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This report was prepared by the Chairman's Staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee setting forth the findings of an investigation into marketing practices in the Federal Family Education Loan program ("FFEL"). Evidence uncovered by the Chairman's investigation demonstrates that many FFEL lenders routinely engage in marketing practices that violate the letter and spirit of the inducement prohibition of the Higher Education Act. Given the breadth of the evidence presented in this report it is clear that the problem is systemic and cannot be isolated to a few "problem" lenders or schools. The report addresses a discrete set of marketing practices including: (1) Some FFEL lenders provided compensation to schools with the expectation, and in some cases an explicit agreement, that the school will give the lenders preferential treatment, including placement on the school's preferred lender list; (2) Other FFEL lenders spent large sums on travel and accommodation expenses for meetings of Advisory Boards comprised of school officials, and often expected these benefits to yield increased loan volume, or other preferential treatment, at Board members' schools; (3) School officials held financial interests, including stock and options to purchase stock, in FFEL lenders which are on the preferred lender list or are otherwise recommended to students; and (4) School officials received payments for consulting and other services from FFEL lenders which are on the preferred lender list or are otherwise recommended to students. (Contains 52 notes and 118 exhibits.)

The purpose of this countable was to discuss the requirements of No Child Left Behind that about 200,000 teachers--special education teachers who teach children in special education classes or who are severely disabled and who teach multiple subjects in middle school and in high school--be "highly qualified," and what exactly that means. In his opening statement, Honorable Lamar Alexander stated that one witness, himself a teacher, posed three questions that seemed to best represent the point of the hearing: (1) What exactly do I have to do by the end of the next school year to demonstrate that I am highly qualified using the House option? (2) Will I have sufficient time to meet the requirements? and (3) What will the consequences be to me if I do not prove myself to be highly qualified? This roundtable set out to determine whether Congress has created barriers for special education teachers and to learn what Congress can do to achieve the objectives set out in the No Child Left Behind and the IDEA legislation. Testimony was presented by: Lamar Alexander (R-TN); Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA); Jeff Sessions (R-AL); John H. Hagar, Assistant Secretary, Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education; Accompanied by Carolyn Snowbarger, Director, Teacher-To-Teacher Initiative, and Special Assistant for Teacher Quality, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education; Rene Islas, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education; Jeffrey Langham, Superintendent of Education, Elmore County School System, Wetumpka, Alabama; James McLeskey, Professor and Chair, Department of Special Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Carol Ann Baglin, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services, Maryland State Department of Education, Baltimore, Maryland; William Connolly, Teacher, Quirk Middle School, Hartford, Connecticut; Lana C. Seivers, Commissioner of Education, Tennessee; and Mary Senne, Parent and Disability Community Advocate, Orlando, Florida.

The purpose of this hearing was to examine the federal role in improving the effectiveness and coordination of sixty-nine Federal programs that are designed to help parents help their young children with child care and early education. Opening statements were delivered by Subcommittee Chairman Senator Lamar Alexander, Tennessee; Ranking Member Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts; Committee Chairman Senator Michael B. Enzi, Wyoming ;and Senator Christopher Dodd, Connecticut. Witness testimonies were heard from: Wade F. Horn, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.; Raymond Simon, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.; and Kate Coler, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

In his opening statement, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman, Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development, stated that one responsibility of Congress is to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent for the purposes intended and for the children intended. Between January 2003 and the first months of this year, there were numerous accounts from communities across the country of serious financial abuses or irregularities by individuals or entities entrusted with Head Start dollars. That is why the House and Senate Education Committee leaders asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to look into allegations of financial abuse and irregularities by the local agencies or individuals entrusted with Head Start funds. The purpose of this hearing was to consider the findings of the GAO report as well as its recommendations for how the Department of Health and Human Services can do a better job of overseeing the spending of Head Start money. Among those testifying were witnesses, representatives of the writers of the GAO report and of the Federal managers of the Head Start money as well as representatives from the community agencies that actually administer and use the Head Start money. Testifying before the Subcommittee were: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chairman, Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development; Michael B. Enzi, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA); Wade Horn, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Marnie S. Shaul, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office; Christopher Dodd (D-CT); Jim Caccamo, Director, Metropolitan Council on Early Learning, Kansas City, MO; A.C. Wharton, Mayor, Shelby County, TN; Yvonne Gates, Director for Marketing and Community Relations, Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach, Clark County, NV; Olivia A. Golden, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute; and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY). Additional material (statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.) were submitted by: Wade F. Horn (in response to questions of Senator Enzi); Wade F. Horn (in response to questions of Senator Ensign); Government Accountability Office (in response to questions of Senator Alexander); Mayor A.C. Wharton (in response to question of Senator Alexander); and Olivia A. Golden (in response to questions of Senator Enzi). (Contains 4 figures.)

The purpose of this hearing was to gather information and hear testimony on three issues: (1) the expansion of the Cancer Research Center in Hawaii; (2) the recently granted legislative authority for Hawaii 3R's to utilize monies in the Native Hawaiian Education funds to repair those public schools to 25 percent or more Native Hawaiian children; and (3) the need to expand certified apprenticeship and journeymen training programs to ensure that we have qualified, homegrown tradesmen and women to meet the demand that will come as a result of the privatization of military housing. Statements were presented by: Senator Daniel K. Inouye; Senator Daniel K. Akaka; Dr. Evan S. Dobelle, president, University of Hawaii; Dr. Carl Vogel, director, Cancer Research Center of Hawaii; Ms. Dew-Anne Langcoan, vice president, Hawaii Pacific Health; Dr. Okamoto, president and CEO, the Queen's Health Systems; Dr. Jonathan K. Cho, a practicing community oncologist; Honorable Ed Case, U.S. Representative from Hawaii; Patricia Hamamoto, superintendent, State of Hawaii Department of Education; Bruce A. Coppa, Chair, Hawaii 3R's Program; Dennis Manalili, principal, Kaimuki High School; Neil Abercrombie, U.S. Representative from Hawaii; Linda Lingle, Governor, State of Hawaii; Donna Kim, vice president, Hawaii State Senate; and Sylvia J. Luke, vice speaker, Hawaii State House of Representatives; Dr. Clyde M. Sakamoto, chancellor, Maui Community College; Ramsey R. Pedersen, chancellor, Honolulu Community College; Lance Inouye, past president, General Contractors Association of Hawaii; Randy Lau, past president, Building Industry Association; Ron Taketa, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, Local 745; Lynn Kinney, Painters, Decorators, Paperhangers and Allied Traders, Local 1791; Glaziers Architectural and Glass Metal Workers Local 1889, AFL-CIO; Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council; Laborers' Union, Local 368; and Hawaii Operating Engineers J.A.C. Further prepared statements were submitted by: International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers Local 132, Hawaii; Bricklayers & Ceramic Tile Setters Local 1 and Plasterers' & Cement Masons' Local 630; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1186, Hawaii; Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders Union, Local 204; Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers United Union of Roofers, Local 221; United Association of Plumbers and Fitters Local 675; Scott Y. Nishimoto, State of Hawaii Representative, District 21; Pacific Resource Partnership; Americas Promise Hawaii; Joint Venture Education Forum; Drywall Tapers and Finishers Local 1944, AFL-CIO; Carpet Linoleum and Soft Tile Local 1926, AFL-CIO; CRTC, Inc; Iron Workers Local 625 and Iron Workers Shopmen Local 803; John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii; University of Hawaii at Manoa; Joseph Kane, Jr.; and Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 293.

