Davis Votes to Put Education Decisions Back in the Hands of Parents and Local Educators
Press Release
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today released the following statement after the House passed the conference report to S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act, which reforms No Child Left Behind and returns critical education decisions back to our local educators. This bill includes language in H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, which passed the House earlier this year.
"What works for one school in Chicago may not work for another in Taylorville, Illinois," said Davis. "Our parents and local educators know what works best for their students and should have the ability to adapt accordingly. This long-awaited bill to reform No Child Left Behind reduces the federal footprint in our schools and puts our local educators back in charge. The Every Student Succeeds Act provides schools with more flexibility, repeals ineffective programs, and allows schools to reduce testing requirements while providing parents with an opportunity to exempt their children from excessive testing."
S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act, is the first reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) since No Child Left Behind which expired in 2007. The Senate is expected to pass this bill as early as next week and the president is expected to sign thereafter.
Highlights of the bill include:
* Reauthorizes programs through 2020
* Restricts the Department of Education (ED) from imposing requirements on states and schools through waivers and executive action
* Prohibits the ED from incentivizing states from adoption Common Core standards
* Repeals the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) performance measurement system
* Eliminates 49 ineffective and duplicative programs
* Allows parents to opt their child out of the annual assessment if state law permits without impacting the 95 percent assessment requirement if the state chooses
* Empowers parents by ensuring thorough and transparent reporting on state and district report cards
* Increases flexibility in funding so local educators can use funds for the programs that work for their school
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