Patty Murray: “Senator Wellstone brings us an amendment today that really gets to the very heart of this bill, helping our schools…”

“Senator Wellstone brings us an amendment today that really gets to the very heart of this bill, helping our schools ensure that no child is left behind. Some seem to think the heart of this bill is testing, but I have to say as a parent and former educator I know testing alone will not ensure that one additional child learns to read. Testing alone will not help our Nation's students learn to add and subtract. The heart of this bill must be a true effort by the Federal Government to serve as a partner to our States and to our local communities, offering every child a high-quality education and true chance to succeed. In 1965, when the Federal Government first recognized its special responsibility to provide additional resources to help the most disadvantaged students, we determined a level of support that was necessary to ensure that every child would succeed. Since that time, we have failed over and over again to really give them that support. That is what this Wellstone amendment is about: ensuring we finally meet our commitment to those children.”