Fwd: more money for McGraw Hill

[Peter Farruggio <pfarr@uclink4.berkeley.edu>]

> From: Stephen Krashen <krashen@usc.edu>
>
>
> MORE MONEY FOR TESTING = MORE MONEY FOR McGRAW HILL
>
> "The president's proposal may provide the money to test our children, but 
> not enough to teach them." (Edward Kennedy)
>
>
>
> Bush to seek more money for poor students
>
> By Randall Mikkelsen
> REUTERS
>
> January 4, 2003
>
> CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush said Saturday he would ask Congress to 
> raise spending on education aid to poor students by $1 billion next year, 
> but a leading Democrat said the nearly 9 percent increase was inadequate.
>
> "Too many students and lower income families fall behind early, resulting 
> in a terrible gap in test scores between these students and their more 
> fortunate peers," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
>
> The request to Congress, which would raise total aid under the Title I 
> education assistance program to $12.3 billion in fiscal year 2004, follows 
> an education reform measure signed by Bush last year.
>
> The act increases federal spending on schools and requires states to test 
> student performance annually. Parents of students in chronically failing 
> schools are allowed to put their children in other public schools or given 
> aid for tutoring programs.
>
> Some critics say the Bush program's emphasis on testing fuels an overload 
> of tests, wastes instructional time and stifles broader learning. Others 
> say the program imposes unfair financial penalties on problem schools.
>
> Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts dismissed as "pocket 
> change" Bush's proposal for increased spending, saying it fell short of 
> what was needed by cash-strapped states and did not meet increases he 
> forecast previously.
>
> "The president's proposed $1 billion increase in what he claims is his top 
> domestic policy priority leaves over 5 million needy children behind," 
> Kennedy said.
>
> "The president's proposal may provide the money to test our children, but 
> not enough to teach them. It's wrong to ask schools to do better on pocket 
> change," he said. "Ask any teacher, parent, or school official if the Bush 
> administration is providing enough resources to carry out needed school 
> reforms, and the answer is no."
>
> Bush said in the radio address his reforms have gotten off to a good start 
> and defended the testing requirements.
>
> "Across America, states and school districts are working hard to implement 
> these reforms. They are developing accountability plans and beginning 
> innovative tutoring plans," Bush said.
>
> "Testing is the only way to know which students are learning and which 
> students need extra help, so we can give them extra help before they fall 
> further behind," he said.
>
> Bush said he would also ask Congress for a $75 million increase over last 
> year's request for federal reading programs, which would bring the total 
> to more than $1.1 billion.
>
> Find this article at:
> http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20030104-0827-bush-education.html


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