Fattah Says Obama's Landmark Student Loan Aid Must Be Followed by Education Reform for College Readiness

WASHINGTON, March 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), the leading Congressional advocate for urban education, today outlined his legislative priorities for education reform on the same day he witnessed President Obama signing the landmark overhaul and funding increase for college loan programs.

"President Obama has taken a major step today toward cementing a place in history as 'the Education President,' and his advocacy for significant reform in our core federal education policy will add to that legacy," said Fattah, Chairman of the Congressional Urban Caucus and author of major education legislation during his eight terms in Congress.

"Today's new law will make it easier for millions of middle class and low-income young Americans to enroll, afford, remain in and graduate from our colleges and universities, a major goal the President set during his campaign," Fattah said. "But graduating college depends on reaching and being prepared for college. That must be the focus of our next initiative - the overhaul of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to assure quality education and college preparation for the most underserved of our students from K to 12."  

Fattah said, "In too many communities today, college attendance is not inevitable. Facing the pipeline challenge is critical to education reform. If our students can't do the college work, when they've been in school for 13 years, then we have failed them."  

Fattah, as he traveled to Northern Virginia Community College for the President's signing ceremony, released a letter to Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and to Rep. John Kline (R-MN), its ranking minority member.  

The letter (reproduced below) outlines the principles and priorities that Fattah declares he will "strongly urge" the committee to adopt in its ESEA reauthorization.

Fattah's five-point letter declares the new ESEA must "close achievement gaps based on income, race and gender." It must "ensure critical resources, especially highly effective teachers" at every
level. Data systems and data collection must be improved. Curriculum and accountability must be revamped to reflect "the expectation that every student will graduate from high school prepared for college and career."

In addition, Fattah wrote to the Education committee's leaders that the new ESEA must "require interventions in schools where students are not meeting high standards and/or are not graduating in four years ready for college and career." The text of the letter:

Dear Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Kline:

As you consider the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, I strongly urge you to allow these principles to guide you:

• Increase student achievement and close achievement gaps based on income, race and gender - both within seemingly high-performing schools and between high- and low-performing schools, preserving the goal that all students will master ambitious academic standards.
• Ensure critical educational resources, especially highly effective teachers, are available to all students on an adequate and equitable basis.
• Develop and use data systems that support improved instruction in the classroom, recommend appropriate interventions for students, and reliably identify successful and unsuccessful efforts to educate, promote and graduate students prepared for college and career.
• Structure curricula, instruction, assessment, data collection and accountability systems with the expectation that every student will graduate from high school prepared for college and career.
• Require interventions in schools where students are not meeting high standards and/or are not graduating in four years ready for college and career. Strategies must involve the affected students and families, ensure all students are attending effective schools instead of providing options for only a few students, and serve the educational needs of students above all other interests.

I look forward to working with you in this process. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my Senior Policy Advisor Elizabeth King at (202) 225-4001 if we can be of assistance in the future.

Very truly yours,

Chaka Fattah

Member of Congress

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah