Today, the Senate passed the Every Student Succeeds Act – my bipartisan bill to finally replace the badly broken No Child Left Behind law. It passed the House last week with strong bipartisan support, and now it’s headed to President Obama to be signed into law.
This is big news for students and families in Washington state.
When President Obama signs ESSA into law, it will reduce reliance on high-stakes testing and help make sure students and teachers in Washington state spend less time on test prep and more time on learning. It will expand access to preschool programs so more kids can start kindergarten on strong footing. And it will end the need for state waivers, which will give Washington state students, parents, and teachers some much-needed certainty about how schools are performing.
I am very proud that this new education law will help make sure that all students have access to a good education no matter where they live, how they learn, or how much money their parents make.
There is so much gridlock and dysfunction in Congress right now, but I was proud to work with Democrats and Republicans to get this done in a way that works for Washington state students and schools.
This new education law is a huge step forward for our students and families, but the work doesn’t end when this bill is signed. I am going to keep fighting for a strong education for our children, and I appreciate your thoughts and input as I do.
I look forward to keeping you informed as we continue to take steps forward.
Patty Murray
