CER Issues Policy Perspective on ESEA Reauthorization
VETERAN EDUCATION REFORM GROUP ISSUES POLICY PERSPECTIVE ON ESEA REAUTHORIZATION
CER Outlines A Course of Action for Congress
CER Press Release
Washington DC
June 20, 2012
Calling the actions of both parties and chambers of Congress on ESEA inadequate, The Center for Education Reform (CER) today released a “Policy Perspective” that identifies the biggest deficiencies of current deliberations and the lack of evidence based results behind the policy prescriptions in both chambers’ efforts to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
“With more than 60 billion dollars on the table, there must be firm consequences for federal spending at state and local levels. The Democrats are right that some accountability for spending must be in place, but it’s not the kind that simply mandates well-written plans and promises of reform. The Republicans are right that flexibility in state education policy is critical to real reform, but local control is a hallow theme when it is both school board groups and teachers unions doing the controlling.”
“There must be accountability, and high standards and consequences for spending and whether or not states meet the criteria set forth should be cause for more money, or cutbacks. Such criteria, however, must be simple, based on results, and reforms incentivized but not prescribed. Until both parties get that formula right, we are wasting the American people’s time,” says the Center’s leadership in “A Course of Action for the Next Generation of ESEA.”
The first of several “Policy Perspectives” to be released over the next week, the Center’s leadership will outline a course of action intended to reset Congressional action and unite people on both sides of the issue to ensure the federal commitment to K-12 education results in better student outcomes, not a focus on inputs that only affects adults and association jobs.
