MEMORANDUM Date: January 31, 1994 To: Senator Dole From: Alec Vachon [initialed] Re: Goals 2000 Amendment: Require Highly Visible Study of School Reform and Students with Disabilities This week the Senate begins consideration of GOALS 2000, the ambitious, controversial school reform legislation. However, there has been little discussion of GOALS 2000 and students with disabilities -- a conclusion shared by the Dept. of Education, school officials, university professors (including at KU), and disability representatives. The disability community has foolishly ignored GOALS 2000, focusing only on disability-specific legislation, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students with disabilities are missing the bus when it comes to school reform -- although they comprise ten percent of all students (5 million), a number growing by two to three percent each year. And there is no other group for whom reform is more badly needed. For example, GOALS 2000 aims for a ninety percent high school graduation rate. Even without reform, the graduation rate among nondisabled students has been rising -- from eighty-one to eighty-three percent between 1975 and 1990. But for students with disabilities, those graduating with either a diploma or a certificate dropped from sixty percent to fifty-two percent between 1986 and 1989. To jump start attention, I suggest an amendment to direct the Secretary of Education to commission a study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). A NAS study would be prestigious, independent, and highly visible. Project cost would be about $600,000 per year, for two years. This study might also provide ideas for reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the key federal education law for students with disabilities. Although due to be reauthorized this session, it is likely to be carried over to next year because the Administration bill isn't expected until July. This amendment has been coordinated with David. DO YOU WISH TO SPONSOR AN AMENDMENT DIRECTING A STUDY OF GOALS 2000 AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES? IF SO, I WILL PREPARE TEXT AND FLOOR STATEMENT, ROUND UP CO-SPONSORS, ETC. YES/ NO [yes has been indicated] MEMORANDUM Date: February 3, 1994 To: Senator Dole From: Alec Vachon Re: Dole GOALS 2000 Amendment: Require Study of School Reform and Students with Disabilities Attached for approval are draft remarks, together with the amendment text. Your amendment was accepted by the bill managers and will be included in the manager's package. Incidentally, it also got high marks from Administration officials monitoring the GOALS 2000 debate and other Senate staff. DO YOU WISH TO: INSERT STATEMENT IN RECORD [this option has been indicated], WILL READ STATEMENT ON FLOOR. OTHER [handwritten note: Press Release (illegible)] SENATOR BOB DOLE FLOOR STATEMENT AMENDMENT DIRECTING A STUDY OF GOALS 2000 SCHOOL REFORM AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MR. PRESIDENT, I WISH TO THANK THE BILL MANAGERS FOR INCLUDING IN THEIR PACKAGE MY AMENDMENT WHICH DIRECTS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF HOW WELL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE SERVED BY THE GOALS 2000 SCHOOL REFORMS. THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES WAS SELECTED AS THE CONTRACTOR BECAUSE OF ITS REPUTATION FOR BOTH INDEPENDENCE AND EXCELLENCE. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY THIS STUDY IS IMPORTANT AND, IN MY VIEW, WAY OVERDUE. FIRST, I AM CONCERNED THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE MISSING THE BUS WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL REFORM. WHETHER ONE AGREES WITH GOALS 2000 OR NOT, THE DEBATE OVER EDUCATION SPARKED BY THE 1983 REPORT A NATION AT RISK HAS BEEN IMPORTANT AND SOMETIMES RIVETING. REGRETTABLY, IN THOSE 11 YEARS THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE ATTENTION TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES -- ALTHOUGH THEY COMPRISE 10 PERCENT OF ALL STUDENTS AND ARE AMONG THOSE MOST IN NEED OF EDUCATION REFORMS. FOR EXAMPLE, GOALS 2000 AIMS FOR A 90 PERCENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE. EVEN WITHOUT REFORM, THE GRADUATION RATE AMONG NONDISABLED STUDENTS HAS RISEN, TO 83 PERCENT TODAY. BUT AMONG STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE GRADUATING WITH EITHER A DIPLOMA OR A CERTIFICATE DROPPED FROM 60 PERCENT TO 52 PERCENT BETWEEN 1986 AND 1989. MR. PRESIDENT, I KNOW THAT THE BILL CONTAINS MANY REFERENCES TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND I COMMEND THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES FOR ITS STRONG REPORT LANGUAGE IN THIS REGARD. BUT NEITHER BILL OR REPORT LANGUAGE CAN MAKE UP IN ONE FELL SWOOP FOR A DECADE OF NEGLECT. AT THE VERY LEAST, I HOPE THIS STUDY WILL JUMP START ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE. SECOND, THERE ARE MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT GOALS 2000 SCHOOL REFORMS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. ALTHOUGH I DO NOT INTEND OR EXPECT THIS STUDY TO REWRITE GOALS 2000, WE MUST BE SURE THAT GOALS, STANDARDS, AND ASSESSMENTS WORK FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, NOT AGAINST THEM BY PROMOTING THEIR EXCLUSION. LASTLY, I HOPE THAT THIS STUDY WILL ALSO PROVIDE IDEAS FOR THE UPCOMING REAUTHORIZATION OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, AND HELP SPUR A BADLY NEEDED, CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE STATES AND BY SCHOOLS IN SERVING SUCH STUDENTS. MR. PRESIDENT, WHEN IT COMES TO DISABILITY, WE LIVE IN A NEW WORLD. IN 1990, CONGRESS ENACTED THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, DETERMINED TO MAKE FULL PARTICIPATION BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OUR NATIONAL POLICY, AND COMMITTED TO THE PROPOSITION THAT THROUGH ACCOMMODATIONS AND OTHER MEASURES WE CAN ACHIEVE A FULLY ACCESSIBLE SOCIETY. I EXPECT THIS STUDY TO CARRIED OUT IN THAT SPIRIT. IN CLOSING, MR. PRESIDENT, ALMOST 25 YEARS AGO, IN NOVEMBER 1969, I GAVE MY FIRST SPEECH TO THIS BODY ON THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. AT THAT TIME I SAID, "IN OUR NATION, EDUCATION HAS BECOME THE MAJOR ROUTE TO FULL PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY. (BUT) THE SIMPLE STARK TRUTH IS THIS: WE HAVE NOT COMMITTED OURSELVES TO THE CONCEPT OF PROVIDING EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY ..." SINCE THEN, WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP. THIS STUDY, I HOPE, WILL HELP ENSURE WE CLOSE IT ONCE AND FOR ALL. O:\BAI.