Purr vie purview of states and localities. But gradually federal restraint gave away and by 1979, we saw the first cabinet level agency for education established with the birth of the u. S. Department of education. Today, that agency houses nearly 5,000 employees, manages over 150 federal Education Programs, and has a discretionary budget of 70 billion. I might ad its really the tip of the iceberg because we see this somewhat parasitic relationship with state education agencies as well, who have to be responsive to all of these federal mandates and dictates and as a result have also increased their staffing over the decades as well. So, what have we gotten for this federal large ess. Its red tape, bureaucracy and wasteful spending. The u. S. Has increasingly centralized education policy to increase spending through increased programs and through efforts such as common core. Its interesting, though, to note that other countries, high performing countries, have gone in the opposite direction and decentralizing education decisionmaking authority, and actually empowering families and fostering competition. So, is there a better path for the u. S. . Can we, too, embrace decentralization and competition and education. Ill let vicki answer that question. Those questions are more in her discussion but we have major opportunity to advance Education Choice through innovative options like Education Savings Accounts to restore private lending, in the Higher Education market, as major step to also reducing federal intervention. And in general, just limiting federal meddling in what is such a quintessentially state and local issue. Dr. Algier is a Research Fellow at the independent institute and a senior fellow and director of the women for School Choice project at the independent women forum. Prior to that, dr. Alleger was associate director of education studied at the Pacific Research institute and direct you of the goldwater institutes educational initiative. She received her ph. D in political philosophy at the university of dallas. Join me welcoming disaster vicky alger. Well, good afternoon. Id like too thank hits siburg and andrew for put thing wonderful event together. Its such a thrill to be here at the heritage foundation, and thank you all for comping to talk about this very important topic that actually touches every one of our lives. And thank you for listening to an and opening a discussion on my new book about the federal department of education, failure. As i was traveling here, i recalled the words of a former democratic member of congress, from illinois, who was a former teacher and lawyer, about his vision for the department of education. It would be a pure fountain from which a pure stream could be poured upon all the states. We want to want a controlling head by which the conflicting systems in a different state can be harmonized by which there can be uniformity. I take the high ground that every child is entitled to an education at the hands of somebody, and this ought not be left to caprice of individuals or the states so far as we have any authority to regulate it. Sound familiar . Well, its probably not who you think. This argue. Was actually made by representative samuel molten of illinois, 150 years ago. One year before the u. S. Department of education was originally created back in 1867. As the title of my book suggests, i have a different view about the supposed purity of the d. C. Stream pouring on states like my home state of arizona, which is wildly healed as one of the National Leaders in School Choice. We have some arizonaons in the audience itch was inspired to write this book as were approaching the 30 year history of the u. S. Department of education, and i wondered, are we better off because of it . Frankly issue dont think we are. And based on the increasing calls for the departments abolition this president ial election cycle, i think its fair to say a lot of us think its time to pull the plug on the department of education, but what does that really mean . If the departments hoyt teaching thats that government bureaucracies nor like fine wine. A they dont get better with age. History also teaches us that bureaucracies or resilient. The u. S. Department of education was downgraded, defunded and reshulled for one federal agency for another, throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Rather than abolishing in the 1980s, we decided to keep it around and try and use it to promote an excellence alleged. The result today, common core. This isnt what we were promised at all back in 1979. Well recall the u. S. Department of education was supposed to deception hill three things. One, improve student achievement. 2. Supplement, not supplant state and local government. And, 378, improve management and efficiency of federal Education Programs. So, how did those promises turn out . Lets turn to number 1. Improve student achievement. Achievement across subjects and grade levels on the nations report card as well as various International Tests have been essentially flat. During the periods preceding the u. S. Department of education and up until today. As far as i can tell from the empirical track record were spending above average amounts for squarely average student achievement and spending up to a third more than Top Performing countries in the world. A u. S. Department of education was also supposed to supplement, not supplant, state and local governments. Our Founding Fathers never intended for the federal government to be a quoteunquote partner with the states and education. Much less the boss. In fact the word education doesnt even appear in our constitution. By going along with this partnership it has been a bad deal for students, schools, and taxpayers. During no child left behind era, for example, from 2002 to 2009, the department of educations paperwork burden increased by an estimated 65 . And was larger than the burden imposed by the department of defense, energy, and justice, to name a few. In fact the Administrative Burden is now so great most employees at state Education Departments are hired just to deal with the federal Education Programs. Today in the common core era, spending is estimated to be 80 billion according to a former u. S. Department of education official. That is nearly 20 times the entire 4. 