(b) Bilingual Education Act (Title VII of ESEA) was originally designed (c) The Education of the Handicapped Act authorized a comprehensive (d) The Indian Education Act authorizes a program of grants to local (e) Emergency School Assistance Act authorizes grants for special proj- Mr. BLOUIN. In the interest of time, we are going to take the remaining witnesses this morning en bloc as a panel. I would like all of you to come forward and summarize your testimony as briefly as humanly possible. If there are no objections, your entire statement will be submitted for the record. Mr. Walter Turner, Associate Director, American Association of School Administrators, accompanied by Mr. William Lucas, Assistant Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District; the Counsel of the Great City Schools, Mr. Thomas Rosica, Director of Federal Programs, Philadelphia City Schools; Ms. Sarah Haskins, Vice President of the Board of Education of Dallas; and Dr. Owen Kiernan, Executive Director, National Association of Secondary School Principals. If you folks would have no objections, I think it would be just as simple for you to start in the order that you are seated, from my left to right. Identify yourselves and then feel free to briefly summarize your statement. STATEMENT OF WALTER G. TURNER, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, ACCOMPANIED BY WILLIAM R. LUCAS, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I am Walter Turner, Associate Director of the American Association of School Administrators, representing nearly 20,000 administrators throughout the nation. Accompanying me is Mr. Lucas, Assistant Superintendent of the L.A. City Schools, in Los Angeles, California. We appreciate the opportunity to present our comments on reauthorization of certain elementary and secondary and other educational programs under H.R. 15. The Congress should be commended for approving a one-year extension of forward funded programs in order to allow more extensive discussion of thes issues. AASA believes there is an urgent need to increase the level c Federal financial support for public education. Adequate suppor should be provided to equalize programs which will guarantee ever student an equal opportunity for quality education. With the begin ning of committee deliberation on H.R. 15 we would like to focus on several programs before you. [The statement of Mr. Turner follows:] AASA American Association of School Administrators STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS Before the Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education of the House Education and Labor Committee Concerning HR 15 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1977 Submitted by Dr. Walter G. Turner, Associate Director accompanied by Dr. William L. Lucas, Assistant Superintendent September 20, 1977 1801 N. Moore Street, Arlington, Virginia 22209 703/528-0700 Mr. Chairman, I am Walter G. Turner, Associate Director of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), representing nearly 20,000 school superintendents across the nation. Accompanying me is William L. Lucas, Assistant Superintendent, Los Angeles City Unified School District, Los Angeles, California. We appreciate the opportunity to present our comments on reauthorization of certain elementary, secondary and other education programs (HR 15). The Congress should be commended for approving the one-year extension of forward funded programs in order to allow more extensive discussion of these issues. AASA believes that there is an urgent need to increase the level of federal financial support for public education. Adequate support should be provided to equalize programs which will guarantee every student an equal opportunity for quality education. With the beginning of Committee delibera tion on HR 15 we would like to focus on several programs before you. With respect to Title I, AASA feels that any major changes in the eligibility criteria for funds to disadvantaged students should be very carefully reviewed. Any shifting of eligibility criteria could have a major impact on program services at the local level, particularly in the large urban school districts which depend heavily on these funds. If the criteria are realigned, we would recommend a very gradual process. 2 One specific aspect of Title I that AASA recommends for the committee's consideration is the lifting of mobility restrictions on the targeting of Title I funds. These funds should be permitted to follow the child where Title I participants are moved to non-Title I schools as a result of desegregation. It would be unfortunate for a child to lose program services as a result of efforts to achieve racial equality in the schools. In regard to Title VII programs, AASA urges more support to meet the increased needs for bilingual education, including teacher training and curriculum development. In addition, an effort should be made to provide assistance to more foreign language speaking groups than those presently served. Demonstration Career education is another program supported by AASA. projects have proven that there is a need to move toward a comprehensive education program and we feel that the time has come to expand this idea into a fully operational program. As you are aware, school districts throughout the country are suffering from spiraling costs for educational goods and services, as well as other difficult financial problems. Reduction of any federal funds for impact aid would impose an additional possibly backbreaking budgetary load on those school districts relying heavily on federal funds to make up for lost revenues from federal workers. 3 As the actual language evolves on various programs in HR 15, we would welcome the opportunity to solicit input from our membership and provide our findings to the committee. Because the number of programs under ESEA are so numerous, we would like to briefly mention several which our membership has previously endorsed. It is felt that school districts preparing to desegregate should be eligible for ESAA funds, as well as those currently in the desegregation process. Recognizing the increased levels of skill development required for full functional literacy, AASA continues to place the highest priority on Right to Read programs, with special emphasis on the needs of individuals. AASA views learning as a life long process and urges schools, as well as the Congress, to vigorously pursue avenues that foster continuing learning and/or retraining, wherever needed, for all citizens. Many other programs to assist children, such as Title IV, are integral parts of local educational programs and need the continued support of Congress. As the committee considers funding provisions under this reauthorization legislation, we want to bring to your attention AASA's support both for general aid and for categorical aid to identifiable educational needs. AASA has brought forward today some of the issues that concern our membership. This statement should not be considered to be all-inclusive. |