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1252718
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3/1/76 - Recorded Remarks on Public Education
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1252718
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document
title
3/1/76 - Recorded Remarks on Public Education
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collections
President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Presidential messages
Federal aid
Education
Speeches, addresses, etc.
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1252718
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1976-03-01
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3
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1976
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1976-03-01
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3
year
1976
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The original documents are located in Box 24, "3/1/76 - Recorded Remarks on Public
Education" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 24 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
BROADCAST MESSAGE ON EDUCATION
MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1976
-1-
IN THE PAST DECADE, WHILE EDUCATION HAS
REMAINED A LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY,
WE HAVE RESPONDED
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS PERCEIVED
TO BE OF NATIONAL SCOPE
WE HAVE TRIED TO IMPROVE
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
BUT IN THE PROCESS
WE HAVE ALSO CREATED A HEAVY BURDEN OF REGULATIONS
AND RED TAPE
-2-
TOO OFTEN WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES ASKING
WHETHER FEDERAL FORMS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY FILLED OUT,
NOT WHETHER CHILDREN HAVE BEEN PROPERLY EDUCATED
-3-
THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A TENDENCY TOWARD GREATER
CENTRAL CONTROL OVER DECISIONS WHICH SHOULD BE MADE
BY LOCAL EDUCATION OFFICIALS
THE TIME HAS COME TO PROVIDE FEDERAL SUPPORT
WITHOUT FEDERAL IMPEDIMENTS
-4-
FOR THAT REASON, I AM PROPOSING TODAY
THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION ACT
IT WOULD CONSOLIDATE 24 EXISTING
PROGRAMS INTO ONE BLOCK GRANT
-5-
THE FOCUS OF MY PROPOSAL WILL BE ON IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS --
THE HANDICAPPED AND THE EDUCATIONALLY DEPRIVED
FEDERAL FUNDS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A MINIMUM OF
FEDERAL REGULATION AND A MAXIMUM OF LOCAL CONTROL
-6-
EDUCATION NEEDS CAN BE MET MOST EFFECTIVELY
BY GIVING PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THE TOOLS TO DO
THE JOB WELL
-7-
UNDER THE LEGISLATION I PROPOSE, EVERY STATE
WILL RECEIVE AT LEAST AS MUCH MONEY FOR THE CONSOLIDATED
PROGRAM AS IT DID IN FISCAL YEAR 1976 FOR THE EXISTING
PROGRAMS
I AM REQUESTING A TOTAL OF 3.3 BILLION DOLLARS
FOR FISCAL YEAR 1977
I AM ALSO PROPOS ING THAT THE
PROGRAM GROW BY 200 MILLION DOLLARS IN EACH OF THE
NEXT THREE FISCAL YEARS
-8-
FOR TOO LONG, THE REAL ISSUE IN OUR EDUCATION
PROGRAMS
FEDERAL VERSUS LOCAL CONTROL
HAS BEEN
OBSCURED BY DEBATE OVER FUNDING LEVELS
HOPEFULLY,
WITH THE FUNDING LEVELS I AM PROPOSING, WE CAN DIRECT
THE DEBATE WHERE IT BELONGS -- TO REFORM OF OUR
EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAMS
-9-
I URGE THE CONGRESS TO ACT QUICKLY AND
FAVORABLY ON MY PROPOSAL. TO HELP ENSURE QUALITY
EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN
END OF TEXT