives should the Department of
Education support to help employers overcome concerns or misconceptions
to promote an increase in employment for persons with disabilities?
Answer 3. We need to actively engage the private sector as critical
partners. Under my leadership, the Department's Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) will improve its accountability and focus
investments in proven models to address employer concerns and
misconceptions. I plan to build the capacity of State and Federal
vocational rehabilitation programs to network and work directly with
employers to assist them in ways that are most helpful as identified
through research: making accommodations, applying for tax credits,
providing appropriate training and on-the-job support. We must also
ensure that State and local training providers are held accountable for
effective training of all those looking for employment--including
people with disabilities.
Question 4. Would you consider reviewing and revising the
Rehabilitation Act to allow businesses, that have as their mission the
employment of individuals with disabilities, to be eligible for
Vocational Rehabilitation referrals if they do not carry a sub-minimum
wage certificate, provide health and retirement benefits to their
employees, and employ some disabled individuals in supervisory
positions?
Answer 4. As a Federal Agency leading employment research, training
and job placement of people with disabilities in the country, the
Department of Education must maintain the highest expectations for
people with disabilities. My goal is to help people with disabilities
attain their full employment potential in integrated settings. I am
open to consider reviewing and revising policies to promote the full
integration and employment of people with disabilities, particularly in
small business environments.
Response to Questions of Senator Kennedy by Margaret Spellings
k-12 education and nclb
Question 1. What will you do to ensure the DC voucher program is
appropriately and fairly assessed for its effectiveness? Will the
Department of Education issue any monitoring report about the
effectiveness of the DC voucher program? What information can the
committee expect to receive about this pilot program?
Answer 1. Pursuant to Congress's call for an independent evaluation
of the program, the Institute for Education Sciences has contracted the
evaluation of this program with WestEd and Georgetown University. The
evaluators are required, by law, to offer Congress annual reports of
the program's progress. The first such report is due in the next few
weeks.
The Department is working scrupulously to ensure that the
evaluation of the DC School Choice Incentive Program is conducted
rigorously and in accord with the highest standards of research design.
The independent evaluation will rigorously examine the following
issues, as stipulated in the statute:
The academic achievement of scholarship students (compared
to that of students who remain in DC public schools, including those
who apply for scholarships but do not receive them);
The retention, dropout, and college admissions rates of
participating students (again in comparison with other DC students);
The success of the program in expanding educational
options for parents;
The reasons why parents choose to have their children
participate in the program;
The impact of the program on students and public schools
in the District; and
The safety of the schools attended by scholarship
students, compared to other schools.
As required by the law creating the DC choice program, I will
submit to Congress annual interim reports on the progress and
preliminary results of the program's evaluation, as well as a final
report on the evaluation's results. Also, I will annually submit to
Congress a report detailing the findings of reports submitted to the
Department by the program administrator (the Washington Scholarship
Fund). In its reports to the Department, the program administrator is
required by statute to describe in detail the activities carried out
with funds under the program as well as the achievement of the program
including the following: the academic achievement of students
participating in the program; the graduation and college admission
rates of students who participate in the program, where appropriate;
and parental satisfaction with the program.
Question 2. It has become recently evident that the unintended
implications of No Child Left Behind have included unwanted cutbacks of
music, history, the humanities, and other subjects. What are your views
on this trend? Do you support the role of arts in education and its
utility in helping close the achievement gap? As Secretary of
Education, what do you plan to do to correct this problem of narrowing
these critical subjects from the school curriculum?
Answer 2. As NCLB is implemented, news reports have offered stories
that this reform is eliminating arts, PE, social studies, and other
enrichment activities. The Department does not advocate these responses
and is providing technical assistance to districts and schools to keep
well-rounded curriculum options. The critical mission of schools
remains of ensuring that students can read and write and add and
subtract, but this can be done in a way that does not eliminate other
subjects from the curriculum. Many schools are continuing to integrate
all subjects into their school day, and the Department will continue to
highlight best practices to ensure that schools do not eliminate
subjects.
Question 3. Targeting extra academic help and support to children
in low-performing schools is key to closing the achievement gap. No
Child Left Behind requires schools that have failed adequate yearly
progress for 3 or more years to offer supplemental education services
to their students.
The No Child Left Behind Act expressly requires compliance with
civil rights laws for all supplemental service providers, thereby
prohibiting discrimination in services. However, the Department's
guidance of August 2003 on this issue does not require that all
supplemental service providers serve children with disabilities or
limited English proficient students.
Given that students with disabilities and limited English
proficient students are often most in need of extra attention and help,
how do you reconcile this discrepancy in the implementation of the law?
What will you do in your tenure to ensure that such students receive
equitable services from supplemental service providers and are not
discriminated against?
Answer 3. The current guidance makes clear that all States and
districts must ensure that eligible students with disabilities and
students covered under section 504 are able to participate in
supplemental services, and providers may not discriminate against such
students. Additionally, States and districts must ensure that eligible
students with limited English proficiency receive supplemental services
and language assistance in the provision of such services.
States are working hard to approve a range of high-quality
providers who can serve special populations of students; each month,
the number of providers approved around the country increases. However,
in some communities, there may not be private providers that have the
necessary skills and resources to provide a quality program to students
with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency. In
these instances, the school district is charged with providing services
to these students, and the district must make every effort to ensure
that its services are of high quality and meet the provider standards
set by the State. This ensures that students are not discriminated
against in the provision of supplemental services.
The Department will continue to offer resources and encouragement
to States to help them approve providers who can serve all populations
of students. Additionally, we will highlight those providers who can
serve special populations, as a model of what providers can do, and
provide outreach to organizations that are not currently providers, but
would be especially well suited to provide supplemental services to
special populations.
Question 4. At the time of No Child Left Behind's passage, there
was broad bipartisan consensus to ensure a high level of quality among
supplemental service providers, and to align those services to
classroom instruction. As you are aware, the law tasks States with
applying such criteria to their selection of eligible supplemental
service providers.
The Department's regulations, however, prohibit States from
allowing a school district to provide supplemental education services,
if such district has failed adequate yearly progress for 2 or more
consecutive years. As you know, no such policy was established in the
No Child Left Behind statute. Just last month, the Department pursued
and enforced this policy in the State of Illinois, restricting yet
again their authority to develop and establish high quality criteria
for allowing school districts to continue to provide supplemental
services.
What is the Department's rationale for such a policy? Does the
Department deem every school district in need of improvement incapable
of providing quality supplemental services, irrespective of the
particular subject or focus of improvement in the district? Will you
consider future revisions to such a policy?
Answer 4. The Department continues to support the policy that
districts that have been identified for improvement or corrective
action cannot serve as a supplemental service provider. The Department
included this provision in its regulations because districts that have
been identified for improvement or corrective action have not reached
their State's interim adequate yearly progress goals for at least 2
consecutive years. These districts have to bring about major
improvements in their operations and outcomes, and should not be
distracted from that objective by simultaneously operating supplemental
services.
Some districts, like some schools in need of improvement, may have
less work to do than others in meeting their academic performance
goals. However, the Department believes that these districts should
still focus their attention on educating students to high standards
during the school day, rather than divide their attention between
providing school-day instruction and supplemental services.
Like I stated at my hearing, I am committed to listening to States,
school districts, and schools to make this law workable and sensible.
Question 5. The number of schools that have not made adequate
yearly progress under NCLB for more than 4 years is going up. A lot of
these schools are wrongly in this category of NCLB accountability; they
wouldn't be in this final stage of restructuring if the Department
retroactively applied its regulatory changes of a year ago.
Would you be willing to consider making those regulatory changes--
on special education, limited English proficiency, and test
participation--retroactive? And for those schools that truly have not
made AYP for 4 years or more, how can the U.S. Department of Education
help States and districts turn around these schools?
Answer 5. Federal statutes and regulations are only applied
prospectively unless there is clear Congressional intent and language
to apply such policies retroactively. Allowing for the retroactive
application of the policies related to the assessment of, and
accountability for, students with the most significant cognitive
disabilities and LEP students would result in no practical difference
than by not allowing it, but would result in great confusion in the
field about what rules applied when and how. It is inappropriate to go
back and recalculate each time the Department or a State readjusted its
rules or its State accountability plan. We will continue to provide
assistance to States so that schools will have research-based curricula
and improvement strategies, and I will commit to listening to how this
is playing out in States and school districts across the country and
ensuring that this policy is workable and sensible.
Question 6. The No Child Left Behind Act requires all teachers to
be highly qualified by the end of the 2005-06 school year. The law also
clearly provides several options for veteran teachers to meet these
requirements through the high, objective, uniform State standard of
evaluation (HOUSSE). Some States have still not provided the HOUSSE
option to their teachers, and other States have only recently
implemented it. That delay obviously impacts the ability of some
teachers to meet NCLB's deadline.
Answer 6. Most States are on-track to meet the 2005-06 deadline.
Forty States have adopted HOUSSE procedures for their teachers, and 4
States are requiring all teachers to pass rigorous content tests as a
condition of certification. Some States have put their teachers at a
disadvantage by not acting sooner; however, there is still time for
every teacher to meet the deadline, and the Department of Education is
providing resources through the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative to
support States' efforts. We will be contacting each State where our
monitoring indicates deficiencies and work with those States to address
these deficiencies to ensure that every student is taught by a highly
qualified teacher.
Question 7. What is the Department doing to address the
implementation of the HOUSSE? Does the Department intend to require
those States that have not yet implemented this standard to do so? What
consequences do States, districts and teachers face if the highly
qualified goal is not met by the 2005-06 school year? As Secretary,
what specific actions would you support in concert with States and
local school districts to improve teacher quality, especially in school
districts serving high concentrations of poor students?
Answer 7. Improving teacher quality for all students is essential
to achieving the vision of No Child Left Behind. It is especially
important to ensure poor and minority students are taught by effective
teachers. I stand with President Bush in supporting the Teacher
Incentive Fund, giving States extra resources to provide monetary
incentives for high quality teachers to teach in the schools that need
them the most and reward schools and teachers that are eliminating the
achievement gap.