The Senate's Environmental and Public Works Committee conducted a hearing in October 2002 to assess green school initiatives: environmental standards for schools, school siting in relation to toxic waste sites, and "green" building codes. The committee reviewed activities undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Children's Environmental Health and the Office of Indoor Air Quality, as well as those taken by the Department of Energy concerning environmental and energy issues relevant to school properties. This document contains statements from that hearing. Statements were submitted by: (1) Sen. James Jeffords; (2) Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton; (3) Ramona Trovato, EPA; (4) Claire Barnett, Healthy Schools Network; (5) Alex Wilson, U.S. Green Buildings Council; (6) Lois Gibbs, Center for Health, Environment and Justice; (7) Veronika Carella; (8) Geri Unger, Funders' Forum on Environment and Education; (9) Daniel Schwartz, Children's Environmental Health Network; (10) Christine Gustafson; (11) Philip J. Landrigan, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; (12) Rochelle Davis, Illinois Healthy Schools Campaign; (13) Tolle Graham, Massachusetts Healthy Schools Campaign; (14) Suzanne Miller, Vermont Public Interest Research Group; (15) Derek Shendell, University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health; (16) Jenna Orkin, 9/11 Environmental Action; (17) Joellen Lawson; and (18) Katie Acton. (EV)

Noting the significant increase since 1990 in food-borne illnesses affecting school children, these hearings transcripts provide testimony on the safety of federal school lunches. Statements by Senator Richard Durbin and Representatives Stephen Horn, Janice Schakowsky, and Carolyn Maloney emphasized the array of federal agencies with various food safety responsibilities, food safety agencies' inability to mandate food recalls, and the need for better cooperation and communication between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Representative Rosa DeLauro discussed findings of unsanitary conditions and unsafe food handling practices in Chicago area schools, recordkeeping flaws preventing officials from tracing food contamination to its source, the need to consolidate and streamline the number of federal agencies/committees responsible for protecting food, and the need to give the USDA and FDA authority to conduct mandatory recalls. General Accounting Office testimony recommended making schools aware of federal inspection and compliance records of potential food suppliers and described USDA and FDA measures to protect the food supply from deliberate contamination. Officials from the FDA and USDA described their respective roles in ensuring food safety and procedures for responding to illness outbreaks. An official of the Center for Science in the Public Interest discussed gaps in the food safety system and urged passage of the Durbin-DeLauro Safe Food Act. Two parents from a food safety advocacy group testified about their childrens food-borne illnesses, urged trace-back capability and accountability, advocated a single food safety agency, and maintained that overemphasizing consumer education misdirects responsibility for food safety from producers to consumers. Counsel for the National Food Processors Association asserted that mandatory recall is unnecessary because of industry cooperation with federal recall requests and maintained that a single food safety agency is not likely to provide the kinds of benefits proposed. Questions for witnesses related to interagency cooperation and communication, bioterrorism possibilities, specific incidents of foodborne illnesses and the followup investigations, USDA guidance to districts regarding procurement procedures, and concerns about due process. Appended to the transcripts are prepared statements, letters, and charts illustrating the school lunch supply chain and food safety oversight responsibilities. (KB)

Senator Edward Kennedy, from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, submitted this report in accompaniment to United States Senate Bill 2969 (S. 2969), which was introduced by Senator Kennedy and Senator Gregg on September 19, 2002. S. 2969 provides for an office within the Department of Education to conduct high quality research using a variety of scientifically valid methods, to evaluate Federal Education Programs as well as research conducted outside the Department, develop products, and to disseminate information that will improve the quality of education for all students. S. 2969 provides a new structure to that office, to be known as the U.S. Institute for Education Sciences. The Committee believes that the goal of providing every individual with a high quality education requires the continued pursuit of knowledge about education through research, development, data collection, synthesis, technical assistance and information dissemination. The contents of this report are as follows: (1) Introduction; (2) Purpose and Summary; (3) Background and Need for Legislation; (4) Legislative History and Committee Action; (5) Explanation of Bill and Committee Views; (6) Cost Estimate; (7) Regulatory Impact Statement; (8) Application of Law to the Legislative Branch; (9) Section-by-Section Analysis; and (10) Changes in Existing Law. (Contains 2 tables.)

