Clinton Promises to Fight for National Academic Tests

EDGARTOWN, Mass. —  President Clinton vowed Wednesday to fight for voluntary national academic testing as White House officials warned that an effort in the House to block the initiative may provoke a presidential veto of a broad spending bill.

Rep. William F. Goodling (R-Pa.) plans to introduce as early as Friday legislation that would prohibit the Education Department from spending any money to develop national tests.

The president has been pushing all states to start testing fourth-graders in reading and eighth-graders in math. The department has a contract with test publishers to develop the tests.

Taking a break from his vacation to meet with teachers at a school on Martha’s Vineyard, Clinton declared that “educational excellence at world-class standards is now more important than ever before.”

Clinton told the teachers he has been “a little bit peeved” that some members of Congress have resisted the establishment of national academic standards and a system to measure student achievement.

“There are some people in Congress and in the country who don’t want this to happen,” Clinton said at Oak Bluffs School. “They either say we’ve got enough tests already or the federal government’s making a power grab or they’re afraid that the tests won’t be fair to people who don’t do well on it.”

Clinton said he expects “to be fighting [the issue] out over the next few weeks” with Congress.

A statement of administration policy sent to Congress Tuesday says that if Goodling’s amendment is adopted, “the president’s senior advisors would be forced to recommend that the president veto the bill.” Goodling’s amendment would be part of the sweeping House appropriations bill for the departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services and related agencies.

Education Secretary Richard W. Riley also has urged Clinton to veto the measure if it includes Goodling’s amendment.

“In effect, defunding would basically bring this effort to a halt, and we find that to be unacceptable,” White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said, adding that the president is “considering” the veto advice but hopes the Goodling amendment will be voted down.

Goodling, chairman of the House Education and Work Force Committee, opposes the national testing initiative because he believes there are already enough standardized tests being given to students to help educators understand what is lacking in America’s schools.

“President Clinton’s plan for two new federal education tests won’t boost the academic performance of a single American child,” Goodling said. “Americans should not be misled that better tests will lead to better students. That’s akin to claiming that better speedometers make for faster cars.”

The president, by contrast, argues that there is no test now given to every American student that would enable students and parents to judge whether children are learning what they should.

Goodling, a former teacher and school administrator, believes states should develop their own standards and assessments, as many have with the president’s Goals 2000 education reform initiative.

“The president’s [testing] plan is a waste of taxpayers’ money and won’t do anything except increase federal government’s involvement in schools,” he said. The development of the tests is expected to cost $16 million this year, and administration costs are estimated at $100 million a year.

Goodling’s staff said his amendment is supported by many Republicans and a few Democrats.

“We know what the tests are going to show: low grades for the students in the inner cities and the rural areas,” said testing opponent Rep. Major R. Owens (D-N.Y.).

Just six states--Massachusetts, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina and West Virginia--have indicated their intention to use the tests. School districts of six of the nation’s largest cities--including Los Angeles--have expressed support for Clinton’s testing initiative and said they want to participate even if their states do not.

Clinton had tried to avert a clash with Congress on the issue by announcing in his radio address Saturday that a bipartisan panel would draft the test instead of the Education Department.