Protection commissioner mark morgan is among the witnesses scheduled to appear before the Senate Commerce aviation subcommittee. Education secretary betsy devos testified on the 2021 budget request, members asked about Public Education resources and nondiscrimination policies. The subcommittee will come to order. Good morning, secretary devos. Welcome to the subcommittee. This is our second Budget Hearing of the year and your forth on hearing with us and we are going to examine the president s the permit of education budget request for fiscal year 2021. As i was reviewing the budget material, this much was clear to me. You are seeking to privatize Public Education. It is the wrong direction for students and our country. We need to be moving toward expanding Public Policies like Early Childhood education. We see this in other countries around the globe. They are not shrinking but standing it. Im getting more into the consequences of the cuts you are proposing. I want to start by examining your privatization philosophy. The false premise on which it is built in the research. Contrary to your claims the nations Public Education system which 90 of our children attend has witnessed significant progress for all the groups of students over the last 30 years, average mathematic scores on the National Assessment of educational progress have improved for fourthgraders from 14 , eighth graders by 7 . Reading improvements have been more modest, scores improved by 6 and eighthgraders by 3 . Hispanic fourthgraders scores improved by 6 and, eighthgraders by 4 . These are significantly higher than 40 years ago for all racial and ethnic groups. I reflect on that and ask the question where would we be without federal investment . There is no question there is more to do to address the disparities. We face significant challenges for kids that come into the system, education districts where they experience poverty and exposure to violence often resulting in trauma. The solution is not less resources, nor is it more privatization. Let me, if i can, just quote for you from a report from doctor pamela can tour who was a psychiatrist and she cofounded an Educational Organization called turnaround for children which translates the science of learning and development into a problem of she led a Team Commission in new york city by the board of education to assess the impact of the terrorist attacks on the citys Public School children. What did she find . Surprisingly, 68 of the children they observed had experienced trauma to impair their functioning at school. It is from their ongoing experience of growing up in poverty not from what they witnessed, that terrifying september day. In fact the administrations own data has shown privatization let students down. The dc opportunity Scholarship Program, found that vouchers had a statistically significant negative impact on the mathematics achievement of impacted students. More vouchers, lower mass achievement. That is not a loan data point. Previous multi sector studies, no student achievement scores in private schools, by any statistically significant degree and they found this to be the case in indiana and louisiana and other examples which i can make available to you into your staff. The push to privatize Public Education is based on the false premise that it is not supported by data but its consequences would be to undermine the education of our students in nearly every state particularly for vulnerable students in high need regions, and the rural part of our country. You would end career and College Readiness for 560,000 low income middle School Students across 45 states by eliminating a highly competitive Grant Program, 365 million. You would endanger academic tutoring, personal counseling, other programs, for 800,000 students, in sixth grade, by cutting trio programs by 140 million. Trio serves low income, firstgeneration students and students with disabilities helping them to graduate from college. You would endanger Education Access for Children Experiencing Homelessness by eliminating the Homeless Children and youth program, minus 102 million. This funding is desperately needed and the 201617 school year more than 1. 3 million and rolled children had experienced homelessness at some point in the past three years, increase of 7 in 201415. You would endanger youth literacy and potentially increase class size and undermine efforts to support diverse teachers by eliminating the main program. The state grant which we increased the first time in many years and you have taken 2. 1 billion away from that program. And you put information out of the grasp of students by flat funding up our grants, 40 of undergraduate students, 7 Million Students rely on pell grants to afford Higher Education but while pell covered 79 of the average cost of tuition in a for your Public Institution in 1975, it covers only 29 today. Our students cannot afford for us to stand for this. Finally, your budget would risk exacerbating financial challenges of underresourced world districts by converting into block grants. These districts already struggle with lower student population, higher transportation costs and moved to undermine their funding in this way. I say this to you with all sincerity, this is not going to happen. It is not going to happen. I support the recognition of the state grant, career and Technical Education, proposed increase for the state grant. Im disappointeds Adult Education state grants which i plan to ask you about later and requested an increase for student loan servicing, new reforms in fiscal year 2020 for more oversight and be sure that borrowers are getting the help they need, many of these stem from an oversight hearing the subcommittee held last year and speak directly, i need to see how the department implements the new requirements as i review your request for next year. With regard to Charter Schools, there is a place for them. They have a role in our Education System but weve moved in the direction of a parallel Education System. Around issues of accountability and transparency which to this point they have not been forthcoming. I have said time and again Charter Schools ought to be held to the same rigor. We need to know about it and to close, you are clearly again in my view seeking to privatize Public Education. I hope i have been clear that we are not going to do that because doing so ignores the research indicating the gains we have made at the many areas private education shortchanges students, ignores the reason the federal government needs to be involved in education that so powerfully indicated with brown versus board of education and ignores the spirit and values of this country. We need the expanding Public Policies that boost education, not restricting or reducing. I look forward to our discussion today and it is my pleasure to turn to the Ranking Member of the subcommittee. Thank you. This is my favorite time of year because i get to spend so much time with you, we have dinner tonight. It is a vigorous exchange of ideas and more cooperation then we get granted for. Is a pleasure, i have known you for a long time before either of us were in our respective capacities. I believe it to you to describe your public philosophy but there are two things i know about you, your Public Education philosophy, one is you have always been for what is the right job role or place for this particular student to be and i see that in your proposals and youve never been afraid to put a bold it on the table and advance it and i feel a lot of that in this budget. Theres a lot of boldness here some of which i agree with and some of which i dont but that doesnt bother me. I like the idea that you are willing to break the mold and think about this because we have a lot of challenges. Also, you are our chief officer overseeing the most diverse educational system in the world. I think of my own district, i have 5 colleges and universities, everything from great comprehensive state institutions to elite liberal arts institutions, regional facilities, private christian colleges. Like everybody