WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma), the lead Democrat on the House Education subcommittee that handles all elementary and secondary education legislation, gave an opening statement at the first in a series of Congressional hearings to the reauthorization of the “No Child Left Behind Act.”   The hearing was earlier today in the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee on Capitol Hill.

The following are U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey’s words as written for today’s hearing:

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for beginning this series of hearings on next year’s reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  I also would like to thank Ranking Member Miller, and Subcommittee Chairman Castle.  I look forward to working closely with each of you on this reauthorization to rewrite what needs to be fixed and keep what is working.

“Ensuring that each child receives a world-class education is the right thing to do for our children - it is an essential investment in our country’s future.

“But, the President and this Congress have under-invested in the No Child Left Behind Act by $40 billion and counting.  In fact, the only thing about NCLB funding that has increased every year is the gap between what the President and Congress promised our children and what they have provided our children.  So, we need to hold ourselves accountable and keep our promise to fully fund NCLB.

“But, we also have to ask hard questions about the law itself.  We all agree with the law’s goal of closing the achievement gap, and the increased public focus on that issue has been extremely positive throughout the nation.  But, we must ask whether, beyond highlighting the problem, the law is helping schools to fix the problem.

“I look forward to hearing testimony today and in the coming months from students, parents, teachers, principals, administrators, and others who deal with the law every day.   I have spoken extensively with parents and educators in my district - people who are dedicated to the success of every student - and many of them tell me that NCLB has become a tool to label schools, not always accurately, rather than a tool to help students.  I know that those concerns are not limited to my district, which is why I believe this reauthorization is so critical.

“My priorities for reauthorization are a law that is fair, flexible, and fully funded, and the result of a process that includes all perspectives both on current law and on how best to educate our children.  That will give the law the credibility it needs from all participants in our children’s education in order to succeed.

“Mr. Chairman, I believe that today can mark the beginning of such a process.   I also want to thank you for making arts education one of today’s topics.

"Recent reports suggest that in many schools, NCLB has resulted in more time for math and reading and less for arts and history, and that these trends may be more pronounced in high-minority schools.  I have heard this from my district as well.

“Representative Castle and I recently encouraged the Department of Education to conduct a survey on the extent of arts education in our public schools.  This is not about minimizing the importance of math and reading - which are essential - but about ensuring that every child has access to a well-rounded education.

“So, I look forward to hearing our witnesses’ thoughts on the integration of arts education and other subjects throughout the curriculum. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”