Zinke Helps Shape K-12 Education Reforms
Press Release
The House voted today on a bipartisan, bicameral K-12 package to replace No Child Left Behind which takes unprecedented steps to get the federal government out of Montana education. The vote was the "Conference Report to Accompany S. 1177 -- Student Success Act." The proposal advanced by a House-Senate conference committee would stop the federal government's promotion of Common Core and protect the rights of states and school districts to develop or change their own standards as they see fit. Included in the bill were provisions to bolster technology in rural classrooms, a provision Rep. Ryan Zinke had been pushing for. The bicameral proposal:
Prohibits any agent of the federal government -- including the secretary of education -- from incentivizing, forcing, or coercing states into adopting Common Core, or interfering with a state's standards or assessments.
Rejects policies and programs the secretary has used to coerce states to adopt Common Core, including waivers of K-12 education law and Race to the Top.
Prevents the secretary from imposing additional burdens on states and school districts through the regulatory process in areas of standards, assessments, and state accountability plans.
Statement from Rep. Ryan Zinke: "Today was a win for Montana K-12 students. I joined a bipartisan majority to roll back Common Core and return local control of K-12 education to the families and teachers of Montana students. Common Core has been a disaster for Montana students, and we would be doing irreparable damage to our children if we allowed it to continue as is. Test scores have dropped across multiple grade levels and subjects, and local schools are being denied needed funding unless they comply with the broken program. I believe there is a better way to educate our children than Washington mandates and high-stakes, high-frequency national testing. I'm happy my provisions to improve technology in rural classrooms were included, and that both Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate agree on its importance to education."
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