The Nation : Education Plan Launched

Five California congressmen launched an effort to improve education programs for disadvantaged children and their parents--a key component of what is expected to be a sweeping House education package. House Education Committee Chairman Rep. Augustus F. Hawkins (D-Los Angeles) is co-sponsoring a bill to expand the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act to include new measures to stem the dropout rate of the poor and tutor illiterate parents of preschoolers. Program funds for disadvantaged children run out this year, and Hawkins’ bill would increase its $3.9-billion budget by $125 million to cover the new services. Hawkins was joined in a briefing on the bill by Reps. Vic Fazio (D-Sacramento), Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo), Matthew G. Martinez (D-Monterey Park) and George Miller (D-Martinez).