NCLB gives States the option of allowing their experienced teachers
to demonstrate subject matter competency through a high objective
uniform State standard of evaluation or HOUSSE. While the law does not
require States to implement HOUSSE, and the Department favors granting
flexibility where available, the Department can not require States to
develop HOUSSE for its teachers, but it will continue to urge them to
do so. We applaud States which take the rigorous approach of testing
all teachers as they move toward meeting the goal of all teachers
meeting the highly qualified teacher requirements by the end of the
2005-2006 school year.
Question 8. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education has
commenced reviews of States' compliance with the highly qualified
teacher definition under the No Child Left Behind Act. The Department
previously told States that it would not formally approve their highly
qualified definitions. Now, 3 years after enactment of the law,
Department officials are now informing some States that their teacher
quality plans and definitions are not in compliance with No Child Left
Behind. This has understandably lead to some confusion and frustration
in the States such as North Dakota, which have alleged that they were
previously told by U.S. Department of Education officials that they
were in compliance with the law. Can you please tell us as Secretary
what you will do to ensure a better process that does not result in
confusion and miscommunication between your Department and State
Departments of Education?
Answer 8. The Department is in the process of monitoring State
compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act, particularly in regards
to the highly qualified teacher provisions and the use of title II
funds for improving teacher quality. The Department has always been
clear that the law does not require a formal review and approval
process for State definitions of ``highly qualified,'' as it does for
State accountability systems, yet the minimum requirements of the law
must be met. The Department will work diligently to remind States of
their obligation to implement all parts of the law regardless of
whether they are required to submit plans for review and approval.
Question 9. As Secretary, how do you plan to improve the
Administration and implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, to
focus less on punitive aspects and more on supporting schools' efforts
to increase learning among children? As Secretary, do you anticipate
issuing any new or additional guidance and regulations in response to
many of the implementation concerns and problems that have been
identified across the Nation?
Answer 9. Since the passage of NCLB, the Department has had
extensive and unprecedented interactions with the States, districts,
schools and teachers, and has discussed with every State its unique
education system and needs, and continues to do so. After NCLB was
enacted, at the Department's invitation and expense, delegations from
47 States came to the Nation's capital to individually meet with senior
Department leadership. Other examples of outreach include the
following:
The Department recruited and trained 50 teachers,
principals, district officials, representatives from higher education,
and national policy experts to serve as members of the Teacher
Assistance Corps (TAC). The TAC has rendered direct support and
technical assistance to nearly every State in meeting the challenges of
the highly qualified teacher provisions of the law and visited every
State.
The Office of English Language Acquisition has conducted
52 video teleconferences and 35 onsite visits with the States to
provide in-depth technical assistance. This effort facilitated the
development and implementation of the integrated systems of standards
and assessments, required by Title III of NCLB.
The Department has created a toll-free number for local
superintendents to call when they have questions about NCLB
implementation in their local educational agency.
Organizations such as the Council of Chief State School
Officers and the Council of the Great City Schools are working with the
Department to provide assistance to States and districts.
Extensive technical assistance has been made available to
States, districts and schools as they develop and implement their
Reading First programs. The Department has awarded a multimillion
dollar contract to establish the National Center for Reading First
Technical Assistance.
Since January 2004, the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative has
conducted roundtable discussions with 300 teachers, distributed email
updates to 19,000, conducted fall and summer workshops for 1,800,
honored 60 American Stars in Teaching, and launched eLearning (online
professional development) with 44,000 hits to the Web site.
I will continue such outreach activities and commence additional
activities in the coming months. As I stated at my hearing, if through
such activities, meetings, and interactions, I learn of areas of
concerns for which additional guidance and technical assistance is
necessary, new guidance will be created or current guidance updated. I
pledge to work with States and school districts to ensure that the law
works well on the ground.
Question 10. The Administration's interpretation of the graduation
rate accountability provisions under the No Child Left Behind Act
raises serious concerns. In the past, the Department has ruled that
graduation rates need not be disaggregated by race, income, disability,
and limited English proficiency to determine adequate yearly progress.
Further, it allows States broad flexibility in defining graduation
rates, and to be considered to be making adequate yearly progress, it
allows States to make virtually no improvement in graduation rates. At
the same time, a dropout crisis faces the youth of our Nation.
According to a recent study by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard and
the Urban Institute, only 50 percent of Black students and 53 percent
of Latino students graduate from high school 4 years after beginning
9th grade. A superficial enforcement of the graduation rate
accountability provisions under the No Child Left Behind Act will do
nothing to stem this trend. What will you do as Secretary to ensure
strengthened accountability for graduation rates?
Answer 10. To ensure that schools do not make AYP simply because
students have dropped out of school, States must include the graduation
rate in their definitions of AYP for high schools. I agree that States
should hold high schools accountable for the number of students who
graduate from high school and that States should use graduation rate
calculations that are as accurate as possible. In fact, the President
has called for ensuring that every student graduates from high school
with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college or the
workforce.
Prior to NCLB, many States did not collect and calculate graduation
rate data taking into account either regular diplomas or the standard
number of years to graduate and/or did not collect graduation rate data
for all the subgroups of students required by NCLB. Prior to having
their State accountability plans approved by the Department, any State
not currently able to calculate a graduation rate that meets all the
requirements of NCLB had to demonstrate how it would alter its data
collection systems in order to calculate the graduation rate for all
subgroups of students in the coming 4 years.
NCLB allows States to choose the graduation rate targets that they
use in making AYP determinations. States can either require schools to
show growth, or to meet an absolute target. However, in order for the
graduation rate to be a meaningful indicator of academic achievement,
the measure must be accurate. In December 2003, the Department awarded
a contract to the National Institute of Statistical Sciences to convene
a group of experts to review the methods for reporting high school
dropouts and on-time graduates. The expert review has recently reviewed
existing rates and the data that underlie them, examined the concerns
that have been raised about existing measures, and has made
recommendations for improving data collection and estimation procedures
that the Department is now considering.
I pledge to continue working with States to ensure graduation rates
are accurate and meaningful.
Question 11. The use of native-language instruction for some
limited English proficient students is a tool that is supported by
research to be effective in teaching children academic English. Do you
believe that schools have the flexibility under No Child Left Behind's
English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic
Achievement Act, Reading First, and Early Reading First, to use native-
language instruction as one instructional approach? Would the
Department require schools to use only an English immersion approach
under your helm?
Answer 11. States and their districts and schools have great
flexibility in using NCLB dollars to support language proficiency
programs that best meet the needs of their students. Nevertheless, NCLB
does require that language instruction programs supported by Federal
funds be based on scientifically based research and have a demonstrated
record of effectiveness in increasing English language proficiency and
student academic achievement in the core academic subjects. The
Department does not and would not require schools to use only an
English immersion approach.
Question 12. The No Child Left Behind Act allows States to use
native-language assessments to measure the academic progress of limited
English proficient students. Few States, however, are using native-
language assessments, even though they would provide schools with more
accurate information about the progress of limited English proficient
students than would English-language assessments. Do you believe that
English-language assessments are appropriate tools for measuring those
students' reading, math, or science skills? What are your views on the
No Child Left Behind Act's requirements to implement proper and
workable accommodations for limited English proficient students? Beyond
additional research, what would you propose the U.S. Department of
Education do to help States develop native-language assessments that
are aligned to their academic achievement standards?
Answer 12. NCLB requires that LEP students be provided reasonable
accommodations on State assessments, including to the extent
practicable, native language assessments. States must take many factors
into consideration when considering whether or not native-language
assessments will improve the validity and reliability of assessments
for LEP students. For example, native-language assessments may not be
valid and reliable for LEP students who are not literate in their
native language, who speak a dialect different than that in which the
assessment is written, or who receive their daily instruction in
English. Currently, NCLB supports the development of better
accommodations and the development of native-language assessments
through section 6111 funds. To date under NCLB, all 50 States have been
provided with a total of over $1.5 billion in Federal funds for the
development, improvement, and implementation of State assessments. I
will continue to work with States to ensure they have developed
appropriate assessments for their students.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Question 1. One thing that our committee agrees on is the
importance of having a good teacher in every classroom. In the No Child
Left Behind Act, we established criteria for a highly qualified teacher
and this Congress will take a fresh look at how the Federal Government
can assist in the preparation, recruitment, mentoring and professional
development of teachers. We know that we still have real challenges in
getting--and keeping--the best teachers in schools that face the most
challenges. What are your ideas on how we strengthen Title II in the
Higher Education Reauthorization to support the goal of making every
teacher a highly qualified teacher?
Answer 1. There are several things we can do. First, we need to
make training teachers an institutional priority--we need to involve
university presidents in the discussion about improving the
collaboration between schools of education and schools of arts and
sciences and we need to encourage them to adopt models that work.
Second, we need to have our teacher quality partnership programs follow
their graduates into the classroom and assess their success based on
the academic achievement of their students. Third, we should support
faculty exchanges so that college faculty actually spend time in the
classroom in the local school in order to understand the challenges
facing our new teachers. Finally, we need to ensure that our colleges
and universities train prospective teachers in research-based methods.
Question 2. More and more colleges are raising a lot of money for
student aid by entering into deals with the banks. The colleges lend
bank provided money to their graduate students and then immediately
sell their graduate student loans back to the banks at a profit (so
called ``school-as-lender'' deals). Some colleges have put their
``school-as-lender'' business out to bid, thereby generating even more
revenue from the banks that can then be passed on to students. Do you
think this type of competitive practice is something that should be
curtailed or expanded?
Answer 2. The school-as-lender issue is something the Department
has been reviewing and this issue was recently the subject of a GAO
review. From 1970 through 2004, we have had only 65 or so institutions
out of more than 6,000 total actually make loans to their students.
This program had not been a priority for Department oversight in the
past. However, the Department has stepped up its oversight and has not
discovered any fraud or mismanagement on the part of the institutions
that choose to operate lending programs. The main concern at the
Department is ensuring that schools properly manage their programs and
invest their earnings in other student assistance in accordance with
the requirements of the HEA. At this moment, with only 65 institutions
making loans and with no troubling audit findings, I do not know if
there is reason to curtail the program but I will certainly look into
it, and HEA reauthorization gives us an opportunity to do this.
Question 3. During these tough economic times, many small
institutions--particularly minority-serving institutions and community
colleges--really struggle to keep costs down and maintain and expand
academic programs in math, science and engineering. What efforts can be
made to help these schools graduate more students who are prepared to
compete in these challenging fields?