else most of the young people im privileged to represent go to Public Schools, i have private and Religious Schools, home schools and they all do a good job, they all wrestle with the same problems and i have one of the most robust career tech systems throughout oklahoma and in my district and i was pleased with some proposals you made in that regard. We will have great discussion today. I look forward to your testimony and as a former educator, it is important to have access to quality education and it is one of the most important Building Blocks for success and access to quality learning to really impact Lifelong Development and unlocks each individuals potential. Or budget request resizes resources to certain populations of children who need Additional Support including children with special needs and his abilities, education and School Districts whose revenues are impacted by federal prisons within their boundaries. I am a strong supporter of a career and Technical Education and probably home state of oklahoma is leading the way in innovating models for delivering cuttingedge skills that could lead to good paying rewarding careers for students who do not wish to pursue a 4year liberal arts degree. Thank you for your support of these programs and i will call forward to asking you more questions about the substantial increases in your budget that your budget proposes for these programs this year. I want to recognize your proposal to expand pell grants to students enrolled in shortterm programs that offer credential and high demand field. These opportunities offer high employment in a variety of fields needed through my district and others. Interesting how many times when we do member testimony members come here and push the need for career and Technical Education in terms of Job Opportunities and in terms of needed skills. You focused on a key area here, other members of congress believe it is time to make pell grants available to individuals for certificate based programs and i applaud you for putting that on the table for us to consider. Your budget once again proposes to eliminate, consolidate or change over 2 dozen programs. Some of these proposals may make sense in terms of realization or consolidation. I agree with my friend the chairman particularly concerned about the proposal for the successful trio program for competitive grant model throughout my career. Im concerned about a proposal that consolidate several minority serving institutions, these institutions serve distinct populations with different needs. Im not certain such a change makes sense but these disadvantaged minority populations may be overlooked or marginalized. If they are not singled out for special attention. Im interested in hearing your perspective on that. I acknowledge your proposals and address limitations in the student aid program. Establishing federal student aid is a separate organization, an issue not sure we are the right people to consider it here. I support your efforts to streamline a more you. User focused expression. To modernize and improve the student loan infrastructure benefiting 40 million customers. Pardon me while i support block grants and frame School Districts from the bureaucracy involved and administering dozens of federal programs i have some concerns that consolidating some programs like Charter School program could have negative consequence, we hope to benefit by these proposals. There is a risk that some states are welcoming and others are not. I worry about the publicsector taking money to see these innovative things. You probably know more about this than anybody on this panel. Im interested in your perspective. I know you faced a difficult challenge making all the pieces fit into a tight budget. I made this point yesterday. This is necessarily your budget, this is the ombs budget you are tasked to defend. You work for the president of the united states, that is the budget process but you wrestle with a smaller budget than you might have otherwise chosen. I will ask about that and this budget priority, i think that does put you as it did secretary azar in a difficult position, you may have been forced to make cuts you did not advocate but a famous incident of that last year on Special Olympics as i recall. You privately make an argument we might agree with appear but publicly you have got to make the case. I respect that. One of the applications you undertake, great personal sacrifice is not a job you need and i admire you for your commitment to Public Service. Under the leadership of our chairman, strong quality education for students across the country will remain a fundamental priority in the creation of this years labor hhs bill just as it was last year, when i was privileged to be chairman and my friend has always been a great partner in that endeavor, the chair of the committee are Ranking Member. I look forward to working with my friend to craft a budget that balances are many priorities and invest in our countrys people and its future. I look forward to your testimony and i yield back the balance of my time, madame secretary, the chairman. I think my friend the Ranking Member, we will put it together and i would like to turn to the distinguished chair of the full committee for any comments she may have. Good morning and thank you, madame secretary for the exchange of ideas and thank you for holding this hearing. This is the fourth budget request for the department of education under your leadership and it has cuts and outright eliminations. It hurts students and their families. Like every Previous Year we are going to reject this proposal. We would like to believe this proposal empowers states and districts and flexibility, but the numbers dont lie, eliminating 41 programs, cutting Education Funding by 6. 2 billion, the severity of educations mission is to promote by fostering Educational Excellence and ensuring equal access. Secretary devos, your budget is on a different mission, one that chokes accountability to our students and taxpayers. It would take more than my allotted time to read the complete list of the limitations and funding cuts so i will he highlight a few, all of which demonstrate lack of commitment Educational Equity across elementary, secondary and postsecondary education. We should be protecting and building on a 6. 3 billion investment, your Budget Proposal has eliminated this crucial support for students in high poverty schools. You propose eliminating fullservice committee schools, the Thomas EdisonElementary School in portchester, to implemented the fullservice Community School model. The social Services Committee engagement improved Student Learning and empowers communities. I must admit i was another at that time. I had visited the school and it was so exciting to see these Young Students get all that they needed. Many of these parents were working two jobs and to have it all go, for parents to come in was very exciting. I must admit, it was disappointing to me to see this program illuminated. Disappointing because i know your interest in educating all the kid. It is vital for combating inequality. Working families working families count on afterSchool Programs so that they can go to work knowing their child is safe and learning with your budget requests eliminatemi this funding. More than half of americans live in the childcare desert. That includes the one in five College Students who are parents. Oncampus childcare programs help students parents successfully pursue degrees, but you would cut funding to the childcare access means peart and schools programs by nearly 72 . Im trying not to elaborate and getting to the point, but 72 is a lot of parents and children who will not be able to access this opportunity. It will be absurd to champion this budget request for a socalled fiscal responsibility. More than 2 billion in Student Financial aid and grants to institutions would be cut. And instead, going to a border wall. By limiting programs and reducing funds this budget request would bridge the gap. I sincerely hope your response to our questions will addr