Rokita Report - Fighting for Students, Raising Angelman Awareness, & More

Statement

Dear Friend,

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 114th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well, as we work together to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington.

Student Success Act Passes Committee

On Wednesday, the House Education& the Workforce Committee held a markup for the Student Success Act, which I introduced last week, with Chairman John Kline. During a markup, a committee considers amendments to underlying legislation. At the conclusion of the markup, the committee approved the Student Success Act and sent it to the full House for consideration. It is my hope to have a House vote on the bill later this month.

The markup of the Student Success Act is an important step to replacing the failed No Child Left Behind law. If stagnant student achievement and disappointing graduation rates have taught us anything, it is that expanding the federal government's footprint in classrooms does not prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

No Child Left Behind's strict rules and onerous regulations, combined with the Obama administration's inappropriate waiver scheme have hindered progress and stymied local reform efforts to improve learning for every child. The Student Success Act gets Washington bureaucrats out of the business of running schools and places control back in the hands of the parents and teachers who know their children best.

I look forward to providing you with updates as we work to replace No Child Left Behind with legislation that empowers parents.

Leading on Student Privacy

On Thursday, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, I held a hearing exploring how advances in technology affect student privacy. Central to this debate is the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which has not been modernized significantly since 1974. This is the only relevant bill on the issue of student privacy, and I intend to see it overhauled for the 21st Century. Fixing this law is the fastest and most effective way to empower parents and school districts and most importantly, protecting our kids.

Since FERPA was enacted, the education landscape has changed tremendously. Instead of paper and pen, many schools have turned to computers, online lesson plans, and cloud-based storage systems. The implications of this technology -- which can track student progress down to the keystroke -- must be more closely examined. Parents, students, and educators deserve thoughtful consideration of how to protect privacy while leveraging technology for academic success. Instead of looking to new legislative proposals, we should focus on updating our decades-old FERPA law.

This hearing, entitled "How Emerging Technology Affects Student Privacy," can be watched by clicking here.

The President and Me

Last week, President Obama visited Indiana to hold a town hall event at Ivy Tech Community College. Though the President came to the Hoosier state to gin up support for more federal programs that would increase spending and taxes, I was on the tarmac at Indianapolis Airport to talk with President Obama about replacing the outdated No Child Left Behind law, and deliver the following letter.

As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, I recognize that No Child Left Behind is not working and has resulted in heavy-handed intervention from the U.S. Department of Education. My letter urged the President to work with Congress on solutions to return money, power, and choice to the state and local level. It asks that we get the federal government out of Common Core. It asks that we promote school choice and increase access to quality education. Most importantly, it asks for leadership.

International Angelman Day

This Sunday, February 15th, is International Angelman Day. Not many people have heard of this rare neuro-genetic disorder, which impacts about 1 out of every 15,000 children or young adults. Those with Angelman are known as Angels.

One of these Angels, is my son Teddy and he is almost 7. There are hundreds more like him. My wife and I are extremely blessed by Teddy's presence in our lives and are thankful for all the joy he brings.

In advance of International Angelman Day, I spoke to my colleagues in the House about Angelman Syndrome and Teddy.

On Sunday, I encourage you to join me to increase awareness and understanding for Angelman Syndrome. You can participate by using the hashtag #AngelmanDay on Twitter and Facebook, or by visiting www.angelman.org. Together, we can increase awareness and support Angels everywhere.

Staff Member Receives Award

This week, Paul Caranci, the Constituent Services Manager& Strategic Communications Advisor for Team Rokita, received the Margaret Chase Smith American Democracy Award from the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). Paul was nominated for the award because of his courage in working with the FBI and other law enforcement entities to expose public corruption and bribery schemes masterminded by three of his fellow town councilmen in North Providence, Rhode Island, placing his own political career and safety at great risk. The award was presented to Caranci at the group's Winter Meeting in Washington, DC by Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson. She had nominated him for the award as well.

The Margaret Chase Smith American Democracy Award was established in 1992 and is named after the former US Senator from Maine who jeopardized her career by speaking out against Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. Award recipients are recognized for similar acts of political courage, uncommon character, and selfless action in the realm of public service.

In her nomination of Paul, Secretary Lawson noted, "because of his efforts, three sitting councilmen (including the council president), a former town solicitor, a former council president, a strip club manager, a radio DJ, and an unlicensed insurance broker entered guilty pleas or were found guilty at trial where Paul was the main witness."

Paul formerly served as Rhode Island's Deputy Secretary of State. His selection by a vote of the NASS members marks the first time in the 22-year history of the award that a Secretary of State office representative has received the honor.

Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington. Take care.

Sincerely,

Todd Rokita

Source