4 billion race to the top program that was supposed to incentivize state reforms. And what about number 3 . A u. S. Department of education was supposed to improve management and efficiency of federal Education Programs. After a full 30 years in operation, the Government Accountability office, gao, found the Education Department was one of a dozen or so agencies operating nearly 300 federal social, education, and training programs, and that no uniform definition of Education Program even existed at the federal level. The gao also found that within the department of education alone, eight different offices administer over 60 federal teach quality programs. Well, how are program. S like these performing . According to the office of management and budget, omb, just 6 of u. S. Department of Education Programs are deemed effective. But how can that be . From 1980 through 2010 the department of Education Program spending increased by more than 57 billion. Outpacing student enrollment by more than fivetoone. So after more than three decade Third Department of education the id indicational performance of American Students has not improved in spite of massive spending increases funneled through the department. The department has not achieved the promised administrative efficiencies, reduce paperwork or better management of federal programs. So its unlikely that more time, more fiddling with the chart or funneling more money through the department is really going to improve education in the United States. It is high time we reject the now commonplace notion that the federal government has some traditional or historical roll in d role in education. On the contrary, such notions have no constitutional basis. Even if the u. S. Department of education were getting great results. Its time that we also reject half measures such as incentivizing the states to improve with promises of more flexibility. There is no evidence that officials in the federal government, including those in the u. S. Department of education, know best. Neither for that matter do state officials. The key difference for those of white house believe in constitutional federalism, is that state citizens are best swathed to hold state lawmakers accountable and enact reforms that actually work. In fact, as were seeing today, the u. S. Department of education is often a hinderance and obstacle to effective programs that parents want and children into which childrenning succeeding. Consider parents with legitimate concerns about subjecting their christian to common core influenced tests thieves parents are opting their children out of testing in droves. Does this look familiar to anyone . Anyone gotten one of these letters . Its a letter sent out in late december from the u. S. Department of education to all state chiefs of education. I call its happy new year nasty gram. As a result of parents, exercising their godgiven inalienable rights to direct the upbridging and education of their children they decided to opt their children out of common common core influenced tests. What do we get in return . This letter from the u. S. Department of education, sending tips to the state chiefs on how you can threaten schools and how you can threaten students, essentially this letter is threatening to withhold our money from our students and our schools unless we toe the line. Theres a word for this kind of relationship. And its not partnership. Its time to end federal control through the u. S. Department of education. Now, efforts to apolish the department of education began hmm medley after first established both in 1867 and again in 1979. Each time these efforts failed because neither true are truly south to abolish the department of education, instead, for example, beginning in 1868, the department was downgraded, changed but we called the department. Reshuffled around until ultimately restored to a full Cabinet Level Department in 1979. Restoring Constitutional Authority over education requires a genuine an abolition plan. Hoyt has shown that half measures will not prevent the u. S. Department office of education as operate little as costly passthrough for the political agendas of washington, dc and special Interest Groups all at the expense of School Children and taxpayers. That reality is the foundation of any blueprint to abolish the u. S. Department of education. Now, im a reasonable person. Im not going to tell you we need to get rid of all programs. Id keep three here. The first one would be the d. C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, as the name suggests, its a d. C. Program, has a constitutional basis. But i would have it privately managed. There is no reason to have a u. S. Department of education involved in the d. C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, particularly since through the efforts of the u. S. Department of education this is one of few programs deemed effective by the departments only what works division, and day tried to kill it bay tryings. The d. C. Opportunity Scholarship Program is says but private my managed. Number two, post secondary Education Scholarship ford veteran dependents, the scholarships are earned, not an