Providing a quality education to all students is critical to ensure every child is learning on grade level or better. I consistently guard against federal one-size-fits-all approaches that may not fit rural schools like we have in Wyoming.
We can achieve a quality education for all students with the help of quality teachers who play an integral part in a child’s education. Wyoming’s standards are set by the state. I do not want the federal government to set Wyoming’s or any state’s standards for our teachers and students. The federal government should not become a national school board.
I support the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It is working and has improved education in our country. Under NCLB, states set their own standards, create and implement annual assessments, and set the curricula taught to students. State standards should be linked to the curricula taught in the classroom. Within the curriculum, teachers are given the flexibility to meet the diverse needs of our students in their classrooms.
It is important to annually measure student proficiency in reading and math and to hold schools accountable for student achievement on those assessments. But just as we ask students and schools to continually improve, Congress needs to continually review and improve the law. As Ranking Member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, I will be actively involved in the renewal of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). When reviewing ESEA I will focus on the impact it has had on rural schools. I do not want unintended negative consequences on schools where there may be only 10 students and one teacher. No rural school or student should be left behind.
I strongly support legislation that offers support for the education of students with disabilities, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under the No Child Left Behind Act, the needs and academic potential of children with disabilities are a priority. The NCLB and IDEA work well together for students with disabilities. Both laws require states to include students with disabilities in state assessments and to have this information publicly available. IDEA requires schools to provide special education services to meet the needs of all students, while NCLB is designed to hold schools accountable for education results so that all students can achieve high standards.
School construction is better left to the states and local school districts to fund and oversee. Any construction funded by the federal government is subject to additional requirements that increase costs and decrease efficiency.
During the Cold War, our country was in an arms race. The United States also excelled in the space race. Today, our country is in another important race – “an education race” – and the United States must move faster in order to have a strong economy. American students must have all of the tools they need to complete a higher education and to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to become and remain competitive in a 21st century economy. Strong partnerships and alignment among K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, business, and government will help meet that need. I am working to find ways to encourage students to stay in school and prepare for and enter high-skill fields such as math, science, engineering, health, technology and critical foreign languages.
I want to make higher education more accessible and affordable for all of our nation’s students. A post-secondary certificate or degree is essential for students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to secure high-skill, high-wage and high-demand jobs. Through the reauthorization and oversight of important laws like Head Start, No Child Left Behind, the Career and Technical Education, the Higher Education Act and the Workforce Investment Act, all Wyoming students will have access to a lifetime of education and training opportunities that provide the knowledge and skills they need to be successful and that our employers need to remain competitive.
We can achieve a quality education for all students with the help of quality teachers who play an integral part in a child’s education. Wyoming’s standards are set by the state. I do not want the federal government to set Wyoming’s or any state’s standards for our teachers and students. The federal government should not become a national school board.
I support the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It is working and has improved education in our country. Under NCLB, states set their own standards, create and implement annual assessments, and set the curricula taught to students. State standards should be linked to the curricula taught in the classroom. Within the curriculum, teachers are given the flexibility to meet the diverse needs of our students in their classrooms.
It is important to annually measure student proficiency in reading and math and to hold schools accountable for student achievement on those assessments. But just as we ask students and schools to continually improve, Congress needs to continually review and improve the law. As Ranking Member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, I will be actively involved in the renewal of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). When reviewing ESEA I will focus on the impact it has had on rural schools. I do not want unintended negative consequences on schools where there may be only 10 students and one teacher. No rural school or student should be left behind.
I strongly support legislation that offers support for the education of students with disabilities, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under the No Child Left Behind Act, the needs and academic potential of children with disabilities are a priority. The NCLB and IDEA work well together for students with disabilities. Both laws require states to include students with disabilities in state assessments and to have this information publicly available. IDEA requires schools to provide special education services to meet the needs of all students, while NCLB is designed to hold schools accountable for education results so that all students can achieve high standards.
School construction is better left to the states and local school districts to fund and oversee. Any construction funded by the federal government is subject to additional requirements that increase costs and decrease efficiency.
During the Cold War, our country was in an arms race. The United States also excelled in the space race. Today, our country is in another important race – “an education race” – and the United States must move faster in order to have a strong economy. American students must have all of the tools they need to complete a higher education and to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to become and remain competitive in a 21st century economy. Strong partnerships and alignment among K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, business, and government will help meet that need. I am working to find ways to encourage students to stay in school and prepare for and enter high-skill fields such as math, science, engineering, health, technology and critical foreign languages.
I want to make higher education more accessible and affordable for all of our nation’s students. A post-secondary certificate or degree is essential for students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to secure high-skill, high-wage and high-demand jobs. Through the reauthorization and oversight of important laws like Head Start, No Child Left Behind, the Career and Technical Education, the Higher Education Act and the Workforce Investment Act, all Wyoming students will have access to a lifetime of education and training opportunities that provide the knowledge and skills they need to be successful and that our employers need to remain competitive.
Related Records
February 2013
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 02/14/13 | Alexander Announces Enzi, Burr and Isakson to Serve as HELP Subcommittee Republican Leaders |
January 2013
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 01/25/13 | March 6 deadline for Enzi U.S. Senate Summer 2013 Page Position application |
October 2012
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 10/02/12 | Nov. 6 deadline for Enzi U.S. Senate Spring 2013 Page Position application |
September 2012
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 09/24/12 | Spring internship opportunities for Senator Enzi's D.C. office |
June 2012
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 06/19/12 | Civil rights law's profound impact on women is far reaching |
May 2012
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 05/09/12 | Find bipartisan student loan fix by sending bills to committee |
| 05/07/12 | Reduce student loan rates by sacrificing future jobs? |
April 2012
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 04/30/12 | June 5 deadline for Enzi U.S. Senate Fall 2012 Page Position application |
March 2012
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 03/26/12 | States must reclaim leadership on education |
November 2011
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 11/08/11 | Enzi: More Changes Needed for School Reform Bill |