Answer 3. This Administration already has started to help address
this situation through programs at the Department of Labor. The
President's High Growth Job Training Initiative is a strategic effort
to prepare workers for new and increasing job opportunities in high
growth/high demand and economically vital industries and sectors of the
American economy. The initiative provides national leadership for a
demand driven workforce system. Funds are provided to strategic
partnerships between public workforce systems, business and industry
representatives, and education and training providers, such as
community colleges. In addition, under Title III of the Higher
Education Act, minority serving institutions and community colleges are
eligible for grant funds to be used for expanding academic programs.
To ensure that America's graduates have the training they need to
compete for the best jobs of the 21st century, President Bush will also
propose establishing a new public-private partnership to provide $100
million in grants to Pell-eligible, low-income students who study math
or science in college. Under this plan, approximately 20,000 low-income
students would receive up to $5,000 each to study math or science.
Question 4. According to Secretary Paige's November 18th response
to my initial August 2004 inquiry on the 9.5 percent loan issue, the
Department of Education has not passed judgment on the propriety of
past, increased 9.5 percent lender payments, some of which may never
have been legally claimed in the first place. There is about $3 billion
at stake. Will you make resolving this legal question one of your first
management priorities? Irrespective of the loans already made, can we
agree that no lender should be guaranteed a minimum 9.5 percent rate of
return on any student loan newly issued from now on, unless of course
if interest rates spike to double today's level?
Answer 4. The Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act of 2004, which was
supported by Congress and the Administration, addressed the 9.5 percent
loan loophole for 1 year. With the reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act this year, we now have an opportunity to fully address
this issue, and Iook forward to working with you on it.
I understand that the program review staff at FSA ensures the
appropriateness of 799 Interest and Special Allowance Billings (799
Billing) and payments in two ways. First, FSA verifies the billing
codes included on the 799 Billing and then FSA calculates the proper
special allowance to be paid. If this first review identifies errors on
the 799 Billing, the entire form is rejected and a corrected 799
Billing is requested. Second, FSA conducts onsite program reviews of
the loan records to verify tax-exempt status to ensure that the
Department has been properly billed. Both of these review activities
have been performed for this category of loans since 1996. These FSA
review activities are performed in addition to the audits conducted by
CPA firms, as required under 34 CFR 682.305.
In recent program reviews of tax-exempt lenders, no illegalities
have been found by Department staff. However, we will continue to
monitor all special allowance billings and ensure that lenders are
properly billing the government.
With respect to new loans, there will continue to be new loans that
receive the 9.5 percent minimum special allowance for sometime into the
future under current law. These loans will be made from preexisting
bond obligations that allowed for the 9.5 percent minimum. Over time,
these loans will cease to exist as bond obligations are retired and the
special tax-exempt billing issue will end.
Question 5. With nearly 30 percent of all college students taking
remedial classes, it's clear that we must do more to strengthen the
high school pipeline and get kids thinking about college early, and
provide them with needed supports once they are in college. Proven
programs like Talent Search, Upward Bound, Gear Up, and TRIO have
helped thousands of young people prepare for college, understand the
application process, choose the right school for them and graduate.
What are your plans for these programs?
Answer 5. President Bush is very concerned about our Nation's high
school students, which is why he proposed a new High School
Intervention Initiative that will prepare our high school students for
the future. His education proposals would help ensure that every high
school student graduates with the skills needed to succeed in
postsecondary education and in a globally competitive workforce.
President Bush believes that States should have more flexibility to use
funds to best meet the needs of their students, as long as they are
also ensuring results.
Question 6. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
provides a critical opportunity to make this important legislation an
engine for workforce training and productivity. In order to do this,
emphasis must be placed on helping students shoulder the economic
burden of college attendance costs. In addition, the picture of a
``typical'' college student is in much need of revision. In fact, the
``traditional'' college student is now in the minority. In the 1999-
2000 school year, 73 percent of undergraduates were considered in some
way ``nontraditional,'' meaning they were not among those who received
a high school diploma and then immediately enrolled in college full
time, relied on their parents for financial support, and did not work
during the school year.\1\ Generally, how do you think HEA
reauthorization should be approached to address the unique challenges
of increasing access for a nontraditional student population? More
specifically, how might you improve Pell Grants to address this issue?
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\1\ National Center for Education Statistics, 1999-2000.
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Answer 6. With regard to Pell Grants, the President will propose in
his fiscal year 2006 budget request to eliminate the Pell Grant
shortfall and increase the maximum award by $100 each year for the next
5 years. In addition to increasing Pell Grant awards, the most helpful
change for nontraditional students will be allowing for year-round
awards. These students are more likely to attend on a year-round basis
in order to complete their programs as expeditiously as possible so we
need to make sure they receive sufficient student aid to cover the
summer session.
For many nontraditional students, one problem is actually getting
to a college campus. For that reason, we should be doing away with
rules that limit student's ability to take courses on-line. The single
mother who needs to work during the day and be at home in the evening
should be able to take courses after the children are in bed and she
can do that if the Federal Government stops restricting her access to
these programs.
IDEA
Question 1a. There are many significant changes in the new IDEA
legislation that President Bush signed on December 3 that affect
parents and teachers. Some of the new requirements--such as the
``highly qualified special education teacher'' definition--go into
effect immediately. How will you communicate these new requirements to
parents, teachers and school districts in a timely way that is
understandable to them?
Answer 1a. There are several levels of communication currently in
place that allow for this knowledge dissemination. The Department works
closely with Chief State School Officers, State Directors of Education
and State Directors of Special Education in all Department initiatives
and when new legislation is passed. The Department has plans for senior
officials to present at major conferences of interest to both special
education professionals and professionals whose main area of interest
is in the general education domain. The Department also invests in
Technical Assistance and Dissemination centers whose work scope
specifically addresses knowledge dissemination and training on the
specific requirements of IDEA. The Department will be providing
technical assistance materials on the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Web site that are targeted to meet the
specific needs of all stakeholder groups, such as parents and teachers,
and reflect specific changes in the new IDEA legislation, such as the
``highly qualified teacher'' definition. The Department has long-
standing relationships with professional organizations that provide
information and continuing education to teachers and related services
providers. And finally, IDEA continues to require the funding of Parent
Training and Information Centers across the country, which have been
instrumental in providing information on the requirements of IDEA and
evidence-based practices to parents of children with disabilities.
Question 1b. Given that most States currently face critical
shortages of qualified special education teachers, how will the
Department develop partnerships with universities and States to ensure
that the ``highly qualified'' standard does not exacerbate these
shortages?
Answer 1b. The Department has strong relationships with States as
well as with public and private colleges and universities. The
Department is committed to facilitating conversations between colleges
and universities and States to develop collaborative partnerships and
strategies for recruiting and retaining special education teachers.
States need to let their institutions of higher education know what
their teaching personnel needs are and the higher education
institutions need to be responsive to their needs. The Department will
continue to support investments in grants to training programs designed
to train special education teachers for both high incidence and low
incidence populations that are responsive to the needs of children with
disabilities.
Question 1c. Since States now have the option of allowing
individuals to become highly qualified special education teachers via
an examination, how will the Department work with States to ensure such
tests result in ``high quality'' special education teachers capable of
delivering a free appropriate public education to every student with a
disability?
Answer 1c. The Department will encourage partnerships in public and
private colleges and universities to work with State education
officials in determining what special education teachers need to know
and be able to do to support students to meet high standards. Most
States have adopted content-specific examinations for general education
teachers. The Department will continue to provide technical assistance
to States in developing alternate routes to certification. The
Department has many investments in leadership development for special
educators, focusing on developing professionals who can provide
evidence-based instruction.
Question 2. Historically, the needs of students with significant
intellectual disabilities have not been met by IDEA. In the last few
years we have seen that teachers and school systems are not prepared to
administer the alternate assessments required by IDEA in 1997 and again
by the No Child Left Behind Act.
The new IDEA legislation requires the Secretary to undertake a
study to determine how States are implementing the alternate assessment
requirements, the status of their validity and reliability and their
alignment to alternative achievement standards. How would you envision
designing this study and ensuring that the results get in the hands of
those who need them?
Answer 2. We are making progress in designing assessments for
students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, but we still
have a long way to go to ensure that these students are assessed in
ways that demonstrate what they know and can do. Nothing is more
critical to ensuring children with disabilities are not left behind. I
support the investment in this study, which will provide valuable
information that can be used to develop valid and reliable alternate
assessments. I look forward to working with the Department's experts in
the Institute for Education Sciences and the Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services to design a scientifically-based
study. The Department's outreach and technical assistance centers will
play a key role in ensuring that the results of this study are
available and accessible to all interested parties.
Question 3. For too many years the Department of Education has not
had the tools to enforce IDEA. This reauthorization gave the Department
more tools and a mandate to develop benchmarks for compliance with each
State. How will the Department work with States to develop indicators
by which to particularly measure the delivery of FAPE and the delivery
of transition services from school to postsecondary life?
Answer 3. The Department currently monitors States on key
performance indicators. This new requirement builds on the monitoring,
assessment, and data collection systems that are already in place in
States. This requirement is consistent with the Department's focus on
results and not just paperwork compliance. Over the past 4 years, the
Department has reduced significantly the focus on process compliance
monitoring and now asks States and schools to show results of how well
children perform in school. I will work with the Department's technical
assistance network to ensure that quality technical assistance is
provided to States to develop valid and measurable indicators that will
help them better serve children with disabilities and their families.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Question. At the recent high school summit sponsored by the
Department of Education, many of the speakers talked about the valuable
role that career technical education plays in high school reform. In
light of these discussions on high school reform, how would you
preserve and promote the unique role that career and technical
education plays in providing a relevant educational experience that
also leads to increased academic achievement and improved employment
outcomes for youth and adults?
Answer. On January 12, President Bush announced a new $1.5 billion
High School Intervention and Assessment initiative. Of this amount,
$1.2 billion will be used to help States and districts provide
effective interventions for those students who are not learning at
grade level. In return for a commitment to improve academic achievement
and graduation rates for secondary school students, States will receive
the flexibility to choose which programs will be most effective in
serving the needs of their high school students. As high schools pursue
innovative approaches to helping students achieve high academic
standards, many are discovering that well-crafted career and technical
education programs can have a positive impact on student achievement.
