Washington, D.C. — The House Education & Workforce Committee will vote on bills and amendments today that reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or ESEA, currently known as No Child Left Behind. Cynthia G. Brown, Vice President for Education Policy, issued the following statement:
House Republicans seem willing to take the foot off the gas at a time when schools need to accelerate student learning. The bills sponsored by Rep. John Kline (R-MN) would scale back the federal role in promoting student achievement, fail to ensure all students have good teachers, and eliminate provisions that ensure states invest in education. This is the wrong direction for our country to take if we are to make the education system work for all students, not just some.
House Democrats are focused on passing a law that improves student learning, more than promoting a philosophy of local control. The amendments sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-CA) would ensure students are prepared for college and careers, taught by effective teachers who are given support to improve, and have high expectations set for them by their school, district, and state. We deeply regret that the amendments do not close a longstanding loophole that allows some schools to be funded inequitably. But we think the bill is a significant step in the right direction and maintains the historic federal role in promoting equity and the achievement of all students, particularly disadvantaged students.
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