14. B 85/2:S. ARG. 105-338 S. HRG. 105-338 EDUCATION, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION October 28, 1997-THE STATE OF AMERICAN EDUCATION November 6, 1997-FEDERAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH October 30, 1997-INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS FUNDING—150 ACCOUNT November 20, 1997-FINANCING SOCIAL SECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY 46-217cc Printed for the use of the Committee on the Budget U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1998 For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-056409-3 DEPOSITORY | MAY 01 1998 Stanford University CONTENTS October 28, 1997-The State of American Education November 6, 1997-Federal Pre-Kindergarten Through Twelfth Grade Edu- October 30, 1997-150 Account November 20, 1997-Financing Social Security in the 21st Century Bennett, William J., Co-Director, Empower America and Former Secretary Bovbjerg, Barbara D., Associate Director, Income Security Issues, HEHS Divi- Forgione, Pascal D., Jr., PH.D., U.S. Commissioner of Education Statistics, Greenspan, Hon. Alan, Chairman, Federal Reserve Board of Governors Joyner, Carlotta C., PH.D., Director Education and Employment Issues, Health, Education, and Human Services Division, United States General Accounting Office; accompanied by Eleanor L. Johnson, Assistant Director, Education and Employment Issues, United States General Accounting Of- Lew, Hon. Jack, Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget Ochoa, Carley, Former Director of Special Projects, Riverside Unified School Nelson, Benjamin F., Director of International Relations and Trade Issues, National Security and International Affairs Division, General Accounting Will, Madeleine, Former Assistant Sceretary of Education for Special Edu- 140 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Federal Education Funding: Multiple Programs and Lack of Data Raise Efficiency and Effectiveness Concerns (Supplemental Information to Tes- Page Articles: The Development and Effectiveness of Compensatory Education Programs: 168 189 (IV) THE STATE OF AMERICAN EDUCATION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1997 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET, Washington, DC. The Task Force met, pursuant to notice, at 2:02 p.m., in room SD-608, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Bill Frist (chairman of the Task Force) presiding. Present: Senators Frist, Domenici, Grassley, Smith, Coverdell, Boxer, and Wyden. OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR FRIST Senator FRIST. Good afternoon. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to the first of what is a series of hearings of the Senate Budget Committee's Task Force on Education. This is the first of a series of hearings that are and will be conducted by the Task Force on Education that was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and ranking member. There are several task forces, the purpose of which is to provide oversight of the budgetary issues which we spend so much time on. Our objective in this specific task force, the Task Force on Education, is very, very simple, and that is to determine how well the Federal dollar is spent on pre-K through 12 education. What is the return on our investment? The members on this committee, for the record, are myself as chairman, Senator Boxer as ranking member, and then Senators Grassley, Snowe, Gordon Smith and Slade Gorton, and Senators Patty Murray, Tim Johnson, Ron Wyden, and, as I mentioned before, Senator Boxer. America's colleges and universities are the finest in the world. However, they rest on a foundation of quicksand. That foundation, our elementary and secondary education system, is, according to a recent OECD report, "mediocre at best." The United States is spending a lot on education. In 1994–95, the United States spent $284 billion on elementary and secondary education. The result of all this spending, however, is essentially flat student performance. And while we are flat, the rest of the world seems to be doing better. If we are to remain competitive, our "foundation" of elementary and secondary schools must also do bet ter. During a time when there is a willingness on both the Congress' part and on the part of the public to spend more tax dollars on edu (1) |