House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) introduced legislation to improve K-12 education and replace No Child Left Behind.
Based on a proposals passed by the House in 2013, HR 5, the Student Success Act, the House Committee says the measure will reduce the federal footprint and restore local control, while empowering parents and education leaders to hold schools accountable for effectively teaching students.
Other highlights of the bill include:
- Replaces the current national accountability scheme based on high stakes tests with state-led accountability systems, returning responsibility for measuring student and school performance to states and school districts.
- Ensures parents continue to have the information they need to hold local schools accountable.
- Consolidates more than 65 ineffective, duplicative, and unnecessary programs into a Local Academic Flexible Grant, helping schools better support students.
- Protects state and local autonomy over decisions in the classroom by preventing the Secretary of Education from coercing states into adopting Common Core or any other common standards or assessments, as well as reining in the secretary’s regulatory authority.
- Strengthens existing efforts to improve student performance among targeted student populations, including English learners and homeless children.
- Empowers parents with more school choice options by continuing support for magnet schools and expanding charter school opportunities, as well as allowing federal funds to follow low-income children to the traditional public or charter school of the parent’s choice.
To learn more about the Student Success Act, click here.