WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the Every Student Succeeds Act, a bill to re-write federal education laws known as “No Child Left Behind.” The bill now heads to the White House, where President Obama is expected to sign it into law.
“Fourteen years after No Child Left Behind (NCLB) became law, I’m pleased that Congress has finally come together to make important reforms to this outdated legislation,” said Senator Coons. “The Every Student Succeeds Act is not perfect, but it contains important provisions that reduce some of the most rigid requirements under NCLB and gives states and school districts more flexibility to serve the needs of their students. Just as importantly, this bill gives Delaware teachers and administrators the certainty they need to make long-term plans for their classrooms.
“The federal government has a critical role to play in ensuring that all students are held to the same high standards and partnering with states and localities to find new ways to better serve their students. While I still have concerns that the accountability provisions in this bill could allow some states and school districts to ignore certain groups of students, I believe this bill is an improvement from current law and that the accountability provisions have been strengthened from the Senate bill that was passed earlier this year.
“On balance, the Every Student Succeeds Act is a step forward for teachers, parents, and students in Delaware. This bill was negotiated in good faith by Republicans and Democrats, and I’m pleased that at such a divisive time, we have succeeded in putting politics aside for the sake of our nation’s students.
“While I’m also disappointed that the final version of this legislation didn’t include the American Dream Accounts Act — a bill I introduced with Republican Senator Marco Rubio to create a federal pilot program that awards grants to organizations and partnerships that help low-income students prepare for college — I will continue to fight to pass that important legislation through the Senate.”