Nevertheless, we are concerned that funding that is too segmented
at the school level leads to free-standing interventions that are not
well integrated, do not always address the most pressing needs in the
school, and result in opportunities for true innovation being missed.
To make the taxpayer dollar work smarter, the President is proposing
that programs with a narrow focus and programs that have not proven
effective in improving our secondary students' academic achievement be
consolidated.
EDUCATION RESEARCH
Question 1. Every bill that we've written in the last 4 years has
called for the use of scientifically based research. Application of
scientifically based programs is the foundation of the President's
education reforms, yet Federal support for education research,
development, and dissemination remains inadequate for meeting the
requirements for research based programs. What plans do you have to
dramatically expand the Federal education research program in keeping
with research demands created by NCLB? How can we do a better job of
aligning research with practice and disseminating research to
superintendents, principals and teachers?
Answer 1. Our plans for expanding the Federal education research
program depend on the appropriation of funds by Congress. Each year
since enactment of No Child Left Behind, Congress has appropriated from
10 percent to 20 percent less for research than the Administration
requested. Nonetheless, the Institute of Education Sciences has
expanded both the quantity and quality of research being supported by
the Department of Education, paying particular attention to the demands
created by No Child Left Behind and the needs of superintendents,
principals, and teachers for strategies and solutions to the education
problems they face. The Institute has done an excellent job of aligning
its research programs with practice. For example, its research programs
in reading, math and science, teacher quality, and preschool
curriculum, and its evaluation of Reading First, are models of good
research. The Institute has also moved aggressively to improve
dissemination of research results. The What Works Clearinghouse was
established and is providing practitioners, policymakers, and the
public with information about the effectiveness of particular education
programs and strategies, by focusing on the quality of the scientific
evidence supporting those programs. This is the kind of information
that will help practitioners and policymakers make the decisions they
face on a regular basis. We must continue this work and aggressively
pursue research in effective strategies to teach math and science.
Question 2. There has been a discernable delay in release of NCES
publications following the reauthorization of the research and
statistics programs assigning some review responsibilities to the
Director of the Institute of Education Sciences rather than NCES. Many
feel that the second level of review in the Director's office is
responsible for the delay in release of data. For example, NCES's study
of early childhood education (Children Born in 2001: First Results from
the Base Year of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort
(ECLS-B)), has been released in only tabular form (2004) while the
report itself remains in the Director's office under review. What plans
do you have to address the situation and to get statistical reports to
the public in a more timely fashion?
Answer 2. No report on the ECLS-B has been received by the
Director's office for review. The average period of time for the review
of reports that have been sent to the office of the Director of the
Institute of Education Sciences is 12 days from receipt to disposition.
This review period has improved since the passage of the Education
Sciences Reform Act, as has the technical quality of the reports.
Further improvements in the timeliness of releasing reports are
desirable and being pursued by reducing inefficiencies and enhancing
tracking procedures with respect to that portion of technical review
and revision that occurs within NCES.
CIVIL RIGHTS
Question. The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights
receives thousands of discrimination complaints every year, but it's
impossible for Members of Congress or the public to readily track the
issues raised in those complaints or even the laws on which they're
based. In fiscal year 2002, OCR initiated only 11 compliance reviews
under any of the statutes it enforces--the lowest number it had
undertaken since 1989.
I'm concerned that the law is not being enforced consistently or
proactively. Only the Federal Government--not private individuals--can
enforce title VI regulations prohibiting discrimination based on race
or national origin, and it's a serious problem if OCR is not vigorous
in its enforcement.
If you're confirmed what will you do to ensure adequate enforcement
of the anti-discrimination laws? Will you commit to putting clear
information on the Department's enforcement of anti-discrimination laws
in the Department's publications and on-line resources so that Congress
and the public can keep track of these important matters?
Answer. The Department vigorously enforces civil rights laws and
regulations under its jurisdiction, and will continue to do so if I am
confirmed. The Department currently makes available to the public
information about OCR's enforcement of the laws in its annual reports
to Congress.
Response to Questions of Senator Dodd by Margaret Spellings
k-12 education
NCLB Funding
Question 1. Based on new State funding data released last month by
the Department, \1/3\ of States will receive less funding for NCLB
programs this year than last. In light of the fact that the 2005-06
school year includes major deadlines and expansion of requirements--
including the deadline for all paraprofessional and teachers to be
highly qualified--what are your views on the need to provide States
additional resources so that they can successfully meet the many NCLB
requirements? Do you believe that the funding levels in NCLB are
adequate to achieve full compliance with the law?
Answer 1. President Bush has a proven record of providing
significant funding increases for elementary and secondary education.
Federal spending on education is at the highest levels in history, and
every State has received an increase in title I funding since the
enactment of NCLB. Under the recently passed 2005 appropriations
legislation, NCLB spending will have increased by 40 percent since the
President took office. In addition, unlike previous reauthorizations of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the testing required under
the law is fully paid for with Federal funds. A report published in the
Spring 2004 edition of the policy journal Education Next by two
Massachusetts officials (State board of education chairman James Peyser
and chief economist Robert Costrell) concluded the increased Federal
aid States are receiving as a result of NCLB covers the costs of the
additional reforms required. Additional studies from Accountability
Works in 2002 and GAO in 2003 make clear that any other additional
costs from the act are more than outweighed by increased appropriations
since that time. As Secretary, I will continue to fight for more
funding for public education and continue President Bush's record in
this area.
NCLB Implementation
Question 2. The most recent projections show that almost 20,000
schools have not made ``adequate yearly progress'' this school year,
with 11,000 already designated as in need of improvement. Several
States, such as my home State of Connecticut, have done projections
that indicate that virtually all schools over time will fail to make
AYP. Do you believe there are aspects of NCLB's AYP definition that
could be modified to ensure a more accurate reflection of school
success or schools in trouble? Do you believe that test scores alone
are a fair measure of a school's success?
Answer 2. Schools and educators across the country are rising to
the challenge and ensuring that all students are held to and achieving
high standards, and I am confident that they will continue to do so.
Prior to the passage of NCLB, critics predicted that almost
immediately vast numbers of schools would not make AYP. This has not
been the case. On the contrary, based on achievement data from the
2003-04 school year, 31 of 39 States, for which data are available,
showed an increase in the number of schools making AYP over the
previous year.
Further, a report released in March 2004 concludes urban schools
are making considerable progress in elevating student achievement, and
NCLB is helping to drive those scores. The report, released by the
Council of Great City Schools shows students in the Nation's major
urban schools have posted substantial gains in statewide math and
reading assessments since NCLB was enacted. Additionally, an October
2004 report by the Education Trust showed that States are narrowing
achievement gaps and raising achievement for all students. Of the 24
States with at least 3 years' worth of comparable State assessment
data, math achievement has improved in 23 States since 2002. Of the 23
States that had at least 3 years of reading data, achievement increased
in 15. The Education Trust also found the African American-White gap to
have narrowed in 16 States in reading and 17 States in math. The
Latino-White gap narrowed in 14 States in reading and 16 in math. I
expect these efforts to continue and am confident that the hard-working
educators around the country will continue to improve student learning.
AYP is not solely a test-score-based measurement system. In
addition to achieving the state-determined target for reading arts and
math proficiency, to make AY a school must also meet the State's
criteria for an additional academic indicator. States have great
flexibility in the choosing of these additional academic indicators as
evidenced by the variety of the States. Examples of additional academic
indicators include attendance rate, enrollment in advanced course-work,
and retention rates.
Question 3. Two years ago, a bipartisan commitment to quality
afterschool programs was included in the passage of the No Child Left
Behind Act. If funded at the level promised, 2.8 million children would
be served by afterschool. Due to consistent underfunding of the
program, we have served, at most, only 1.4 million children each year
since the law was passed. Studies tell us that students who regularly
attend quality afterschool programs have better grades and conduct in
school, better peer relations and emotional adjustment, and lower
incidences of drug-use, violence and pregnancy. Clearly, afterschool
programs can be a vital link in a child's overall development. How
would you characterize your support for the 21st Century Community
Learning Centers program? Are you committed to fully funding
afterschool as authorized under No Child Left Behind?
Answer 3. I am committed to providing high-quality afterschool
opportunities to students. However, evaluations of the 21st Century
Program by the Institute of Education Sciences have shown that the
large Federal investment in after-school programs has had little
positive effect on students' academic achievement, feelings of safety,
and behavior. Much of the work of the Department of Education in this
area has been focused on improving the quality of afterschool programs
by developing model after-school programs in reading and math based on
scientifically based research and rigorous testing of their
effectiveness, improving the availability of research-based practices,
and expanding technical assistance at the State and local levels that
focuses on improving student academic achievement. I look forward to
continuing and expanding this important work.
Question 4. I am concerned that the Administration has paid too
little attention to assessment quality. Low quality assessments are
less valid and reliable measures of what students know and can do. If
accountability is to be accurate and fair, improving the quality of
measurement is critical.
Further, low quality assessments make it more likely that teachers
will focus on test preparation and coaching rather than on substantive
learning, thus undermining the goals of NCLB. Will you make ensuring
test quality a high priority in your Administration? How will you
assist States in putting quality assessments in place? What
specifically will you do to ensure that assessments currently used meet
quality guidelines included in the act?
Answer 4. While the Federal Government has provided the funding for
new assessments, it is each State's responsibility for the development
of their own standards and assessments, and this Administration is
strongly committed to maintaining the States' roles in developing and
administering their own assessment systems. However, the Department
will continue to place an emphasis on assessment quality. In April
2004, the Department released Standards and Assessments Peer Review
Guidance: Information and Examples for Meeting Requirements of the No
Child Left Behind Act. The Department has conducted training for
States, assessment developers, and other interested parties on the
elements by which State assessment systems under NCLB will be evaluated
and judged. Among many of the elements detailed in this guidance,
particular attention is given to ensuring that State assessments are
aligned to content and achievement standards and to ensuring that the
assessments of are of high technical quality (validity and
reliability). In February 2005, the Department will begin its peer
reviews of State assessment systems. The Department has and will
continue to encourage States to bring forward their assessment systems
for review as early as possible prior to the 2005-06 deadline for NCLB
assessments so that States can receive feedback from peers on areas for
improvement. Finally, through the NCLB State assessment grants
(sections 6111 and 6112), States have to date received over $1.5
billion for the development, improvement, and Administration of their
State assessment systems. I intend to especially focus efforts on
helping States improve assessments for students with disabilities.