This Congressional report contains the testimony and documents presented for the record of a hearing to gather input regarding the Strengthening Working Families Act of 2001, which was drafted to provide the assistance needed by former welfare recipients and other poor working parents to remain employed and advance in the labor market. The following are among the agencies and organizations represented at the hearing: Goodwill of Acadiana (Opelousas, Louisiana); Center for Fathers, Families, and Workforce Development (Baltimore, Maryland); Welfare to Work Partnership (Washington, DC); Catholic Charities (Alexandria, Virginia); United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Child Welfare League of America; M.A.R.C.H, Inc. (Mediation Achieving Results for Children); and Center for Law and Social Policy. The following are among the topics discussed by witnesses: changes in employment levels and poverty levels since passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act; the need to make sure that working poor families are better off financially than before they started on welfare; the problems that former welfare recipients and other poor workers with families face with regard to affording housing, food, transportation, child care, and health care; the effectiveness of block grants; and the role of work supports and education in boosting job retention and worker advancement. (MN)

A joint Senate committee hearing received testimony on the unique circumstances and needs of American Indian Head Start programs. There are currently about 120 Indian Head Start programs providing services to 181 American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. The Associate Commissioner of the Head Start Bureau described the ongoing federal initiative aimed at improving and expanding Head Start by making additional financial and technical assistance available to Head Start grantees. U.S. Senators, tribal leaders, Indian parents, and representatives of the National Indian Head Start Directors Association, the National Head Start Association, the National Indian Education Association, and individual Indian Head Start programs discussed the following issues: (1) potential weakening of the federal-tribal nation-to-nation relationship by proposed decentralization of federal administrative functions for serving Indian children; (2) eligibility requirements that exclude educationally disadvantaged children whose family income is marginally above the maximum; (3) restrictions that prevent a tribal program from serving Indians of other tribes or its own members living off-reservation; (4) need for pre-natal services and services for infants and toddlers; (5) obstacles to construction and renovation of Head Start facilities by Indian grantees; (6) funding difficulties and additional program costs related to the remoteness of many Indian communities; (7) insufficient funds to address the training needs of staff, parents, and volunteers; and (8) need for Head Start services in unserved Indian communities. Appended materials include legislative recommendations, numerical data on Head Start programs, and descriptions of individual tribal programs. (SV)

At a hearing in Honolulu (Hawaii), the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations received testimony on health, education, and employment and training programs serving the Native people of Hawaii. In July 1999, a federal government brief filed in a U.S. Supreme Court case established the official legal position of the United States that Native Hawaiians have the same status as other Native people of the United States and that there is a federal trust responsibility for Native Hawaiians. Testimony from state-level administrators outlined the current status of health, housing, education, and job training for Native Hawaiians and proposed recommendations for pending federal legislation: the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Amendments of 1999, the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act, and the Native Hawaiian Education Act. Other testimony described Native Hawaiian health care systems, the Native Hawaiian heart health initiative, the Native Hawaiian Cancer Awareness Research and Training Center, the Hawaii high schools health study, the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program, the practice of naturopathic medicine with Native Hawaiians, the Native Hawaiian Higher Education Program and its outcomes and impacts, programs focused on Hawaiian language and cultural maintenance, family-based early childhood education programs, the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence (to improve the health of indigenous Hawaiians), comprehensive school-based services, and the Native Hawaiian Special Education Project. (SV)

This compilation of Federal Education Laws pertaining to higher education presents the full text of each statute. Statutes are organized in four sections: (1) general higher education programs; (2) Native American higher education; (3) National Science Foundation; and (4) assistance to specified institutions. The following is a unified listing of the statutes included: Act of March 2, 1867 (Howard University); Bankhead-Jones Act; Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation; Claiborne Pell Institute for International Relations and Public Policy Act; Edmund S. Muskie Foundation; Education Amendments of 1972, Land-Grant Status for the College of the Virgin Islands and the University of Guam; Education Amendments of 1980, Title XIII, Parts G and I; Education Amendments of 1980, Title XIII, Part H (Miscellaneous Provisions); First Morrill Act; George Bush School of Government and Public Service Act; Grants to Eisenhower College and to Samuel Rayburn Library; Harry S. Truman Memorial Scholarship Act; Herbert Hoover Memorial; Higher Education Act of 1965; Higher Education Amendments of 1968; Higher Education Amendments of 1986; Higher Education Amendments of 1992--Title IV, V, and XV; Higher Education Amendments of 1992--Title XIII; Higher Education Amendments of 1998; Howard University Endowment Act; Human Rights, Refugee, and Other Foreign Relations Provisions Act of 1996; Human Services Reauthorization Act, Title V; Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992; National Science Foundation Act of 1950; Navajo Community College Act; Public Law 98-480, Title III (Higher Education Projects); Public Law 98-558, Title V (Higher Education and Research Project); Second Morrill Act; and Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978. (RH)

This hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on examining legislation authorizing funds for the Elementary Secondary Education Act, focusing on educational technology programs, contains statements by: James M Jeffords, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Barbara Means, Assistant Director, Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International, Menlo Park, California; Phil Hyjek, School Information Technology Specialist, Vermont Institute for Science, Math, and Technology, Waterbury Center; Patty Murray, Senator from Washington State; Jeff Bingaman, Senator from New Mexico; Ervin Duggan, President, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Alexandria, Virginia; Daniel Hogan, participant, PBS Mathline Program, Cincinnati, Ohio; Inabeth Miller, President, the Jason Foundation for Education, Waltham, Massachusetts, accompanied by Georgene Lytle, third grade teacher, Wooster, Ohio; Michael Pitroff, Project Director, Baltimore Learning Community, Baltimore, Maryland; and Carmen Gonzales, Director, Regional Educational Technology Assistance Project, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico. (MES)

The Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the U.S. Senate, held February 11, 1999, contains opening statements by Senators Jeffords, Hutchinson, Hagel, Sessions, Kennedy, Dodd, and Murray; prepared statements by educators, school board personnel, and a state representative; and additional material on education budget proposals and federal funding for education. (DFR)

The purposes of Senate bill S.1415 concerning youth smoking are reviewed and a favorable report with an amendment is provided. The background and need for the legislation is analyzed and the legislative history, including hearings and testimony, is summarized. An analysis of Sections 1-10 is presented individually. Discussion of the bill follows by titles: (1) "Regulation of the Tobacco Industry" includes jurisdiction of FDA and advertising; (2) "Reductions in Underage Tobacco Use" which includes goals, state enforcement incentives, and smoking cessation programs; (3) "Tobacco Product Warnings and Smoke Constituent Disclosure"; (4) "National Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund," which includes spending for childcare and early childhood development; (5) "Standards to Reduce Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke"; (6) "Application to Indian Tribes"; (7) "Civil Liability of Manufacturers of Tobacco Products"; (8) "Tobacco Industry Compliance and Employee Protection from Reprisals"; (9) "Public Disclosure of Tobacco Industry Documents"; (10) "Long-Term Assistance for Farmers," which includes the "Tobacco Community Revitalization Trust Fund" and transition assistance; (11) "Miscellaneous"; (12) "Tobacco Asbestos Trust Fund"; and (13) "Veterans Benefits." A statement of intent of the committee for additional amendments is included. Additional views of several senators and a chart of roll-call votes in committee are appended. (EMK)

