EDUCATION FOR ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1983 U.S. SENATE. SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND HUMANITIES, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:35 p m., in room. SD-430, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Robert T. Stafford (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senators Stafford and Pell. Also present: Senator Warner and Tsongas. Senator PELL [presiding pro tempore]. The Subcommittee on Education, Arts and Humanities will come to order. The chairman, the Senator from Vermont, has requested that we get started, and I know the precious time our colleagues Senator Warner and Tsongas have, so I will ask you, Senator Warner, to lead off. STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN W. WARNER, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF VIRGINIA Senator WARNER. Mr. Chairman, I will be very brief because I have to go to an Energy Committee caucus down the hall. I approach this subject, Mr. Chairman and my distinguished colleague here from Massachusetts, with a great deal of sincerity. I checked into the historic records of the Senate, and I am only one of two Members of the US. Senate today that has an engineering degree. I happen to have majored in math and science; and Senator Glenn from Ohio is the other. So when I speak today, it is from a background of complete sincerity of some experience in this area. The evidence of declining math and science proficiency among American high school and college graduates becomes more pervasive every year. The most dramatic indicator of this decline is the sheer numbers of students graduating with little or no classroom exposure to math and science, and the erosion of scholastic aptitude test scores. In part, this decline has occurred because of the reduced emphasis placed on math and science due to the increased emphasis placed on liberal arts education in our Nation's primary, secondary, and higher education systems. In part, this decline has occurred because of the growing scarcity of qualified math and science instructors-particularly in our Nation's colleges and univer sities. Mr. Chairman, I would also like to add a personal observation, having gone through this curriculum. I remember very well that those of us in engineering studies, both at the secondary and ad wwwwww vanced education levels, had to work most of the afternoons in laboratories while the others had the opportunity to enjoy the athletics and other interesting things afforded by our institutions of learning. The most widely acclaimed remedy to our current economic plight and the competitive disadvantage we suffer in the world market is "high technology." The computer is the way to the future, yet the emphasis on training America's youth in this new technology is not adequate in America's schools. Of the declining numbers of math and science graduates who go on to teach, many have been lured away not by retirement, but to private industry, where the financial incentives are greater. Public schools are losing five times as many math and science teachers to industry as to retirement. So, what is the solution to this dilemma? How can this Nation attract and retain more math and science teachers? How can our varied and separate school systems produce more qualified math and science graduates? I believe that the range of proposals made in this area by the President and my colleagues in the Senate is a good start. Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit the balance of my testimony for the record, and now defer to my colleagues. Senator PELL. I thank you very much, Senator Warner. Your remarks will be printed in full in the record, and I am glad you are supportive of this approach. [The prepared statement of Senator Warner follows:] STATEMENT OF Senator John W WARNER Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this opportunity to address the subcommittee regarding math and science initiatives in the 98th Congress. The evidence of declining math and science proficiency among American high school and college graduates becomes more pervasive every year. The most dramatic indicator of this decline is the sheer numbers of students graduating with little or no classroom exposure to math and science and the erosion of scholastic aptitude test (SAT) math and science scores. In part, this decline has occurred because of the reduced emphasis placed on math and science due to the increased emphasis placed on literal arts education in our nation's primary, secondary and higher education systems. In part, this decline has occurred because of the gr wing scarcity of qualified math and science instructors particularly in our nation's colleges and universities. As one of only two engineers now serving in the United States Senate, I find this situation distressing. The most widely acclaimed remedy to our current economie plight and the competitive disadvantage we suffer in the world market is high technology." The computer is the way to the future, yet the emphasis on training America's youth in this new technology is not adequate in America's schools. of the declining numbers of math and science graduates who go on to teach, many have been lured away not to retirerent, but to private industry, where the financial incentives are greater. Public schools are losing five times as many math and science teathers to industry as to retirement. So, what is the solution to this dilemma? B can this nation attract and retain more math and science tea"hers? How can our varied and separate school systems produce qualified math and science graduates? Bw can our industry and our scholarship be made more competitive in the world market? I believe the rar je of proposals made in this area by the President and by mesters of congress is a good start. I endorse the President's recent proposal to increase the National Brienne Foundation tuljet by 18 percent in FY '84 over FY '83. |