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For
Immediate Release Rep. Pitts Visits Avon Grove High School Pitts tours classrooms and meets with school administrators Washington– Today, Congressman Joe Pitts (PA-16) visited Avon Grove High School in West Grove. Pitts used the opportunity to visit with school administrators about federal education policy as well as tour some of the school’s classrooms. Congressman Pitts’ statement follows: “I think it is important to make regular visits to local schools in order to hear from teachers and administrators about their thoughts on education policy,” Congressman Pitts said. “It’s the principals and teachers that know what our students need, not bureaucrats in Washington. I need to keep in touch with the individuals who are directly engaged in our education system in order to understand what is most important and relevant to our education policy.” Background The No Child Left Behind law, first passed in 2001, is up for reauthorization during this session of Congress. Congressman Pitts is an original co-sponsor of alternative legislation, called the A-PLUS Act, H.R. 1539. Under 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. ### |