Ensuring these students meet higher standards requires improved
measurements in this area.
IDEA
Question 5. What priority do you place on fully funding IDEA? What
steps will you take to attain the 40 percent funding goal?
Answer 5. President Bush has proposed record-level increases for
special education--a $1 billion increase each year for 4 years. Funding
would have increased $4.7 billion or 75 percent since 2001 if the
President's request for 2005 had been approved. As you know, Congress
did not appropriate the amount authorized for the 1st year of the path
authorized in the IDEA reauthorization legislation. Under the revised
IDEA bill, the President will continue to consider all education needs
and priorities in formulating his request for the IDEA Grants to States
program. For fiscal year 2006 and beyond, we will continue to work with
Congress on this critical funding.
Question 6. As you know, the President signed into law the IDEA
reauthorization bill at the end of the last Congress. The regulations
and issuance of guidance will be critical to its success. Given this,
what will your first areas of communication to States be over the
coming months? How will you work to ensure IDEA regulations and
guidance are issued in a timely manner? How will you ensure full
consideration of submitted comments?
Answer 6. The Department plans to develop limited regulations that
help explain the law and that are clear and easy for parents and
schools to understand. Under this Administration, regulations will be
tools to help children and schools, and will not spur confusion or
duplication. Public input will be sought from parents, schools, and
advocates across the Nation. The Department plans to hold public
meetings in several cities in the coming months. The target to complete
the regulations is December 3, 2005, and I pledge that the Department
will make every effort to meet this target.
HIGHER EDUCATION
General Questions
Question 7. In the first 4 years of the Bush Administration, the
education priorities seemed to be entirely focused on elementary and
secondary education. Do you believe that the Bush Administration will
devote equal time to higher education policies over the next year in
light of the impending reauthorization? What will your higher education
priorities be?
Answer 7. It is a high priority for President Bush and this
Administration to work with Congress to get the HEA reauthorized in
2005. The fiscal year 2006 budget will likely include proposals made by
the Administration last year as well as the other initiatives announced
by the President over the last year.
The reauthorization should address key issues, including:
Improving academic preparation in high school;
Developing more accurate and complete consumer information
for students and families;
Directing aid to the neediest students;
Eliminating rules that limit distance learning;
Increasing loan limits, particularly for 1st-year students
who need the additional funds;
Providing more flexible repayment options for student loan
borrowers;
Increasing accountability on the part of institutions
receiving Federal funds;
Eliminating the Pell Grant shortfall and increasing the
maximum award to $4,550 over 5 years; and
Modernizing the student loan program.
College Costs and Student Aid
Question 8. College Cost has been a huge issue, not only in the
media, but within Congress. Representative Buck McKeon, Chairman of the
House Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, introduced a bill
last Congress on college cost which was perceived as a price control
bill. Do you believe it is the role of the Federal Government to
control the price of college tuitions? If so, why would you impose
price controls on one industry and not others?
Answer 8. I do not believe the Federal Government should control
the price of college tuition. I believe consumers need more and better
information about the cost and quality of higher education to guide and
inform their decision-making, and I am committed to making the data
that the Federal Government collects more user-friendly. I might add
that Representative McKeon's bill was not a price control bill but
rather an effort to reward institutions that keep increases in check.
We must do more to encourage colleges and universities to keep their
tuition increases more reasonable and understandable and we should be
interested in why tuition rises at rates greater than the rate of
inflation.
Question 9. In light of the increasing number of nontraditional and
parenting students--the majority of whom are women--would you support
policies that help these students enter and complete postsecondary
education? Policies that include increased funding for campus-based
child care, and changes in aid formulas to more accurately reflect a
family's true resources and expenditures?
Answer 9. There are several things we can do to help nontraditional
students complete a postsecondary education. For many nontraditional
students, the biggest problem is actually getting to a college campus.
For that reason, we should be doing away with rules that limit a
student's ability to take courses on-line. The single mother who needs
to work during the day and be at home in the evening should be able to
take courses after the children are in bed and she can do that if the
Federal Government stops restricting her access to these programs.
In addition to increasing Pell Grant awards, the most helpful
change for nontraditional students will be allowing for year-round
awards. These students are more likely to attend on a year-round basis
in order to complete their programs as expeditiously as possible so we
need to make sure they receive sufficient student aid to cover the
summer session.
We also need to ensure that student loan programs are available for
students needing short-term training that leads to an industry-
recognized certificate. Too often today students are paying for this
training through credit cards charging high interest. I am committed to
increasing access for nontraditional students, and I look forward to
working with Congress on this issue.
Question 10. When the Higher Education Act was passed in 1965, the
hope was that any student wishing to obtain a college education would
have the right to do so, regardless of their socioeconomic status. As
you know, Pell grants were intended to serve as the foundation for all
student aid, and when they were first instituted they paid for 84
percent of the cost of attendance at a public 4-year college. Today the
maximum Pell award only covers about 34 percent of that cost. College
tuition rates are soaring, and are expected to keep increasing at rates
higher than inflation. By holding the maximum grant award at $5,800
until 2011, Congress decreases the grants' purchasing power over time
and guarantees that incoming classes of students will have to rely more
heavily on student loans, placing them even further into debt. Based on
all of this, do you support increasing Pell grant funding? If so, how
do you plan to increase the Pell grant maximum award, which has been
frozen for 3 years?
Answer 10. The President does support increasing funding for Pell
Grants and has provided more than $5 billion to the Pell Grant Program
since taking office. In addition, the current Pell Grant award more
than covers that cost of attending community college, which provide a
strong foundation in job training and work with local employers to
train students for high-growth jobs. Increasing the maximum award has
been a problem due to the large funding shortfall which we have carried
for several years. This year the President is proposing to retire the
shortfall and increase the maximum award by $100 a year for the next 5
years as part of a comprehensive reform proposal for the student aid
programs. We believe this new initiative will get the program on firm
financial footing while addressing the needs of our low-income
students, and it is a major priority for the President in his 2006
budget.
Question 11. If at any time OMB proposed cutting the Pell grant
maximum award in any budget year, would you oppose that cut and
actively work with President Bush to assure that student's grant aid
would not be cut?
Answer 11. OMB, the President and I will all be working together to
strengthen and improve all our student aid programs.
Question 12. Are you committed to keeping the student aid programs,
such as Pell grants, Federal Work Study, Perkins Loans, TRIO and
GEARUP, healthy and whole? Or do you foresee alterations to any of
these programs?
Answer 12. I am committed to ensuring that student aid programs
address the needs of students in the 21st century, and look forward to
working with Congress on this issue during the reauthorization of the
Higher Education Act. In addition, President Bush is very concerned
about our Nation's high school students which is why he proposed a new
High School Intervention Initiative that will prepare our high school
students for the future. His education proposals would help ensure that
every high school student graduates with the skills needed to succeed
in postsecondary education and in a globally competitive workforce.
Response to Question of Senator Harkin by Margaret Spellings
Wellness
Question. The problem of childhood obesity has become a public
health crisis of the first order. Over the past 3 decades, obesity
rates have doubled in preschool aged children and teenagers and tripled
in children aged 6 to 11 years old. Numerous experts are saying that if
current trends continue, the generation of kids growing up today will
live a shorter lifespan than their parents. Promoting healthier
lifestyles to children is critical if we hope to make any progress in
ending obesity and the dangerous risk factors associated.
In addition to improving students' academic performance, I believe
that schools also have a critical role to play in promoting children's
health. In the Childhood Nutrition bill last year we took steps to
improve the nutritional options at school and required that schools set
up wellness policies. Clearly, much more needs to be done. I hear from
many constituents that there is not enough time in the school day for
health, physical education class and recess. Some schools no longer
build playgrounds. I have visited schools where kids don't have enough
time to finish their lunch and many more where kids are lucky if they
get PE once a week. Kids are not learning lifestyle lessons necessary
to grow up and take care of their own health. As secretary, what are
your plans to make certain that our children's health is not left
behind when we are focusing on their education?
Answer. The President has recognized the rise in childhood obesity
as a crisis and has put forward his Healthier U.S. initiative to
coordinate the resources of the Federal Government in educating
children and families about steps they can take within their own lives
to greatly improve their health and fitness. This initiative increases
individual awareness of the benefits of increased physical activity,
proper nutrition, getting preventive screenings, and avoiding risky
behavior. If confirmed, I will continue this initiative within the work
of the Department of Education, and I look forward to working with you
on this issue.
At the Federal level, The Department of Education will also
continue our collaboration with the Departments of Agriculture and HHS
through our Memorandum of Understanding, Healthier Children and Youth,
signed by President Bush in June 2002, which was created to strengthen
and promote the education and health of the Nation's youth. The MOU
task force has collaborated to promote several government programs, as
well as initiate a public/private partnership with Action for Healthy
Kids, an alliance of State teams working to improve the health of
children in schools.
The Department is also working with USDA and HHS on the
implementation of a new requirement for school districts, passed as
part of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. This
section of the law will require all local educational agencies
participating in a program authorized by the National School Lunch Act
or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to establish a local wellness policy
by the beginning of 2006-07 school year. These local wellness policies
will need to address nutrition education, physical activity, and other
school-based activities to promote student wellness.
The Department is also working with the Surgeon General on a
comprehensive agenda, ``The Year of the Healthy Child,'' which focuses
on helping children become and stay healthy and fit. In addition to
working with these agencies, the Department of Education has an
agreement with the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC),
Division of School Health, that allows a person to be detailed from CDC
to the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools to help link services
provided by CDC with State and local education agencies.
Response to Questions of Senator Mikulski by Margaret Spellings
Community Colleges
Question 1. President Bush's community college initiative is
focused on training workers to meet the needs of high-growth industries
and, although that is an important goal, I want to make sure that
community colleges can accommodate increased enrollment while keeping
tuition affordable. In my home State of Maryland, enrollment at our
community colleges is expected to grow 30 percent in the next 10 years,
while 4-year colleges will grow by 15 percent. The combination of
budget cuts and increased enrollments is forcing community colleges to
make tough choices between raising tuition and turning students away.
