KENNEDY ON NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to Secretary Spelling’s announcement on No Child Left Behind this morning. “I’m glad that Secretary Spellings recognizes the need to adjust the No Child Left Behind Act. I wish President Bush was serious about funding it. The Act’s accountability and focus on every child has been instrumental in turning our national attention toward the worthy goals of closing achievement gaps and securing educational opportunity for all students. But schools need more than new pilot programs to respond to No Child Left Behind’s challenges. I commend Secretary Spellings for giving schools greater flexibility, but experience shows it won’t get us very far as long as the Bush Administration continues to shortchange its budget for school reform.”

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