Miller Statement on Obama’s New Waivers to NCLB
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement after President Barack Obama announced today that he would allow states to apply for waivers from certain parts of No Child Left Behind in exchange for adopting reforms that include college and career ready standards, new accountability, school improvement systems and meaningful teacher and school leader evaluations.
“President Obama has presented states, schools, parents, students and teachers a tremendous opportunity to bring their schools into the 21st century. The Administration has provided an avenue for real reform and real change in schools. Schools and states should no longer be held back by the restricted, outdated burden of No Child Left Behind. It’s a law that is 10 years old and is simply not providing the support to help bring our schools to the future.
“President Obama is telling states and schools to set the bar high for our students, support balanced and more flexible accountability systems and to modernize the teaching profession through rigorous but fair evaluation systems.
“This is about an opportunity to those states that want to make the decision to provide high performing schools for their kids and for their economy.
“These waivers present an opportunity for communities to escape the cycle of poverty. It’s an opportunity to ensure our students are ready to compete not only for the jobs of today but also the jobs of tomorrow. And it’s an opportunity to demand greater skills and higher levels of achievement. Many parents have been waiting far too long to know how and when their children’s school will improve and know their school is preparing their children to succeed in college or the workplace. These parents know that the education their children receive today will directly impact their own future economic security and, therefore, that of the nation.
“I applaud President Obama and Secretary Duncan for giving schools the relief they so desperately need. A full comprehensive reauthorization is everybody’s first choice and something I hope to continue working toward but in the absence of action by Republicans in Congress, President Obama is outlining a path to success for our country and our economy with these waivers.”
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