Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-28
GroupResfores
Million 10
Area Schools
House Committee
Acts to Avert
Suburban Tex Rise

committee acted today 70 avert
q school financing crisis in the
Washington Metropolitan Area
by restoring about SIS million
in Federal aid to impacted
areas in the health. education
and welfare budget.
Without the money. WASH
ington suburban communities
face emergency real estate tax
increases to cover operating
and construction costs through .
the next school year.
The $S.5 million was part Of
o total recommended restora-
ton Of $44.2 million to help
schools overcrowded by chill
dren Of Federal employees
throughout the Nation. Health.
Education and Welfare Secre-
tary Flemming did not ask
Congress for the money, but
the committee inserted it in
order to pay 100 per cent of
funds to which Federally i'm
pacted schools are entitled
under a law passed last year.
Cites Responsibility
The committe said it felt a
responsibility to provide funds
that Congress by its basic legis-
lation last year had led schools
to believe would be forthcom-
ing.
6. :. These school districts
have planned financing of their
school systems with the ex.
pectation that they would re-
ceive these funds" the COM
mittee report said. Thus, to
make reductions now would ba
unfair and would certainly dis.
rupt many educational pro.
grams.
| At the same time, the com.
mittee indicated that schools
in the Washington area may
be receiving more than their
fair share of Federal funds
under the impacted area pro.
gram.
1T is the committees belief
that serious consideration
should be given the basic legis-
lation with a view to possible
revision to remove from eligi-
bility, or considerably reduce
the entitlements of school dis
trictS in areas where it is highly
questionable that the Federal
activities have an adverse effect
on the financing of the school
system" the House was told in
the report.
Committeeman said they had
"in mind areas such as those
around Washington"
Trimmings Testimony
On April 10, the COMMITTEES
) released testimony from Sec
rotary Flemming in which he
said he could see mo justifica-
ton whatever" for providing
Federal aid to school districts
in which Federal Government
workers live and pay taxes.
He pointed out that he works
in the District, but resides in
Montgomery County, and can
see no reason why the Federal
Government should give the
county money because he has
two boys in Bethesda Chevy
Chase High School.
Current impacted area aid
amounts to about 50 million
in Prince Georges County. 81
| million in Montgomery County,
81 million in Fairfax County,
81 million in Arlington County.
$500,000 in Alexandria and
$4,000 in Falls Church. The
legislative formula fixing aid
would slightly increase these
totals for the coming year.
The committee noted that
around Washington children of
parents who work on Federal
property are included in the
count for which Federal pay
ments are made. Yet, those
parents who are Federal work.
ers pay local taxes to support
the school system just the same
as do their neighbors who do
not work on Federal property,
the committee added.
Last years legislation en-.
titled Montgomery, Prince
Georges and Fairfax Counties
to more money by their reclas-
sification as larger areas"
Such large districts must
show Federally-connected pu-
pills account for 6 per cent Of
their total enrolment to estab-
lish aid-eligibility. Once eli.
gibllity is established, payment
is made for all pupils, however.
Smaller districts must show
that only 3 per cent OF their
enrolment comes from young.
sters Of Federal employees.