What would you do to ensure that community colleges remain accessible
and affordable for everyone?
Answer 1. President Bush is a strong supporter of community
colleges and will continue to support these important institutions.
Last year, the President proposed the Community-Based Job Training
Grants program at the Department of Labor, which received $250 million
in funding, and he will again request this funding in the fiscal year
2006 budget. This grant program will help community colleges build
capacity and produce graduates with the skills most in demand by local
employers. The President has also proposed establishment of a new
Community College Access Grants program, funded at $125 million, to
improve the services that community colleges provide. The initiative
will focus, in particular, on supporting ``dual enrollment'' programs
through which high school students take college-level courses and
receive both high school and postsecondary credit.
In addition, the President will propose increasing the Pell Grant
maximum award by $100 each year for the next 5 years to raise the award
to $4,550 in 2010. This increase will help students afford the cost of
tuition of community colleges, as nearly 40 percent of Pell Grant
recipients attend community colleges.
Tuition Tax Credit
Question 2. As we are all aware, college tuition is on the rise.
Tuition at University of Maryland has increased by 30 percent over the
last 2 years; tuition for Baltimore Community College rose by $300 in 1
year. The average cost of going to a 4-year public college is $10,635
but financial aid isn't keeping up. Twenty years ago, Pell Grants
covered 80 percent of average costs for college; now they cover only 40
percent. To really help middle class families afford the costs of
higher education, we need to increase the maximum Pell Grants, but we
also need a bigger tuition tax credit. Would you support increasing the
tuition tax credit to $4,000 per year and making it refundable so it
helps families who don't owe taxes?
Answer 2. Data from the College Board confirm that colleges and
universities are raising advertised tuition prices at rates
significantly above the rate of inflation. This alone poses a
substantial barrier to postsecondary education for many low-income and
potential first-generation postsecondary students who are unaware of
the aid that is available.
Instead of focusing resources on tax credits which benefit more
middle-income families, the President is making the Pell Grant program
a priority, since it provides funding to low-income students who
otherwise would not be able to attend college. In addition, as
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) moves forward, we
need to address the following issues:
Make low- and middle-income, first-generation college
students aware of the true costs (and benefits) of postsecondary
education;
Ensure Federal student financial aid goes to the neediest
students;
Develop more accurate and complete consumer information
for students and families;
Find ways to encourage colleges and universities to
constrain tuition and fee increases so that the Federal aid does not
simply chase spiraling prices; and
Continue to reduce the paperwork burden faced by financial
aid applicants.
While the President's focus will remain on increasing Pell Grant
funding, I look forward to working with Congress to ensure that higher
education is accessible and affordable.
Digital Divide/CTCs
Question 3. In a country where 70 percent of jobs require computer
skills, technology is a key part of education and opportunity. All
Americans, regardless of race, income, or geographic location should
have access to technology, but only 55 percent of Blacks and 49 percent
of Hispanics are computer users compared to 70 percent of Whites. Only
30 percent of Blacks and 32 percent of Hispanics have access to the
Internet in their homes compared to 55 percent of Whites.
We must close this digital divide and put technology and computers
in schools, libraries, and community centers. In No Child Left Behind,
I made sure there was funding to create 1,000 new Computer Technology
Centers (CTCs) across the country. Every year, President Bush takes
money for tech centers out of the Federal budget so I have to fight to
put it back in. What do you think is the role of technology in
education and would you support increased funding for CTCs and similar
projects to close to digital divide?
Answer 3. I agree with you that it is important for all students to
have access to 21st century skills and tools, including computers, to
bridge the digital divide. The President prioritizes Federal funding in
education away from smaller, categorical programs toward large,
flexible grant programs like title I that allow States and school
districts to target resources to reforms that will lead to increases in
student achievement. The Department of Education's National Education
Technology Plan, which was recently released, highlights examples of
what States, districts, and schools are doing to close the digital
divide. The President has also supported policies that expand the
availability of broadband, and I look forward to working with you to
promote access to computers and broadband technologies to improve
student learning.
Response to Questions of Senator Murray by Margaret Spellings
High School Reform
Question 1. I have a bill called the Pathways for All Students to
Succeed (PASS Act), which targets funding at specific high school
reforms, including literacy skills, academic counseling and making more
resources available for necessary reforms to turn around low-performing
high schools. The PASS Act creates grants to establish effective,
research-based reading and writing programs in our secondary schools,
including students with limited English proficiency and those with
disabilities, through a coaching model. Literacy coaches would bring
professional development into schools, help teachers identify and work
with students who need extra help reading and writing and help teachers
integrate literacy skills into curricula in all subject areas. The PASS
Act also funds grants for comprehensive, high-quality academic and
occupational counseling at a ratio of no more than 150 students to 1
academic counselor. Academic counselors would work with parents and
teachers to create individualized graduation plans for each student,
including what students need to do in high school to be successful in
postsecondary education and careers, and promote parental involvement
in their child's education and coordinate support services for at-risk
students. Finally, the PASS Act would help communities turn around low-
performing high schools through grant funding.
The President has expressed interest in high schools, including
targeting reading and implementing graduation plans. What do you and
the President envision for high school reform and specifically for
literacy skills and graduation plans? As you know, little Federal
funding reaches our Nation's high schools. However reforming high
schools will be expensive for our schools. What funding levels and
sources do you anticipate using for this critical undertaking?
Answer 1. As part of his fiscal year 2006 budget request, the
President will propose $1.5 billion to help every high school student
graduate with the necessary skills to succeed. Under this plan, high
school teachers will analyze 8th grade test data for incoming 9th grade
students so that when they see a student at risk of falling behind, the
teachers and the parents can get together and design a program to help
ensure that the child can catch up.
The President will also propose measuring progress with tests in
reading and math in the 9th, 10th and 11th grades. Consolidating high
school improvement programs will provide States the flexibility to
choose interventions that work best for their students.
To assist with literacy for adolescents who are significantly
behind grade level, the President will ask Congress to increase funding
for his Striving Readers Initiative to $200 million, as well as
increase Federal support for AP and IB programs. He believes another
way to encourage students to take rigorous classes is to enhance Pell
Grants for low-income students who have completed the State Scholars
program. Under his proposal, high achieving students who take rigorous
course loads in high school will receive up to an additional $1,000
during each of their first 2 years in college.
I look forward to working with you on these and your proposals to
ensure that every high school student graduates with the skills needed
to succeed in college and in a globally competitive workforce.
No Child Left Behind
Question 2. What is your position on reviewing the requests from
States for flexibility in the requirements--both in the regulations as
well as in the changes to the NCLB law itself?
Answer 2. As I stated at my hearing, I am committed to listening to
all interested parties at the State and local level to ensure that this
law is sensible and workable. The Department will continue to give
careful and thoughtful consideration to every State request for
implementing the various requirements of NCLB. Those requests for
flexibility that are permissible under the statute and regulations will
be granted. I pledge to work with States and local school districts to
make this law work and will listen to all suggestions.
Higher Education
Question 3. Since the inception of the Direct Student Loan program,
students borrowing money to attend college under the Direct Loan
program have benefited greatly from the competition that has resulted
with the guaranteed loan program. Students in both programs have
benefited from better loan servicing, discounted borrowing terms, and
improved repayment options. As Secretary, what steps will you take to
ensure that the Direct Loan program remains a viable, dependable and
cost effective program?
Answer 3. We are committed to the viability of both the Direct Loan
and Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFEL). Since its inception,
the Department has invested millions of dollars in new technologies and
integrated solutions to better serve students, parents, and the schools
who participate in the Direct Loan Program. Currently, to provide
improved services to Direct Loan borrowers and to ensure an efficient
and effective program, FSA is investing in two major system
consolidation and integration initiatives. Additionally, FSA provides
Direct Loan training to schools, numerous publications for schools,
students and borrowers as well as Web sites for information and
training. The Department works with the Direct Loan Coalition, an
alliance of Direct Loan schools, to ensure issues are discussed and
resolved.
Question 4. The Department of Education has updated the State tax
tables that affect the calculations used to determine how much
financial aid students will receive (regulations were published in the
Federal Register on December 23, 2004). Unfortunately, while an update
of the 1988 data is certainly overdue, there is concern that the 2002
tables provided in the 12/23 Federal Register will not paint an
accurate picture of what students and their families are able to pay
for college. For instance, the State of Washington does not have a
State income tax and relies instead on sales and property tax.
Therefore the tables may not accurately reflect a student's tax burden.
As Secretary would you review the structure of the tax tables for
fairness and equity to students; would you make an effort to ensure
that the tables are updated in a more timely manner; and finally will
you ensure that the details of how these tables were calculated,
including the relevant statistics from the IRS, are made available to
the public so that the changes are better understood and the process is
more transparent?
Answer 4. The Higher Education Act requires the Secretary of
Education to publish updated State tax tables each year based on
information received from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The
Department is following the law by updating State tax tables for
purposes of the need analysis calculation. The Department was unable to
update the State tax tables for many years because information was not
available from the IRS. When the necessary information became
available, the Department took the appropriate steps to update the
tables. Congress chose to stop the update by adopting a provision that
prohibited the Department from updating the State tax tables for the
2004-05 award year, but did not adopt the amendment prohibiting the
update for the 2005-06 award year, so the Department moved forward in
accordance with the law.
While I am not familiar with the particular situation in
Washington, I commit to looking into this issue as the Department moves
forward. We must ensure we use accurate and up-to-date information, so
I pledge to update tables annually, as required by law, and work to
ensure the formula is fair and equitable.
Question 5. Traditionally, the Federal Government has worked in
partnership with colleges and universities to provide a college
education for all who seek it. The Federal Government provides funding
to students to attend any college or university that is accredited by a
federally recognized accreditation agency. Recent legislative proposals
have gone beyond the shared goal of ensuring access to higher education
and seek to influence the academic affairs of colleges and
universities, such as curriculum and the transfer of academic credit.
Please provide your view of the Federal Government's role in higher
education and tell the committee whether you believe the Federal
Government should expand its role in higher education and delve into
the academics of higher education.