This Congressional Hearing focuses on protecting children from exploitation on the Internet. Opening remarks of Senator Gregg, statements of Senator Hollings, and Senator Mikulski, and statement and summary statement of Hon. Louis J. Freeh, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, are provided at the beginning of the document. Topics of discussion in the hearing include: CyberTipline; Innocent Images initiative; child abduction and serial killer unit; training; public awareness; Innocent Images cases; national coordination; regional state and local task forces; DNA profiles; private industry assistance; Crimes Against Children Program accomplishments; prepared statement of Louis J. Freeh; implementation of 1998 FBI enhancements; challenges for combating child exploitation; crimes against children; extent of Internet child pornography problem; traveler cases; DNA tracking system; federal, state and local cooperation; caliber of FBI agents; resources needed; St. Mary's College students in Guatemala; and congressional intent. Nondepartmental Witness statement of Ernest E. Allen, president and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and update on progress addressing child sexual exploitation on the Internet, the subcommittee's mandate, and NCMEC report make up the end of the document. (AEF)

This report recommends passage of the Workforce Investment Partnership Act of 1997. It describes this bill as one that streamlines the current federal job training system, making it more user-friendly, and consolidates the numerous federal job training programs, eliminating confusing and redundant mandates and creating integrated statewide work force development systems. Nine sections are included: (1) background and need for the legislation; (2) history of the legislation and votes in committee; (3) committee views; (4) cost estimate; (5) regulatory impact statement; (6) application of the law to the legislative branch; (7) section-by-section analysis; (8) additional views; and (9) changes in existing law. (YLB)

This 10th and final hearing in a series related to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, focused on three specific areas: (1) the challenges posed by demographic changes in the college student population--nearly half of all students attend community colleges where the average age of students is 29; (2) the challenges and opportunities posed by technology, including distance learning and underserved communities; and (3) lifelong learning and nontraditional students. Testimony and prepared statements were submitted by: Senators James Jeffords, Edward Kennedy, Wayne Allard, and Christopher Dodd; and by Donald Stewart of the College Board (Washington, D.C.); Joel Harrell, University of Tennessee; Bryan Hannegan, National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (Wilmette, Illinois); Stanley Ikenberry, American Council on Education (Washington, D.C.); Philip Day, Daytona Beach (Florida) Community College; Omer Waddles, Career College Association (Washington, D.C.); and Deborah Dunn, Yorktowne Business Institute (York, Pennsylvania). Testimony covered such topics as: college costs and affordability, access and student aid, graduate education, the grant/loan imbalance, managing student debt, federal student loan programs, and the Kid's Bank amendment. (CH)

This hearing, the ninth in a series discussing issues related to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, focuses on three programs: Aid for Institutional Development, or Title III; the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership Program; and the TRIO programs, which provide support services and scholarships for students, as well as institutional aid to colleges and universities and are intended to assist low-income, first-generation college students. The following witnesses made statements: (1) Moses Griffin, Wilberforce University (Ohio), who suggested that common evaluation criteria are inadequate for judging program effectiveness at historically black colleges and universities; (2) R. Vic Morgan, Sul Ross State University (Texas); who discussed the role of Title III at Hispanic-serving institutions; (3) Linda Shiller, speaking on behalf of the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership Program, who discussed the programs of the Vermont Student Assistance Program; and (4) Ann Coles, who spoke on behalf of the National Council of Educational Opportunity Associations, and noted that over 2 million TRIO program participants had graduated from colleges over the past 30 years. Additional materials from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities are appended. (CH)

This congressional hearing examines vocational education, adult education, and job training initiatives in Vermont and the role of these programs in developing work force development legislation. Testimony includes statements from a U.S. Senator and individuals representing the following: Vermont Department of Employment and Training; Vermont State Colleges; Vermont Department of Social Welfare; Agency of Commercial and Community Development; Burlington Technical Center; Career and Lifelong Learning, Vermont Department of Education; Lyndon State College; Vermont Adult Education Board; Executive Team of Central Vermont Adult Basic Education; Welfare to Work Programs, Vermont Department of Social Welfare; Mahoney Hardware; Vermont Science and Education Center; Vermont Heating and Ventilating; Vermont Technical College; Champlain Initiative; Governor's Rehabilitation Advisory Council; School-to-Work, Randolph region; Rutland Economic Development Corporation, Rutland Regional Educational Alliance; School-to-Work, Upper Valley; River Bend Career and Technical Center; Bradford Area Workforce Investment Board; Northern New England Tradeswomen; and Northland Job Corps Center. Other statements are from students, apprentices, and instructors from the Northland Job Corps, Essex Technical Center, and Burlington Technical Center. (YLB)

This seventh hearing in a series related to the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act focused on the management structure of the Office of Postsecondary Education and the financial aid delivery system. In the opening statement, Chairman James M. Jeffords reported that the current system is outdated and inefficient and indicated that the committee was considering proposals for change that ranged from a performance-based system to privatizing student aid delivery. Testimony was given by David A. Longanecker and Betsy Hicks of the Department of Education who noted progress made in managing student financial aid programs and addressed changes still to come. Other witnesses included Brian Fitzgerald of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (Washington, D.C.); Cornelia M. Blanchette of the U.S. General Accounting Office; Judith Flink, University of Illinois; Barmak Nassirian, American Association of State Colleges and Universities (Washington, D.C.); and Barbara Tornow, Boston University (Massachusetts) who all testified on the inadequacy of the present financial aid delivery system and its management structure. The document also contains transcripts of oral discussions and prepared statements by Senators John Warner (Virginia) and Christopher Dodd (Connecticut). (CH)

