{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://susanwbrooks.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/every-student-succeeds-act-passes-house-returns-authority-to-the-states", "Every Student Succeeds Act Passes House, Returns Authority to the States", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "IN", "Susan Brooks", "B001284", "susanwbrooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the House passed the conference report on S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a bipartisan, bicameral proposal that replaces No Child Left Behind policies. This legislation passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 359 to 64.\nThe agreement returns authority and discretion to the states, school districts, and parents; reins in the power of the Secretary of Education; and eliminates 49 duplicative or inefficient programs, Congresswoman Susan W. Brooks (R-IN05)said. Weve got to support an education system that emphasizes high standards, accountability for results, local control, transparency, and parental choice. This agreement is a good step in the right direction.\nThe ESSA would largely shift authority regarding education from the federal government to states and local districts. However, annual math and reading tests for students and public reporting of those testing results will still be required, and schools will be held accountable for closing achievement gaps between low- and high-income students. Under the new legislation, states will be required to determine their own academic goals and measures for academic progress, as well as make decisions about how to improve schools that are struggling. The legislation strongly supports Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education initiatives, including computer science, that will help close the existing skills gap and better prepare students for the careers of the future.\nSpecifically, the ESSA:\n Ends the Secretary of Educations ability to impose requirements on states and schools, and ends the era of conditional waivers.\n\tProhibits the Secretary of Education, or any agent of the federal government, from forcing or coercing states into adopting Common Core standards.\n\tMandates annual math and reading testing for students, and eliminates the federally-mandated strings attached to these assessments.\n\tEliminates the federally-mandated accountability system known as the Adequate Yearly Progress and restores the responsibility for holding schools accountable to state and local leaders.\n\tRepeals 49 duplicative and ineffective federal programs and requires the Secretary to reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy accordingly.\n\tEstablishes a block grant with existing federal dollars that states and school districts can use to fund local priorities.\n\tUses existing resources to promote better coordination and alignment across the state and federal pre-k initiatives, rather than creating a new program.\n\tProhibits the use of federal education dollars to fund abortion services.\n\tOffers parents more school choice improving the magnet school program and rewarding excellent schools that enroll students who are harder to serve.\n\tProvides a four year authorization of the law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://susanwbrooks.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/every-student-succeeds-act-passes-house-returns-authority-to-the-states"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5243629459291697, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}