James M. Jeffords: “Mr. President, my amendment will establish the Federal Government as a full partner in the assessments that are required…”

“Mr. President, my amendment will establish the Federal Government as a full partner in the assessments that are required under this bill. Earlier today, the Senate went on record, after 26 years, to fulfill its responsibility under IDEA. My amendment will ensure we do the same on testing, only we do it today, not 26 years later. If we want the States to undertake these extensive testing requirements, we should be willing to pay for them. Each Senator I have spoken to supports the thrust of this amendment--that we avoid creating yet another unfunded mandate, especially at a time when we are asking more and more of our schools. Good tests are not cheap. They must be aligned with the State's standard. They should measure higher order thinking, and they should constantly be improved. This bill will not just require testing in reading and math but will also require standards in history and science and an assessment later on in science. My amendment calls for close to $400 million in spending each and every year to help pay for the cost of developing and implementing assessments. If the money is not forthcoming, the State's obligation will be suspended until Congress meets its obligation. The exact cost of testing cannot be known. I can tell my colleagues with confidence that this amendment will cover the great majority of those costs. I urge my colleagues to give me their support.”