This hearing on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, sought public comment in Maine on the cost of higher education and on Title IV of the Higher Education Act. Specifically, these hearings were intended to address the continuing low level of participation in higher education by Maine high school graduates, which was ascribed mainly to the fact that federal aid programs cover a smaller percentage of cost than they did 15 years ago. The hearing, chaired by Senator Susan M. Collins of Maine, heard statements from: Senator James M. Jeffords of Vermont; Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, who planned to introduce a "Go to College" tax incentive act; Melissa Chasse, a student who gave examples of the various federal student aid programs that had enabled her to attend college James Peacock, certified school counselor; Mid-Maine Technical Center; Andrea Cross, director of financial aid, St. Joseph's College; institutional administrators and counselors from Maine colleges, who all noted repayment burdens faced by students; and education policymakers for the state of Maine, who noted the importance of federal student aid programs to students in the state. Walter Moulton, director of student aid at Bowdoin College, presented a prepared statement suggesting three changes to the bill which would: (1) provide an alternative to the Perkins Loan Program; (2) consolidate the Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) program; and (3) allow use of retirement assets to help meet educational expenses. (CH)

This hearing discussed proposed legislation authorizing funds for programs of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Opening statements by senators Fred Thompson, Joseph R. Biden, Herbert Kohl, Orrin G. Hatch, Charles E. Grassley, and Alan K. Simpson introduced the issue. Presentations involved two panels. The first consisted of Steve A. Carson, Chief of Police, LaFollette, TN; Byron Oedekoven, Sheriff, Campbell County, WY; Ray Luick, Administrative Officer, Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance, Madison, WI; and William R. Woodward, Director, Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Colorado Department of Public Safety, Denver, CO. The second included S. Camille Anthony, Executive Director, Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Salt Lake City, UT; Jerry Regier, Director, Oklahoma Department of Juvenile Justice, Oklahoma City, OK; Patricia West, Director, Virginia Department of Youth and Family Services, Richmond, VA; Marion Kelly, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services; and Robert G. Schwartz, Chairman, Juvenile Justice Committee, American Bar Association, Philadelphia, PA. An appendix presents questions to witnesses on both panels from the Committee on the Judiciary and responses from the panelists. Additional submissions include letters to Senator Thompson from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice and from the Division of Criminal Justice, Colorado Department of Public Safety; a biography of Jerry Paul Regier; and prepared statements from Gary B. Melton for the American Psychological Association; Lavonda Taylor for the Coalition for Juvenile Justice; and Barry Krisbert, President, National Council on Crime and Delinquency. (SM)

This hearing focused on a bill to amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to identify violent and hard core juvenile offenders and treat them as adults. Opening statements by four U.S. senators (the Honorable Fred Thompson, Herbert Kohl, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., and Orrin G. Hatch) present various perspectives on the role of the federal government in dealing with the problem of increasing youth violence. Following that are prepared statements by Senator John Ashcroft; Shay Bilchik, Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice; a panel consisting of Laurie E. Ekstrand, Associate Director, Administration of Justice Issues, General Government Division, U.S. General Accounting Office; Ira Schwartz, Dean, School of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania; and Lavonda Taylor, Chair, Coalition for Juvenile Justice, West Memphis, AR; and a panel consisting of Marvin E. Wolfgang, Professor of Criminology and of Law and Director, Selin Criminology Center, University of Pennsylvania; Delbert S. Elliott, Director, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado, Boulder; and Terence P. Thornberry, Professor, School of Criminal Justice, State University of New York at Albany, NY. An appendix presents questions and answers. (SM)

The purpose of this hearing was to probe a pattern of fraud and abuse in the Pell Grant Program for postsecondary students, focusing specifically on the IADE American Schools, a for-profit vocational school with campuses in the Los Angeles (California) area and serving primarily Hispanic students. In his opening remarks Senator Roth detailed a history of prior abuses of the program and lax oversight by the Department of Education. Senator Nunn, after summarizing a five-year series of hearings, reports, and recommendations, testified that a year-long investigation of the IADE schools had uncovered serious misconduct, abuses, and possibly fraudulent practices. He charged that the Department was not only incapable of preventing a fraudulent institution from participating in student aid programs but was also unable to detect or pursue such fraudulent activities. Following the senators' opening statements, the Subcommittee team investigating IADE schools reported its findings. David Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, then reviewed the Department's procedures and policies, stating that oversight was being improved. The final testimony was a report from the U.S. General Accounting Office assessing the Department's effectiveness in using student aid data to ensure compliance and prevent abuses. An appendix contains the texts of the witnesses' prepared statements. 56 exhibit statements are listed separately. (CH)

This congressional report addresses the Workforce Development Act of 1995 that would consolidate federal employment training programs and create a new process and structure for funding the programs. Contents include the following: a summary of the bill; background and need for the legislation; history of the legislation and votes in committee; committee views; cost estimate; regulatory impact statement; section-by-section analysis; additional views of: Senator DeWine; Senator Pell; and Senators Pell, Simon, Jeffords, and Kennedy; minority views of Senators Kennedy, Dodd, Simon, Harkin, Mikulski, and Wellstone; and changes in existing law. Appended is a letter to Senator Nancy Kassebaum from Howard Dean, Tommy G. Thompson, Mel Carnaham, and Arne H. Carlson of the National Governors Association. (YLB)

The Subcommittee heard testimony from seven witnesses and statements from three senators on whether or not it is in the Federal Government's best interest to divest itself of the Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae), and the College Construction Loan Insurance Association (Connie Lee). Lawrence A. Hough of the Student Loan Marketing Association testified that Sallie Mae is poised to move away from government sponsorship, that it would remain committed to the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and that privatization plans must be designed carefully to assure approval by shareholders. Oliver R. Stockwell of Connie Lee testified that Connie Lee was ready and willing to convert to private status. Senator Dodd appeared and spoke in support of privatization. Leo Kornfeld of the Department of Education testified in support of privatizing Connie Lee and cautioned that the current marketplace needs, offset fees, and exit fees must be considered in any Sallie Mae privatization plan. Darcy Bradbury of the Department of the Treasury argued for privatization to reduce the debt that carries some perception of government support. Senator Claiborne Pell urged caution in privatization. A member of the Congressional Research Service, a representative of the Financial Guaranty Insurers, and a representative of First Boston Corporation also testified on privatization issues. Prepared statements of senators and witnesses are included. (JB)

