Johnny Isakson: “as the last surviving person who served on the committee who wrote the original No Child Left Behind Act for the…”

“as the last surviving person who served on the committee who wrote the original No Child Left Behind Act for the Congress, I am delighted to be here on this day. I think this Senator speaks for every superintendent, every Governor, every parent, and every child to say thank you to Senator Alexander and Senator Murray. We knew when we wrote No Child Left Behind that if it worked, by the time the sixth year came, we would have to reauthorize it or else it would go from a net positive to a negative. We didn't reauthorize it, and AYP became a problem, good schools became needs- improvement schools, and the law worked backward. In fact, we have run education by waivers the last 6 years. The leadership of these two great Members of Congress. Seeing this bill through in the committee is a great testimony to working together, to finding common ground, and to our collective purpose of seeing to it that our children are the best educated children in the world. Senator Alexander, thank you. Senator Murray, thank you for what you have done. To the Members of Congress, the Senate will vote in a few minutes.…”