UPDATE: 1061-Page No Child Left Behind Reauthorization Bill


United-States-Department-of-Education

Written by Laurie Higgins

This is an update and correction regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as No Child Left Behind. Late last week we reported on the passage of the 1,061-page U.S. House version of the bill (after only two days for the public to review it), titled Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA). We incorrectly reported that the bill was headed to the president as it passed the U.S. Senate in July. However, since the version of the bill passed in the U.S. House is different from the U.S. Senate version (Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA]), it goes back to the U.S. Senate for one more vote and, therefore, one more chance to stop it.

Problems with this bill include the following:

  • No provision for states to opt out of programs that fall under the ESSA.
  • No portability for Title I public school funds, therefore, limiting parental choice of schools.
  • Authorizes $250 million for a new federal preschool program to be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education.
  • Education spending levels rise in accordance with the Obama-Boehner budget deal that lifts spending caps and waives debt limit.

Rumor has it that this bill was rushed through the U.S. House with too little time for voters to read and digest it in order to protect Jeb Bush’s floundering campaign. Bush has admitted to helping re-write this bill that the Heritage Foundation strongly opposes.

Take ACTION:  Click HERE to contact Illinois’ U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk to ask them to reject S. 1177, also know as ESSA (or No Child Left Behind).


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