This report provides information on the proposed Child Care and Development Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995, which reauthorizes and amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. It also makes changes in the 1990 law to give states greater flexibility in designing their child care system, provides greater emphasis on parental choice, consolidates various federal child care programs, and removes barriers to providing child care for Indian tribes. Section 1 provides a summary of the bill, while Section 2 outlines the background and need for the legislation. Section 3 describes the legislative history and committee action that affected the bill, while Section 4 contains the views of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in regard to the bill. Section 5 provides a cost estimate of the legislation; Section 6 contains a regulatory impact statement. Section 7 contains a section-by-section analysis of the bill, and Section 8 details the changes that the bill will enact to existing law. (MDM)

This report provides information on the proposed Health Professions Education Consolidation and Reauthorization Act of 1995, which is designed to reauthorize and consolidate 44 different federal health professions training programs currently authorized under Titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act. It also reauthorizes a variety of other public health service programs. Section 1 provides a summary of the bill, while section 2 outlines the background and need for the legislation. Section 3 describes the legislative history and committee action that affected the bill, while section 4 presents the views of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in regard to the bill. Section 5 provides a cost estimate of the legislation, while section 6 contains a regulatory impact statement. Section 7 contains a section-by-section analysis of the bill, while section 8 provides additional views on the bill. Section 9 details the changes to existing law that the bill will enact. (MDM)

A hearing before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs received testimony concerning the feasibility of providing direct federal funding through block grants to tribes and the ability of tribes to administer local welfare and social services programs. An Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) listed federal human services programs with specific funding allocations for Native Americans, described federal support to tribal governments in providing services to children and families, and discussed the Clinton Administration's support for welfare reform but opposition to the block grant approach. A representative of the Office of Inspector General, DHHS, reported on a study indicating that the current structure of DHHS programs created a barrier to tribal governments receiving federal funds for foster care and other child welfare services. Other witnesses included U.S. Senators; other elected officials; and representatives of numerous tribes, tribal agencies, and national Indian organizations. Their testimony included the following topics: high levels of poverty and unemployment on reservations, the need for tribal governments to design and manage their own social services programs, concern that tribal sovereignty and the special government-to-government relationship between the tribes and the federal government be maintained, avoidance of conflict between tribal and state governments, tribal determination of its service population, and service delivery by multitribal consortia. Appendix of written statements includes program descriptions and funding details. (SV)

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs received testimony from representatives of federal agencies as to how the U.S. government might better address the needs of American Indian youth through the development of federal laws, programs, and policies. The hearing was a followup to an oversight hearing 1 month earlier in which American Indian young people identified critical challenges they face. In oral testimony and written statements, senators and representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); the Indian Health Service (IHS); and the Departments of Labor, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) discussed the following topics: (1) the high rates of substance abuse, suicide, and teen pregnancy among American Indian youth; (2) problems of alcoholism and child abuse and neglect on Indian reservations; (3) summer youth employment programs sponsored through the Job Training Partnership Act, and proposed budget rescissions that would eliminate the programs; (4) the extent of crime in Indian country, and federal assistance to tribal law enforcement, tribal courts, and social services for delinquency prevention and intervention; (5) child health and family well-being; (6) HUD programs for Indian youth, focusing on drug elimination, sports, cultural activities, and Boys and Girls Clubs; (7) BIA efforts in the areas of child abuse prevention, parent education, youth entrepreneurship, health promotion, school improvement, drug abuse prevention in schools and communities, and gang resistance training; (8) IHS services related to physical and mental health; and (9) implications for tribes of the new block grants to states, including lists of programs to be terminated or amended. (SV)

These hearing transcripts present testimony on the high risks and emerging fraud in several areas of the federal government, including the Student Loan Program of the Education Department (ED), the Multifamily Housing Program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax return filing. Testimony was heard from concerned senators and government officials responsible for risk management and fraud in these departments and agencies. Current and possible solutions to risk management and fraud were discussed. Opening and/or prepared statements were given by: Senators John Glenn, Byron L. Dorgan, Jim Sasser, William S. Cohen, and William V. Roth, Jr. Testimony was heard from: (1) the special assistant to the comptroller general and the director of tax systems issues, General Accounting Office (GAO); (2) the commissioner, deputy commissioner, and other officials of the IRS; (3) the deputy secretary, inspector general, and other officials of ED; and (4) the inspector general, assistant inspector general for audit, and other officials of HUD. An appendix contains the prepared statements of several witnesses, along with written questions and answers from officials of GAO, ED, HUD, and the Department of Treasury. (MDM)

This document reports the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at oversight hearings on vocational education in the United States. The document also includes statements from other sources not present at the hearings. The testimony includes statements from U.S. Senators and Representatives, business leaders, and national and local leaders about the state of vocational education in the United States. The testimony was taken in connection with reauthorization legislation for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The witnesses stressed the increasing need for more, not less, vocational education, if the United States is to remain competitive in the world economy. They stressed the need for integrating academic and vocational education and making sure that every student had skills that could be used in the job market. They pointed to successes in Germany and Japan and to some local successes; however, the testimony showed that much remains to be done in improving vocational education and in improving how results are measured and programs are coordinated to reduce waste and duplication. (KC)

This document records the oral and written testimony of witnesses who testified at 2 days of U.S. Senate oversight hearings on Job Corps programs. Witnesses included several Senators who have been involved in Job Corps legislation since the program's beginning in 1968, Job Corps program completers and dropouts, and local officials in areas of Job Corps sites. According to their testimony, some Job Corps sites have lost the idealism that permeated their programs when they were formed and have become little more than reform schools. Some former participants complained about incidents of violence in the sites and of little learning taking place. Other program completers said that the Job Corps had been their salvation and was largely responsible for their success in life. Overall, the hearings provided support for the good that Job Corps had accomplished but revealed concern over reports of gangs and violence at the sites and a determination to reform a program that has had many successes over the years. (KC)

