[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 104 (Friday, July 19, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1098-E1099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          STUDENT SUCCESS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TREY RADEL

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 18, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5) to 
     support State and local accountability for public education, 
     protect State and local authority, inform parents of the 
     performance of their children's schools, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. RADEL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of Mr. Luetkemeyer's 
amendment that expresses the sense of Congress that States and local 
education agencies should maintain the ability and responsibility to 
set curriculum and measure achievement for their students.
  This historically has been the case, but today, under current law, 
the Federal Government believes they should dictate policy at all 
levels of government.
  The Department of Education heavily incentivized and pressured States 
into adopting the Common Core State Standards Initiatives. These 
national standards and assessments ultimately determine the curriculum 
and teaching materials used in the classroom across the nation. Common 
Core is a one-size-fits-all approach to instructing kids from Florida 
to Alaska. Washington cannot demand a similar teaching style or test 
result from a teacher in Cape Coral as they would from one in 
Milwaukee.
  Common Core was adopted by many States through a heavy-handed waiver 
for the Administration's ``Race to the Top'' grant program and Title I 
funding. This ``Race to the Top'' program imposes a national K-12 core 
curriculum-testing program in return for funds. This top-down influence 
erodes state authority over education.
  We have little to show for the trillions we have spent on national 
education mandates. Failed federal education mandates have done enough 
damage and it is time to once again allow our public schools the 
freedom to make decisions on what is best for their students.

[[Page E1099]]

  Mr. Chair, you make the best decisions on how your child should be 
raised, where your child should go to school, and what your child 
should learn--not Washington bureaucrats. Teachers, principals and 
members of your local school boards, should run your child's classroom, 
school, and school district, not some random bureaucrat in Washington 
who has no clue about the challenges they face.
  You know what's best for your kids, not an empty suit thousands of 
miles away, and that is why I rise today to support Representative 
Luetkemeyer's efforts to fight for competitive excellence and 
innovation in our nation's education system.

                          ____________________