After a half-a-century of school reform, a majority of Americans consider the public schools as worse today than when they attended school. Those reforms missed the mark because they were not focused on the backgrounds of the students’ parents--by far the most important indicator of students’ progress in school. The importance of parents was documented by the Coleman Report more than 50 years ago. School reform must be continued but re-directed to over-come the power of low parental socio-economic status. The best way to improve the schools is to create a better, fairer economy providing parents with good jobs and decent wages. In the meantime, good pre-school, after-school, and other aids are needed to help students from low income families. Teacher quality, although not as influential as the parents’ backgrounds, is the second most significant indicator of student success. Teachers, like parents, have not been the focus of the attention their importance deserves. In particular, teachers should be fairly paid, and their verbal and cognitive skills improved. The Coleman Report again documented the importance of those skills more than half-a-century ago. Instead, money, time, and effort have been spent on reforms that won’t bring about great improvement because they did not address adequately those two important factors.

This document contains testimonies and prepared statements from a congressional hearing on educational issues held in Arizona. Statements and testimonies address education reform, school financing, equalization, site-based management, federal programs, vocational education, and American Indian education, among other issues. Included are opening statements by Representatives Dale Kildee and Ed Pastor. Witnesses providing testimony include: (1) Lee Whitehead, Arizona Education Association; (2) Louise Kleinstiver, superintendent, Somerton School District No. 11, Yuma County; (3) George S. Garcia, superintendent, Tucson Unified School District No. 1, Pima County; (4) Gilbert Innis, Tribal Education Department, Gila River Indian Community; (5) James Cervantes, student, Phoenix; (6) Pat Medina, parent, Phoenix; (7) Derrick Gray, teacher, South Mountain High School, Phoenix; (8) E. T. Hernandez, parent, Phoenix; (9) Anthony Abril, Phoenix; (10) Eugene Bressard, director, Friendly House, Phoenix; (11) Judy Muller, teacher, South Mountain High School, Phoenix; (12) Ronald Mohammed, substitute teacher, Phoenix; (13) Jack Lunsford, Phoenix; (14) Betty Thompson, Phoenix; (15) John Pizzi, Glendale; and (16) Susan Shepherd, parent, Glendale. Prepared statements, a Gila River Indian Community Resolution, and a concept paper on the role of tribal governments in education policy are included. (KS)

Hearing held in Scottsdale, AZ, on April 8, 1999. Witnesses: Mayor Sam Campana, Mayor of Scottsdale; Representatives Matt Salmon, John Shadegg, J.D. Hayworth, Jon Kyl, & Thomas Tancredo; Lisa Graham Keegan, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Arizona Department of Education; Jeffry Flake, Executive Director, Goldwater Institute; Hope Silbert, Educator, Sunrise Middle School; & Margaret A. Gillespie, Parent.

This document records the proceedings of a Congressional hearing on the role of the federal government in education policy. Statements are provided by Richard Riley (Secretary of Education), Bret Schundler (Mayor, Jersey City, New Jersey), Tommy Thompson (Governor, Wisconsin), and Representatives, William L. Clay (Missouri), William F. Goodling (Pennsylvania), Harris W. Fawell (Illinois), Gene Green (Texas), and Thomas C. Sawyer (Ohio). The following federal education programs are discussed: the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Work Opportunities Act, Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the Improving America's School Act. Discussion includes education and the future; economic development and success; national security; responsible citizenship; access and civil rights; state and local responsibility; program reforms; the role of the Department of Education; research; technology; student aid; federal and state partnerships; education standards; education as a state responsibility; school funding and flexibility; disadvantaged children; public and private schools; decentralization; the role of parents; employment and job training programs; major research findings on school choice; and program costs. (AEF)

This document contains testimonies and prepared statements from a congressional hearing on educational issues held in Arizona. Statements and testimonies address education reform, school financing, equalization, site-based management, federal programs, vocational education, and American Indian education, among other issues. Included are opening statements by Representatives Dale Kildee and Ed Pastor. Witnesses providing testimony include: (1) Lee Whitehead, Arizona Education Association; (2) Louise Kleinstiver, superintendent, Somerton School District No. 11, Yuma County; (3) George S. Garcia, superintendent, Tucson Unified School District No. 1, Pima County; (4) Gilbert Innis, Tribal Education Department, Gila River Indian Community; (5) James Cervantes, student, Phoenix; (6) Pat Medina, parent, Phoenix; (7) Derrick Gray, teacher, South Mountain High School, Phoenix; (8) E. T. Hernandez, parent, Phoenix; (9) Anthony Abril, Phoenix; (10) Eugene Bressard, director, Friendly House, Phoenix; (11) Judy Muller, teacher, South Mountain High School, Phoenix; (12) Ronald Mohammed, substitute teacher, Phoenix; (13) Jack Lunsford, Phoenix; (14) Betty Thompson, Phoenix; (15) John Pizzi, Glendale; and (16) Susan Shepherd, parent, Glendale. Prepared statements, a Gila River Indian Community Resolution, and a concept paper on the role of tribal governments in education policy are included. (KS)