[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6430]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           WALBERG SUPPORTS STATE, LOCAL CONTROL OF EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TIMOTHY WALBERG

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 14, 2007

  Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, as a member of the Education and Labor 
Committee, this morning I attended a bi-cameral hearing on the 
reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act.
  In listening to testimony from various individuals today, it was 
impressed upon me that all of us involved are seeking the same goal: 
the best possible educational opportunities for our children.
  Today, at a time when our Nation lags behind other countries in math 
and science testing and the Federal government has a larger role in 
education than ever before, this Congress must find a way to give our 
schools greater flexibility, reduce the bureaucracy involved in 
education and ensure these opportunities really are being given to our 
children.
  In years past, Congress has attempted to solve problems in education 
by simply throwing piles of federal money into the education system.
  The original purpose of No Child Left Behind was to return some 
education policymaking authority to the states.
  Unfortunately, during the process of crafting, passing and enacting 
the legislation, No Child Left Behind took the form of a massive 
spending bill that increased the Federal government's presence in 
classrooms.
  As the Detroit News stated in a December 22, 2006 editorial, ``What 
our federal legislators come up with in the Nation's capital doesn't 
always translate well into the classroom.''
  The editorial continues, ``Michigan should have the flexibility to 
decide how and when to measure student progress.''
  My daughter-in-law is a hard-working and talented teacher who has 
experienced firsthand the problems No Child Left Behind creates for 
teachers, parents and students.
  As a classroom teacher forced to teach to the tests required by No 
Child Left Behind, she actually considered quitting because of the 
paperwork and restrictions imposed upon her. She struggled to have time 
to give individual attention to each of her ``special needs'' students.
  Ironically, she obtained her teaching position due to her performance 
the year prior as a ``permanent'' substitute teacher in a classroom. 
Because she was not required to fill out all the forms and paperwork 
required by No Child Left Behind, she excelled, and the school offered 
her a permanent position.
  In its origin, No Child Left Behind attempted to provide greater 
school choice and reduce Washington's involvement in education, but 
instead this expensive and largely unsuccessful legislation has 
broadened the scope of the Federal Government's role in education.
  Enshrined in our Constitution is the 10th Amendment, which reads, 
``The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, 
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States 
respectively, or to the people.''
  Federal control of education is listed nowhere in the Constitution, 
and in accordance with the 10th Amendment, education should be the 
responsibility of State and local governments.
  Because I believe each child's educational path should be determined 
by a child's parents, and not by the Federal Government, I am an 
original co-sponsor of the A-PLUS Act.
  The A-PLUS Act would give States, teachers and parents the freedom 
and authority to determine what educational path a student should take.
  As part of this legislation, States can opt out of Federal programs 
and State leaders decide how to use Federal education funds to improve 
student achievement.
  We all are seeking the best possible educational opportunities for 
our children, and the way to achieve this is let States and local 
communities be accountable for academic achievement and educational 
reforms.

                          ____________________