Washington, D.C.—Following the enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act, a major education overhaul recently passed to replace No Child Left Behind, lawmakers are working to keep up the momentum for education reform. Today, Utah Governor Gary Herbert testified today before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on the state's progress in implementing this new legislation. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Senator Hatch, a longtime member and former Chairman of the Committee, authored several key provisions of the new law, and introduced the governor before the Committee:

Governor Herbert spoke about the importance of the bill to Utah, and the state’s effort to implement it in Utah classrooms 

The Every Student Succeeds Act returns decision-making power over education to state and local leaders, and it has attracted the support of every major education reform leader in Utah. The Wall Street Journal has described the bill as "the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century.” “Empowering local leaders, teachers, and parents to make decisions about their education system is the right thing to do,” Hatch said. “At the same time the bill maintains protections for our most vulnerable students without subjecting states to overbearing federal penalties. The status quo has left too many children behind. This bill makes significant improvements to give Utah students a better chance for a brighter future.”

Senator Hatch’s full statement, as prepared for delivery, is below.

Seeing all of you today, I can’t help but be reminded of what a truly bipartisan accomplishment this committee has achieved. It’s a pleasure to be with you, and I feel especially grateful to be here with a true statesman and a dear friend, Governor Gary Herbert.

As the Chair of the National Governors Association, Governor Herbert was indispensable in our efforts to advance ESSA. In fact, thanks to his advocacy, the National Governors Association fully endorsed this critical legislation last fall. This was the organization’s first full endorsement in nearly 20 years. Governors across the nation recognized that the expansive federal footprint in education created by No Child Left Behind and the subsequent waivers from the law severely dampened states’ abilities to innovate, improve, and adapt.

I know Utah has been waiting a long time to say goodbye to these top-down policies, and I look forward to working together to ensure that implementation of ESSA is consistent with the law the President signed.

Governors have a direct and real investment in the educational outcomes of their states. Through education, we can fight intergenerational poverty and jumpstart economic growth. I commend my home state of Utah for its proven record of finding new and targeted ways to improve education outcomes. Much of that credit goes to Governor Herbert. His work in education has been truly exemplary.

For example, Governor Herbert recently worked with leading aerospace companies in Utah to create the Utah Aerospace Pathways Program. This program allows high school students to graduate high school with an aerospace manufacturing certificate, which they can use to continue their education or find a job. This program has garnered so much interest that it spurred a diesel fuel sister program to rapidly address another emerging need in the state.

Programs such as these equip graduates with the 21st century skills they need to compete in a global economy. ESSA will continue to cultivate this innovation at the state level. In particular, initiatives such as the Evidence, Innovation, and Research Program and those allowable under the flexible Title IV block grant are purposely designed to allow thought-leaders to expand upon evidence-based, locally-grown initiatives.

Like many of you, I believe states should set their own standards and judge their schools according to student performance. When schools fail to meet those standards, states and localities should work with the schools to develop new strategies that promote student success. But it should be the role of the state and district—not the federal government—to intervene and determine how to help schools improve. Federal, top-down policies—though they may be well-intentioned—often overlook the unique tools and strategies that states already have to solve the problems at hand. You all are the ones who are directly responsible for carrying out this law, and we look to you for guidance.