A House and Senate Conference Committee has agreed to a new version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act which, if adopted, would replace the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) passed in 2001.

The new bill, known as the Every Student Succeeds Act, returns education decision-making to the state and local levels and ends the punitive federal requirements of NCLB.

Since this is a conference committee report, it must be adopted by both chambers to become law. A vote in the House is expected as early as Thursday, December 3 with Senate action to follow. No amendments are permitted in adopting a conference committee report.

NEA supports the new bill and is calling on Congress to adopt it. KNEA is calling upon members to contact their Representative and urge a YES vote on the Every Student Succeeds Act.

NEA’s press release on the bill

NEA supports the Every Student Succeeds Act

New education bill would create greater opportunity for every student to succeed

November 30, 2015                                                                                                        

WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. Senate and House conference committee released to the public legislative language of a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for the first time in years. The bill is now known as the Every Student Succeeds Act. The House of Representatives is planning to take up ESSA this week. The Senate is expected to follow next week.

NEA President Lily Eskelsen García issued the following statement:

NEA is supportive of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Students have suffered long enough under the broken system of test and punish created by the No Child Left Behind Act. We are encouraged that this new bill will help to create greater opportunity for every student to succeed, regardless of their ZIP code.

In particular, the bill includes student and school supports in state accountability plans to create an opportunity ‘dashboard’; reduces the amount of standardized testing in schools and decouples high-stakes decision making and statewide standardized tests; and ensures that educators’ voices are part of decision making at the federal, state and local levels.

We look forward to working with members of both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to ensure that we produce a final bill that, when signed by the president, gives every student the opportunity, support, tools, and time to learn.

 

Contact YOUR U.S. Representative and urge support for the Every Student Succeeds Act!

Find your U.S. Representative Here:  http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

Contact your  U.S. Representative here:

Lynn Jenkins:  lynn.jenkins@mail.house.gov  202-225-6601  https://lynnjenkins.house.gov/contact-me

Kevin Yoder:  kevin.yoder@mail.house.gov  202-225-2865  https://yoder.house.gov/contact/email-me

Mike Pompeo: mike.pompeo@mail.house.gov 202-225-6216 http://pompeo.house.gov/contact/