Key Federal Education Policymakers, 1981-1984, Reagan Administration

1981 - 1984 Reagan Administration

President:

Ronald Reagan (R) 1981 - 1984

Secretary of Education:

Terrel H. Bell

Major education actions:

1981 - Community Services Block Grant Act [Note 6]
1981 - Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA, reauthorization of ESEA; P.L. 97-35)
1981 - Adult Education Act Amendments of 1981 (in P.L. 97-35)
1981 - Follow Through Act (in P.L. 97-35, repealed in 1994) [Note 6]
1981 - Head Start Act (in P.L. 97-35) [Note 6]
1982 - Student Financial Assistance Technical Amendments Act (P.L. 97-301) [Note 3]
1983 - Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1983 (P.L. 98-199)
1984 - Helen Keller National Center Act (P.L. 98-221) [Note 4]
1984 - Education for Economic Security Act (P.L. 98-377) [Note 2]
1984 - Elementary & Secondary Education Amendments of 1984 (P.L. 98-511)
1984 - Bilingual Education Act amended (in P.L. 98-511)

97th Congress (1981-1982)

SENATE: 53-Rep, 46-Dem, 1-Other
- Vice-President: George H. W. Bush (R)
- Majority Leader: Howard H. Baker, Jr. (R-TN)
- Minority Leader: Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
- Committee: Labor and Human Resources
  - Chair: Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
  - Ranking Minority Member: Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
HOUSE: 242-Dem, 192-Rep, 1-Other
- Speaker: Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. (D-MA)
- Majority Leader: James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX)
- Minority Leader: Robert H. Michel (R-IL)
- Committee: Committee on Education and Labor

98th Congress (1983-1984)

SENATE: 54-Rep, 46-Dem.
- Vice-President: George H. W. Bush (R)
- Majority Leader: Howard H. Baker, Jr. (R-TN)
- Minority Leader: Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
- Committee: Labor and Human Resources
  - Chair: Orrin Hatch (R-UT)

HOUSE: 269-Dem, 166-Rep.
- Speaker: Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. (D-MA)
- Majority Leader: James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX)
- Minority Leader: Robert H. Michel (R-IL)
- Committee: Committee on Education and Labor
  - Chair: Carl D. Perkins (D-KY)
  - Ranking Minority Member: John N. Erlenborn (R-IL)