David Durenberger: “Both Commissioner Powell and Superintendent Hutchinson told me during our recent meetings that the last thing they need…”

“Both Commissioner Powell and Superintendent Hutchinson told me during our recent meetings that the last thing they need to achieve improved student performance is another round of federally required mandates and rules telling them how to do their jobs. Educators in Minnesota want fewer mandates, not more. And, they want the flexibility to decide themselves how to produce the improvements in student performance that all of us--including the authors of this amendment--are so deeply committed to achieving. Mr. President, concerns about the role of opportunity to learn standards have been at the heart of the debate over this legislation since even before it was introduced. And, the administration, the Nation's Governors, and many Members of this body in both parties have worked hard to clarify the role that opportunity to learn standards will play in meeting the objectives of this bill. Quite frankly, Mr. President, my preference would be to strike opportunity to learn standards from this bill entirely.”