Education

Federal File

January 17, 2001 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

HELP for Clinton

President Clinton may be leaving office this week, but the Senate education committee hasn’t seen the last of his legacy.

His wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., was one of two Democrats named last week as new members of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

The other is Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who last summer was considered a top contender to become Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore’s vice presidential running mate.

Thanks to an election that produced a 50-50 divide in the Senate, all committees will now have equal party representation. In the previous Congress, the HELP Committee had 10 Republicans and eight Democrats.

Committee resources for staffing will also be evenly divided. Republican James M. Jeffords of Vermont will remain the chairman.

Mrs. Clinton made education a top priority during her campaign. She emphasized many staples of her husband’s agenda, such as providing federal aid for school construction and class-size reduction.


No hard feelings

Education historian Diane Ravitch, who resigned as an adviser to President-elect Bush’s 2000 campaign over his refusal to meet with a group of gay Republicans, has agreed to help the Bush-Cheney transition team prepare an education agenda. (“Ravitch Leaves Bush Campaign Over Log Cabin Stance,” Jan. 12, 2000.)

She is among 31 people serving on an advisory group for that purpose.

“I’m happy to give advice to whoever’s elected president,” said Ms. Ravitch, a Brookings Institution senior fellow who served as an assistant education secretary for President George Bush, the president-elect’s father.

She noted that when she advised the campaign, she was expected at times to speak on Mr. Bush’s behalf. But this role is different, Ms. Ravitch said.

“I’m not being asked to speak on his views,” she said. “I’m being asked to speak on my views.”

—Erik W. Robelen

A version of this article appeared in the January 17, 2001 edition of Education Week

Events

Federal Webinar The Trump Budget and Schools: Subscriber Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
End Student Boredom: K-12 Publisher's Guide to 70% Engagement Boost
Calling all K-12 Publishers! Student engagement flatlining? Learn how to boost it by up to 70%.
Content provided by KITABOO
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management
Moving the Needle on Attendance: What’s Working NOW
See how family engagement is improving attendance, and how to put it to work in schools.
Content provided by TalkingPoints

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: May 21, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz What Is the Average Teacher Salary for the 2024-25 School Year? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz Are You Keeping Up With Trump’s Big Changes to K-12 Funding? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz How Is Trump Changing School Discipline Rules? Take This Week’s Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read