Ehrlich on Washington column, January 29, 2001

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 2 1 093 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of January 29, 200 1 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. A New Vision for Education Reform When President George W. Bush addressed the nation from the steps of the capitol on January 20Ih, he recommitted our nation to a noble endeavor - reclaiming America’s schools from an era of pessimism and under-achievement. He did so by sending to congress a new vision for education reform, one which dispels the “one-size-fits-all” policy of Washington’s bureaucracy and returns decision making authority to parents,. teachers, and local school leaders. The Republican-led 107lh Congress shares this new vision and is committed to building the mind and character of every child in America, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. President Bush’s education reforms will meet this challenge through the following initiatives; • Local Flexibility - Under the Bush plan, states, local school districts, and individual schools will have more freedom to spend federal education dollars in a manner they see fit, rather than on priorities set by bureaucrats in Washington; • Increased Accountability - States will be held accountable for improving student achievement through annual state assessments in reading and math for students in grades 3-8. These annual scores will give Maryland’s parents a clear assessment of their child’s performance in school each year; • Greater Options for Students in Failing Schools - There must be consequences for schools that persistently fail to meet accountability standards. Rather than force parents to send their child to a failing school, President Bush’s plan will let parents move their child to a successful public or private school; • Making Schools Safe Again - President Bush’s plan will provide states and local districts with increased access to flexible funds in return for creating and sustaining safe learning environments for our children, and; O-