Blunt: Parents, Teachers Best Equipped To Educate Our Nation's Students

Press Release

BLUNT: PARENTS, TEACHERS BEST EQUIPPED TO EDUCATE OUR NATION'S STUDENTS

Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt (Mo.) announced his support this afternoon for the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (A-Plus) Act of 2007, a bill that would ensure state and local control over decisions affecting the education of our children.

"Making sure that every child in this country has access to a high quality education is a responsibility we all share - but it's one that I believe parents, teachers, and local administrators are best equipped to handle. As Congress looks to update No Child Left Behind this year, we would do well to keep that principle in mind as we try to balance the interests of accountability with the imperative of ensuring local control.

"The bill brought forth by Rep. Hoekstra and our colleagues in the Senate this year would address these considerations, and give our teachers, local school board members and state officials the authority and flexibility they need to prepare our young people for the rigors of a 21st century workplace. I'm proud to lend my support to it, and look forward to the upcoming discussion on the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind as we look for ways to put parents and local officials back in charge of education.

" At its core, the A-PLUS Act would reduce the regulatory burden associated with federal financial support of education programs so that local educators and administrators can focus on educating rather than filling out bureaucratic paperwork. The bill achieves that by making sure states are held accountable to parents and the public for advancing the academic achievement of all students, especially children in rural areas and others who may be disadvantaged.

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