No Child Left Behind: Murray Statement on Senate/House Major Step Forward to Fix Broken Law

Statement

Today, Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, praised the Conference Committee's approval of the bipartisan agreement to fix No Child Left Behind. Now, the final legislation to fix the broken No Child Left Behind law will go before both Chambers of Congress for approval, and then it will be sent to President Obama's desk for his signature.

"Taking this next step to finally fix the broken No Child Left Behind law is great news for students, parents, teachers, and communities in Washington state and across the country. I am proud that our agreement includes strong federal guardrails to ensure all students have access to a quality education, reduces reliance on high-stakes testing, makes strong investments to improve and expand access to preschool for our youngest learners, and so much more. I appreciate the hard work that so many Democrats and Republicans have put into this agreement, and I am optimistic that it can pass both chambers of Congress and get signed into law to help more students get the chance to learn, grow, and thrive in the classroom and beyond.

"I fought so hard to break through the gridlock and dysfunction in Congress to get this done because I heard from so many parents and teachers across Washington state that the old law simply wasn't working for their students and schools. I was proud to be a voice for Washington state families in this process, to stand up for our values and priorities, and to make sure that this agreement worked for our state.

"Education doesn't have to be a partisan issue, and I am very glad that we were able to work together on this agreement to make sure kids came before partisanship and politics. We know education is one of the best investments we can make in our children and our future, that it's the most important tool we have to help people climb the economic ladder--and that our businesses depend on a strong education system to remain innovative, vibrant, and strong.

"As a former pre-school teacher, I am especially glad that this agreement includes significant investments in expanding access to preschool and helping more kids enter kindergarten ready to learn. And as a mom, and grandmother, and someone who got into politics to make sure ordinary families had a voice at the table when decisions about education were made--I am very proud that we can take this important step forward for our students."

Source