James M. Jeffords: “with the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, there has always been broad support for the…”

“with the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, there has always been broad support for the Federal Government to provide assistance and leadership to the States and localities, the entities that serve as the primary sources for implementing our education system. Over these past 36 years, we have had thoughtful debates regarding the Federal role in both establishing and overseeing education policy. Through these spirited discussions, we have tried to create initiatives that emphasize excellence for all students. Over the past 3 years, the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has closely examined elementary and secondary education. In the 106th Congress, two dozen hearings were held regarding the ESEA reauthorization. One of the very first hearings the committee held this year featured Secretary Paige and focused on the President's education initiative. All 20 members of the HELP Committee worked together to draft S. 1 and unanimously voted the bill out of committee. Following committee action, I and several of my colleagues worked with the White House to further refine the committee bill that has now passed the Senate. S. 1, the Better Education for Students and Teachers Act, begins a new chapter that not only sets goals designed to improve student performance, but provides a road map for achieving those goals.”