Cites America’s ‘Deficit in Education’ : Cavazos Vows ‘Strong Voice’ for Schools

WASHINGTON —  Education Secretary Lauro F. Cavazos pledged Monday to raise a strong voice within the Bush Administration for increased federal spending to wipe out what he called America’s “deficit in education.”

Cavazos, who has been asked by President-elect George Bush to remain at his Cabinet post in the new Administration, said that his department needs more funds for such programs as fighting illiteracy; reducing the number of high school dropouts; helping disadvantaged black, Latino and other students; providing student loans, and educating American Indians.

“It is my expectation, my plan, to be as persuasive as I can,” the 61-year-old Cavazos said at a luncheon meeting with a group of journalists. “ . . . I am going to be a strong voice for more funding for the Department of Education.”

The remarks of Cavazos, the first Latino ever to serve in the Cabinet, underscored one of the dilemmas facing Bush. Although he promised during his presidential election campaign to reduce the enormous federal budget deficit without raising taxes, Bush also vowed that he would become “the education President.” And it was obvious that Cavazos did not believe Bush could become “the education President” without financial cost.

Cavazos said that, although Americans talked often about the budget and trade deficits, they did not realize that there is an acute education deficit as well. By this comparison, Cavazos, president of Texas Tech University before his appointment as secretary earlier this year, said he was not trying to imply that American school boards are spending more on education than they are receiving in local, state and federal revenues. Instead, he said, he was taking an image from finance to describe what he regarded as the inadequacies of American education.

He recited a host of statistics to back up his conclusions: 27 million Americans are illiterate, a total that increases by 1.5 million a year. Fourteen percent of all blacks and Anglos in high school will not graduate. The dropout rate is even higher for Latinos. In his own state of Texas, 45% of Latinos, 32% of blacks and 30% of Anglos will not finish high school.

‘How to Compete?’

“How in the world are we going to make our nation compete on that kind of deficit?” he demanded. “ . . . I don’t think this country has recognized this deficit. If they did, they would not allow it.”

The secretary said that he had not yet had any budget discussions with Bush, but he made it clear that he believes in the President-elect’s commitment to education. “I can’t speak for him,” Cavazos said, “but he feels very strongly about this issue and is going to make it the centerpiece of his Administration.”

The secretary acknowledged that Bush must face decisions in the months ahead about “what he can do and what he can’t do.” But Cavazos added: “When someone says: ‘I want to be the education President,’ that’s a very clear commitment.”

Cavazos insisted that the Education Department, even while working on some special programs for illiterates, dropouts and others, still plays a relatively minor role in American education. American public schools are financed largely by local communities and the states.

The secretary said that the federal government contributed only about 6% to 7% of the total amount of money spent on education in the United States. He described this, in a general way, as “probably an appropriate level” but said that it should increase another 1%. That kind of 1% increase in the federal share of total spending on education in the United States would represent a 14% to 16% increase in spending by the Education Department.