FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2000

Contact: Josh Freed
(202) 225-4431
 
WASHINGTON, DC Ê Rep. Diana DeGette today criticized Republican efforts to scale back investments in our education system. The Republican proposals in H.R. 4577, the Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill, severely cut back funding for many education priorities, including hiring more qualified teachers, school repairs, and after-school programs. Republicans seek to reduce investments in critically important programs for Hispanic children.

èRepublicans are placing our children at risk. As our economy experiences unprecedented prosperity, it is shameful that our schools face overcrowded, technologically outdated, and unsafe conditions. The Republican Labor, HHS, and Education Bill fails to address these issues,î said Rep. DeGette.

Latinos are the fastest growing and youngest segment of our population. Currently, they comprise 15% of the elementary school-age population, with an expected increase to 25% by 2025. Hispanic students in this nation are facing a crisis at every stage of the education system. They are more likely than their non-Hispanic classmates to be in segregated schools. Hispanic students are also twice as likely to drop out of high school -- and are less than half as likely to graduate from college -- than White students. Latinos make up approximately 12% of the U.S. population, however, only comprise 4% of bachelors degrees conferred each year. In the Denver Public School system the problem is especially disturbing because, while 51.1% of our students are Latino, the graduation rate for Latino students is an alarming 54.5%.

èHispanic children are more likely than other children to live below the poverty line, and while they already are underrepresented in Head Start programs, Republicans seek to deny Head Start access to 53,000 low-income children. In addition, Republicans want to cut funding for after-school and tutoring programs and freeze funding for programs aimed at leveling the playing field for disadvantaged students,î added Rep. DeGette.

In order to meet the needs of Denverçs communities, Rep. DeGette is a strong supporter of Democratic education initiatives that would provide modernization and construction assistance to schools, increase funding for Head Start, connect every classroom to the Internet, reduce classroom sizes, and expand mentoring and tutoring programs that help keep struggling children in school.

èEducation is a priority for Hispanic Americans, as it is for all Americans; of Hispanics surveyed, 97% place a high priority on education. I am working with my Democratic colleagues to ensure that Hispanic children get the education they deserve,î concluded Rep. DeGette.
 
###