[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 21, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5206-S5207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               INNOVATION SCHOOLS DEMONSTRATION AUTHORITY

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I am joined by the chair and ranking 
member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to 
discuss one of my amendments, Whitehouse No. 2185, to the Every Child 
Achieves Act, which would establish an Innovation Schools Demonstration 
Authority. I thank them for their leadership on this important 
legislation and join them today to discuss the purpose of the 
amendment.
  Teachers and school leaders possess a unique understanding of the 
students and communities they serve. My amendment is intended to help 
schools address these unique needs through increased autonomy from 
local, State, and Federal regulations. In Rhode Island I have heard 
from school leaders who would like to extend the school day for 
struggling students, take ownership over school budgeting and financing 
or manage their school's human resources but are unable to do so 
because existing rules and regulations get in the way. The prospects of 
moving bureaucratic approaches at all three levels of government can be 
daunting, but this measure is designed to clear a path.
  Several States are already experimenting with increased school 
autonomy. In Massachusetts, where State law allows for innovation 
status, schools are already benefiting from regulatory flexibility. In 
Revere, MA, the Paul Revere Elementary School uses regulatory 
flexibility around staffing, budgeting, scheduling, and curriculum to 
operate a school model that emphasizes staff collaboration and 
differentiated instruction. In Falmouth, MA, the Lawrence School is 
using regulatory flexibility to improve its governance and 
decisionmaking structure in a way that emphasizes faculty input and 
satisfaction. In addition to Massachusetts, States as diverse as 
Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, and West Virginia have established State 
laws that promote innovation through autonomy.
  The Innovation Schools Demonstration Authority builds on these 
efforts by establishing a fast-track process to give public schools 
relief from the local, State, and Federal regulations that can be 
barriers to school-based innovation. The program is designed to serve 
existing public schools, specifically those where teachers, parents, 
administrators, and members of the community are working together to 
implement new, evidence-based models of teaching, learning, and school 
administration. When these existing schools are selected for innovation 
school designation, they will be able to obtain expedited relief from 
regulations that would otherwise prevent them from implementing their 
school vision.
  A key element of this program is that the whole school community 
wants to participate. Innovation schools must demonstrate support from 
administrators, parents, and at least two-thirds of the current 
teaching staff. They are encouraged to form advisory boards to bring 
community

[[Page S5207]]

expertise from businesses, higher education, and community groups, 
among others, into school planning, operations, and oversight. And, 
importantly, innovation schools will remain part of their local 
education authority, serving as laboratories for experimentation, the 
benefits of which can serve as a model for other schools in the 
district.
  Mrs. MURRAY. I thank Senator Whitehouse. As ranking member of the 
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, I support this 
amendment, which establishes a process for educators in traditional 
public schools to pursue innovative, community-inspired strategies to 
improve education. My home State of Washington has benefited from 
educator-initiated innovation through the Washington Innovative Schools 
Program. I am proud to say that we now have almost thirty designated 
innovative schools that are pursuing creative and innovative 
educational ideas with a high level of parent and community 
involvement. And while providing room for innovation is important, it 
is also essential that we maintain important Federal safeguards. This 
is why under this amendment, innovation schools must still comply with 
part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, title VI of 
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973. This program will ensure that we balance the need for 
flexibility while maintaining strong accountability.
  Mr. ALEXANDER. I thank Senator Whitehouse for his work on this 
amendment. The thinking behind the Innovation Schools Demonstration 
Authority is consistent with the approach we have taken throughout the 
Every Child Achieves Act: returning more decisionmaking authority back 
to our 100,000 public schools and promoting greater flexibility in 
achieving high standards. This pilot program would allow for the 
creation of autonomous schools that would operate under the same 
accountability standards as other schools in the school district; 
however, these innovation schools would be granted flexibility to 
increase student achievement in innovative ways to best serve the needs 
of their students. Through increased autonomy and flexibility, 
innovation schools may see some of the same demonstrated successes as 
charter schools.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I thank Ranking Member Murray and Chairman Alexander 
for their support. I hope this measure will meet all of our 
expectations and create great examples of innovative, student-centered 
public schools.

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