Final Education Bill Includes
$250 Million for School Libraries
An education bill agreed to by House and Senate conferees December 11 includes an authorization level of $250 million for school library resources. The school library measure was originally introduced by Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who stated that one of the reasons he favored the conference report was that it “helps school libraries.”
The bill, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, was passed by the House December 13, and the Senate is expected to approve it the following week. It redirects federal aid for education to the poorest schools, mandates annual testing to measure student performance, and holds poorly performing schools responsible, the New York Times reported December 12.
Appropriations conferees working with the education committees agreed on a $3.8 billion increase for ESEA Title I, to $22.6 billion. President Bush had sought an increase of only $685 million.
Several conference committee members warned that the bill did not provide enough new funding. “The resources are not there to make this bill work,” Sen. James M. Jeffords (I-Vt.) told the Washington Post. Jeffords sponsored the legislation in the Senate but ended up opposing it.
Posted December 17, 2001.
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