Patty Murray: “It is a simple bill, essentially, that will allow some of our school districts to be more flexible with their education…”

“It is a simple bill, essentially, that will allow some of our school districts to be more flexible with their education dollars; for the liability for some of the waivers to be transferred from the Department of Education directly to the Governors, so the Governors in our States can provide some of the waivers based on some specific clauses that are in the bill. Essentially, it is a matter of paperwork being moved from the Nation's Capital to the Governors' desks. It is a bill, again, that is supported broadly. I have come to the floor numerous times over the last week to talk about an amendment which I hope to offer today regarding class size reduction. A year ago, the President talked about the most important goal in education, one of the most important goals we have--that of reducing class size in grades 1 through 3. Studies have shown us consistently that reducing class size in those grades makes a tremendous difference in the learning of young children--in their math, reading, language scores, and in their ability to go on to college.”