March 15, 2007

Congressman Pitts Supports Bill to Allow States to Opt Out of No Child Left Behind

Legislation would restore funding flexibility to local communities

Washington—Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16), who recently held a series of listening sessions with educators in the 16th Congressional District, announced today that he will cosponsor legislation to give states the ability to opt out of the No Child Left Behind Act.  The Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act of 2007 (A-PLUS Act), introduced this week, provides states and their local communities maximum flexibility to determine how to improve academic achievement and implement education reforms, free from burdensome federal regulations.

“Having listened to local educators’ feedback on No Child Left Behind, I’ve come to the conclusion that we must give state and local leaders more control over education policy,” Congressman Pitts said.  “Current law ties the hands of local educators by attaching one-size-fits-all regulations and requirements to federal education funding.  The A-PLUS Act lifts these restrictions and helps ensure that education policy is set by those who best know what local schools need to succeed.”

Further information on the A-PLUS Act

Each state would have the option to submit to the Secretary of Education a declaration of intent, which would authorize the participating state to assume full responsibility for the educational needs of its students.

Through the declaration of intent, a participating state could combine funds from certain federal education programs to be administered at the state level into one funding stream.  A participating state would be freed from the requirements of each federal program, allowing the state to use the federal funds on state-driven initiatives to advance its educational priorities.  

A state electing not to submit a declaration of intent would be required to comply with the individual federal program mandates as established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

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