Pete Sessions: “I am excited and pleased about the direction this Senate is attempting to go in reforming Federal involvement and…”

“I am excited and pleased about the direction this Senate is attempting to go in reforming Federal involvement and participation in education today. I have been traveling my State since January. I have been in 15 different schools. I have been impressed with what the teachers and principals are trying to do. There are a lot of good things happening in a lot of schools all over America. But I hear more and more frustration from those people who are dealing with our children in our classrooms, who know our children's names, who are answerable to our people in our communities to run education. They are very frustrated that what we are doing in Washington complicates their lives, makes them more difficult, and frustrates their ability to actually teach children. I know some of my friends on the other side of the aisle so frequently use the word ``accountability.'' They say ``we need accountability--accountability.'' I have been listening to that. Not too long ago it finally dawned on me--I have been in this body for just over 3 years, on the Education Committee just over 1 year--what they define as accountability. They define accountability as a Federal program that mandates precisely how the money is spent. That is not accountability. Accountability is, when money is coming from the Federal Government, the State government, the city government, and the county government: Is learning occurring? Are children learning?”