| |
LEGISLATIVE ALERT AND ANALYSIS
of House Resolution 1385
By Diana M. Fessler (OH)
June 15, 1997
On April 17, the "THE EMPLOYMENT,
TRAINING, AND LITERACY ACT OF 1997" was introduced into the U.S. House of
Representatives. It was passed by the House on May 15th. The bill, and the action, now
moves to the U. S. Senate.
What is in this so-called Literacy Act?
- The bill defines an adult as anyone 16 years of
age or older, making children adults under federal law. [Sec. 503(1), now Sec. 303(A)
in the amended version. All subsequent references will refer to the amended bill].
- The bill bypasses elected school boards and
state legislatures. Governors are given power to appoint Workforce Development
Boards, certifying and decertifying them as he/she sees fit. These boards,
accountable only to the governor, will oversee the development of programs to train
children for the workforce. The boards will develop "partnerships of business, labor
and unions" regarding how many workers will be needed and what jobs will be filled.
[Division B. Sec. 121-122]. Could it be a coincidence that on May 1, 1997, Governor
Voinovich, by Executive Order 97-11V, ordered the creation of the Governor's Workforce
Development Board (GWDB) and disbanded the Governor's Human Resource
Investment Council (GHRIC). The new board "shall make recommendations toward
ensuring the effectiveness and coordination of all relevant state programs . . . any
activities the Governor may ask the GWBD to address."
- The bill calls for paying 50% of the cost of
training a worker to the business that trains its own workers. [Title I Sec.
103(51)(A)].
- The bill says that massive retraining will be
necessary to prepare people for the jobs of the next century. [Sec. 321- p. 199].
- The bill requires the governor to submit a
state plan, which he alone has the authority to approve, to the U. S. Secretaries of
Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. [B Sec III(A)(a)].
- The bill establishes a "Common Management
Information System" - a national database. [Sec. 204(a)930E-139].
- The bill creates national standards for
"industry recognized occupational skills." [Sec. 152(B) & 154].
- The bill combines actions of the United States
Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Education. [Sec. 321, B(1)]
- The bill gives power to the governor to
negotiate state benchmarks with the federal government. [Sec. 122(d)(6)(A)].
- The bill requires mandatory drug testing for
ALL students. [Sec. 415(2) "Standard of Conduct"]
- The bill amends the failed Job Training
Partnership Act, integrating academic, occupational and work-based learning. {sec.
204-p.122]
- The bill defines family literacy "as
services that are of sufficient intensity in terms of hours and of sufficient duration, to
make sustainable changes in a family and integrate various activities including
interactive literacy between parents and children, training parents how to be the primary
teacher for their children, and how to be full partners in the education of their children
. . ." [Title I Sec. 103 (43 - p. 15].
- Literacy is defined as the ability to
" . . . compute and solve problems . . . to function on the job, in the family . .
. and in society . . . "
This massive 290-page bill is silent regarding
fiscal responsibility. Throughout the bill it reads, when referring to costs, "such
sums as may be necessary."
Amendments have been made to squelch the concerns
of home educators and the pro-phonics camp, but such amendments do not address the main
issues embedded in HR 1385. The text is available through Thomas on the World Wide
Web (the layout it is hard to read, but inclusion of discussion items offsets the layout).
Request a hard copy of amended HR 1385 from your United States Senator or United
States Congressman. READ IT and contact your senator.
________
Diana M. Fessler, 7530 Ross
Road, New Carlisle, OH 45344. (937) 845-8428 - (937) 845-3550 FAX
e-mail: [email protected] World Wide Web: http://www.fessler.com
Go Home
| |
|