News Brief

02/07/13

Chiefs from KY and NY Call on Congress to Reauthorize ESEA in Testimony before U.S. Senate

By Kate Dando

On Thursday, February 7, chief state school officers from Kentucky and New York testified about the reform efforts they are advancing under their approved flexibility waivers before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). New York Education Commissioner John King and Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday called on Congress to promptly reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  The hearing, titled "No Child Left Behind: Early Lessons from State Flexibility Waivers," also included testimony from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Urgency to reauthorize ESEA continues to mount as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the most recent iteration of the law, has been due for reauthorization since 2007. Now 34 states and the District of Columbia have received approval from U.S. Department of Education to move beyond certain provisions of NCLB through flexibility waivers. Rather than backing down from accountability, states have built upon the positive aspects of NCLB by proposing new accountability systems that are more comprehensive, rigorous, and better designed to support continuous improvement for all districts, schools, and students.  Today, the Senate HELP Committee heard from states about implementing their proposed plans according to their ESEA Flexibility Waiver proposals.

In his testimony before the Committee, Kentucky Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday explained the focus of the state's waiver request, "Kentucky completed a waiver application that built on the key components of NCLB. We kept a focus on proficiency, achievement gaps, graduation rate, and annual progress. However, we moved to a more rigorous standard - college and career readiness for all students." 

New York Commissioner of Education, John King also addressed the Committee about waiver and reform implementation. "The waiver process helped align NCLB with New York's reforms.  It's given us the flexibility to use data effectively, move forward on teacher and principal evaluations and implement the Common Core. We're already seeing the benefits of the increased flexibility the waiver has given us.  New York is committed to reform; we're building a ladder toward our goal of graduating every student college and career ready," King said. "The waiver is helping us ensure that every rung on that ladder is strong enough for every student to reach the top. 

While the waivers have provided states the needed flexibility to continue advancing important reforms aimed at improving education for all students, states continue to call for ESEA reauthorization. Holliday asked Senators to "move toward reauthorization as soon as possible to provide concrete parameters for states for improving education systems to better serve students." Commissioner King echoed these sentiments, and said that "reauthorization...should build on the flexibility the waiver has already given us. He added that "if there's one area that Congress can act on to strengthen ESEA, it's early childhood education. That's the vital first step so many of our students are missing out on."

Click here to read Commissioner Holliday's written testimony and here to read Commissioner King's testimony.

For more information about State ESEA Flexibility Requests and waiver implementation, click here.