This report contains testimony regarding various proposals to reform and consolidate federal job training programs, with special attention to the provision, benefits, problems, and funding needs of the Job Corps program. Statements by the following individuals are presented: U.S. Senators from the states of Illinois, Vermont, Utah, Kansas, Iowa, and Rhode Island; the Secretary of Labor, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor, and the department's Assistant Inspector General for Audit; representatives of Job Corps centers in three cities (Lopez and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Clearfield, Utah); the director of Partners in Vocational Opportunities Training in Portland, Oregon; and professors from Swarthmore College and Northwestern University. Appendixes constituting approximately 50% of this report include prepared statements submitted by 10 of the witnesses, a letter from the National Job Corps Alumni Association, a letter from the National Association of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Alumni; and a resolution recommending that the U.S. Congress fund the Job Corps program. (MN)

This hearing is a continuation of a bipartisan effort to consolidate, reform, and revitalize federally funded job training programs. Testimony includes statements of U.S. senators and individuals representing the following: National Association of State Job Training Coordinating Council and Human Resource Investment Council; American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Focus: HOPE, Detroit, Michigan; Federal Reserve Bank of Boston; National Association of Private Industry Councils; Tradeswomen of Purpose/Women in Nontraditional Work; and Eastman Kodak Co. (YLB)

This document contains the text of the "Albert Einstein Distinguished Educators Fellowship Act of 1994" (S. 2104) along with related analysis. The bill establishes a Department of Energy (DOE) fellowship program for math and science teachers that provides them opportunities to work at DOE labs in order to enhance coordination and communication among the educational community, the Congress, and the Executive Agencies responsible for developing and administering federal education programs. Following the text of the bill is a discussion of background and need and a description of DOE mathematics and science programs. A report on the bill's legislative history is included along with committee recommendations and a tabulation of committee votes. A Committee amendment expands the program to authorize fellowships in other parts of the Federal government, directs the Secretary of Energy to administer the program, broadens the qualification criteria for recipients, and authorizes a partnership with the Waste Management Education & Research Consortium. The document includes a section-by-section analysis, a statement of cost and budgetary considerations, regulatory impact evaluation, recounting of relevant executive communications, and a letter from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (JB)

This document contains the oral and written statements of witnesses who testified at a hearing on the Reemployment and Retraining Act of 1994 and the WARN [Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification] Amendments Act. Witnesses included Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, several union and public employment program officials from several states, and several dislocated workers. Additional material submitted for the report includes questions submitted by Senator Metzenbaum to several state and federal officials, a summary of a publication of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International, and several communications to local officials. The witnesses testified about the need for a one-stop service that would link dislocated workers with unemployment benefits, job retraining programs, income-replacement during retraining, and social services programs. Several examples of local and state programs were described. Witnesses also stressed the need for early warnings about plant and office closings so that agencies and workers can prepare for retraining and career change. (KC)

This report examines the background, purpose, cost, and regulatory impact of Senate Bill 1614, the proposed Better Nutrition and Health for Children Act of 1994. The purpose of the act is to reauthorize and make improvements in various federal nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act. The report outlines past federal support for child and family nutrition and the current need for reauthorization changes in such programs. It summarizes four hearings held by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on the proposed legislation and contains a section-by-section analysis of the Act. Congressional Budget Office cost estimates for the Act through 1999 are included. The bulk of the report specifies the changes that the Act will bring about in existing law. (MDM)

These hearings addressed proposed Bill S. 2104 to create a Department of Energy (DOE) fellowship program for math and science teachers that would provide them opportunities to work at DOE labs in order to enhance coordination and communication among the educational community, the Congress, and the Executive Agencies responsible for developing and administering federal education programs. Following opening statements by Senators Wendell H. Ford and Mark O. Hatfield, Terry Cornwell Rumsey of the Department of Education testified on the Department's philosophy and strategies to address national education goals and in particular how S. 2104 would fit in with these and with existing programs. James A. Tegnelia of Sandia National Laboratories testified that S. 2104 would be helpful, would result in tangible improvement in DOE educational outreach programs, and should encourage participation of rural and minority school teachers. John M. Fowler of the Coalition for Science and Technology Education testified on the beginnings of the program that led to S. 2104. (It brought teachers on fellowships to work in Congressional offices and to contribute their insights into educational legislation and policymaking.) Senator Pete V. Domenici offered remarks on the importance of the proposed program. A brief discussion followed concerning similar programs at DOE, the best length for fellowships, program costs, and requirements for participants. The document contains a list and descriptions of DOE minority education programs and appendixes with response to additional questions, and additional material submitted for the record. (JB)

This hearing transcript presents testimony concerning minority participation and retention in higher education with emphasis on implications for student aid programs. Oral testimony or prepared statements were presented by Senators Paul Simon, Claiborne Pell, and Carol Mosely-Braun. Testimony was also offered by: (1) the president and three officials of the American Council on Education; (2) the associate director and two officials from the Education and Employment Issues section of the U.S. General Accounting Office; (3) the executive director of the National Council of Education Opportunity Associations; and (4) the presidents of Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, Nebraska Indian Community College, Hostos Community College, Chicago State University, and Spelman College. The testimony in general pointed to the low, and in some cases declining, rates of participation by Blacks, Latinos, and other minorities in higher education in the United States. Many witnesses decried the lack of minority graduate students and faculty to serve as role models. Much testimony was also critical of federal student aid initiatives, such as the Pell Grant program, for not providing enough money to needy students. (MDM)

A Senate committee received testimony supporting reauthorization of the Native Hawaiian Education Act as part of reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In the previous week, the House of Representatives had narrowly defeated an effort to delete the Native Hawaiian Education Act from ESEA reauthorization. The Native Hawaiian Education Act recounts the history of the U.S. invasion and illegal annexation of Hawaii, describes the basis of the federal government's trust responsibility toward Native Hawaiians, the educational needs of Native Hawaiian children, and authorizes supplemental educational programs to assist Native Hawaiians to reach the National Education Goals. These supplemental programs are Native Hawaiian Language Immersion Project; Native Hawaiian Family-Based Education Centers serving infants, preschoolers, and their families; Native Hawaiian Higher Education Demonstration Program; Native Hawaiian Gifted and Talented Demonstration Program; and Native Hawaiian Special Education Program. Testimony by U.S. Senators and Representatives, school and college administrators, program directors, teachers, and parents describes the programs and provides evidence about the need for these programs and about program successes and accomplishments. Appended materials include the text of the Act and data on program enrollments and Native Hawaiian college enrollment. (SV)

