George P. Radanovich: “H.R. 620, authored by me, would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide supplemental funding and other…”

“H.R. 620, authored by me, would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide supplemental funding and other services necessary to assist local school districts in providing educational services for students attending three schools located within Yosemite National Park. The three schools in question are Yosemite Valley, which serves 46 students K-8; El Portel Elementary, which serves 50 students in seven grades; and Wawona Elementary, which serves 20 children in grades K-8 with only one teacher. All three schools represent those one-room schools of yesteryear. Madam Speaker, California is unique in that operating funds for schools are based on an average daily attendance. Since the devastating 1997 Merced River flood, there has been a dramatic reduction in the number of park employees and, thus, fewer school children attending these schools. With fewer and fewer children attending these schools, fewer State dollars are committed. The result is that the superintendent for Yosemite National Park and the concessionaire serving park visitors are attracting less-than-qualified candidates to work in the park because families are not provided with adequate schools.”