Speech #980236615

Under the existing statute the Department can use data on the number of children from lowincome families from the 1980 census but has had to adjust those data to reflect the poverty criteria established under the 1970 census. The amendment would enable the Department to use the criteria for poverty associated with the most recent Census and thus provide a more accurate base on which to make the formula allocation. Additional amendments concern the chapter I migrant education program. The bill would reduce from 5 years to 2 years the time a formerly migrant child can be deemed migratory for purposes of allocating funds and receiving services under the migrant education program. This proposal would be phased in over 2 years. Under the existing law. migrant children are counted for allocation purposes and are eligible to receive services for 5 years after they have migrated even if they have not moved during that period. Data collected by the migrant student record transfer system show that over half of all chapter I migrant students served and counted for allocation purposes are formerly migrant students who have not moved. in the past year. Of this group slightly over half are in their third. fourth. or fifth year of eligibility as formerly migratory students and have remained in the same school district for at least 2 years. A report released by the General Accounting Office in May 1983 found that 60 percent of the migrant education participants in the sample studied were enrolled in only one school district during the period reviewed. which averaged 4.3 years. The amendment would enable the Department to focus limited migranteducation funds on students who are actually migratory. Those formerly migratory students who are educationally deprived. and who were initially served by the program but were dropped from the migrant program as a result of the amendment would remain eligible for compensatory education services under the chapter I program for local educational agencies. In addition. the bill would remove the $6 million. minimum setaside requirement for coordination of migrant education activities. The 5percent ceiling of the total appropriated for migrant education would remain as the maximum setaside for coordination activities. This legislative change would give the Department needed flexibility in choosing whether to place more emphasis on assisting States to provide direct services or on coordination activities. I would hope that this bill will receive prompt and favorable action. Passage would enable the Department of Education to carry out its obligations under the law with regard to allocating chapter I funds more efficiently and equitably and would increase its ability to focus limited program resources on those migrant children who are most in need. Mr. President.