Education is an important priority for Senator Conrad.
As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and a key national
spokesman on budget and tax policy, Senator Conrad plays a critical
role in determining funding for education. As passed by Congress,
the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Budget Resolution (S.Con.Res 21) provides
$6.3 billion more than the President's budget proposal for the
Department of Education. Senator Conrad will continue his work
to provide adequate funding in order to meet the requirements
mandated for elementary and secondary education under the No
Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). He will also continue his efforts
to ensure that adequate federal financial aid, including Pell
Grants, is available to North Dakota's college students.
The Challenges Under "No Child Left Behind"
Helping North Dakota's Rural Schools
Funding at Every Educational Level
Paying for Federal Mandates
Information Technology
Finding and Training New Workers
Higher Education
Keeping in Touch
The Challenges Under "No Child Left Behind"
Few federal education laws have had as dramatic an impact
on North Dakota schools as No Child Left Behind. Although the
intent of the law is commendable - ensuring highly qualified
teachers and measuring students' academic achievement - implementation
of NCLB has posed many serious challenges.
Enacted in 2002, NCLB set performance standards for students,
school officials and educators. Despite assurances of support
from the Department of Education, many North Dakota educators
believe that they have not been provided realistic funding to
meet the federal requirements. Senator Conrad shares that view.
In January 2005, Senator Conrad met with Secretary of Education
Margaret Spellings and Assistant Secretary Ray Simon regarding
the Department of Education's determination that many North
Dakota teachers were unqualified under NCLB.
After Senator Conrad's meetings with senior federal education
officials, the Department of Education reversed its earlier
opinion and approved North Dakota's plan for elementary, middle
and secondary school teachers. This was an important victory
for North Dakota educators who, through high student achievement
scores on a national level, have unquestionably demonstrated
their high qualifications.
NCLB is due for Congressional reauthorization this year. As
this process moves forward, Senator Conrad will continue to
work with parents, teachers, administrators, and other education
professionals throughout our state to ensure the federal government
is an effective partner in the education process. He will also
work to ensure that North Dakota, particularly in rural communities,
receives the federal resources necessary to continue its outstanding
education tradition.
Helping North Dakota's Rural Schools
One of the most important education priorities for Senator
Conrad is preserving the quality of education in North Dakota's
rural schools. More than 88 percent of North Dakota school districts
have 600 students or less. These districts face unique challenges.
Senator Conrad responded to the concerns of rural educators
by authoring legislation to create the Rural Education Achievement
Program (REAP). This landmark, bipartisan legislation was enacted
in 2002. Under the REAP program, many small, rural school districts
are entitled to consolidate funding from certain federal education
programs to make more efficient use of the funds. Senator Conrad's
legislation is critical to giving rural schools flexibility
to use federal education funding wisely. The school districts
are also eligible for grant assistance that may be used to improve
student achievement or provide professional development for
teachers.
Earlier this fall, Senator Conrad introduced the REAP Reauthorization Act (S. 2051). The changes included in this legislation will allow federal funds to be even more closely targeted to geographically isolated districts and allow more North Dakota schools to receive financial benefits from the program. Since 2002, more than 120 North Dakota school districts have received more than $4 million in funding. Senator Conrad will continue to fight for adequate funding for this critical rural education program
Funding at Every Educational Level
Senator Conrad has consistently supported a federal budget that
gives priority to improving student achievement. He is very
concerned that current budget policies underfund No Child Left
Behind and cut or eliminate programs important for North Dakota
educators, students and parents, including education technology,
safe and drug free schools, and career and technical education.
The FY 2008 Budget Resolution includes $6.3 billion more funding
for the Department of Education than the President's proposal,
and restores funding for many education programs that were originally
eliminated or significantly cut. As Chairman of the Senate Budget
Committee, Senator Conrad will work to strengthen our nation's
investment in our children's future.
Paying for Federal Mandates
Senator Conrad supports the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) and recognizes the commitment Congress made to fund
its share of these programs. Senator Conrad is committed to
fulfilling the federal obligation to assist local communities
with program expenses.
Information Technology
Senator Conrad recognizes the opportunities that
information technology and the digital age provide students
in North Dakota. He is working to ensure that rural America
has the same technological opportunities - especially with education
and training - that are available to urban and suburban areas.
For this reason, he has opposed the President's proposal to
eliminate funding for education technology grants provided within
the No Child Left Behind Act.
Senator Conrad has also consistently supported the "E-Rate" program to provide affordable access to the Internet for schools and libraries. Since 1998, North Dakota schools and libraries have received over $31 million under this program, including more than $5.4 million in 2006 alone.
Additionally, since hosting an information technology summit
in North Dakota in 1998, Senator Conrad has worked to encourage
partnerships between leading IT firms, foundations and local
school districts. Results of these partnerships include technology-training
academies at more than 20 schools across the state and foundation
grants totaling more than $700,000 for computers in North Dakota's
rural schools.
Finding and Training New Workers
Congressional passage of the American Competitiveness
in the 21st Century Act ranked as another success for Senator
Conrad in promoting information technology (IT) training for
North Dakotans. Senator Conrad successfully created a Technical
Skills Training Grants program in the Department of Labor. This
program requires that a portion of funds collected from certain
visa applicants be used to provide training in high-level skills
where worker shortages exist, including the information technology
and health care fields.
Some of the visa funds are also available through the National
Science Foundation to help educators improve their skills in
math, science and technology. NDSU received one of these grants.
Senator Conrad continues to look for legislative opportunities
and other ways to partner with the IT community in an effort
to prepare all North Dakotans for the future.
Higher Education
In addition to focusing attention on the education needs
of K-12 students, Senator Conrad meets regularly with both students
and educators from North Dakota universities to make certain
that their concerns are heard. It is especially important to
Senator Conrad that students have access to federal student
assistance programs, and he supported increasing the maximum Pell Grant during Senate consideration of the FY 2007 Funding Resolution. More recently, Senator Conrad also supported the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which will further increase the maximum Pell Grant award to $4,800 in 2008 and $5,400 by 2012. This legislation will also cap monthly student loan payments at 15 percent of discretionary income and cut interest rates on federally subsidized student loans in half over four years, allowing recent graduates to manage their payments more easily.
North Dakota has approximately 46,000 students attending 11
institutions in the university system and private schools that
include Jamestown College and the University of Mary. Nearly
12,000 of these students receive Pell Grants, and thousands
more participate in federal student aid programs. Senator Conrad
is very concerned about the debt that many students carry following
graduation. He has consistently supported increases in the maximum
Pell Grant, along with other financial aid incentives at the
federal level, to help reduce this financial burden and make
sure college is affordable for every eligible student.
Keeping in Touch
As part of Senator Conrad's continuing effort to make certain that
student concerns are addressed, he meets regularly with students
in both North Dakota and in his Washington office. Many of these
students participate in Close Up, Presidential Classroom, and
the Congressional Youth Leadership Program. Senator Conrad places
great value on these meetings. In fact, a number of young North
Dakotans have visited Washington through these programs and
have returned to serve in internships
in Senator Conrad's office in Washington, DC. He
also offers internship opportunities
in his state offices in Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot.
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