House Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans understand an effective K-12 education system cannot be created solely by Washington bureaucrats. It must include insight from state and local education officials and other experts who better understand the needs of students. Over the last year, committee Republicans have listened to parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, and other e... Read more »
In the first session of the 112th Congress, House Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans held 11 hearings to discuss a better way forward for the K-12 education system. Dozens of state and local education officials offered their thoughts on the challenges facing states and school districts across the country. Time and time again, these experts shared their frustration with current law’s... Read more »
“I believe what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed: that government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more.” - President Barack Obama, January 24, 2012 Quoting Abraham Lincoln in last week’s State of the Union address, President Obama outlined a vision for an improved education system in which more control is granted to states and schools. He pledged to g... Read more »
House Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans recently released two pieces of draft legislation designed to reform K-12 education law, currently known as No Child Left Behind. The Student Success Act and the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act will support rural schools, strengthen Impact Aid, and improve data reporting and transparency to help close student achievement gap... Read more »
Last night, President Obama laid out his vision for the country in his State of the Union address. While many of the plans and promises sounded oddly familiar, House Republicans have been working for months to turn the president’s rhetoric into action on behalf of students, workers, and employers. Strengthening Job Training Assistance President’s Rhetoric: “And I want to cut through the maze of co... Read more »
January 22 marked the start of National School Choice Week – a week to celebrate education options for all students. School choice is an important principle that has received bipartisan support in Washington for years. For children who are trapped in under-performing public schools, the opportunity to attend a better school can open doors to new opportunities not only in education, but also in the... Read more »
President Obama has hit the campaign trail with full force in recent months, and the slogan du jour for the entire administration seems to be “We Can’t Wait.” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has tied the phrase to education reform in speeches across the country in recent months, asserting over and over that the American people can’t wait for Congress to rewrite elementary and secondary edu... Read more »
When No Child Left Behind was signed into law 10 years ago, it was heralded as a game changer for education policy. It was certainly a strong step forward, but it has become clear the law is in need of urgent reform. Recognizing the shortfalls under current law, many states are taking matters into their own hands. At the behest of parents, teachers, and principals, reform-minded individuals are wo... Read more »
Last week, President Obama announced plans to streamline the federal government, starting with the consolidation of six federal agencies with overlapping authorities over business and trade. The president specifically asked for enhanced executive power to implement further “reforms that result in more efficiency, better service, and a leaner government.” Instead of announcing unilateral action to ... Read more »
House Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans recently released two pieces of draft legislation designed to rewrite elementary and secondary education law, currently known as No Child Left Behind. The Student Success Act and the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act are commonsense proposals that will help raise the bar on student learning and put more decisions back in the h... Read more »
