On the recordJuly 21, 2015
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.
Said by
Heidi Alexander
Labour Party
