Heidi Alexander: “the conference agreement to replace No Child Left Behind, the Every Student Succeeds Act, takes unprecedented steps to…”

“the conference agreement to replace No Child Left Behind, the Every Student Succeeds Act, takes unprecedented steps to rein in the Secretary of Education and put the power for education decisions back in the hands of parents and State and local officials. By passing this legislation, it clearly becomes Congress' intent that States be solely responsible for the development and implementation of, and decisions regarding, all aspects of their State accountability systems. This is an intentional and deliberate act to eliminate the ability of the Secretary of Education to use regulatory power or guidance to add new requirements or conditions to State systems that are outside of the specific language in statute. The legislation prevents the Secretary from influencing, forcing, or coercing a State to adopt specific standards in many ways, including the following: First, officers and employees of the Federal Government--including the Secretary of Education--are prohibited from conditioning the receipt of any funds, through grants, contracts, or agreements on the adoption of any academic standards, including Common Core. Second, States do not have to submit their standards to the Secretary for review or approval. Third, the Secretary is prohibited from exercising any direction or supervision over a State's academic standards.…”