Senator John McCain Applauds Passage of Every Student Succeeds Act, Measures Enhancing School Choice in Arizona

Statement

Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, bipartisan elementary education reform legislation supported by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) that puts state governors, legislatures, schools, parents and teachers back in charge of educating young American students. The bill ends the federal test-based accountability system that was established by the No Child Left Behind Act, which made federal tests the sole measure of academic success and forced public school teachers to "teach to the test" rather than to what students really needed to learn. In addition, the bill effectively ends Common Core by untying states' and parents' hands to one-size-fits-all education policies and allowing states to develop their own elementary education standards.

The bill also includes a provision offered by Senator McCain that enables Arizona and other states to propose how they could use limited education funds to expand access to high-performing charter, magnet and traditional public schools for low-income students -- education options that are proven to provide the best-quality learning environments for Arizona children. The bill is now headed to President Obama's desk for signature.

"This legislation is a major step forward in getting Washington out of Arizona's classrooms and putting states, teachers and parents back in charge of educating our students," said Senator McCain. "I commend Senator Alexander and the Republican majorities in Congress for working with parents, teachers and school districts in assembling a bipartisan elementary education reform bill that restores the role of states in creating accountability standards, testing requirements, and other education policies that best fit students' needs. I'm also proud that this legislation includes a measure that I offered that provides Arizona and other states the ability to direct limited federal funds meant to help low-income students towards expanding and replicating high-performing charter, magnet and traditional public schools, which are proven to be successful. We have an obligation to help prepare the next generation for the future and this reform bill is a step in the right direction."

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