Federal School Library Legislation t

[Paul Pormen - Media Coordinator <AUST_PP@ACCESS.OECN.OHIO.GOV>]

The following information may be of interest to all library media persons
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                                  ALAWON
                      ALA Washington Office Newsline
                     An electronic publication of the
              American Library Association Washington Office

                            Volume 3, Number 10
                               March 3, 1994

   In this issue: (182 lines)
     SCHOOL LIBRARY ASSISTANCE INCLUDED IN ESEA REAUTHORIZATION

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        SCHOOL LIBRARY ASSISTANCE INCLUDED IN ESEA REAUTHORIZATION

HR 6, the bill to extend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for
another five years, was approved by the House Education and Labor Committee
on February 16.  Floor action on HR 6 began February 23 and a final vote
was expected on March 1.  Republican members on the Committee, led by Rep.
Bill Goodling (R-PA), expressed their concerns in the committee report
about the many new programs created in the bill.  Rep. Boehner (R-OH) has
offered amendments to strip the new portions of the bill.  A quick review
of the 901-page bill and its 734-page report (H. Rept. 103-425) provides
the following highlights:

     *    The bill includes dedicated assistance for school library media
          resources as Title II, Part C, Library Media Program.  In order
          for a state to receive an allocation of funds, a state plan must
          be developed, which would take into consideration the "relative
          need of the students, school media specialists, and teachers to
          be served."  The report language details the sad state of school
          library media collections, with average copyright dates of 1965,
          and concludes: "Good libraries help students develop important
          research and analytical skills that are essential to reaching the
          National Educational Goals."  The authorization level for FY95
          would be set at $200,000,000, with "such sums as may be
          necessary" for FY96-99.  This section of HR 6 incorporates the
          earmarked funds for school library media resources provision of
          HR 1151, the Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Act
          introduced by Rep. Jack Reed (D-RI).

     *    Title II, Improving Teaching and Learning, includes under Part A,
          the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program, which
          has as its purpose to "ensure that teachers, other staff, and
          administrators have access to sustained and intensive high-
          quality professional development that is aligned to challenging
          State content and performance standards in the core academic
          subjects..."  The Secretary of Education is authorized to support
          "efforts to train teachers in the innovative uses and
          applications of technology to enhance student learning."  From an
          authorized level of $800,000,000 for FY95 and such sums for FY96-
          99, the Secretary would be authorized to use 5 percent for
          federal activities and 95 percent for state and local activities.
          Each local educational agency would be required to provide at
          least one-third of the cost of any program.  Allowable activities
          include "professional development of teachers, principals, and
          other instructional staff who work directly with children."

     *    Title II-B, Technology Education Assistance, states as its
          purpose: "to support a comprehensive system for the acquisition
          and use by elementary and secondary schools in the United States
          of technology and technology-enhanced curricula, instruction, and
          administrative support resources and services to improve the
          delivery of educational services."  Formula-based allotments to
          each state would be distributed as follows: 70 percent to local
          educational agencies, 20 percent to institutions of higher
          education, and 10 percent to state library agencies to support
          literacy and library programs.

          State library administrative agencies are to use the greater
          percentage of these funds to "support collaborative activity
          among libraries, literacy programs, and local educational
          agencies."   State library agencies may use 10 percent for costs
          incurred in evaluation of the programs and administrative costs.
          Libraries are to use funds in this section for "(A) developing
          programs that help libraries, local educational agencies, and
          literacy programs use technology to share services and resources
          and develop collaborative activities that improve their
          performance and that of the students in academic and work skill
          areas; and (B) professional development for library, literacy,
          and other appropriate personnel to improve their skills in the
          use of educational technology and telecommunications."  The
          authorization level for this part would be $300,000,000 for FY95
          and "such sums as may be necessary" for FY96-99.

     *    Subpart 2 of Part B, Research, Development, and Demonstration of
          Educational Technology, would establish an Office of Educational
          Technology in the Department of Education, and provide authority
          for that office to develop pilot projects in uses of technology
          in "pre-school education, elementary and secondary education,
          training and lifelong learning, and professional development of
          educational personnel," as well as development and evaluation of
          software and other products including television that incorporate
          advances in technology and help achieve the National Education
          Goals and challenging State standards.  The authorized level for
          this subpart would be such sums as may be necessary for FY95-99.

     *    Subpart 3 of Part B, Star Schools Program, would reauthorize the
          Star Schools program and promote the use of distance learning
          strategies to improve both teaching and learning.

     *    Subpart 4 of Part B, Development of Educational Technology
          Products, includes establishment of a venture capital fund to
          support the development of innovative educational software and
          other technology-based learning resources by partnerships between
          private industry and educational agencies.  The authorized level
          would be $50,000,000 for FY95 and "such sums as may be necessary"
          for FY96-99.

     *    The current Chapter I would become Title I, Improved Education
          for Disadvantaged Children, and would include reauthorization of
          the Even Start Program, education of migratory children,
          prevention and intervention services for delinquent youth and
          youth at risk, and federal evaluation projects.  The bill, in
          Title I, does not reauthorize the program for children with
          disabilities under the current Chapter 1 program.  Title III-A of
          the bill would amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education
          Act to ensure that the programs funded under the Chapter 1
          program will be supported under IDEA.

     *    The Chapter 2 School Block Grant would appear in a new form as
          Title II, Part E, Education Program Strategies, which cites as
          its purpose: to support local education reform efforts consistent
          with statewide reform efforts under Goals 2000; support for state
          and local efforts to accomplish the National Education Goals;
          provision of funding to enable state and local educational
          agencies to implement promising educational reform programs;
          provision of a continuing source of "innovation, educational
          improvement, and support for library services and instructional
          materials, including media materials" and to meet the special
          educational needs of at risk and high cost students.
          Authorization levels would be $435,000,000 for FY95 and "such
          sums as may be necessary" for FY96-99.

     *    Subpart 4 of Part E, 21st Century Community Learning Centers,
          lists 13 eligible uses of funds, including "expanded library
          service hours to serve community needs."  Local educational
          agencies may choose to develop programs working with local
          governmental agencies, businesses, vocational education programs,
          community colleges, universities, cultural, recreational, and
          other community and human service entities.  The legislation
          describes Community Learning Centers as being "primarily in rural
          and inner city areas."  Authorization levels are those which
          occur in Title II, Part E, Education Program Strategies.

Numerous other elementary/secondary education programs would be amended and
reauthorized in HR 6, including programs for the Inexpensive Book
Distribution Program, Magnet Schools Assistance, the Women's Educational
Equity Act, Impact Aid, School Facilities Improvement, and the National
Center for Education Statistics.

The total authorization for the bill as estimated by the Congressional
Budget Office and listed in the committee report is $12,386,000,000.

ACTION NEEDED:  The final vote on HR 6 is expected any day now.   Contact
House members to urge their rejection of the Boehner amendment, and any
other which would strip the library provisions from the bill.