ALAWON v4n54 (June 8, 1995)
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v4n54

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                                                             ISSN 1069-7799
                                  ALAWON
                      ALA Washington Office Newsline
                     An electronic publication of the
              American Library Association Washington Office

                            Volume 4, Number 54
                               June 8, 1995

   In this issue: (87 lines)
     TEACHERS AND TECHNOLOGY; MAKING THE CONNECTION
     TWO VISIONS EMERGE FOR FUTURE OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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         TWO VISIONS EMERGE FOR FUTURE OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

On Wednesday, June 7th, the House Economic and Educational Opportunities
Committee compared two plans for the future of the Department of Education
in the latest of several hearings held on departmental reorganization.
Representatives Steve Gunderson (R-WI) and John Boehner (R-OH) presented
and defended their respective plans for legislation to re-invent the
Federal role in education.  Gordon Ambach, Executive Director of the
Council of Chief State School Officers, offered insight as to how each of
the plans would effect educational efforts nationally.

Representative Boehner, as a member of the Republican group called the
House Education Task Force, presented a brief outline of the soon to be
introduced "Back-to-Basics Education Reform Act."  Representative Boehner's
sentiment for the Department of Education was that, "The experiment of a
large Federal role in education has failed."  The proposal would eliminate
the Department of Education and consolidate funding for the programs
administered by the Department into two major block grants.  The grants
would be in the form of a $9 billion grant for elementary and secondary
education and a $2 billion grant for post-secondary education.  The monies
would be dispersed at the discretion of state governors who are required to
fill only one criteria, that 98% of the funds are to be spent at the local
level.  A few select programs, such as the Individuals with Disabilities
Act, Pell Grants, and impact aid, would be relocated to other departments.

Representative Gunderson's proposal calls for the merger of the Department
of Education and the Department of Labor and the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission to form a Department of Education and Employment.
The new department would be organized into three basic functions: Workforce
Preparation and Policy, Civil Rights, and Workplace Policy.  Most education
programs and adult training programs would fall under the Workforce
Preparation and Policy function.  Gunderson said that it was in the
national interest to have a "skilled, trained, competitive workforce."  He
asserted that the proposed Department of Education and Employment is the
most the efficient way to achieve this workforce.

Ambach's warning for both proposals was, "Don't change the structure until
you know where the function will fit."  His criticism of Boehner's plan was
that by dispersing programs to five or more agencies the plan is not
consistent with the concept of streamlining.  It also pushes national
leadership for education down several levels of importance.  While
Gunderson's plan does keep all education programs in one department, Ambach
still felt that a merger with the Department of Labor would, "crowd out the
focus on education."

Watch ALAWON for further developments as these two plans are introduced as
legislation and move through the political process.

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TEACHERS AND TECHNOLOGY; MAKING THE CONNECTION

_Teachers and Technology; Making the Connection_ is a major report issued
recently by the Office of Technology Assessment at the request of the
Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources with endorsement by the
House Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities.  The report
assesses the potential of technologies, the barriers, needs for training,
support and research.  The study also analyzes the role of federal
leadership in legitimizing, funding and targeting technologies in schools.
Copies of the report are available from the GPO ($8.50) or through
depositories.  OTA has also produced a 20-minute video to accompany the
written report;  for details call 202/224-8996 or e-mail
pubsrequest@ota.gov.  Access the report electronically
through OTA Online using any one of the following Internet tools:  WWW -
http:/www.ota.gov or FTP: otabbs.ota.gov, login anonymous, password is
your e-mail address.  Publications are in the /pub directory.  Telnet
otabbs.ota.gov, login as public, password is public.

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ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is an irregular publication of the American Library
Association Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC
20002-5675.  Internet: alawash@alawash.org; Phone: 202-547-4440;
Fax: 202-547-7363.  Contributing to this issue:  Mary Treacy and Claudette
Tennant.  Editor: Lynne E. Bradley (leb@alawash.org).

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