Providing for Consideration of H.R. 471, Scholarships for opportunity and Results Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. POLIS. I thank the gentleman.

This bill, the SOAR Act, reestablishes a program to send D.C. students to private elementary and secondary schools. The main issue that I struggle with, that this body needs to struggle with, with regard to this measure is the justification for pushing Federal will onto Washington, D.C., which is counter to local control over education, a concept that has broad bipartisan support.

One of my top priorities in this body is to improve our education system--ensure that every child has an effective teacher in a classroom, improve accountability for all schools, and provide a pathway to college and careers for lifelong success. To be clear, the overall state of the schools in Washington, D.C., is a disgrace. A recent Education Week study showed a 48.8 percent on-time graduation rate. Frankly, we as Americans should be ashamed. We need to do better, the Americans who live here in Washington, D.C.

Yet it's absurd, Madam Speaker, that we as elected officials from 50 States are executing a right to determine how schools are funded in a jurisdiction that doesn't even have a vote in this body. I'm a Representative of part of one State, Colorado, and yet here I am in a position to make school funding decisions on behalf of Washington, D.C., students. We wouldn't do this to Colorado, Ohio, or any other State.

A district near mine in the State of Colorado, Douglas County School District, recently enacted a district-wide voucher program. The residents of D.C. are no less American than the residents of Douglas County, and yet in Douglas County, Colorado, there will be candidates that run for school board for the program, candidates that run for school board against the program, and the future of whether or not vouchers can continue in Douglas County, Colorado, will be decided where it should be, by the residents of Douglas County, Colorado.

This vote underscores the need for Washington, D.C., to control its own public school system as the State does. In fact, Madam Speaker, I think Washington should be a State. Until that day, Congress should respect the wishes of D.C. elected officials with regard to the administration of their education system.

I would point out that there is a Federal interest with regard to what the States do and what Washington, D.C., does with regard to education. States and the District of Columbia should have the discretion to make the changes they need to improve education but not the discretion to stand back and do nothing. In fact, I worry considerably about a recent announcement by Mayor Gray that they would fund capital for charter schools at only $2,800 per pupil as opposed to the $5,800 that the conventional public schools get.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. POLIS. I would ask for an additional 45 seconds, Mr. Hastings.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentleman an additional 45 seconds.

Mr. POLIS. If the elected officials and people of Washington, D.C., wanted a system of school vouchers, they would have created it and not relied on the Federal Government.

The important moral imperative of education reform can occur with or without vouchers, and at this point in time, I think it's critical to give education reformers that are hard at work in the District of Columbia a chance to succeed on a route that they have laid out, which apparently does not include vouchers at this time.

I will continue to push for D.C. statehood and for a Federal role that encourages transparency and accountability, improves and builds upon our successes in public education, and makes sure that we change what doesn't work, with the tools and discretion at the local level to make those tough decisions.

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