News
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont. form group to look out for rural schools
Lawmakers from Montana and Wyoming kicked off an effort on Wednesday to guarantee that Congress does not ignore the needs of rural schools and students.
By TED MONOSON
Gazette Washington Bureau
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., announced the formation of the Senate and House Rural Education Caucuses.
The caucuses will keep an eye on how the comprehensive education law, known as No Child Left Behind, is implemented.
"Funding for rural education is particularly important because new accountability and testing requirements enforced by the Department of Education will place additional burdens on local school districts which will have to meet those costs by tapping their general funds," Rehberg said.
Enzi said a main goal of the Senate caucus is to guarantee that rural areas receive a fair share of federal funds.
"Rural schools often receive too little money from federal categorical formula grant programs to provide meaningful services to their students," Enzi said. "Rural schools also generally do not have the personnel or resources necessary to secure federal competitive grants, which many schools use to augment and innovate beyond what is provided for in federal formula grant programs."
Although the caucuses do not have any official power, they will serve as a forum for generating legislative proposals to help rural school districts.
Enzi and Rehberg will work with Education Secretary Rod Paige, who joined the two legislators and vowed that the administration would support their efforts.
"Children in rural schools deserve a great education just like all the other children in America," Paige said. "We at the Department of Education recognize that practically every state has rural school districts that face unique challenges. I know. I grew up in rural Mississippi where schools were few and far between."
Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., are members of the caucus as is Enzi’s Republican colleague Sen. Craig Thomas. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., is one of 30 House members who have joined the caucus.
Enzi will share leadership of the caucus with Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine; Kent Conrad, D-N.D.; and John Edwards, D-N.C.
Rehberg will lead the House caucus with Reps. Ron Kind, D-Wis.; Tom Osbourne, R-Neb.; and Collin Peterson, D-Minn.
Enzi and Rehberg said a top priority would be to look out for the interests of rural areas when Congress reauthorizes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Higher Education Act in the coming year.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
MATR Supporters (view all)
Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.