entitlement, that should be administer bed veterans affairs. Finalry, the office for civil rights to be moved to department of justice since it does perform constitutionally sanctioned work. However, since there wont be any u. S. Department of education plan, any funding it would see to oversee Us Department of Education Programs would be restored. They wouldnt get it anymore. Now, i wont go through the remaining more than 120 Department Programs administered by 29 offices and 4600 employees, but heres an overview of how to eliminate the u. S. Department of education through what i call strategic dismantling. Strictly speaking, strategic dismantling does not eliminate a single u. S. Department of Education Program. Its simply transfers program. S, management, and associated funding, back to the states. So number one, right off the bat. We could be by getting rid of the Physical Plant and thephone Program Administrative overhead and associated personnel, that would be 14. 1 billion that would be returned to taxpayers in the form of a tax rebate. Number 2, the remaining 216 billion decide in associated program funding, along with another estimated 275 million in associated employee salaries, would be restored to the states to be administered to state education agencies. Taxpayers would no longer fund at the programs through the federal government but would stay for them threw state taxes until the programs preexisting expiration day. Previous programs administered bier the u. S. Department of education would depend on taxpayers deeming them necessary and effective enough to warrant ongoing fund through the states. What happens to schoolings during this transition . Is it the question i get most o. Its world considering that as things stand right now between the state and federal government, federal funding lasts for roughly one to five years depending on the program and federal funding is by no means guaranteed to cover 100 of the actual costs, much he all the paperwork and overhead burdens. So schools already experience uncertainty by relying or federal rounding. What is more, roughly every take decade or so, as administrations change, schools, teachers and taxpayers are subjects to new agendas and mandates they require expensive replacement of the previous administrations programs, with lines from the current administration. What make it is different once control is returned to the stays, lawmakers, taxpayers and parents parents and educateddors can work more closely together at the local levels to better ensure clear education priorities, customized to meeting the specific needed of students in communities across the state. Without all the chaos, cost and upheaval of the previous several decades of federal leadership in education. Now its the time to end the department of education once and for all. Unlike 36 years ago, today we have thriving examples in the states of Education Programs and services that are working for students, their families, and taxpayers. There are 61 School Choice programs in 30 states and the district of columbia. There are 26 voucher programs. 21 tax credit Scholarship Programs. Nine individual tax credit and deduction programs. And there are five esa or educational savings account programs, and together, these programs are helping more than a million School Children and families. Not to mention the millions more students attending public district, charter, home, and online schools, all of their parents choice. D. C. Didnt build any of those programs. Citizens in the states did. And these programs are improving student achievement and introducing competition for students all at fraction of what were told we should be spending. More than 30 years after the creation of the u. S. Department of education, students, taxpayers ask the country, are not better off. But we can be. After decades 0 waiving the constitutional bare youre a federal role in education under the guys of partnering d guise of partnering with state government, its time dissolve that partner shine and abolish the u. S. Department of education opposite and for all. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you, vicki. Well take questions from the audience if want to kick it off and then let you take over. What do you say to someone who says, well, the states werent doing a great job before there was significant federal intervention. How can we be certain well actually see. Prompts if he hand it back over, how do you respond to that . I would say that the number one critique, and frankly we have been hearing that since the progressive era. What really runs through the core of our thinking that somehow d. C. Knows best is that, oh, we really just cant trust the states, and heaven forbid trusting parents, who knows what the parents might do. Theres a fundamental mistrust of the states and ultimately parents. What i found interesting going through the history up to what we now have, is early on before the civil war there is such what i would call constitutional circumspecifics. President s, washington, jefferson, james madison, poor james madison, he tried more than anybody else, even during the constitutional convention, four times the constitutional convention, so many more times while president , he wanted a federal role in education so badly, but he said in so many others said, until we amend the constitution, congress has no authority. Now, obviously we saw that give way and no longer enumerate pours. We were looking at the spend can clause. In the National Interests for the federal government for National Government to be taking a view of education. So that how they were able to do an end runnen around the constitution. But the lack of respect for the constitution really coincided with t