Date: 2015-12-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support to S. 1177. which is a sea change that moves the nations education system away from "No Child Left Behind." I thank Chairman KLINE. Ranking Member Scoo-. and all the members of the House and Senate Conference Committee for their work in bringing the Every Child Succeeds Act. As the founding member and Chair of the Congressional Childrens Caucus. I am in support of this bill because it places the education of our nations children first. I am pleased that the Jackson Lee Amendment offered during the House consideration of this bill intended to fight bullying in education settings is included in S. 1177. The Jackson Lee Amendment supports accountabilitybased programs and activities that are designed to enhance school safety. which may include researchbased bullying prevention. cyberbullying prevention. and disruption of recruitment activity by groups or individuals involved in violent extremism. and gang prevention programs as well as intervention programs regarding bullying. Statistics on Bully: Consider the daily reality for too many of our children who are threatened and hurt daily and will not tell adults about their pain or shame: 1 in 7 Students in Grades K12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying. 90 percent of 4th to 8th Grade Students report being victims of bullying of some type. 56 percent of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school. 71 percent of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school. 15 percent of all students who dont show up for school reported being out of fear of being bullied while at school. 1 out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school. 282.000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month. Consequences of bullying: 15 percent of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school. According to bullying statistics. 1 out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying. Suicides linked to bullying are the saddest statistic. The Jackson Lee Amendment also addresses growing concerns regarding violent extremism and student social media use. As the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime. Terrorism. Homeland Security. and Investigations. as well as a Senior Member of the Homeland Security Committee. I believe that we must address emerging threats where they are. and do so as early as possible. The Every Student Succeeds Act reflects the core principles for what todays children need to be prepared to succeed. The bill includes support for students and schools in state accountability plans to create an opportunity for great transparency in making sure the classroom experiences of students will prepare them for higher education or employment opportunities by: (1.) reducing the amount of standardized testing in schools and decoupling highstakes decision making and statewide standardized tests. and. (2.) ensuring that educators voices are part of decision making at the federal. state and local levels. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Congress passing the landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is appropriate that Congress is taking this important bipartisan step in education reform that is drawing broad support from leading organizations. including the following: (1.) National Education Association. (2.) Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. (3.) National Council of La Raza. (4.) Teach for America. (5.) U.S. Chamber of Commerce. and (6.) Business Roundtable. The bill before the House will move the nation toward an education policy built for success from the classrooms to the workplace. In 2011. the number of children enrolled in elementary. middle schools and high schools nationally is 54.876.000. which included 38.716.000 in elementary schools and 16.160.000 in high schools. Access to a great education is the best medicine for our nations disparities in our economic system and social justice challenges. A major reason for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was the unanimous. landmark ruling of the United States Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education. in which the Supreme Court held that education "is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms." A great education lifts all aspirations and opens doors of opportunity for every student in communities across the nation. Today lifelong learning is an imperative for workers to remain current and viable in the employment market place. A great education today yield benefits far into the future as it produces inventors. thinkers. artists. and leaders. It is well past time to correct flaws in the "No Child Left Behind" law and focus on facilitating this growth and laying the foundation for student success. According to a 2011 report by the Brookings Institutions Metropolitan Policy Program. "The Hidden STEM Economy." 26 million jobs. or 20 percent of all occupations. required knowledge in one or more STEM areas. The same report stressed that fully half of all STEM jobs available to workers without a 4 year degree and these jobs pay on average $53.000 a year. which is 10 percent higher than jobs with similar education requirements. The economy is changing rapidly and our education system needs the guidance and support provided by H.R. 1177. I urge all members to join with me in voting in support of H.R. 1177. The material previously referred to by Mr. POLIS is as follows: