rehabilitating any existing structure to provide additional classroom space. That policy statement was approved January 3, 1970 and is still in effect.

The Public Law 81-815 program is designed to provide school facilities for unhoused children for whom such facilities have not been provided previously. The Public Law 81-874 program provides funds for the maintenance and operation of such facilities. The two laws, are not designed to be used interchangeably. That is to say, if the objectives of the first law cannot be accomplished, for whatever reason, the second law should not be allowed to take over to fill in the gap.

The situation at Fort Buchanan is not unlike that at various other military installations where the continued construction of on-post military housing, and the resultant increase in pupil population, have aggravated an existing schoolhousing shortage. We do not know if or when funds will become available to remedy it.

We realize that the Antilles Consolidated School System may have to resort to other measures as an alternative to the continued use of makeshift wooden facilities provided by the military command at Fort

However, the possibility does not remove the fact that we are unable to remedy the schoolhousing shortage at Fort Buchanan with funds currently available.

Sincerely yours,

Willing 4 Starme

William L. Stormer

Director, School Assistance
in Federally Affected Areas

February 15, 1977

The Honorable Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Secretary

Department of Health, Education & Welfare

330 Independence Avenue

Washington, D. C. 20201

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I would like to bring a pressing matter to your attention, in hopes that a solution can be found in the very near future. Over 650 of my constituents are educated by the Antilles Middle School, located in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. The school serves mainly children of military and civilian federal employees. If immediate action is not forthcoming soon, the school will be forced to cease operations.

The Middle School has been operating in sub-standard, termite-ridden buildings, some of which have already been condemand. Several buildings which house the 5th graders have been scheduled for demolition. The policy of neglect and omission by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare has led to overcrowding, double sessions, lack of facilities, and a poor learning environment. The end result will be a total elimi-. nation of facilities.

I am enclosing a copy of a plea, presented to me last December in Puerto Rico by parents of schoolchildren at the Middle School. I hope that this will give you additional background information.

I urge you to have the pertinent officials within the U.S. Office of Education look into this matter at your earliest convenience. I would appreciate meeting these persons and further discussing

this situation which up to now has reflected very poorly on -the type of education and support which HEW offers. I sincerely hope that in the name of better education we can reverse this record and provide these children with proper facilities and schooling.

I truly appreciate your letter of March 26th, in which you
provide me with background information on the condition and
problems related to the Antilles Middle School at Fort
Buchanan.

For months I have been working on this particular issue, which
hopefully will be resolved in the near future. I am enclosing
a copy of the letter I sent to the Secretary of HEW Califano
on the subject, his response; and also a copy of the letter I
sent to the Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee,
Carl D. Perkins. I will be meeting shortly with Dr. Thomas
Burns on this particular issue, to explore the various alter-
natives which could be followed to resolve this critical
situation.

The Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education
of the House Education and Labor Committee will begin hearings
shortly on the various elementary and secondary education programs
including impact aid. I have requested to the Chairman that he
look into the problem at the Antilles Middle School. This is
necessary before going on to the appropriating committee for
the necessary funding. I will keep you abreast of any developments,
Thanking you for your interest, and assuring you of my full
commitment to the cause of improving the crisis facing the school
at Fort Buchanan, I remain,

Encl.

Cordially,

Galtim facena

Baltasar Corrada
Member of Congress

Thank you for your letter of February 15 concerning the condition of the Antilles Middle School, located in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico.

I appreciate the seriousness of the schoolhousing conditions in Fort Buchanan as you have described them, and have asked Dr. Thomas Burns, Associate Commissioner for State and Local Educational Programs within the Office of Education to meet with you at a mutually convenient time to discuss possible alternative solutions for improving the conditions at the Antilles Middle School.

Dr. Burns has also provided a report on the issue you have raised, which is enclosed. The report provides an analysis of the program authorized by P.L. 81-815 which would provide the funds for improving the Antilles Middle School. It should be noted that funds for this program are extremely limited and that there are many more eligible applicants than dollars available.

If I can be of any further assistance, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Enclosures