John Kline

Reform of our educational system will take time and unwavering commitment.

We've got to empower parents.

We need to shift our focus to teacher effectiveness.

I think there is a pretty strong agreement amongst you sitting there and we sitting here that there were some really important positive things that came out of No Child Left Behind.

I still believe we have an incredible opportunity to take schools into the future with a proper reauthorization of ESEA.

It's time to reduce the federal footprint.

We must restore local control, and encourage the kind of flexibility states and school districts need.

In the coming months, we will again move forward with a proposal to rewrite No Child Left Behind.

These waivers are a short-term fix to a long-term problem.

It's time to change the law.

It is time to change the law.

Despite a monumental investment of taxpayer resources, student achievement levels are still falling short.

Strict mandates and red tape result in unprecedented federal intrusion in classrooms, stunting innovation.

The antiquated Highly Qualified Teacher requirements value tenure and credentials above a teacher's ability to actually teach.

Despite the best of intentions, we can now see clearly that our federal efforts haven't worked as we had hoped.

Without a doubt, 'Nation at Risk' could be considered the catalyst for the modern education reform movement.

Yes, the regulatory burden is adding to overall college costs.

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.

I do not support a shift from access to completion.

I think narrowing the options and choices that students have would erode the real value of college.

Our speaker has not yet arrived, so I will be ready to close after the gentleman from New Jersey. I reserve the balance of my time.

I would advise my colleague that the speaker we're waiting for has not yet arrived. I'm not sure how many speakers are left on your side. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

We have another speaker reportedly en route from another committee, so I will reserve the balance of my time and give him a chance to get here.

I am now pleased to yield 3 minutes to a member of the committee, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Rokita).

I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).