American Education Week
Floor Speech
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Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, this is American Education Week, and I rise to honor and thank the teachers and school administrators who have dedicated their lives to ensure our future generations are stronger than ever.
There are over 50 million kids in our public schools today. Back in 2015, before the Every Student Succeeds Act was signed into law, the Federal approach to education relied heavily on standardized testing to measure academic achievement. While I understand the importance of testing to measure academic growth from year to year, there should be a number of indicators for evaluating academic success and improvement for both schools and students.
After that bill passed in 2015, the goal shifted from teaching children more efficiently to inspiring lifelong learning in students. I applaud educators for embracing this goal, and I am hopeful that this approach will better prepare millions of students for the challenges that await them in life and in the workforce.
While on the subject of Federal education, we cannot avoid the debate over the amount of taxpayer money we send to schools throughout the country. There is and always will be bipartisan agreement that we should make sure schools have the resources they need in order to be successful. But in the coming appropriations cycle, and in future ones, we must also remember that additional spending does not necessarily improve student performance. This has been proven time and time again, Mr. Speaker.
One data point I would refer folks to is high school graduation rates, which have remained stagnant since the 1970s. What we have seen is very unfortunate: the system continues to grind forward, with costs going up each year and our efficiency going in the opposite direction.
I will continue to fight for education reforms aimed at improving resource allocation and boosting student performance. Recognizing the shortfalls within our K-12 education may not be a popular talking point, but I think it is worth emphasizing the need to act responsibly and address the problems students, parents, and educators face.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by saying two things. The first is a simple thank you to the teachers, including those teachers in my own family, who have dedicated their life to serving students. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. The second thing is that I will work hard to improve our education system for students in my district and around the country.
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