releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=46790a23-e224-401f-af6e-d1206ea16237
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=46790a23-e224-401f-af6e-d1206ea16237 | Heitkamp Helps Pass Key Bipartisan Education Reforms Supporting Academic Success for ND Students | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | ND | Heidi Heitkamp | H001069 | www.heitkamp.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today helped pass key reforms she fought to include in the bipartisan federal education bill, which will help children across the country access the support, resources, and protections they need to thrive academically. The education bill that passed in the House last week and Senate today, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), is a bipartisan, compromise that will make critical reforms to the fundamentally flawed No Child Left Behind Act. Once enacted, the bill will roll back burdensome federal requirements in the law, instead providing states and school districts in North Dakota and across the country with the flexibility and control local education leaders need to determine the best education methods for the communities they know best. The bill will continue to protect the nations most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, including Native students. Heitkamp successfully pushed to include crucial reforms that were maintained in the final legislation and are now headed to the presidents desk for his signature including her landmark language to give educators the tools they need to combat human trafficking in schools, prevent suicide, and provide trauma-informed learning environments. She also fought to make sure students in rural and disadvantaged areas have better access to comprehensive learning like after school and early education programming, and successfully protected Native students abilities to access educational opportunities administered by their tribes. Heitkamp also defended tribal language immersion programs that have been proven to boost academic performance and school attendance, as well as local community pride. Children in tribal communities and rural towns across North Dakota have limitless potential they simply need the right tools, resources, and protections to achieve, said Heitkamp. Thats exactly the kind of legislation Congress passed today finally reforming the deeply flawed No Child Left Behind Act, while protecting key resources I fought for and helped pass. Instead of being tied to overly burdensome federal regulations, North Dakota schools will be able to determine the education methods that work for students in the communities they know best. Schools will also be better equipped to help protect their students from suicide and from falling prey to fast-spreading crimes like human trafficking. By continuing to invest in trauma-informed, culturally focused, safe learning environments like the solutions I worked to include and maintain in todays final bill, we can prioritize individualized learning that fosters healthy minds, hearts, and academic excellence for years to come. Just last month, Heitkamp urged Republican and Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate negotiating the final version of the ESSA to protect the provisions she fought for and successfully included in the Senate bill that passed in July. Her work promoted equal access to educational opportunities for all students, including those living in tribal and rural communities, as well as support programs that prepare educators to help their students fight the unique challenges they face. Specifically, Heitkamps provisions that she worked to include in the final bill would: Address and prevent human trafficking in schools. Heitkamps provision would help improve school climates and make sure teachers have the training they need to provide trauma-informed teaching as well as prevent violence and suicide, and raise awareness to prevent human trafficking of children in schools. Without Heitkamps work to include anti-trafficking provisions, such resources would not have been specifically addressed in the education bill. Improve Native student academic achievement. Heitkamp pushed to support programs aimed at strengthening the role of tribes and tribal organizations to better reflect the needs of Native students. She also supported a policy to strengthen coordination among tribes and states as well as help retain good educators serving in schools on tribal lands, so they can boost academic success among Native youth. Protect and strengthen Native languages and cultures. Building on her work to reauthorize legislation to help preserve often endangered Native languages, Heitkamp encouraged Congressional leaders to protect the measures cultural language enrichment and immersion programs that boost pride and morale in Native communities as well as improve students academic performance and attendance. Support learning opportunities for the youngest, disadvantaged, and at-risk youth. Heitkamp supported and achieved more access to federal funding in todays legislation for quality early education programs. She also successfully pushed to boost after-school programming for children, including vulnerable and at-risk youth, through programs that support North Dakotas 21st Century Learning Centers. Provide Flexibility and Improved Access to Education Resources for Students in Rural, Tribal and Military Communities: Heitkamp has called for resources and successfully pushed to ease access to federal funding to school districts, such as updates to the Impact Aid program which is used to help fund school construction as well as provide basic education support to children in schools on or near federal land like the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation or military bases in Grand Forks and Minot. Heitkamp also worked with her colleagues to make sure North Dakota and other states have more control as well as the flexibility to streamline testing in the communities they know best something that has been a priority for many North Dakota educators. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |