FINDINGS AND PURPOSES OF ACT

We believe that the purposes named in this bill are valid purposes and would suggest the following addition be made on page 2, line 8, after the word, "education." Delete the period and add—

and that through the commissioner, the State educational agencies within their respective States be charged with the responsibility for implementation of the act including processing and verification of claims under titles I, II, and III.

I will interpolate here, whether we had the skill to give the proper wording or not, that is what we mean.

It would be very difficult to have continuity in a State educational system if individual school districts were operating by themselves in a program which should be a part of the public school system. It also seems that this would strengthen Federal relationship to a local school district, which is prohibited on page 2, lines 9 through 15.

In Oregon we have felt that the present policy of channeling from the Commissioner to State agencies is working well and would like to see like provisions in this measure.

It is hoped that you will give attention to this in further consideration of the bill.

We are very emphatic in our thinking about this.

ADMINISTRATION

We are pleased that the administration of this act is placed with the Office of Commissioner of Education. We find the relationship between that office and the State education agency to be of the highest type. In the furtherance of this interlocking relationship and to insure the success of the program in all the States it is recommended that the bill include a provision for administrative funds for State agencies to administer the program immediately following line 21, page 4.

TITLE I-PAYMENTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES

We believe that school districts are in need of funds to carry the extra financial burden caused by immigration of agricultural workers who have children of school age. Title I makes this provision. Whether the amount which would be available per child per day is adequate appears uncertain but such a grant would be of immense help.

Oregon has approximately 2,000 migrant children in its classrooms during the regular school year. These 2,000 children account for more than $76,000 in additional costs to local school districts. These increased costs are attributed only to books, supplies, desks, teachers, and transportation and do not include the many hidden costs a local school district normally has. If all factors of expense were taken into consideration, it would be safe to estimate that over $125,000 is being spent annually in Oregon due to the influx of migratory farm laborers.

TITLE II-SUMMER SCHOOLS

We believe that provision for summer school sessions is desirable and a necessity because of the broken attendance records of these chil

dren and the fact that, even if the children were in attendance every day in which they were in a community, a sizable portion of schooltime is missed because of travel. Progress educationally is not continuous for these children because of the difference between State courses of study, and time is needed in each new situation for orientation.

Providing summer opportunities helps to alleviate many of the specific difficulties which the children have, such as speech and reading problems, so that they may do better during the time they have opportunity to attend regular school sessions.

At the present time Oregon summer schools, a provision of the pilot program for the education of migrant children, are being established through contracts with districts to help these children who are denied such a vital part of their education because their families travel from place to place to harvest crops. Two schools were operated in the summer of 1959 and four schools are being contemplated for the summer of 1960. The costs of these schools vary depending on the length of the program, the number of teachers employed, the length of the school day, and the complete services available in the particular local situation.

In establishing the pilot summer education program for migrant children, we find flexibility to be most essential. The costs of the schools will run from $1,050 to $11,675. The summer school held last year in one of the farm labor camps and operated for a period of 6 weeks cost $1,050. One teacher was employed on a split shift from 9 a.m. until 12 noon and from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and served 18 children. Two of the schools planned for this next summer will cost approximately $5,000 each and will be four-teacher schools serving approximately 60 children each. The school that is to cost $11,675 will employ seven teachers for a period of 8 weeks. It will operate from 7 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., is centrally located for a large number of the migrant workers, and is expected to serve over 100 migrant children. School lunch services will be established, transportation from the surrounding areas will be provided, special consultant services are to be available; and, consequently, a school will be established very much like the regular school program in that area.

The pilot program for the education of migrant children allocated $50,000 for this 2-year study. It will not be a full 2 years because the report has to be ready for the next legislative session, which will be in January.

In the 2 years approximately $35,000 will have been spent for summer schools and $15,000 for research and administration. As indicated before, only two limited summer schools were operated in the summer of 1959. Our estimates indicate that, if five or more schools are to be operated every summer, the cost would be approximately $40,000 a year.

TITLE III-PLANNING GRANTS

The planning grants are very important and will be needed yearly because of the continually changing migrant situation within any State.

The difficulties of gathering facts, securing facilities, securing wellprepared teachers, and implementing special summer sessions are such that this can best be done at State level.

In line with former suggestions it is proposed that the following additions be made on page 8, line 18, after the words, "shall be allotted among the States"

to the State Education Agency on the basis of their relative populations. * * * Improving the quality of education for migrants is one of our most important areas of concern. Special methods, materials, and techniques of instruction need to be developed, and it cannot be done in a short period of time nor without a maximum cooperative effort of all the States that are affected.

It has been felt in Oregon that one of the most difficult problems is securing scholastic records of migrant children from other States. If a central office in each State were set up to handle the transmittal of files on migrant children from one location to another, it would certainly help to overcome the time barrier school districts face when the migrant children arrive.

Again, we would like to heartily endorse title III.

The last few minutes have been spent discussing titles I, II, and III. In a number of instances reference was made to Oregon's pilot program. More complete information on the problem of migrant education be found in the tentative report "Migrant Children in Oregon Public Schools" of which you have a copy. I would like to present it for the record if you would like to have it.

This report covers information on the census of migrant children, the age, grade level, truancy, health, discipline problems, adjustments to the school program, educational needs, classroom loads, summer schools, assistance needs, additional costs to school districts, and other information which you may find valuable and interesting. It is hoped you will find time in your crowded schedule to read and

evaluate this material.

TITLE IV-FELLOWSHIPS

The need for people who have had special preparation to work with migrant problems is tremendous. Fellowship grants could be of great important in encouraging teachers to study these problems. Very few such teachers are presently available and will have to be prepared as problems arise. For these reasons this section is very important. We would like to suggest that this section contain an addition which would request the Commissioner to ask each State Education Agency to make recommendations concerning desirable applicants from the States.

Oregon's pilot program for the education of migrant children has given us some insight into the educational and administrative problems that are involved. We find these children to be educationally retarded, not mentally retarded. We find them eager to learn, and capable if given a chance. There is just as much potential with them as with any other group. We only hope that the program can be continued with the Federal, State, and local agencies working cooperatively to overcome the problems, so that these migrant children can receive an education befitting a country as great as ours.

May success be with you in your endeavors to legislate on this very important matter.

Thank you.

Mr. UDALL. Thank you very much, Mr. Putnam, for a fine presentation. We are most happy to have you give us the benefit of your experience in Oregon and unless there is objection, the report you have on migrant children in Oregon public schools will be made a part of

the file.

Mr. PUTNAM. This is just a progress report. It is not a final report. Mr. UDALL. We are glad to have it.

This problem of migrant workers and of their children has been one that all of the States have tended to consider someone else's problem. I think we are particularly fortunate in having a State such as your own that has had some experience with the program.

There was testimony earlier suggesting that perhaps the approach used under the Johnson-O'Malley Act with Indian children might be workable or have application to this problem. Would you have any particular comment on that suggestion?

Mr. PUTNAM. Frankly, I am not well enough informed on it to make a comment. I am not well enough acquainted with it personally to make a comment.

Mr. UDALL. I will give Dr. Fuller advance notice that I will ask him a question on that.

Would it be your thought that it would be best for us to make the money available under broad guidelines and where you found it was necessary to have a summer program, you would have a summer program and where it was not feasible you would not have one; would that be your reaction?

It is not quite clear to me and I certainly assume that is what I would be in favor of, where we would let each State decide as to when a summer school program was advisable in this area.

Mr. PUTNAM. I would be very unhappy if it were any other way. Mr. UDALL. One other point I am impressed with in your statement is the amendment you suggest with regard to putting the responsibility in a State in the chief State school officer. We have considered this in other legislation and I think the Congress has been most satisfied, as I indicated by the recent school legislation we have drafted, in placing primary responsibility in the State educational agencies.

It seems to me that your suggestion here is a good one and since this is a very fluid and a statewide problem, your office is the office to deal with it rather than having local educational agencies try to deal with the Commission of Education directly. I certainly concur with the recommendation you have made.

I think that is all I have.

Mrs. Green?

Mrs. GREEN. Thank you.

First of all, I think that this recommendation probably is one that should be adopted by the committee, too, instead of dealing with the individual school districts.

May I say, Mr. Putnam, that I am delighted that this report is made available to us. I knew it was in the process of being completed, but I am so pleased that it is in this form and is ready for us to read. Mr. PUTNAM. May I say a word about that?

That was handed to me just before I left. I read it over just once, glanced over it, because we were not ready for it yet but we worked

day and night for a couple of nights to get it prepared. It was in rough form but not drawn together.

Mrs. GREEN. I think it will be a real addition to these hearings. I have not had time to study it yet, but I will certainly make that my business during the next few days.

You mentioned 2,000 migrant children in Oregon during the school year and the cost of providing education to them.

Do these youngsters go to regular classrooms? What does this do to the classroom load?

I know some of those districts are overcrowded now.

Mr. PUTNAM. Yes and no. This [indicating] gives that information. They come in the latter part of April and the first of May to finish the school year and then there will be some there in September when school opens up until the middle of October again. Some are not there except in the summertime.

It is a fluid situation. You are not always able to determine just how many there will be and what time they will be present.

Mrs. GREEN. What does this do to the physical facilities?

Mr. PUTNAM. In general, of course, in the smaller areas especially, it upsets them. We have cases where in a small school of one or two rooms, it will double the school population overnight. The larger areas, the larger districts, handle it pretty well.

Mrs. GREEN. Will you have any comment on the possibility, or the advisability of having portable classrooms or the advisability of making this legislation so flexible that local buildings might be rented for classroom space?

Mr. PUTNAM. We do that already. We have used buildings sometimes within the camp itself or within the area itself. Sometimes the school buildings are used and sometimes other buildings are used. Mrs. GREEN. In the regular school year?

Mr. PUTNAM. In the regular school year.

I thought you meant in the summer session?

Mrs. GREEN. No; in the regular school year where your classroom situation might be crowded.

Mr. PUTNAM. Again, I rather think that the portable school buildings would be of some help, but I am doubtful that it would be of sufficient help to justify the cost. I would not like to make a firm commitment on that. Frankly, we have not even flirted with the idea yet as to the portable school buildings. We have been able to get some other types of buildings within the community.

Mrs. GREEN. You say some classrooms would be doubled overnight; is that right?

Mr. PUTNAM. Yes; when I said doubled overnight, that is perhaps a slight exaggeration, but I would say almost that. That was brought out incidentally in this report here [indicating].

They have a high percentage of increase in one day, very easily. Mrs. GREEN. You do not have any specific recommendation on how we could meet this classroom shortage during these particular seasons of the year when the migrant children are arriving on the school scene?

Mr. PUTNAM. I cannot think of any.

I can think of two possibilities: The portable classrooms or obtaining some building within the area in which to do it, which is done now

in some cases.