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the Clinton Administration's plans to expand and improve Project Head Start. Testimony was heard from Senators Christopher J. Dodd, Dan Coats, Nancy Landon Kassebaum, Strom Thurmond, James M. Jeffords, and Harris Wofford, as well as Representatives Matthew G. Martinez and Susan Molinari, and Mary Jo Bane, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Testimony was also offered by Sandra Kessler Hamburg, director of education studies for the Committee for Economic Development, Valora Washington of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, a Head Start program director, two Head Start parents, and a graduate of a Head Start program. An appendix includes prepared statements delivered by Assistant Secretary Bane, Ms. Hamburg, the Head Start program director, parents, and the Head Start graduate. (MDM)

In October 1992, Congress passed legislation supporting American Indian tribal demonstration projects that would consolidate employment services, job training, and related services to improve the effectiveness of such services, reduce unemployment, and further tribal goals. In September 1993, a Senate hearing received testimony concerning the extent of implementation of these pilot projects. Representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services reported that: (1) these agencies had established a management framework specifying their roles and responsibilities with respect to the statute; (2) the agencies were developing written guidance for tribes on project implementation, as well as consolidated program report forms; and (3) 55 tribes were willing to participate in program implementation during fiscal year 1994. Representatives of tribes and Indian organizations discussed: (1) the importance of federal agencies treating the tribes as full partners in the implementation process; (2) concerns that federal agencies not create barriers to implementation; (3) the relationship of this initiative to ongoing tribal self-governance initiatives; (4) the need for data collection that would allow program evaluation in terms of local circumstances; and (5) concerns over Department of Labor plans to publish new regulations affecting Indian Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs. An appendix making up the bulk of this document contains the text of the legislation (Public Law 102-477), much discussion about the proposed JTPA regulations, reports on Native unemployment and economic development efforts on reservations and in urban areas, and a description of a planned electronic network linking grantees with each other and with federal agencies. (SV)

The Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources reports favorably on the bill (S. 286) to extend and strengthen authorities of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) and to promote a number of education-improvement programs through fiscal year 1999. OERI is the research and development arm of the U.S. Department of Education. In spite of the importance of its duties, funding in terms of constant dollars has decreased approximately 80% since 1973. The proposed act seeks to reverse this trend by redefining the authorities, functions, and responsibilities of the office, and establishing five new research directorates. The bill also creates a nonpartisan Advisory Board of Educational Research to review research and evaluate its quality. An Office of Dissemination and Reform Assistance is established to provide national coordination, and regional education laboratories are established to advance the National Education Goals. In addition, S. 286 includes a minority focused civic education program for improved instruction in civics for minorities and Native Americans. This initiative also supports teacher education in civics. The Committee believes that this act will support educational research of the highest quality and will strengthen the flow of information and technical assistance to every student. (SLD)

This document reports on and recommends for passage the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1993 (S. 1361), legislation proposed to establish a national framework within which states can create statewide School-to-Work Opportunities systems enabling youth to identify and navigate paths to productive and progressively more rewarding roles in the workplace. These systems are intended to provide students with performance-based education and training programs that will enable them to earn portable credentials, prepare them for first jobs in high-skill, high-wage careers, and increase opportunities for further education or training. This report provides a summary and history of the proposed legislation, a rationale for it, a summary of the committee views on the bill, a cost estimate for its implementation, a regulatory impact statement, a section-by-section analysis, and minority views concerning the bill. (KC)

The Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources met to consider an amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the delivery of college financial aid by moving from guaranteed students loans to direct loans. Under a system of direct loans, students would borrow directly from the Federal Government by applying through their colleges. Senators who offered opening statements on the proposed legislation were Senators Durenberger, Kassebaum, Pell, Jeffords, Metzenbaum, Hatch, Simon, Dodd, Coats, Wellstone, Gregg, Kennedy, Mikulski, and Thurmond. Proponents of the change noted increased access to loans, budget savings, and system simplification. Opponents cited the difficulty of change, the difficulty of knowing exactly the consequences of a new system, risks to the government, and costs of administration. The Committee also heard from a panel led by Madeleine Kunin, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education presenting the Administration plan and answering questions on details of the plan. In addition a group of college presidents, university administrators, and students appeared to offer their views on proposed changes. Finally a large number higher education leaders of associations and financial aid groups appeared to offer their testimony on the legislation. Additional materials appended includes articles, publications, reports, and correspondence. (JB)

This document is a transcript of two days of proceedings for a United States Senate committee hearing to discuss "Goals 2000: Educate America Act." This bill was proposed by President Clinton to provide a national framework for education reform; promote the research, consensus building, and systemic changes needed to endure equal educational opportunities and high levels of educational achievement for all American students; provide a framework for reauthorization of federal educational programs; and promote the development and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards and certifications. For the first day of the hearing, the document includes prepared statements and questioning of United States Senators Edward Kennedy, Nancy Kassebaum, Judd Gregg, Barbara Mikulski, Christopher Dodd, and Dave Durenberger. Statements and questioning are also included for Richard Riley, United States Secretary of Education; Tracey Bailey, 1993 National Teacher of the Year; Norman Conrad, 1992 Kansas Teacher of the Year; Linda Davis, deputy superintendent of the Unified School District, San Francisco, California; and George Kaye, vice president of human resources for Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. For the second day of hearings, the document includes prepared statements and questioning of several United States Senators and education experts, including Senators Edward Kennedy, Strom Thurmond, and Dave Durenberger; Marc Tucker, president of the National Center on Education and the Economy; Harry Featherstone, representing the National Association of Manufacturers; John Sweeney, president of the Service Employees International Union; and Linda Morra, director of the Education and Employment Issues of the United States General Accounting Office. (MM)