Heidi Alexander: “I urge a ``no'' vote. This bill is about reversing the trend toward a national school board. The amendment of the…”

“I urge a ``no'' vote. This bill is about reversing the trend toward a national school board. The amendment of the Senator from Utah is about more of a national school board. The Alexander-Murray bill expressly says that a State may decide whether to allow parents to opt out of these tests. The Senator's amendment says: Washington knows best; it will tell States what the policy should be. That is like common core. Our bill says: We are eliminating the Washington mandate on common core. He would reinstate a Washington mandate on the opt-out policy. I would say this to my Republican friends: Do we only agree with local control when we agree with the local policy? Art Laffer says: States have a right to be right. States have a right to be wrong. A ``no'' vote is a vote for local control. A ``yes'' vote is a vote for a national school board. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.”