[NLA] Call for OERI Re-organization -- How will Adult Education Research fare?

[George E. Demetrion]

Thanks David:

A few weeks back I had reviewed the USDoE's draft Strategic Plan for
2002-2007.

I downloaded that article you mention.  It's short.  Now after seeing
this proposal to revamp OREI research, the following statement in the
draft stands out quite clear.  On p. 49 of the draft appears the
following:

"The Department's ability to set research priorities, revamp its peer
review process [so scientists can supervise educators], and demand
greater quality and rigor [guess which type] from grantees is limited by
the statutes authorizing the Office of Education and research and
Improvement and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.  We need support from Congress and reauthorized laws to make
the sweeping changes [the proposed USDoE transformation of the
Department] needed."

Low and behold, now we have such a law introduced by Rep. Michael N.
Castle, R-Delaware who chairs the House Education and the Workforce
Committee.

Without having background knowledge of the USDoE Strategic Plan, Castle's
proposed legislation almost seems benign.  Says the Congressman, "I am
seeking to insulate our federal research. evaluation, and statistics
activity from partisan or undue political influences."  Haruumph. 
Continues Castle, "I want quality education research, not fads or
anecdotes to inform educators' decisions."The OREI would be run by a
director and a board appointed by the president with nonvoting status
given to such agencies as the NIHCHD (surprise).  The bill would phase
out smaller research centers the USDoE now sponsors.  The focus would be
on what is dubbed as "scientifically valid" research

Grover Russ Whitehurst, the Department's assistant secretary for
educational research and improvement noted in his testimony before the
subcommittee overseeing this legislation that "taking steps to improve
federal education research operations now could have far-research
consequences" (quote is the reporter's in the Education Week article, not
Whitehurst's."  

Whithurst  went on to say, "We are close to a point where the right
investment in the right structure could get us close to a tipping point,
where education becomes an evidence-based field," noting, "Medicine only
got to that point in the last 75 years."

Interesting, huh?  If I believed in right wing conspiracies, I might
assume that there were some direct connections between the need of the
USDoE to re-write legislation and the submission of Castle's bill, but of
course, I'm much too sophisticated to draw any such conclusions.

I wonder if this proposed legislation will raise any alarm bills in the
Senate, or does the No Child Left behind mantra get a pass?

On a much related note, perhaps some listers saw Molly Ive's latest
editorial titled, "The Texan is Up to Old Tricks."  I liked her first
line, "The evidence just keeps stacking up that this administration
intends to turn the entire country into a giant Texas."  For our
purposes, the following two paragraphs may be of interest:

"Forget the rhetoric from Bush, watch the numbers.  Bush has been
bragging about the great bipartisan compromise he forged with the
'fabulous' (his new favorite word) Se. Ted Kennedy.  Kennedy and the
Bushies slogged through long negotiations-Bush got testing, Kennedy got
more money for the schools, everybody was happy.

Five weeks later, Bush's budget came out.  There's none of the promised
money to repair dilapidated schools or reduce class sizes in poor
districts.  Great, now poor kids can sit in their rotting schools and
take standardized tests to see how well they're learning."

They can also learn about character education, phonics, traditional U.S.
history, and patriotism all under the guise of scientific, evidence-based
research.  Thank God there is no ideology or faddism in operation here,
only truth, science, common sense, patriotism, and the American way of
life.

One final note.  Tonite on one of the C-span stations (8 pm, I believe),
Ralph Nader will be debating Newt Gingrich.  Should prove entertaining.

George Demetrion
Sophocles5 at juno.com


On Fri, 29 Mar 2002 22:18:55 -0500 "David J. Rosen"
<DJRosen at theworld.com> writes:
>NLA Colleagues,
>
>A March 6th  article in EdWeek 
>    http://www.edweek.org/ew/newstory.cfm?slug=25oeri.h21
>describes a bill before Congress, introduced by Representative Michael 
>
>Castle, R-Del,  that would overhaul the US DOE's Office of Education 
>Research and Improvement (OERI).
>
>Since OERI is the only place in the federal government with specific 
>funding for adult education research and a center for that purpose 
>(this 
>is where the funding for  the National Center for the Study of Adult 
>Literacy and Learning, NCSALL comes from) I am concerned when I see a 
>call for a major re-structuring that adult education will be lost in 
>the 
>shuffle.
>
>After the Bush Administration's NIFL Board candidates -- none who has 
>adult education experience -- I wonder if others see a pattern which 
>will cause adult education to lose ground under this administration.  
>If 
>so, isn't it time for some organized fax/letter/e-mail-writing?
>
>Are the National Coalition for Literacy, COABE and AAACE public policy 
>
>committees, state adult education coalitions,  state adult education 
>directors and others talking about this?  If so, let's hear about it 
>on 
>the NLA list -- and how about a plan for some action?
>
>David J. Rosen
>NLA List Moderator
>
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