Mike Levin: “for nearly 2 months the Senate has been debating reform measures that would establish new goals for our teachers, our…”

“for nearly 2 months the Senate has been debating reform measures that would establish new goals for our teachers, our schools, our students and their parents. These substantial and creative measures passed the Senate today as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The legislation focuses on improving student achievement, student performance, and school success through expanding accountability provisions, increasing resources, improving technical assistance, and providing mechanisms intended to help turn around schools which are falling short. The bill seeks to ensure that local education agencies and States have the resources over the next four years to put a highly qualified teacher in every classroom. This provision also includes an amendment that I offered which provides that the professional development training authorized for these teachers also include training in the use of computer technology to improve student learning in core academic subjects. The bill also provides for over 125,000 new teachers to be paired with mentors and to have the opportunity for year-long internships. The Reading First provisions of the legislation authorize an important new initiative that provides nearly $1 billion for States and local school districts to improve reading education, and help teachers get ready to ensure that all children become proficient readers by the end of the third grade.”