For Immediate Release: January 15, 2000

San Francisco, CA - The long-arm of the federal Department of Education has worsened many of California's education problems, according to Rethinking the Federal Role in California Schools: Proposals for Reform, a new study by the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy (PRI).

"Rather than encouraging innovation and local solutions, federal policy has come in the form of government mandates and ineffective programs with little accountability," said Tom Dawson, the study's author and a public policy fellow at PRI's Center for School Reform.

"It takes the California state government almost as much time and money to comply with federal mandates as the amount they receive annually from the federal government to enact these programs," Dawson said.

The programs most in need of reform, the author says, are Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Goals 2000, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program, and class-size reduction and bilingual education programs.

Dawson recommends a number of policy reforms to help solve the problem.

Allow federal funding to follow students directly. By making Title I funds portable, children and their families could use federal money to purchase school materials, to obtain after-school tutoring, to attend summer school, or even to enroll in private or parochial schools.

Hand over other Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) money to state governors in exchange for accountability. Because state education departments, such as the California Department of Education, retain too much money for administrative costs, passing the money directly to the governors' offices would ensure more money reached students. Federal policy should be less concerned with inputs, and focused instead on outcomes.

Shut down the Goals 2000 program. Any program that moves toward national performance standards or testing should be avoided.

Provide full funding for IDEA Special Education Mandates. The Clinton Administration and the U.S. Congress have a duty to live up to their word and fully fund the federal government’s 40-percent share of special education costs covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Act.

End federal support for bilingual education. The federal and state governments have pumped billions into ineffective bilingual programs that have failed in California. Federal bilingual programs should be made to comply with Proposition 227, which dramatically changed the delivery of bilingual services in California. Moreover, federal bilingual funds should be turned over to the state, provided that Limited English Proficient children make a quick and smooth transition into mainstream classrooms.

Promote sound research. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement, which has the primary responsibility for research activities under the Department of Education, should open up research to a variety of different vantage points and disciplines. States and local districts can benefit from balanced and in-depth research. In the same way, the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program should be revamped to be an effective vehicle for reform.

"Federal education policy needs to be reigned in, respecting states' primary role in educating children," said Dawson. "Whether it’s federal money or research, any assistance from Washington should complement state policy, not add another level of priorities."

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For a copy of the study or for more information, contact Laura Dykes by phone at 415/989-0833 x113, by fax at 415/989-2411, or by e-mail at ldykes@pacificresearch.org, or visit Pacific Research Institute's Web site at http://www.pacificresearch.org.

The Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility. The Institute believes these principles are best encouraged through policies that emphasize a free economy, private initiative, and limited government. By focusing on public policy issues such as health care, welfare, education, and the environment, the Institute strives to foster a better understanding of the principles of a free society among leaders in government, academia, the media, and the business community.