House Committee on Education and Labor
U.S. House of Representatives

Education Issues

Parental Choice

Empowering parents is a key component in the fight to ensure our nation’s children are receiving a quality education.  Republicans have made great strides to ensure that all parents – not just the wealthy – have an opportunity to make a real choice when it comes to their children’s education.  By expanding parental choice, congressional Republicans also are encouraging competition to provide the highest quality education at all school – public or private.

Momentum is unquestionably on the side of the parental choice movement.  Under the No Child Left Behind Act, Congress enabled students trapped in underperforming schools to exercise public school choice options and receive supplemental education services, such as private tutoring.  In cities like Cleveland, parental choice programs have been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, and Congress also has established the first federally-funded school choice program in Washington, D.C. – the greatest school choice battlefield of them all.  Capitalizing on these efforts, congressional Republicans in the 109th Congress introduced the Opportunity Scholarships for Kids Act, legislation that would expand the spirit of the D.C. school choice program nationwide.  Now, in the 110th Congress, Republicans will aim to continue building on these new options for parents and ensure that all parents have the opportunity to choose what is best for their children's education.

Press Releases

McKeon Selected as Education and Labor Committee’s Senior Republican for 111th Congress (December 10, 2008)

Republican Leaders Express Strong Support for District of Columbia Education Package (June 16, 2008)

McKeon Touts Republican Economic Plan (June 11, 2008)

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Fact Sheets

The Charter School Program Enhancement Act (June 28, 2007)

Reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act: Top Ten House Republican Priorities (June 25, 2007)

The Improving Supplemental Education by Ensuring Parental Awareness Act (May 7, 2007)

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Dear Colleagues

“Hopefully Congress will focus on the kids, not the politics…” (June 11, 2008)

Defend Parental Rights in Education (May 13, 2008)

Protect Educational Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital (May 13, 2008)

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Committee Statements

Keller Statement: Hearing on "Workforce Investment Act: Recommendations to Improve the Effectiveness of Job Training" (June 28, 2007)