Curbelo Statement on Passage of H.R. 5 and His Proposed Amendment

Press Release

This evening the Committee on Education and the Workforce passed H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, and Rep. Carlos Curbelo's (FL-26) first proposed amendment as a Congressman.

"I appreciate the diligent work of Chairman Kline to pass H.R. 5, the Student Success Act, and his consideration of my amendment. As a member of the Miami-Dade County School Board, I saw the challenges local education agencies face first-hand. The Student Success Act will provide state governments and school districts with the resources and flexibility necessary to improve education and will also continue ensuring that our most vulnerable students are counted and supported. This legislation will transfer power from bureaucrats in Washington back to our local communities while recognizing that a quality education is the great civil rights issue of our time," Curbelo said.

"My amendment is consistent with the broader legislation's support for English learners and provides these students - many immigrant children - adequate time to learn the language before their scores are held against their schools and teachers. Under current law, English learners are not given enough time to become proficient. Our accountability systems are too fast to label them as failures and to punish their teachers and schools," Curbelo said.

During his remarks in committee, Curbelo praised the Miami-Dade School Board chaired by Perla Tabares-Hantman, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, and Monroe County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Porter for their commitment to school choice and effective leadership.

H.R. 5, the Student Access Act, and Rep. Curbelo's amendment passed out of the Education and the Workforce Committee. The passage of this legislation reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as No Child Left Behind.

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