Senator Feinstein Rolls Out Education Improvement Program
February 13, 2001

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced three bills to improve public education by providing money for smaller classes and smaller schools, requiring that Title I Federal education funds be used for academic instruction, and offering money for teacher technology training.

“One key to making our schools better is to improve the teaching that is taking place in the classroom.” Senator Feinstein said. “These three bills improve academic instruction by reducing the size of classes and schools, by providing more money to train teachers to use cutting-edge technology, and by requiring that federal education funds be used for academic instruction, instead of school operations.”

The Title I Integrity Act
This legislation specifies how Title I federal education funds for economically disadvantaged students can and cannot be used by schools. It seeks to direct that these funds be used to improve academic achievement and help students meet state achievement standards. Permissable uses of Title I funds include:

• Interventions and corrective actions to improve student achievement;
• Extending academic instruction beyond the normal school day and year,
  including summer school;
• The employment of teachers and other instructional personnel (including employee benefits);
• Instructional services to pre-kindergarten children for the transition to kindergarten;
• The purchase of instructional resources such as books, materials, computers, and other instructional equipment and wiring to support instructional equipment; and
• Development and administration of curriculum, educational materials and assessments;
  transportation of students to assist them in improving academic achievement.

The bill also specifically requires that Title I Funds not be used for:

• Janitorial, gardening, or landscaping services;
• Utility costs;
• Construction or maintenance of facilities;
• Acquisition of real property;
• The purchase or lease of vehicles;
• Travel to and attendance at conferences or meetings; or
• Food and refreshments.

The Excellence in Education Act
This legislation authorizes $5 billion dollars over the next five years to reduce class and school size. The bill would provide a new funding source for school districts or states to match in order to build new schools and reduce both school size and class size. The bill would create a matching grant program to build new schools to meet the following size requirements:

School size:

• For kindergarten through 5th grade, not more than 500 students;
• For grades 6 through 8, not more than 750 students;
• For grades 9 through 12, not more than 1,500 students.

Class size:

• For kindergarten through grade 6, not more than 20 students per teacher;
• For grades 7 through 12, not more than 28 students per teacher.

In addition to making the above reductions, school districts would be required to end the practice of social promotion, provide remedial education for failing students, and require that students be subject to state achievement standards in the core academic curriculum.

The Teacher Technology Training Act
This legislation authorizes $100 million for state education departments to award grants to train teachers in how to use technology effectively in the classroom.

In a 1999 survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, only 23 percent of teachers said they felt “well prepared” to integrate educational technology into instruction.

This bill specifies that grants may be used to strengthen instruction and learning, provide professional development, and pay the costs of teacher training using technology in the classroom. Furthermore, it requires the Secretary of Education to evaluate the programs developed by school districts within three years.

Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) introduced companion legislation in the House today.