No Child Left Behind Bill Clears Senate Panel

By Adrianna McGinley

A group of Senators voted Thursday to send legislation overhauling the national No Child Left Behind law to the floor for a full Senate vote.

The vote in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee was 15-7.

The bipartisan bill introduced by Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) would limit government supervision of the nation’s 100,000 public schools to the lowest-performing five percent of schools. 

The legislation also proposes changing the way schools and teachers are evaluated as well as testing requirements for students.

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Pelosi: Obama's Done His Part, Now It's Congress' Turn

Soon after President Obama presented his American Jobs Act to Congress on Monday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) followed suit and released the following statement urging fellow members of Congress to schedule immediate action and hearings on the President’s legislation:

“President Obama has done his part: soon sending the American Jobs Act to Congress to create jobs, strengthen small businesses, rebuild America, and grow our economy now. We must take up and pass this legislation without further delay.

“For more than 250 days in the majority, House Republicans have failed to offer a jobs agenda. They now have the opportunity to change course, to pass the American Jobs Act, and to put people to work. 

“Our nation’s families, workers, entrepreneurs, teachers, police officers, firefighters and veterans must not and cannot wait any longer; they cannot afford political gamesmanship.  Democrats are prepared to act now on the American Jobs Act, which is fully paid for. Republicans must join us to address the American people’s top priority: job creation.”

Obama Calls For New Performance Measures For Teachers

President Obama took a swipe at teacher’s unions during a speech to members of the National Urban League this morning. Obama said installing new performance measures for teachers would produce more accountability, and make the nation’s education system a better one. Critics of Obama’s “Race to the Top” plan claim that pushing states to focus on education will take away from programs that need more attention in this economy. My colleague Benny Martinez will have more on the speech in just a bit…

-Rob Sanna