Politics

Chairman Miller Responds to Bush Administration on No Child Left Behind

By Jesse Lee

From the Education and Labor Committee in response to Education Secretary Margaret Spellings:

Chairman Miller Responds to Bush Administration on No Child Left Behind

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) issued the following response to remarks made today by U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings on the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind. Miller, the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, has been leading efforts in the House to significantly improve No Child Left Behind.

?Today Secretary Spellings said we are at a tipping point for the future of education in this country. I could not agree more.

?However, it is baffling that the Bush administration?s sudden sense of urgency to change the law is coming on the heels of our Committee?s efforts to significantly improve No Child Left Behind. Over the last year, we have offered the President many opportunities to work with us in good faith. Instead, he has refused to take part in any meaningful negotiations and has vetoed a much needed increase in education funding. It is extremely disappointing that the President continues to ignore the fact that No Child Left Behind is severely underfunded, which continues to undermine the promise and potential of the law.

?We simply won?t be able to improve our public schools as long as President Bush continues to deprive states and schools of the resources they need to succeed. With his upcoming ? and final ? budget, the President has one last chance to demonstrate a real commitment to strengthening schools by providing a long overdue education funding increase. I am committed to making accountability in our schools fair and flexible, and hope that President Bush will finally join this effort by supporting both the reforms and the funding needed to build a strong and innovative future for our students and our country.?

Full post as published by The Gavel on January 10, 2008 (boomark / email).