Saturday, February 14, 2015

'No Child Left Bhind' Reauthorization? : Common Sense Says NO!

That both house of the federal government are rushing through bills to continue to screw up education is no surprise. Education has always been of little important other then lip service to gather votes.

It's only now with Common Core invading our school systems with more government over-sight and over-reach, and the involvement of parents and local communities that have come out against Common Core, politicians are being forced to take another look and take a stand. How scary is that?

The hope now is that parents will be more active in their communities and take charge of the education of their children. Any action other then parent involvement will not be as effective to save the system.

ESEA Reauthorization: Lawmakers Should Push for an Opt-Out
Source: Lindsey Burke, "NCLB Reauthorization Proposals: Missed Opportunities for Conservatives," Heritage Foundation, February 11, 2015.

February 12, 2015

Both the Senate and the House have proposed bills to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, also known as No Child Left Behind, or NCLB). While they are distinct, they have a number of similarities, and House and Senate lawmakers are anxious to pass the bills quickly.

But are they good bills? Lindsey Burke, an education policy fellow at the Heritage Foundation, says the proposals are flawed. Fifty years of federal government intervention in the education sector, she says, is proof that states and localities, not Uncle Sam, are better at addressing the needs of students in their communities. She encourages lawmakers to allow states to opt out of NCLB and make their own decisions on how their education dollars are spent.

In addition to creating flexibility for states, Burke says NCLB is full of duplicative and ineffective programs. By simplifying and reducing those programs, the government could reduce spending as well as compliance costs for states and localities.

In addition, Burke argues policymakers should do away with NCLB testing mandates as well as national standards and curriculum.

 

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