By Brandon Hall
(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)
The Detroit News via the A.P., reported this week that the No Child Left Behind renewal that passed the House this week will "dramatically lessen the federal role in education policy for the nation’s public schools."
Huh?
Superintendents, teachers, students and families struggling with boatloads of federal mandates must have missed the memo and might disagree with that statement...
Congressman Amash released a statement blasting the bill and detailing the problems with it.
"On Wednesday, I was honored to stand up for parental rights by voting no on #HR5, the bill to reauthorize #NoChildLeftBehind. The bill increases federal control of education."
Amash was also disappointed an amendment granting states more control was voted down despite a GOP House:
"Was there an amendment to allow states to opt out of No Child Left Behind even if H.R. 5 becomes law? Yes. I voted yes on the Walker amendment, but remarkably it failed 195-235 in a Republican-led House of Representatives."
Here is the full statement:
"On Wednesday, I was honored to stand up for parental rights by voting no on #HR5, the bill to reauthorize #NoChildLeftBehind. The bill increases federal control of education. Here are the facts you should know about H.R. 5 and the current status of NCLB:
The funding authorization for No Child Left Behind expired more than seven years ago. Contrary to some statements and press reports, H.R. 5 does not repeal NCLB; it reauthorizes NCLB with modifications. If H.R. 5 becomes law, NCLB will be authorized for the first time since FY 2008.
Why do states and schools continue to act as though No Child Left
Behind is current law? Because Congress has continued to appropriate
money for NCLB as though the funding authorization never expired! In
other words, the program is legally dead, yet Congress continues to send
federal funding to schools, with strings attached, as though the law
remains in effect.
How should Congress deal with No Child Left Behind? Simply stop funding it. There's no current authorization for the funding, so the funding needs to stop.
Don't we need this new bill to stop Common Core? No, we don't. H.R. 5 reauthorizes No Child Left Behind, which provides federal funding for education. The bill says none of that money may be used (or withheld) to push Common Core. But voting no on H.R. 5 means voting no on the funding authorization that the federal government uses to compel states to adopt Common Core. So, either way, Common Core loses.
Doesn't this new bill include an amendment to allow parents to opt out of standardized testing? Yes, but it's H.R. 5 that authorizes federally mandated standardized testing in the first place. Voting no on H.R. 5 means voting no on such standardized testing.
Was there an amendment to allow states to opt out of No Child Left Behind even if H.R. 5 becomes law? Yes. I voted yes on the Walker amendment, but remarkably it failed 195-235 in a Republican-led House of Representatives."
____________________________________________________________
Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics
How should Congress deal with No Child Left Behind? Simply stop funding it. There's no current authorization for the funding, so the funding needs to stop.
Don't we need this new bill to stop Common Core? No, we don't. H.R. 5 reauthorizes No Child Left Behind, which provides federal funding for education. The bill says none of that money may be used (or withheld) to push Common Core. But voting no on H.R. 5 means voting no on the funding authorization that the federal government uses to compel states to adopt Common Core. So, either way, Common Core loses.
Doesn't this new bill include an amendment to allow parents to opt out of standardized testing? Yes, but it's H.R. 5 that authorizes federally mandated standardized testing in the first place. Voting no on H.R. 5 means voting no on such standardized testing.
Was there an amendment to allow states to opt out of No Child Left Behind even if H.R. 5 becomes law? Yes. I voted yes on the Walker amendment, but remarkably it failed 195-235 in a Republican-led House of Representatives."
____________________________________________________________
Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics
Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com
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| Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson |
Why is it remarkable? The house is full of Dems and RINOs.
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