Hayworth Congratulates AZ House GOP Caucus for Pulling Anti- No Child Left Behind Bill

States News Service, March 16, 2004

Copyright 2004 States News Service
States News Service

March 16, 2004 Tuesday

HEADLINE: REP. HAYWORTH CONGRATULATES AZ HOUSE GOP CAUCUS FOR PULLING ANTI-NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND BILL

BYLINE: States News Service

DATELINE: WASHINGTON

BODY:

The office of Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-AZ., issued the following statement:

Rep. J.D. Hayworth welcomed a decision by Republican state legislators Monday to withdraw a bill that would opt Arizona out of the No Child Left Behind federal education reform initiative.

Here is his statement:

"I congratulate the Republican members in the State House of Representatives for the courage and good judgment they showed in their decision to give the No Child Left Behind plan a fair chance to bring about the education reforms we need in Arizona and across America.

"Opting out of No Child Left Behind would be a catastrophic mistake for Arizona's children. It would perpetuate a system that is not working for too many minority and disadvantaged students and it would blow a devastating, $300 million hole in the state education budget that would foreclose any opportunity to consider proposals such as accelerated kindergarten, smaller classrooms and better recruitment and retention of good teachers.

"In speaking to several state legislators over the weekend on this issue, I know there is a sincere concern about some of the high standards our schools must meet in order for Arizona to be in full compliance. I assured them that while I will resist any efforts to dismantle the No Child Left Behind approach, I will continue to urge the U.S. Department of Education to keep an open mind and welcome any constructive, commonsense revisions that are needed."

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