Press Releases
Currently showing results related to K-12 Education
Bonamici, Casey Defend Community Voices in Education
04.03.17 WASHINGTON, DC [04/03/17] - Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Senator Robert Casey (D-PA), and members of the House and Senate Education Committees requested that the Department of Education enforce requirements in law that direct states and school districts to consult with local stakeholders while implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Last month, the Department removed stakeholder consultation requirements from its revised template that states must submit for federal a… Continue Reading
Democrats Push Trump Administration to Protect the Education of Undocumented Children
04.03.17 WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Reps. Bobby Scott (VA-03), John Conyers (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), and Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), the Ranking Members of the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, respectively, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly asking them to remind public schools that they are still required to educate un… Continue Reading
Scott Condemns Trump Administration’s Decision to Pull Funding for School Diversity
03.30.17 WASHINGTON, DC - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Education's decision to not fulfil grant awards to school districts seeking to make public schools more diverse: "The Trump Administration's decision to end the Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities Grant Program is not only disappointing, but also shortsighted. The Administration's assertion, as reported by the Washington Post, that using $12 million already appropriated federal funds is… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Condemn President Trump for Weakening Accountability for Students, Parents, Teachers and Communities
03.27.17 WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released the following statements today on President Trump signing two resolutions that significantly weakens both the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act and makes it more difficult for teacher candidates to make informed decisions on the quality of their teacher pre… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Students with Disabilities
03.22.17 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement today after the Supreme Court released their decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. The case addressed whether or not the school district provided a free, appropriate public education to a student with autism. Ranking Member Scott co-lead an amicus brief to the Court with Senator Patty Murray last fall, citing the extensive legislative history showing congressional intent to provide a meaningful bene… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Criticize Secretary DeVos on Rushed and Problematic State Plan Template
03.13.17 WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, released the following statement today on Secretary DeVos' state plan template, which does not require stakeholder engagement or public comment, raising a number of initial concerns about whether this template complies with the Every Student Succeeds Act. "We are disa… Continue Reading
Polis Statement on U.S. Department of Education’s Closed-Process for ESSA Implementation
03.13.17 WASHINGTON: Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Education's new application template for states to develop their accountability plans for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Department of Education's guidance follows the U.S. Senate's passage of H.J. Res 57, a resolution to overturn key accountability protections in ESSA. The new template removes a key requirement that states consult stakeholders when drafting the state plan. "Elim… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Call on Secretary DeVos to Implement Every Student Succeeds Act As Congress Intended
03.10.17 (Washington, D.C.) -Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today inquiring about the Department's proposed state template and encouraging the Department to make sure the plan complies with the federal guardrails the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) puts in place… Continue Reading
Polis Statement on Senate Passage of Resolution to Unravel School Accountability Measures
03.09.17 WASHINGTON: Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., released the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate passage of H.J. Res 57, a resolution to overturn key accountability protections in the Every Student Succeeds Act. "The Senate's vote today represents another example of Republicans chipping away at our bipartisan work on the Every Student Succeeds Act," Polis said. "The accountability provisions in the law represent critical civil rights protections for students and go hand-in-hand with the Depart… Continue Reading
Scott Denounces Senate Move to Weaken Public Education
03.09.17 WASHINGTON - Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Senate voted 50-49 to undermine civil rights protections in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). "Faithful implementation of the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act should not be a partisan issue. States and school districts want the stability and consistency provided by the Department of Education's consensus-driven regulations that Congressional Republicans h… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Push DeVos on Protections for Transgender Students
03.02.17 WASHINGTON - Earlier today, Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, led Committee Democrats in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos about the recent actions taken by the Trump Administration reversing critical guidance for protecting transgender students. The Members pushed Secretary DeVos to explain the discrepancy i… Continue Reading
Polis: CTE Programs Must Emphasize Equity, Provide Opportunity for All Students
02.28.17 WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, delivered the following statement during a hearing on career and technical education. Rep. Polis emphasized the need for a full bipartisan reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act. Key Excerpts from Rep. Polis' Remarks: "Unfortunately, after harmful sequestration cuts, public funding for CTE is at historic lows. It is c… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on DeVos Senate Confirmation
02.07.17 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Senate voted 51-50, to confirm Betsy DeVos as the United States Secretary of Education. "Our nation's next Secretary of Education is tasked with advancing a mission of equity, access, and accountability. That mission requires support for all students. Unfortunately, Betsy DeVos has failed to make a credible case that she will advocate for the 90 percent of students who attend our nation's public schools. No… Continue Reading
Scott Commends Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights for Diligent Work to Eliminate Discriminatory Barriers
12.08.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights issued its annual report for FY 2016, and a summary of their work to advance educational equity from 2009-2016: "The Office for Civil Rights reports released today shows much progress has been made during the Obama Administration to expand educational opportunity across the nation for all students. However, challenges do remain. The Department of Education's… Continue Reading
Scott Commends Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights for Diligent Work to Eliminate Discriminatory Barriers
12.08.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights issued its annual report for FY 2016, and a summary of their work to advance educational equity from 2009-2016: "The Office for Civil Rights reports released today shows much progress has been made during the Obama Administration to expand educational opportunity across the nation for all students. However, challenges do remain. The Department of Education's… Continue Reading
Scott, Murray Statement on Education Department’s Final Rule to Enhance Equity, Excellence in Schools
11.28.16 WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Education's final regulation on the accountability provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). "While we are disappointed that this final rule doesn't go as far as we would have hoped, we co… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Nomination of Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary
11.23.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump selected Betsy DeVos as his nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Education. "I congratulate Betsy DeVos on her nomination to lead the Department of Education. I hope to work with her to ensure all students have access to safe, diverse, high-quality public schools. The Department has a legacy of protecting and promoting the civil rights of students, and I will work diligently to … Continue Reading
SCOTUS: Led by Rep. Scott & Sen. Murray,118 Lawmakers File Bicameral Amicus Brief to Safeguard Rights of Students With Disabilities to Receive Meaningful Public Education
11.21.16 (Washington, D.C) - Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a bicameral group of 118 current and former Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the case of Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. Currently pending before the Supreme Court of the United States, this case focuses on what Congress i… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on Record Setting High School Graduation Rate
10.17.16 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the White House announced the high school graduation rate was at a record new high of 83.2 percent during the 2014-2015 school year: "Today's announcement is excellent news. I am particularly encouraged by the improvement among students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities, and what this means for closing achievement gaps. Although this is the highest rate on record, our information-base… Continue Reading
Davis, Scott, 10 Committee Members Introduce Bill to Strengthen Teacher Recruitment and Retention
10.04.16 WASHINGTON - Last week, Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53) introduced H.R. 6236, the Innovations to Recruit and Retain Excellent Teachers Act, legislation that will empower school districts to develop targeted recruitment and retention strategies ensuring that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status, are taught by an excellent, well-supported, and diverse teacher workforce. The bill is co-sponsored by Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) and 10 other members of the Committee on Education and … Continue Reading