TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Abolition of Department of Education
Title II: Education Program
Subtitle A: Elementary and Secondary Education
Subtitle B: Conforming Amendments to the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act
Subtitle C: Higher Education Programs
Subtitle D: Miscellaneous Provisions
Title III: General Provisions
Title IV: Statements of Policy
Back to Basics Education Reform Act - Eliminates the Department of Education and redefines the Federal role in education.
Title I: Abolition of Department of Education - Abolishes the Department of Education.
(Sec. 102) Establishes (and sunsets) an Office of Economic Opportunities in the Department of Health and Human Services.
Provides that the Office shall be: (1) headed by a Director for Economic Opportunities, who shall be appointed by the President and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; and (2) administered under the supervision and direction of the Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Families and Children.
Transfers Department of Education functions to the Office.
Abolishes the Office and all of its functions upon the expiration of the authorization for the programs under its jurisdiction.
(Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to appoint as principal officers of the Office: (1) an Assistant Director of Childhood Schooling; and (2) an Assistant Director of Advanced Schooling.
(Sec. 104) Allows the Secretary of Education to serve as Director of the Office until an individual is appointed to such position or until the end of a 120-day period, whichever is earlier.
(Sec. 105) Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, as is necessary or appropriate, to: (1) allocate or reallocate any function of the Office among its officers; and (2) consolidate, alter, or discontinue in the Office any organizational entities that were entities of the Department of Education. Prohibits transfer of any function or personnel of the Office to any agency outside of the Office.
(Sec. 106) Directs the President to submit to the Congress a plan for winding up the affairs of the Department of Education in accordance with this Act.
(Sec. 107) Directs the Comptroller General to submit to the Congress a report with recommendations for the most efficient means of achieving, in accordance with this Act: (1) the complete abolition of the Department of Education; and (2) the termination, transfer, or other continuation of functions of the Department of Education.
(Sec. 110) Limits Federal expenditures in each fiscal year for the administration of a function transferred by this Act to not more than 70 percent of the total amount expended for the administration of that function during fiscal year 1995.
Title II: Education Programs - Subtitle A: Elementary and Secondary Education - Chapter 1: Elementary and Secondary Education Block Grant - Authorizes the Director of the Office to provide an elementary and secondary education block grant to the Governor of each State that complies with specified requirements.
(Sec. 202) Authorizes such block grant program, and sets forth provisions for State eligibility, general State requirements, amount of State allotment, local fiscal accountability, and participation of children enrolled in private schools.
(Sec. 209) Authorizes appropriations.
Chapter 2: Other Elementary and Secondary Education Programs - Repeals: (1) titles I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, and parts B and C of title IX of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA); (2) the Goals 2000: Educate America Act; (3) the School-to-Work Opportunities Act; (4) specified provisions of the General Education Provisions Act; and (5) the National Education Statistics Act of 1994.
Amends ESEA provisions relating to impact aid. Requires that impact aid programs provided under title VIII of ESEA be administered by the Department of Defense through the Assistant Secretary for Force Management Policy.
Provides that Indian education programs under part A of title IX of ESEA shall be administered by the Department of the Interior through the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.
Subtitle B: Conforming Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to transfer authority from the Department and Secretary of Education to the Department and Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(Sec. 212) Amends IDEA definitions of excess costs and of native language.
(Sec. 213) Transfers of IDEA administering authority to the Office.
(Sec. 214) Revises IDEA provisions relating to outreach services for certain institutions of higher education.
Subtitle C: Higher Education Programs - Chapter 1: Elimination and Reduction of Programs - Repeals the Higher Education Act of 1965, with exceptions for its short title and provisions relating to Pell Grants, the Federal Family Education Loan Program, Perkins Loans, needs analysis, certain general provisions, definitions, and the program integrity triad.
(Sec. 221) Provides that such repeal of HEA provisions shall not affect Federal authority to collect loans.
Discontinues Federal contributions for FY 1997 or any succeeding year to student loan funds established under Perkins Loans provisions of HEA.
Limits Federal funds for Howard University under specified Federal law and the Howard University Endowment Act to: (1) specified maximum amounts and uses in fiscal years through FY 2000; and (2) nothing for FY 2001 and thereafter.
(Sec. 222) Amends the Congressional Budget Act to revise the Federal Credit Reform Act with respect to defining the cost of a direct loan.
(Sec. 223) Amends HEA to provide for the sale of Federal Direct Student Loan (FDSL) loan portfolios.
(Sec. 224) Makes a statement of policy that the Federal student loan programs should be reviewed to evaluate whether reforms need to be made based on the principles of risk sharing, market-based orientation, privatization, and deregulation.
(Sec. 225) Eliminates in-school interest subsidies under HEA guaranteed loan programs.
Chapter 2: Higher Education Block Grant - Authorizes block grants to States to assist institutions of higher education to improve access to higher education and the quality of educational programs.
(Sec. 232) Sets forth such block grant program provisions for distribution of funds, State assurances, use of funds, and public disclosure.
(Sec. 236) Authorizes appropriations.
Subtitle D: Miscellaneous Provisions - Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect continued funding for Gallaudet University, the American Printing House for the Blind, or the National Institute for the Deaf at FY 1995 levels through FY 2000.
(Sec. 242) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) consult with the Congress before issuing regulations regarding the grants under chapter 1 of subtitle A and chapter 2 of subtitle C of this title; and (2) issue only regulations necessary for the timely distribution of such funds to the States.
(Sec. 243) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for a consolidated application for grants under chapter 1 of subtitle A and chapter 2 of subtitle C of this title. Requires that consolidated applications also be permitted at the local level.
(Sec. 244) Limits the amount that is authorized to be appropriated for programs under chapter 2 of subtitle A, subtitle B, and chapter 1 of subtitle C to not more than the amount appropriated for such programs for FY 1995. Requires that such programs be authorized through FY 2000.
(Sec. 245) Provides that nothing in this title shall be construed to affect the applicability of civil rights laws relating to any program established, transferred, or consolidated under this Act. Sets forth education-related civil rights enforcement and reporting duties of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Director of the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth requirements relating to certain references, exercise of authorities, savings provisions, transfer of assets, delegation and assignment, authority of the Office of Management and Budget with respect to functions transferred, and proposed changes in law.
Title IV: Statements of Policy - Sets forth statements of policy regarding: (1) Federal education funding (review and evaluation as to the feasibility of further enhancing the ability of States and local communities to fund education by reducing the Federal tax burden and commensurately eliminating Federal Government involvement in providing grants for education programs); (2) job training programs (review and transfer all those under jurisdiction of the Department of Education to the Department of Labor and consolidate them into one or more block grants); and (3) Indian education (review programs transferred to the Department of the Interior to ensure that they benefit Native American children who live on reservations).
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology.
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