THE PROBLEM: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as No Child Left Behind, has been due for reauthorization since 2007. Despite its best intentions, there is widespread agreement that the current law is no longer effectively serving students. Under No Child Left Behind’s accountability system, known as Adequate Yearly Progress, all schools that fail to meet target proficien... Read more »
THE PROBLEM: The nation's workforce development system, authorized under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, is a confusing maze of programs. A 2011 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report identified 47 separate federal job training programs costing taxpayers $18 billion annually. Most programs overlap and serve the same populations, and only five of these programs have been evaluat... Read more »
THE PROBLEM: Access to effective job training opportunities and employment services is critical to building a more competitive workforce. Unfortunately, the nation’s workforce investment system is failing to meet the needs of today’s workers and employers. Federal requirements have left local workforce investment boards – which are responsible for policy and oversight of area training and employm... Read more »
On October 5, 2011, Chairman John Kline (R-MN) introduced H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, which will protect employer's free speech and worker's free choice. On November 30, 2011, the bill was approved by the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 235 to 188. Background: On June 22, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking th... Read more »
THE PROBLEM: Charter schools empower parents to play a more active role in their child’s education, open doors for teachers to pioneer fresh teaching methods, encourage state and local innovation, and help students escape underperforming schools. Despite high demand and an estimated 420,000 students on charter school wait lists, significant barriers to quality charter school growth exist. Charter... Read more »
Chairman John Kline (R-MN) joins Reps. Phil Roe (R-TN), Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Trey Gowdy (R-SC) in cosponsoring the Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act, introduced by Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) on July 19, 2011. H.R. 2587 will prevent the NLRB from dictating the location of American jobs. THE PROBLEM: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) should act fairly as it implements and enforce... Read more »
Chairman John Kline (R-MN), Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA), Subcommittee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) have introduced the Federal Workers' Compensation Modernization and Improvement Act (H.R. 2456) which will enhance efficiency, improve program integrity and modernize benefits for today's federal workers. THE PROBLEM: Since 1916, a workers’ ... Read more »
Chairman Kline (R-MN) has introduced the State and Local Funding Flexibility Act (H.R. 2445) to give schools the flexibility they need to innovate and best serve the needs of their students. THE PROBLEM: The federal government currently operates a host of elementary and secondary education programs, each with their own set of strict rules dictating exactly how funds may be spent by local school le... Read more »
THE PROBLEM: Charter schools empower parents to play a more active role in their child’s education, open doors for teachers to pioneer fresh teaching methods, encourage state and local innovation, and help students escape underperforming schools. Despite high demand and an estimated 420,000 students on charter school wait lists, significant barriers to quality charter school growth exist. Charter... Read more »
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, recently introduced the Protecting Academic Freedoms in Higher Education Act (H.R. 2117) to defend states, schools, and students from excessive regulatory burdens. THE PROBLEM: Late last year, the Department of Education released a package of regulations they claimed would improve student financia... Read more »
