NWLC Calls 'Student Success Act' the Wrong Approach

(Washington, D.C.) The House of Representatives is expected to vote today on the Student Success Act (H.R. 5), a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as “No Child Left Behind.”

The following is a statement from Fatima Goss Graves, Vice President for Education and Employment at the National Women's Law Center:

“Despite the clever title, the so-called ‘Student Success Act’ sets up many students for failure. It is the wrong approach to improving educational outcomes. The bill turns a blind eye to the huge achievement gaps and disparities in graduation rates that exist for children of color, low-income students, students with disabilities and English language learners. It also eliminates student achievement goals and performance targets, fails to adequately address school climate issues, rolls back rules regarding the use of federal funds to help improve struggling schools, and fails to advance the current movement toward college- and career-ready standards.

“The results of this ‘laissez faire’ approach would be devastating to many struggling students, schools and communities. Instead, Congress should expand access to high-quality education by maintaining a federal focus on improving the achievement and graduation rates of all students.”

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