Miller, Kennedy Statements on No Child Left Behind Anniversary

Monday, January 8, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative George Miller (D-CA), the chairmen of the Senate and House education committees, met with President George W. Bush at the White House today to discuss the upcoming reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind education law, which was signed into law five years ago today, on January 8, 2002. Kennedy and Miller released the following statements after the meeting today:

"We need to ensure that No Child Left Behind works for our students," said Kennedy. "We've learned a lot from the past five years, and we know changes are needed to help improve and strengthen the law. Today's meeting with President Bush was productive, but it's time to see some action. The reauthorization process is critical to ensuring a bright future for American students."

"The No Child Left Behind Act has brought important changes to our public education system - for example, by shining a spotlight on the persistent achievement gap that exists among different groups of students in our country," said Miller. "But if we are going to fulfill our original commitment to children and parents, then the law, its implementation, and its funding must be improved. For the last five years, we've been hearing from parents, students, educators, and experts on how the law can be improved, and we look forward to working with them to improve it.  The House education committee will begin now to prepare for a renewed education law that is fitting for a nation as great as ours.  I look forward to working with the President and Secretary Spellings and I urge them to join us in the commitment to devote the resources necessary to making our nation's public schools as successful as they must be."

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