Answer 5. The Federal Government needs to do more to assist
students who are going from high school to postsecondary education and
from one postsecondary institution to another. Encouraging States and
institutions to have reasonable and fair policies related to transfer
of credits is in the best interest of students and taxpayers. Neither
students nor the government are served well when they have to pay for
the same credits again and again--this leads to increased costs for
many students who are already facing rising tuition costs across the
country. In addition, we need to do a better job of providing accurate
and useful information to parents and families on the cost and policies
of institutions so that they can make informed decisions.
Perkins
Question 6. According to Section 113(b)(3)(A)(i) of Perkins, the
State eligible agency, with input from eligible recipients, shall
establish the level of performance for each of the core indicators, and
the State eligible agency may express the level in ``a percentage or
numerical form, so as to be objective, quantifiable, and measurable . .
.''
The Washington State eligible agency, with the support of the State
community and technical college system, has expressed the State's
targets for the core indicators for postsecondary student attainment
and completion as numerical targets (e.g., the number of students
completing postsecondary career and technical education). The State has
chosen to express the targets numerically because the State's goal is
to increase the number of trained workers in order to meet employer
demand. The Office of Vocational and Adult Education has rejected the
choice of the State, and refused to accept any target not expressed as
a percentage.
Why has the Department of Education ignored the discretion that
Congress clearly granted State eligible agencies when Washington State
is fully and demonstrably committed to improving the performance of its
vocational and technical education programs and to meeting the skill
needs of State employers?
Answer 6. I appreciate your bringing this matter to my attention.
While I am not familiar with the details, I pledge to look into the
feasibility of your request and I look forward to working with you to
resolve it in a timely manner.
Training Grants
Question 7. Washington State has seen many brave men and women
deployed to serve in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq over the
last 3 years.
Unfortunately too many have returned as amputees, necessitating a
difficult and uncertain recovery process.
I was very disheartened to learn that the Department of Education,
through the Regional Services Administration (RSA), has decided not to
support training grants for students in prosthetics or orthotics.
There are a very limited number of prothetists and orthotists
across the country who can build the artificial limbs and braces that
our returning war veterans will need to return to a productive
lifestyle.
Less government support to these students will mean fewer
practitioners and more difficulty for our newly injured veterans to
secure the quality devices they so desperately need and deserve.
Given the significant and growing needs of our returning veterans
for these prosthetic or orthotic devices, why did the RSA discontinue
these critically needed training grants?
Will the Department of Education reinstitute these training grants
to support those students studying to be the next generation of
providers of artificial limbs and braces?
Answer 7. I am not familiar with these particular grants at this
time, but I commit to looking into this issue, as I share your concern
for ensuring that our returning war veterans receive the best possible
care. I will work closely with the Assistant Secretary for OSERS to
review our work in this important area. In addition, it is my
understanding that the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (OSERS) has a long history of funding research and training in
prosthetics and orthotics that meets a variety of needs and
applications. For example, OSERS is currently funding research on
prosthetics and orthotics and is developing technology access for land
mine survivors.
Response to Questions of Senator Reed by Margaret Spellings
Question 1. What are your ideas for ensuring that LEAP continues to
encourage State investment in need-based grant aid for low-income
students?
Answer 1. As you know, in the past the President's budget has not
requested new funds for this program because the program has served the
purpose of encouraging States to create their own grant programs.
Rather than funding programs that have already accomplished their goal,
we are targeting our scarce resources to our number one priority for
higher education, the Pell Grant Program. This means retiring the $4.3
billion shortfall and providing sufficient funds to ensure an increase
to the maximum award of $100 each year for the next 5 years. We believe
putting the Pell Grant Program on firm financial footing must be the
highest priority.
Question 2. Studies show that early intervention activities and
early information about likely financial aid awards are the key
components of successful college access programs. How will the
Department of Education, under your leadership, work to encourage such
programs?
Answer 2. We will continue informational outreach efforts already
undertaken by the Department. Currently, the Department makes brochures
and documents available to high schools around the country and to
guaranty agencies and other parties that conduct financial aid nights
for students and parents. In addition, the Department promotes its Web
site that has been redesigned to help students in their college search,
in finding and applying for student aid; and in repaying that aid. I
will also commit to looking at additional ways to increase outreach on
this important issue.
Question 3. How will you work to reverse the grant-loan imbalance
so that college is attainable for low-income students?
Answer 3. On January 14th, the President announced his plan for
retiring the Pell Grant shortfall and increasing the maximum award to
assist low-income students in paying for postsecondary education. This
bold, new plan will directly help low-income students by investing $15
billion over the next 10 years into the Pell Grant program. I look
forward to working with Congress on this plan and the reauthorization
of the Higher Education Act.
Question 4. Have you seen the interim recommendations from the
Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance's Simplification
Study released last July? What are your thoughts on these
recommendations, such as the creation of an E-Z FAFSA for low-income
students?
Answer 4. I have not read the interim recommendations but I
absolutely believe we should consider all ideas for simplifying the
student aid process. If confirmed, I will look into ways to address
this issue.
Question 5. What changes will you seek in the Higher Education Act
to make completing the FAFSA easier and more understandable for parents
and students, particularly low-income students?
Answer 5. I can't identify specific changes today, but as I have
said in the past, I will consider all ideas for simplifying the student
aid process and that includes simplifying the actual form.
Question 6. How will you work to make web access to the FAFSA
easier and more widely available to low income students, including
providing increased funds to schools for additional computer
technology?
Answer 6. Based on the Department's statistics, you can be assured
that web access is readily available. Today, we have more than 80
percent of our students filing electronically and we continue to
encourage more to do so. In addition, we constantly upgrade our on-line
application program so that students and families find it user
friendly. However, some students and parents simply do not want to file
electronically so we provide a supply of the paper forms for those
instances.
Question 7. How will you make clear to parents, students, and
schools that the FAFSA may be completed for free by paper or online and
steer these interested parties away from companies promising to get
students better aid by paying a fee to a third party to fill out the
FAFSA?
Answer 7. The Department prominently displays the word ``Free'' on
all its material related to the FAFSA and guidance counselors and
financial aid directors constantly remind students that the Department
provides free help if one has questions. With respect to third party
companies, to date, the Department has not found any party to be acting
illegally but the Department does monitor this issue and has referred
cases to the FTC with respect to the information being advertised on
completing the FAFSA.
Question 8. As you know, in Title II of HEA, there is funding for
awarding partnership grants to eligible college teacher preparation
programs to help prepare and develop teachers in high need school
districts. Will you support the addition of a requirement that
participating partnerships institute a residency program aimed at
providing ongoing support to new teachers during their first 3 years of
teaching, modeled after successful medical residency programs, in order
to improve the quality of learning in our Nation's classrooms?
Answer 8. The Department's grant competition related to title II
puts a priority focus on mentoring type programs to help new teachers
adjust to the classroom environment and we will be glad to consider
changes that will improve the program in providing needed assistance to
our newest teachers.
Question 9. How will you and the Department disseminate resources
and information to teachers on best teaching practices and ensure that
teachers receive training on cutting edge techniques and methods?
Answer 9. The Department launched the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative
last January. Roundtable discussions were held with hundreds of
teachers around the country. Teachers gave the same message at each
event: they wanted clear information about NCLB, high-quality
professional development, access to the latest research, and
recognition for the work they are doing with students. Regular e-mail
updates are sent to thousands of teachers who've signed up on the
Department's Web site. Eleven workshops have been held around the
country with almost 2,000 attendees. Our eLearning Web site features 23
sessions from these workshops, and over 50,000 teachers have come to
the site. Many States are accepting teacher participation in workshops
and eLearning for recertification and to meet the highly qualified
requirements. If confirmed, I will work with teachers on the ground to
ensure that they are receiving the tools they need to teach effectively
in the classroom.
Question 10. Can you provide specific details on the President's
proposed new high school reform initiative aimed at encouraging schools
to develop IEP-like performance plans for incoming high school
students?
Answer 10. Out of a hundred 9th graders in our public schools, only
68 will complete high school on time. In today's globally competitive
economy, the United States cannot afford to have a 68 percent on-time
graduation rate for 9th graders, nor can the individual youth afford to
leave school without a high level of skills and preparation. For this
reason, the President is proposing an early intervention initiative
that will enable and help school districts and schools intervene early,
assess and design programs that meet the needs of each youth so they
can successfully complete high school and advance to further learning
and employment.
The President's new High School Initiative will provide $1.5
billion in the fiscal year (fiscal year) 2006 budget, of which $1.2
billion will be used to provide effective interventions for those
students who are not learning at grade level. Under this plan, high
school teachers will analyze 8th grade test data for incoming 9th grade
students so that when they see a student at risk of falling behind, the
teachers and the parents can work together to design an intervention
program. This program will help the student quickly gain the core
reading and math skills he or she will need to participate in a
rigorous high school curriculum.
The program will allow maximum flexibility so the district and
school can create interventions that are uniquely tailored to each
student's needs.
Question 11. In Rhode Island, school districts are required to
create strategic plans for providing more personalized learning
environments for high school students, including individualized
learning plans. How will you align the President's IEP-like performance
plan initiative with existing State performance plan requirements, such
as Rhode Island's?
Answer 11. The intent of the President's proposal for early
intervention plans appears to be well-aligned with the purpose of the
Rhode Island initiative for creating personalized learning
environments. The intervention plan concept would build on that notion
of a personalized learning environment by creating customized
interventions when students are falling behind in academic skills. The
President has indicated that, under the plan, high school teachers will
analyze 8th grade test data for incoming 9th grade students so that
when they see a student at risk of falling behind, the teachers and the
parents can work together and design a program to help make sure that
child can catch up. The proposal would provide a great deal of
flexibility so interventions can be uniquely tailored to each student's
needs. This program will enable and help school districts and schools
intervene early, assess and design programs that meet the needs of that
particular student.
Question 12. Research studies in over 14 States have demonstrated
conclusively that school library media specialists, when working
collaboratively with teachers in a school with a well-staffed, well-
stocked library, have a direct and significant impact on student
achievement in the classroom. In light of the proven role played by
school libraries and school library media specialists in education,
what will you do personally, and within the operations of the
Department of Education, to improve the collaboration between school
library media specialists and teachers in implementing NCLB and the
Improving Literacy Through School Library program?
