ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at Hearing on Equity and Excellence in Education

ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at Hearing on Equity and Excellence in Education

WASHINGTON - Early Childhood and Secondary Education (ECESE) Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today's ECESE Subcommittee hearing entitled, "Leveling Down: How Equity Policies Undermine Excellence and Harm Students."

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for your testimony. I'll start by saying that Gifted and Talented programs, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual-enrollment courses do offer expanded opportunities for students. But I will also note that engaging, rigorous coursework that expands critical thinking skills should be available to every student, regardless of the existence of special programs; it's one of the primary goals of ESSA Title IV-A's student support and academic enrichment provisions on well-rounded education.

"But as is the case with all curriculum decisions, the federal government's role is to provide funding and research, not to decide what is taught and how in what type of program. Decisions about curriculum and screening for these programs are made by states and local districts. Because of that, the selection process and makeup of programs like Gifted and Talented programs vary widely from district to district.

"That being said, one unfortunate reality does hold true regardless of locality - the students who benefit from this system are disproportionately white and wealthy. In many districts, access depends heavily on parent advocacy, early screening, prior placement decisions, teacher referrals, or simply whether a student attends a school that offers advanced coursework. As a result, access to advanced coursework options can vary sharply by race, income, English language ability, geography, and school type. Black and Brown students are more likely to be denied access to those programs. And students with disabilities often lack access to rigorous coursework, even when they have the potential to succeed academically with or without reasonable accommodations.

"I will note that it's an ongoing challenge to understand the majority's position in this committee; it seems that it's all about local control unless and until it's something the majority wants to have Congress decide.

"I also challenge the title of today's hearing, which is 'How Equity Policies Undermine Excellence and Harm Students.' Let me make clear: equity and excellence do not conflict. Well-designed, evidence-based equity practices allow all students to reach their full potential without being hampered by bias, information gaps, or resource limitations.

"It is both cruel and factually inaccurate to argue that expanding access to gifted programs makes them 'less excellent.' All students should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and get the education that is best suited for them, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or zip code. Students sitting side by side with peers who look or sound different from them doesn't diminish the learning experience; it improves learning for everyone. Widening the doorway to excellence is not the same as lowering the ceiling.

"What does harm students, however, is that schools and districts are struggling from a lack of resources in part because of Republican policies, including attacks on public education. The Trump Administration is illegally dismantling the Department of Education, causing chaos and confusion for districts, schools, and families. Secretary McMahon has frozen funding, delayed grant awards, and awarded waivers to states to use funding however they wish, weakening accountability measures put in place by Congress to guarantee the equitable distribution of funds. This Administration has fundamentally harmed the ability of Congress to improve and strengthen our public school system.

"And as I have pointed out to this Subcommittee and to the full Committee ad nauseam, the federal government does not dictate curriculum. But it does - and it should - promote equity in education and close funding gaps so all students have an opportunity to succeed. This has been the federal role in education since then-President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law in the 1960s.

"Importantly, researchers at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) conduct critical work to understand, for example, how Gifted and Talented programs can remain academically rigorous while accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration's disastrous cuts to IES funding decimated their ability to continue studying these trends and guide states and districts toward the best practices for gifted education. I hope that my colleagues who care so much about this topic will join me in advocating to reinstate IES funding.

"Without long-term, sustained federal investment, schools and educators will lack the tools, the resources, and, importantly, the research they need to teach all students effectively. Instead of throwing taxpayer dollars at school voucher systems, we should be putting that money toward the public education system, which has been the backbone of this country for centuries, and where about 90 percent of all US students attend school.

"Finally, a word about test scores, which I know several witnesses will discuss. Assessments are important, but the well-intentioned yet disastrous in implementation No Child Left Behind led to high-stakes testing that was used in a punitive way, which in turn led to narrowed curriculum, teaching to the test, and distrust in standardized testing. What we need is high-quality assessments that are used by educators - with assessment literacy - to inform instruction, not to punish schools or students. And we should also stop comparing the US and our test scores, which come from more than 12,000 very diverse school districts, with test scores of students in countries with universal health care, robust early childhood education, paid family leave, and, in some cases, a lot less poverty, all of which matter to student success.

"Instead of demonizing public education, Congress should be uplifting it. We must give schools, districts, and states the resources they need to succeed to fill the opportunity gaps. And, of course, we must conduct oversight of states, so all students have those opportunities and skills they need to thrive.

"I look forward to today's conversation, and I yield back."

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