YOUNGSTOWN Capitol Hill won't make education a priority, Ryan complains

The measure was passed largely along party lines.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Education is not among the top priorities on Capitol Hill, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan says.
Ryan of Niles, D-17th, told The Vindicator on Friday a Republican-sponsored House bill will further the gap between education of the "haves" and the "have-nots."
"If you have enough money and live in a good school district, you're going to be OK. If you live in an average or below-average school district, you're going to be in trouble," Ryan said of the education portion of a $138 billion measure to finance health, labor and education programs next year.
Passed the House
The bill passed the House 215-208 on Thursday. No Democrats supported it; they were joined by nine Republicans and one independent.
Overall, the bill increases health, labor and education funding by 4 percent over this year's funding, with some of the additions going to schools.
The Senate will pass its own appropriations bill before the issue goes to a conference committee, a Ryan staffer said.
The committee will draft a final bill to face a vote by both chambers.
Funding flaw
Ryan said a main flaw is the inadequate funding for mandates in the No Child Left Behind Act -- which requires states to improve teacher quality, expand proficiency tests and demand improvement from low-performing schools.
The bill falls $6 billion short of what the law promised, the congressman said.
Republicans defeated an amendment that would have offset the amount by $5 billion by reducing tax cuts.
In the area of special education, funding for programs remains at around 20 percent, not the 40 percent promised. Ryan said a Democratic proposal to provide that 40 percent was also defeated along party lines.
The federal government took over many educational programs because communities couldn't do it, Ryan said.
'Priorities'
"We're spending $3.9 billion per month in Iraq right now. ... Even though we don't have money, we find it in a war," Ryan said. "But what about our kids? It's an issue of priorities."
The congressman further pointed to the tax break touted by the president that gives those who make salaries of more than $1 million breaks of $88,000 to $90,000.
Reducing the breaks to $44,000 would fully fund Head Start preschool programs and mandates in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act, Ryan said.