Answer 12. The Department will continue to proactively improve the
collaboration between school library media specialists and teachers in
implementing NCLB and the Improving Literacy Through School Library
program.
The Department will publish a notice announcing the fiscal year
2005 competition and will emphasize that to all potential applicants
that the purpose of the Literacy Through School Libraries program is to
improve student reading skills and achievement by providing students
with increased access to up-to-date school library materials and well-
trained professionally certified school library media specialists. In
addition, I will encourage applications from those who focus their
efforts on elementary schools to maximize the impact of the project on
improving reading achievement.
Question 13. Given the clear link between high quality school
libraries and increased academic achievement, as Secretary of
Education, what will you do to support increased funding for the
Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program?
Answer 13. The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program
is supported by the Administration as one of the tools to improve the
literacy skills of students through increased access to up-to-date
school library materials and professionally certified school library
media specialists. As you know, Mrs. Bush is a strong supporter of
libraries, and I look forward to working with her office and with you
to improve our Nation's school libraries.
Question 14. The enactment of NCLB and the Education Sciences
Reform Act brought scientifically-based research, development,
dissemination, and technical assistance to the forefront of K-12
education. Yet, for the past 2 years, the President has sought to
eliminate the regional education laboratories and reduce funding for
technical assistance providers in his budget request. Will you seek to
reverse the Administration's recent budget stance on this issue and
provide adequate funding for these important research institutions so
that schools have the necessary tools to improve student achievement?
Answer 14. The Administration has supported level funding the new
Comprehensive Centers system as authorized by Congress, and the
Department has worked this past year to bring this new system into
existence. The Administration has not supported funding for the
regional education laboratories because the recent reauthorization did
not make needed improvements in the structure and function of the labs,
which have not consistently provided high quality research and
development products or evidence-based training and technical
assistance. Instead, the Administration has supported the improvements
to the quality of education research with existing funds through the
Institute of Education Sciences, and has supported increases in funding
for programs like title I and Reading First that provide resources to
teachers and administrators that can be used to access--and thus
support the creation of--research-based programming. I will continue to
work to increase technical assistance to States, schools, and teachers,
so that they have the tools to increase student achievement.
Question 15. I am concerned that the Department has chosen to focus
its efforts disproportionately on aspects of public school choice and
supplemental services in the implementation and enforcement of the
parental involvement provisions under NCLB. I authored the parental
involvement provisions in NCLB and in doing so, intended that there be
targeted efforts to implement all of these provisions, not just a
select few. In your testimony before the committee, you stated that
parents must be active participants in a child's education. What will
you do to improve implementation of NCLB, including ensuring that its
parental involvement goals are being achieved?
Answer 15. I cannot agree with you more that parents need to be
actively involved and must have an integral role in their children's
education to help them succeed. To better inform and involve parents,
the Department redesigned its webpage to include information
specifically for parents. It includes information about homework,
after-school programs, reading, NCLB, and college preparation, among
other topics. Much of this information is provided in both Spanish and
English. Additionally, since the enactment of NCLB, the Department has
provided guidance on parental involvement in a variety of forms,
including Parental Involvement guidance (now being developed in
Spanish), as well as parental notification requirements in the LEA and
School Improvement Guidance, Public School Choice Guidance,
Supplemental Education Services Guidance, Report Card Guidance, and
Teacher Quality Guidance.
When the Department conducts title I monitoring, staff looks for
evidence that the State is implementing the parental involvement
provisions in the statute; and if that evidence is lacking, then the
State is required to take corrective action. Among the evidence staff
looks for is that:
States review the effectiveness of LEA parental
involvement activities;
LEAs have written parental involvement policies at the LEA
and school levels, including outreach to parents of limited English
proficient students.
LEAs sent letters notifying parents that they have the
right to know the qualifications of their children's teachers and
letters notifying parents if their child is assigned to or being taught
by a teacher who is not highly qualified. LEAs reserved at least 1
percent of title I funds for parental involvement activities, and
involved parents in deciding how to expend the funds; and
Schools hold annual meetings to inform participating
parents about title I programs.
I look forward to working with you to ensure that all participants
in a child's education, especially parents, have the information they
need to be actively involved.
Question 16. The recently enacted IDEA Improvement Act includes
provisions I authored on personnel preparation and professional
development programs for special education teachers and general
educators who work with children with disabilities, with an emphasis on
retaining special education teachers new to the profession. What is
your plan for educating, advising, and ensuring technical assistance to
States, parents, teachers, students, schools, and colleges about Part
D's new and enhanced personnel preparation and development program
requirements and the resources available to these interested parties to
meet the requirements?
Answer 16. The Department has a number of technical assistance
investments that provide technical assistance and information to the
States, teachers, school administrators, parents, and advocacy groups.
For example, the Department invests in regional Technical Assistance
Centers that work directly with States. Parent Training and Information
Centers work directly with parents. These investments will continue to
support our efforts in educating our stakeholders about Part D's new
and enhanced personnel preparation and development program
requirements. I understand that specific plans are underway to develop
training modules for stakeholders on all aspects of the IDEA, which
will be used at Department meetings with States and other stakeholders
specifically convened for this purpose. I intend to support this
effort.
Question 17. How will you ensure that these new and critical Part D
programs are funded in fiscal year 2006?
Answer 17. Part D programs are crucial to the successful
implementation of IDEA. We need a highly qualified workforce who have
the skills and knowledge they need to promote grade level achievement
for students with disabilities. I believe that the Department should
have a strong leadership role in personnel preparation, which
translates into adequate investments to support this leadership role.
While I cannot commit to a particular funding level, I look forward to
working with you on this issue.
Response to Questions of Senator Clinton by Margaret Spellings
Question 1. Will you keep the long-standing title IX athletics
policies in place, including all three methods of compliance, and do
nothing to undermine their use or application to enhance women's
opportunities to participate in sports?
Answer 1. Yes. Based on recommendations by the Secretary's
Commission on Opportunities in Athletics, the Department of Education
in July of 2003 reaffirmed its commitment to the long-standing 3-part
test. I share that commitment.
Question 2. Do you foresee any changes in the Department's enforce
of title IX athletics policies?
Answer 2. The Department will continue to vigorously enforce the
existing title IX policies. I plan to expand the Department's efforts
in providing technical assistance and information to schools to help
them apply the 3-part test and other title IX requirements.
Question 3. Will you urge the Department of Justice to mount a
vigorous defense against any lawsuit that challenges the legality of
the title IX athletics policies or that otherwise attempts to limit the
government's ability to enforce those policies?
Answer 3. Yes. The Executive Branch has mounted a vigorous and, to
date, successful litigation defense of its title IX policies and its
ability to enforce them, and it will continue to do so.
Question 4. Does the Department intend to supplement its current
guidance on public school choice with any concrete examples of how
overcrowded districts can meet the new transfer requirement--short of
adding classroom space not in their budgets or hiring additional
teachers they cannot afford?
Answer 4. The Department has provided extensive guidance on Public
School Choice, both through its official program guidance documents and
through two publications, Innovations in Education: Public School
Choice and Innovations in Education: Successful Magnet Schools. Both
publications provide examples of real-live districts that are
successfully implementing choice programs. The Department is planning
to build on this guidance to provide additional ideas and assistance
through a toolkit on public school choice and a technical assistance
strategy to help districts learn from these documents and better
implement the choice provisions. The issue of expanding capacity will
be central to these efforts.
Question 5. Would the department under your leadership reconsider
providing some meaningful level of Federal school construction
assistance to transform this hollow promise into a reality?
Answer 5. School construction has traditionally remained a State
and local matter, and this Administration has not supported using
Federal resources for that purpose. Federal intervention in this area
would penalize those districts that have concentrated their previous
efforts on building maintenance, and create a future disincentive to
continue those efforts. The Administration position on this matter is
unlikely to change. The traditional role of the Federal Government in
education, dating back decades, has been to focus resources on at-risk,
disadvantaged, and disabled students, through large, flexible programs
like title I and IDEA. I will continue to support that role.
Question 6. The information we have makes it clear that children
benefit--for years to come--when they go to school in healthy school
buildings. Yet the Department has never funded the Healthy, High-
Performance Schools program authorized in No Child Left Behind? This
program would provide technical assistance and resources to school
districts seeking to modernize their school buildings. How can we work
with you to enable this worthwhile program to come to life?
Answer 6. The Administration believes that limited Federal
elementary and secondary education resources should be concentrated on
those programs that have the greatest impact in improving the education
of children with the greatest needs. That means focusing our resources
on large flexible programs like title I and IDEA Part B, and using
remaining resources on programs that directly support those efforts to
improve the education of economically disadvantaged and limited English
proficient students, students with disabilities, and other students who
are not making adequate yearly progress toward state-established
standards. However, I look forward to reading the recently-released
report you requested on the health and learning impacts of poor
environmental conditions in schools and working with you on this issue.
Question 7. The IDEA reauthorization included much-needed resources
for helping children with behavioral and emotional problems. Are we in
agreement that this is an important investment for the long-term future
of our children and can we count on your support for funding for this
program?
Answer 7. I agree that it is very important for the Department to
make investments in the long-term future of children with behavioral
and emotional problems, which is why President Bush has requested
annual 1 billion dollar increases in funding for IDEA State Grants in
his first four budget proposals and why special education funding has
increased 67 percent since the President has been in office. The
Department is investing in several projects related to improving
services to these children, and I intend to continue the work of the
Department to effectively serve children who have difficulty with
behavior and emotional adjustment.
Question 8. Do you believe Perkins is an appropriate vehicle to
help girls learn about the potential value of nontraditional
occupations? Do you support efforts to expand innovative programs and
policies in this area?
Answer 8. In today's globally competitive economy, it is critical
that young women and men be given the opportunity to fully explore
career options absent of gender stereotypes. This is particularly
important as the United States seeks to ensure that all students are
proficient in mathematics and science, and that a larger pool of
American students pursue careers in science, technology and
engineering, the drivers of our ``innovation economy.'' We are
committed to working with Congress to ensure that all Federal programs
support young women and men in reaching high levels of achievement so
they can pursue highly skilled, economically viable careers and are not
bound by gender pre-conceptions.
[Whereupon, at 11:58 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]