[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 181 (Thursday, November 15, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H9533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Budd) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, this is American Education Week, and I rise to 
honor and thank the teachers and school administrators who have 
dedicated their lives to ensure our future generations are stronger 
than ever.
  There are over 50 million kids in our public schools today. Back in 
2015, before the Every Student Succeeds Act was signed into law, the 
Federal approach to education relied heavily on standardized testing to 
measure academic achievement. While I understand the importance of 
testing to measure academic growth from year to year, there should be a 
number of indicators for evaluating academic success and improvement 
for both schools and students.
  After that bill passed in 2015, the goal shifted from teaching 
children more efficiently to inspiring lifelong learning in students. I 
applaud educators for embracing this goal, and I am hopeful that this 
approach will better prepare millions of students for the challenges 
that await them in life and in the workforce.
  While on the subject of Federal education, we cannot avoid the debate 
over the amount of taxpayer money we send to schools throughout the 
country. There is and always will be bipartisan agreement that we 
should make sure schools have the resources they need in order to be 
successful. But in the coming appropriations cycle, and in future ones, 
we must also remember that additional spending does not necessarily 
improve student performance. This has been proven time and time again, 
Mr. Speaker.
  One data point I would refer folks to is high school graduation 
rates, which have remained stagnant since the 1970s. What we have seen 
is very unfortunate: the system continues to grind forward, with costs 
going up each year and our efficiency going in the opposite direction.
  I will continue to fight for education reforms aimed at improving 
resource allocation and boosting student performance. Recognizing the 
shortfalls within our K-12 education may not be a popular talking 
point, but I think it is worth emphasizing the need to act responsibly 
and address the problems students, parents, and educators face.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by saying two things. The first is 
a simple thank you to the teachers, including those teachers in my own 
family, who have dedicated their life to serving students. Your hard 
work does not go unnoticed. The second thing is that I will work hard 
to improve our education system for students in my district and around 
the country.

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