Posted on 01/09/2002 11:10:55 AM PST by ILoveFreedom&Liberty
New Page 2 26 Billion More for Schools The law, called the No Child Left Behind Act, was signed amid cheers and applause at a ceremony at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio. The president later touted the measure during appearances at the University of New Hampshire and at Boston Latin School in Massachusetts, a private institution that will not benefit from the programs, which are aimed at America's failing government schools. Kennedy, seated on the dais behind the president, beamed at the president's praise and laughed heartily when Bush said that it might surprise some people, but he likes the man from Massachusetts. A Record $26 Billion More and Still Whining In Washington, the pro-Democrat union National Education Association sounded a warning that the new law would increase pressure on educators at a time of shrinking budgets. "Inadequate support provided to states that are suffering severe economic decline is lamentable," NEA President Bob Chase said in a statement. "Because the new law fails to make special education funding guaranteed, our states' ability to deliver basic support to schools and students will continue to be dramatically hampered. "This bill imposes multiyear mandates on states and schools without providing multiyear funding." The NCLB, named after Bush's education mantra during the run-up to last November's election, passed the House and Senate last year with bipartisan support after liberals chopped out provisions allowing for more school choice. "For those of you who've studied the history of our government, you know most bills are signed at the White House," Bush said. "But I decided to sign this bill in one of the most important places in America: a public school. "We've got large challenges here in America. There's no greater challenge than to make sure that every child – and all of us on this stage mean every child, not just a few children – every single child, regardless of where they live, how they're raised, the income level of their family, every child receive a first-class education in America." Bush on Tuesday thanked sponsors and supporters of the measure passed last month, among them Kennedy, for putting aside bipartisanship to enable its passage. Under the legislation, annual testing in reading and math skills will be conducted for all children in grades three through eight beginning in the 2004-2005 school year. The following year, testing in science would be added. The NCLB Act also implements Bush's Reading First initiative by increasing federal funding for reading programs from $300 million in FY 2001 to more than $900 million in FY 2002, and tying federal funding to the use of proven methods of reading instruction. Also implemented is the new Early Reading First program to support early language, literacy, and pre-reading development of preschool-age children, particularly those from poor families. The sum of $2.8 billion is provided for teacher quality and allowing school districts to use additional federal tax money to hire teachers, increase teacher pay, improve teacher training and development or other uses. "Every school has a job to do, and that's to teach the basics and teach them well. If we want to make sure no child is left behind, every child must learn to read and every child must learn to add and subtract," Bush said. "So in return for federal dollars, we are asking states to design accountability systems to show parents and teachers whether or not children can read and write and add and subtract in grades three through eight. "The fundamental principle of this bill is that every child can learn, we expect every child to learn, and you must show us whether or not every child is learning. Schools that failed to improve student scores for two years running would be eligible for more federal aid. If scores continued to lag, compared to local schools and schools statewide, children from low-income families would be able to obtain tutoring or could opt to be sent to a different school." Anti-choice Congress The tutoring/transfer option replaces the earlier, broader proposal of school vouchers to let parents send their children to good schools, which met stiff opposition on Capitol Hill. To cheers and applause, Bush said the bill meant to build up government schools, not tear them down as many early critics of his proposals charged. "One of the interesting things about this bill, it says that we're never going to give up on a school that's performing poorly, that when we find poor performance, a school will be given time and incentives and resources to correct their problems. A school will be given time to try other methodologies, perhaps other leadership to make sure that people can succeed. "If, however, schools don't perform, if, however, given the new resources, focused resources, they are unable to solve the problem of not educating their children, there must be real consequences." Among those consequences for schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress for four consecutive years: possible replacing of school staff or significantly decreasing management authority at the school level. If a school continues to fail, the school could ultimately face restructuring, which involves a fundamental change in governance, such as a state takeover or placement under private management, according to a government fact-sheet on the measure. States and local authorities, however, will be given greater flexibility in the use of federal education funds. As much as 50 percent of their federal non-Title 1 grants (for educating children from poor families) can be used in ways local authorities believe would most benefit all students. It also consolidates and streamlines programs and targets resources to programs that serve poor students, reducing the overall number of ESEA programs from 55 to 45, the administration said. "We owe the children of America a good education, and today begins a new era, a new time, in public education in our country," Bush said. "As of this hour, America's schools will be on a new path of reform and a new path of results. Our schools will have higher expectations. We believe every child can learn. Our schools will have greater resources to help meet those goals. Parents will have more information about the schools and more say in how their children are educated. "From this day forward, all students will have a better chance to learn, to excel, and to live out their dreams." In Washington, a spokeswoman for the 1.2 million-member union American Federation of Teachers welcomed enactment of the NCLB Act as "a good step in the right direction" with "good, sound, positive elements that will make a difference - the reading initiative, the accountability measures for student performance stand out in particular." Copyright 2002 by United Press International. All rights reserved.NewsMax.com Wires
BOSTON – President Bush trumpeted Tuesday the sweeping $26 billion education act he signed earlier in the day, and praised liberal Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy's help in getting the bill through Congress.
Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002
OMG!! This socialistic piece of crap is barely 24 hrs. old and these b*stards are already saying it isn't enough.
Well there you have it. The conservative approach to fixing education is now to throw $40 billion at the problem.
There. Fixed.
Thank God it's our boy forking over the funds. If it was Gore I'd be really pi--ed about this.
Presently there is testing in virtually every state.
So the testing provision is meaningless.
$40 billion is enough to give every tax-paying household a tax rebate of $400.
I guess all serious discussions about Georgie Baby being a conservative can now end!!!! He is a Conservative in Rhetoric and a Kennedy Liberal in Practice!!!!
Won't make a dent. You'll just get slammed by an innumerable host for daring to question Bush's "conservatism". I'm with you 100%. He's an incredibly nice guy, but his conservatism leaves somewhat to be desired.
There's always another excuse to increase the federal bloat. And as long as it's thier boy doing it, the "faithful" see no problem with it.
This just about sums up both parties. What's amazing to me is that the education system has massive support for the Dems. Bush isn't going to buy anyone. The NEA will overwhelmingly support libs next time around. Even if a miracle happens and they back Bush, why will they have changed?
They will have changed because Bush showed them he can throw as much money their way as the Dems could or would have. Does that advance Conservatism? Hell no, it simply intrenches the liberal mentality in our institutions.
The NEA is free to ramp up their agenda absolutely unopposed. And now they have $40 billion to finance the effort. Brainwashing 101, 2 and 3 will now be joined by Brainwashing 105 - 132.
Let's just face it, conservatism is kidding itself if it thinks it's making headway in this nation.
Can you say, "One step forward, ten steps backwards?" I knew you could.
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