House Passes Republican K-12 Education Reform Bill

Employee Relations

The House of Representatives this week passed an education bill to replace No Child Left Behind that would significantly limit the reach of the federal government in K-12 education.  The Student Success Act (H.R. 5) which passed on a partisan vote, would, among other things, replace the current national accountability system created by No Child Left Behind with state-led accountability systems, prevent the Secretary of Education from "coercing" states into adopting Common Core standards or assessments, and expand school choice options by continuing support for magnet schools and charter schools.  In praising the House passage of the bill, House Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN), said, "For too long, Washington's priorities have outweighed what parents, teachers, and local leaders know is best for their children.  Today, we took an important step in a bold, new direction."  Chairman Kline also noted, "After years of working with education stakeholders and members of Congress, I'm pleased the House has advanced responsible reforms that would give the American people what they deserve: a commonsense law that will help every child in every school receive an excellent education."