News from the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
John Boehner, Chairman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2003

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new report by the the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) at the U.S. Department of Education shows that the United States is one of the world's biggest spenders in public education, yet achievement levels in the U.S. lag far behind those of many other industrialized nations. The report comes as some congressional Democrats, at the behest of Washington-based lobbyists, are pushing flawed legislation that would excuse states and teachers unions from meeting high standards for academic progress until yet another massive increase in federal education spending is provided.

"This report shows, once again, that money alone is not the answer to the problems in our nation's schools. If we are serious about closing the achievement gap in America's schools, it requires changes in attitudes, not changes in spending levels," said House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH), who chaired the House-Senate committee that authored the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. "That's why the bipartisan education reforms in the No Child Left Behind Act are so significant. It's time for the well-funded public education system in America to begin delivering the results our children need and deserve, and for those entrusted with running it to recognize that every child in America can learn."

According to the report, which examines education systems in 30 industrialized nations, the United States is among the world's leaders in public and private educational spending, but American students show only average results in math, reading, and science. Spending in the United States is higher per-pupil than the average for other OECD countries on elementary and secondary education, including both public and private sources, the report notes. When including post-high school education, the United States leads the world in per-pupil spending, the OECD report also finds.

As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, all 50 states have adopted accountability plans that will enable parents and taxpayers to know when federally-subsidized public schools are not making progress in closing achievement gaps, and when children are in classes not taught by highly-qualified teachers. Federal education spending has increased dramatically, and the federal government is now spending far more money on an annual basis for elementary and secondary education than at any other time in American history. Federal spending for Elementary and Secondary Education Act programs increased by a whopping $4.3 billion -- or 24 percent -- during the first year of the No Child Left Behind Act, and even more has been added since then.

Yet, as Alexander Russo wrote recently in Slate Magazine: "Congressional Democrats, having originally helped write and pass the [No Child Left Behind] law, have now decided to oppose it. Somewhat disingenuously, they claim that President Bush reneged on a promise to fund the law at its highest possible levels...In truth, funding for NCLB has increased substantially over the past two years ..." (Alexander Russo, "Flunking Out," Slate Magazine, 8/28/03)

In July, the House defeated a Democrat-backed amendment to the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill that would effectively hold the education reform movement hostage until Washington policymakers agree to demands by the National Education Association (NEA) and other education establishment groups for yet another massive increase in federal K-12 education spending. The Democrat amendment, which has also taken the form of a stand-alone bill (H.R. 2394), would exempt states and schools from having to demonstrate results with the billions of new federal education dollars they have received since the No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law.

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