Rep. Fattah Declares Equity in Education Resources is an "Economic Imperative" for U.S. World Leadership

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA-02), a Congressional leader in school finance reform and equitable distribution of educational resources, today told the Center for American Progress that providing all young people with the equal resources for quality education is an "economic imperative" for the United States to maintain its world leadership.

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Fattah was the keynote speaker at a special program on school finance reform and equity at CAP headquarters in Washington and distributed to the public nationwide by internet.

Fattah is the architect of GEAR UP – Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs – the $3 billion success story that has prepared and assisted some 12 million low income and underserved students as young as sixth grade for the rigors of higher education since its enactment in 1998. He has led the fight for Pell Grant funding and other programs that provide college education opportunities for students from poor families.

Fattah, from Philadelphia, said American education suffers from "selective amnesia – we know how to provide quality education but poor children end up in a situation where their schools have fewer resources and they have less opportunity to succeed."

The American economy remains the world economic leader and number one in technology and innovation, Fattah said, but those advantages, "rather than absolute, are now relative." To maintain our leadership, he said, "we must give all our young people the chance to live up to the very best. ... We should not participate any longer in a system where some children have the best in every way and other children, in every way, have less than that."

Too often, he said, the American system for providing educational resources seems perfectly designed to offer the fewest resources to those in the most need. He compared the inequitable distribution of critical education resources to an empty swimming pool. "We are surprised when the kids aren't able to swim and blame them, hold them accountable. We set them up for failure and then say, 'Oh, they were going to fail anyway.'"

Fattah is the author of two significant legislative proposals seeking to address these disparities. The Student Bill of Rights, H.R. 1295, ensures all students, regardless of school district, have access to the educational resources needed to be successful: highly effective teachers, rigorous curricula, early childhood education, and instructional materials including educational technology. The ESEA Fiscal Fairness Act, H.R. 1294, requires school districts demonstrate that they are comparably funding schools within their jurisdiction with state and local dollars before receiving federal education funding.

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

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