U.S. Rep. Ron DeSanits, R-Fla., took aim at Common Core standards on Wednesday as he teamed up with U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., in looking to amend the Student Success Act.
DeSantis has been a critic of Common Core. Last month, hewas one of more than 30 co-sponsors of U.S. Rep. Joe Wilsons, R-S.C., Local Control of Education Act which would stop the Obama administration from making states adopt a specific curriculum, and would void any previous federal requirements established for states that have already adopted Common Core.
On Wednesday, DeSantis returned toward the need for local control of education when he and Walker brought out the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (A-PLUS) amendment. The Republican congressmen insisted their proposal would help state and local governments regain control over education by allowing them to opt out of federal education mandates.
The federal government should not be imposing mandates on states and local communities regarding K-12 education," DeSantis said on Wednesday. "The amendment that we are offering liberates states from burdensome and ineffective regulations, providing local communities with the flexibility to use federal education funding for programs that they believe will best increase the success of students in the classroom.
Innovation starts locally not in Washington, Walker said. Teachers and parents know best how to meet the unique needs of their children and students, and we have seen time and time again that Washingtons top-down approach does not work.
A-PLUS enables states the flexibility to completely opt out and dictate how to best utilize federal education funding, Walker added. This amendment to the Student Success Act is common-sense, conservative education reform that strengthens the broader legislation's goal of removing the federal government from classrooms.
The House is expected to vote on the Student Success Act later this week. Proposed by U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the Student Success Act looks to make revisions to No Child Left Behind. Democrats have been staunchly opposed to the proposal with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan slamming the Student Success Act earlier this week, claiming it will hurt low-income students.More than 10 Republicans are co-sponsors of the Student Success Act including U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