\BAI94.076 AMENDMENT NO._ Calendar No._ Purpose: To provide for a study of the impact of GOALS 2000 school reforms on achievement and outcomes of students with disabilities. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES -- 103d Cong., 2d Sess. S.1150 To improve learning and teaching by providing a national framework for education reform; to promote the research, consensus building, and systemic changes needed to ensure equitable educational opportunities and high levels of educational achievement for all American students; to provide a framework for reauthorization of all Federal education programs; to promote the development and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards and certifications; and for other purposes. Referred to the Committee on _ and ordered to be printed Ordered to lie on the table and to be printed AMENDMENT intended to be proposed by Mr. DOLE (for himself, Mr. HARKIN, and Mr. _______) [line numbering removed for clarity, but this section will be listed twice with line numbering included in the second listing] Viz: At the appropriate place, insert the following new section: SEC. _. STUDY OF GOALS 2000 AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) STUDY REQUIRED.­ (1) IN GENERAL.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall make appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study of the inclusion of children with disabilities in GOALS 2000 school reform activities. (2) DEFINITION.-- For purposes of this section, the term "children with disabilities" has the same meaning given such in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (b) STUDY COMPONENTS.-- The study conducted under subsection (a) shall include­ (1) an evaluation of the National Education Goals and objectives, curriculum reforms, standards, and other programs and activities intended to achieve those goals; (2) a review of the adequacy of assessments and measures used to gauge progress towards meeting National Education Goals and any national and State standards, and an examination of other methods or accommodations necessary or desirable to collect data on the educational progress of children with disabilities, and the costs of such methods and accommodations; (3) an examination of what incentives or assistance might be provided to States to develop improvement plans that adequately address the needs of children with disabilities; (4) the relation of GOALS 2000 to other Federal laws governing or affecting the education of children with disabilities; and (5) such other issues as the National Academy of Sciences considers appropriate. (c) STUDY PANEL MEMBERSHIP.-- Any panel constituted in furtherance of the study to be conducted under subsection (a) shall include consumer representatives. (d) FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.-The Secretary of Education shall request the National Academy of Sciences to submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the President and Congress not later than 12 months, and a final report not later than 24 months, from the date of the completion of procurement relating to the study. (e) FUNDING.-- From the amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of section 303, the Secretary shall make available $600,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1995, to carry out this section. Amounts made available under this subsection shall remain available until expended. [listing including line numbering] Viz: 1 At the appropriate place, insert the following new sec­ 2 tion: [PAGE] 2 1 SEC. _. STUDY OF GOALS 2000 AND STUDENTS WITH DIS­ 2 ABILITIES. 3 (a) STUDY REQUIRED.­ 4 (1) IN GENERAL.--Not later than 180 days 5 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec­ 6 retary of Education shall make appropriate arrange- 7 ments with the National Academy of Sciences to 8 conduct a comprehensive study of the inclusion of 9 children with disabilities in GOALS 2000 school re­ 10 form activities. 11 "(2) DEFINITION.-- For purposes of this sec- 12 tion, the term "children with disabilities" has the 13 same mearung given such in the Individuals with 14 Disabilities Education Act. 15 (b) STUDY COMPONENTS.-- The study conducted 16 under subsection (a) shall include­ 17 (1) an evaluation of the National Education 18 Goals and objectives, curriculum reforms, standards, 19 and other programs and activities intended to 20 achieve those goals; 21 (2) a review of the adequacy of assessments and 22 measures used to gauge progress towards meeting 23 National Education Goals and any national and 24 State standards, and an examination of other meth­ 25 ods or accommodations necessary or desirable to col­ 26 lect data on the educational progress of children February 2, 1994 [PAGE] 3 1 with disabilities, and the costs of such methods and 2 accommodations; 3 (3) an examination of what incentives or assist­ 4 ance might be provided to States to develop improve­ 5 ment plans that adequately address the needs of 6 children with disabilities; 7 (4) the relation of GOALS 2000 to other Fed­ 8 eral laws governing or affecting the education of 9 children with disabilities; and 10 (5) such other issues as the National Academy 11 of Sciences considers appropriate. 12 (c) STUDY PANEL MEMBERSHIP.-- Any panel con­ 13 stituted in furtherance of the study to be conducted under 14 subsection (a) shall include consumer representatives. 15 (d) FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.-- The Sec­ 16 retary of Education shall request the National Academy 17 of Sciences to submit an interim report of its findings and 18 recommendations to the President and Congress not later 19 than 12 months, and a final report not later than 24 20 months, from the date of the completion of procurement 21 relating to the study. 22 (e) FUNDING.-From the amounts appropriated pur­ 23 suant to the authority of section 303, the Secretary shall 24 make available $600,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such 25 sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1995, to carry February 2, 1994 [PAGE] 4 1 out this section. Amounts made available under this sub­ 2 section shall remain available until expended. February 2, 1994