Date: 2013-07-19
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to be on the floor with Mr. TIERNEY and the gentleman from California. and their commitment and their comments on the question of the equality of education for atrisk children. I think if there is anything that comes out of this important discussion. and from the chairmans presence on the floor. it should be that we should be focused with tunnel vision on the concern about atrisk children. My amendment is a straightforward amendment. It is an amendment that gives information. Specifically. it calls for a study and a report containing recommendations regarding the advisability of authorizing a State education authority to close a school district over the opposition of the locally elected school board. families. students. teachers. and calls for best practices governing the exercise of authority by a State education agency in monitoring. supervising. and controlling underperforming school districts. with particular emphasis on rural and underserved districts and underserved communities. Our children are our precious resource. and I have been in schools and school districts where children loved the atmosphere in which they are in. They clamor for the teachers. There is a mutual respect and coming together. and all they need is a focus of resources and improvement. But rather than getting that. authority is used to either undermine the funding of those school districts or in essence say to those school teachers and all of those who have been workingand taxpayersthat. in fact. this school will not be given dollars to improve. The Center on Reinventing Public Education assessed a number of States. and the interesting determination was that States spent less on improving school districts and schools. less on improving. but more on shutting them down or not allowing them to go forward in atrisk areas. This chart gives you the balance of distribution of performance and improvement. and many States. such as Texas. spend less than 5 percent on performance. So what does my amendment do? It provides balance between local control over schools and our State educational agencies by providing a report. It makes sure that taxpayers and locally elected officials are not ignored by the State. It also has a way of preventing communities from being blamed as the problem and engaging the community. It prevents poorly prepared Stateelected officials whove been placed in positions to run schools from taking money from those schools as opposed to investing in those schools. It makes sure that minor problems are fixed before you go to drastic concerns. It allows a determination of a structure of appeal so that the appeal is allowed broadly by those who are impacted. taxpayers. for example. who are very important. And it allows a determination whether the State authorities are given the effective oversight of a rural district. an atrisk district. and then it provides the opportunity to ensure that there is fair play and that we are interested in the quality of education. I ask my colleagues to support the amendment. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. Chair. I thank Chairman KLINE and Ranking Member MILLER for their work to improve education for our Nations children. I thank the Rules Committee for making in order Jackson Lee Amendment #24 for full consideration by the House of Representatives. My amendment to H.R. 5. the "Student Success Act." is simple and is an important addition to this bill. I believe that my amendment to H.R. 5 can be supported by every member of the House.