Marco Rubio Takes On Obama Administration over Education

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., hammered the Obama administration over education.

Rubio sent a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan regarding the administrations handling of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and forcing states to follow policies backed by the White House.

Our principal concern is that the executive branch does not possess the authority to force states into compliance with administration-backed reforms instituted through the issuance of waivers, Rubio maintained in the letter. We acknowledge that NCLB allows the secretary to grant waivers for existing provisions under the law, but nowhere does the law authorize waivers in exchange for the adoption of administration-preferred policies.

This initiative is an overstep of authority that undermines existing law, and violates the constitutional separation of powers, added Rubio. The responsibility for legislating lies with Congress, and forcing policy reforms through NCLB waivers violates this most basic of constitutional structures.