Todd Rokita: “As I read the gentlewoman's amendment, I see that it will protect title II funding to high poverty school districts.…”

“As I read the gentlewoman's amendment, I see that it will protect title II funding to high poverty school districts. Now, although the Student Success Act, which we are debating here on the House floor right now, funds school districts on an equal playing field--basing the formula on a 50 percent poverty and a 50 percent population ratio--it is important to protect funding to high poverty school districts. The amendment will not allow the new title II formula to go into effect until the Secretary certifies that funding to these school districts is protected at fiscal year 2013 levels and that new money allotted will be allocated on a 65 percent poverty and a 35 percent population formula. The bottom line is that, in using these funds, the Student Success Act gives States and school districts the flexibility to decide how they want to spend their money. This is not our money. This is the property of the States and the States' residents. Funds flow over to the State and local levels so they can set their own priorities for programs that they want to fund to meet the needs of their students. This ensures superintendents, principals and teachers are the ones making funding decisions--not Washington bureaucrats or even the Secretary of Education--that benefit students. Public and private entities can also apply to the State, in partnership with school districts, for funds to run innovative programs focused on teacher and school leader preparation and development.…”