(AFTERNOON SESSION, 2:15 O'CLOCK, THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1970) DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION CIVIL RIGHTS EDUCATION STATEMENT OF JAMES E. ALLEN, JR., ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND U.S. COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION ACCOMPANIED BY: JAMES B. CARDWELL, DEPUTY BUDGET ASSISTANT SECRETARY, FRANK B. McGETTRICK, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE COMMISSIONER JERRY H. BRADER, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES JOE G. KEEN, BUDGET OFFICER Senator MCCLELLAN. The subcommittee will be in order. Next we will consider the fiscal 1971 request for civil rights education carried on by the Office of Education in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. BUDGET REQUEST AND ALLOWANCE Senator MCCLELLAN. The budget estimate is for $24 million. The House allowed $19 million, a reduction of $5 million, which the Department is requesting be restored. APPEAL LETTER The appeal letter and justification, will be inserted in the record. (The letter and justification follow :) (83) Dear Senator McClellan: I am writing to appeal the recent action by the House of Representatives on our 1971 budget request for Title IV of the Civil Rights Act. This item was included in the Department of State, Justice, and Commerce, The Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill, Fiscal Year 1971, H.R. 17575, which passed the House on May 14. The House allowed $19,000,000 including $3,000,000 for administration to support 144 positions. The $16,000,000 that would be available for program activities under such an appropriation would substantially reduce the effectiveness of the Title IV program from the level planned under the requested level of $24,000,000. Specifically, the local education agencies in-service training programs would be available to at least 3,000 fewer staff. University desegregation centers would operate at a level lower than planned, thus providing less technical assistance to local schools and training for 10,000 fewer school staff. The funds would be allocated to centers on the basis of local school need and reductions would vary from center to center. The number of State education agency units that could be funded under au appropriation of $19,000,000 would be 32 instead of the 36 planned. The number of university training institutes would remain at 10, providing training for about 600 participants. The limit of $3,000,000 for salaries and expenses would reduce the number of Federal staff available for technical assistance from that provided in the report by the House Appropriations Committee on the supplemental appropriation request for 1970. This reduction would prevent the Department from staffing all of the Equal Educational Opportunity regional offices in Fiscal Year 1971. Civil Rights Education Effect of House Action The fiscal year 1971 House allowance for activities authorized by Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is $19,000,000. This level of funding is $5,000,000 less than the 1971 and 1970 estimates of $24,000,000 each year. Grants to school boards-- The allowance of $8,700,000 will provide for 120 Technical assistance: 1. University desegregation centers-- The allocation of $4,125,000 for this activity will provide for continuation of the 19 centers funded in 1970 and will train approximately 60,000 school staff in developing and implementing desegregation plans. This allocation is $615,000 less than the budget estimate which would have provided services to 70,000 school personnel in the same number of centers. 2. State education agency units-- Thirty-two State units will be supported with $2,675,000 allowed by the House. These funds will aid the States in carrying out the primary leadership responsibility by coordinating their programs and services to aid districts desegregating their schools. The budget estimate of $3,060,000 would have supported 36 units. Institutes for school personnel-- The House allowance will permit this activity to be funded at the same level as the budget estimate. Namely, ten institutes will be funded with the $500,000 allowed by the House and will involve at least 600 teachers and administrators in continuing a relationship between the school districts served and the sponsoring colleges and universities to provide follow-up services to train or influence others in the local school districts. Technical assistance and administration-- The House allowance of $3,000,000 will fund 144 positions most of which will be located in six regional offices. These personnel will provide assistance to school administrators to help them work on the educational and administrative problems which must be overcome when a school district attempts to successfully desegregate its schools. budget estimate of $5,700,000 would provide 240 positions which would be distributed among all 10 regional offices. The |