Repealing No Child Left Behind

In Northwest Oregon and across the country, families, educators, and local school boards work hard to deliver a high-quality education to students and prepare them for success in higher education and family wage careers.

Education is not a one-size-fits-all system, but we’ve been treating it that way.

Replacing No Child Left Behind has been a top priority of mine since I first ran for Congress, so it was an honor to serve on the bipartisan conference committee that wrote the final bill to do just that. We agreed that states and school districts need more control and flexibility to provide the highest quality education to their students. Our commonsense changes will reduce testing and the high stakes attached to test scores. At the same time, the bill upholds our nation’s commitment to closing the achievement gap and making sure that students have equitable opportunities and the best chance to succeed.

Students deserve a well-rounded education, and that means educating both halves of the brain. The new education bill, the Every Student Succeeds Act, includes my amendment to encourage schools to integrate art and music into STEM courses to inspire creativity and innovation. That’s good for students and good for our innovation economy.

We’ve made significant progress with these changes, and I’m proud of the work we have accomplished. The House passed the bill with strong bipartisan support, and it’s expected to pass the Senate next week.

Of course, there’s more to do. I’m committed to working for the strongest system of public education possible—where students can expand their minds and their potential. Thank you for standing with me along the way.

With appreciation,