A Senate committee pushed an overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act a step closer Thursday, passing a rewritten version called the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015.
The vote by the Committee on on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, led by Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), gives hope that the Bush-era law, which expired in 2007, will finally be updated. Previous attempts have failed miserably.
Here are four things to know about the committee’s Every Child Achieves Act.
1. It Passed Unanimously, With Bipartisan Support. The measure was approved 22-0. Members of both parties praised the vote as a triumph of bipartisanship.
2. It Would Continue No Child Left Behind’s Emphasis On Standardized Tests. The No Child Left Behind Act relied on high-stakes testing, with consequences for poor scores. The Every Child Achieves Act continues this emphasis, requiring states to give students standardized math and English exams in grades three through eight, and once in grades nine through 12.
3. The Secretary Of Education Supports It. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement that he applauds the committee’s leaders and members “on the important steps taken this week.”
4. It Still Has A Long Way To Go. Before it can become law, the Every Child Achieves Act must pass the full Senate and House and be signed by the president. The future of the House version, called the Student Success Act, is uncertain.
Read the entire article by Rebecca Klein on the Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/senate-no-child-left-behind_n_7080736.html.
