Senate Considers No Child Revision to Limit Federal Role

The House of Representatives approved a bill Wednesday that would substantially change the Bush-era “No Child Left Behind” law. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen.

WASHINGTON – (AP) – Trying to strike a bipartisan chord, the Senate worked Thursday on a major revision of the 2002 No Child Left Behind law, a day after a Republican-led rewrite just barely passed the House. It also prohibits the federal government from requiring or encouraging specific sets of academic standards, such as Common Core.

As the House moved forward with debate, the Senate considered a version sponsored by Sen.

Votes on several amendments are expected later in the afternoon, including one pushed by conservatives to allow states to completely opt out of No Child Left Behind requirements, but still receive federal money in the form of block grants.

Alexander has said he expects the Senate bill would lead to fewer tests for America’s children, something many in the education community have complained about, including Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The bill narrowly passed 218-213 and Missouri’s congressional delegation voted along party lines, with Republicans voting in support of the proposal and Democrats voting against it. Twenty-seven Republicans voted against the bill sponsored by Minnesota Republican Rep. John Kline.

“One of the more egregious examples of overreach by our federal government lies within our nation’s school system”, he said. It also allows federal money to follow low-income children to public schools of their choice – something not in the Senate bill. Obama has expressed opposition to both the House and Senate bills.

The 4th District Republican said in a statement that while the bill contains “some positive reforms, I do not believe it sufficiently addressed the numerous obstacles educators face when complying with federal regulations in the classroom”.

“Especially among our most vulnerable students, we need to make sure that we know not only how they are performing”, but that states will step in when students are falling behind, says Leticia Bustillos with the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights group.