Obama+Pushes+for+Support+on+Revamp+of+NCLB

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= = = = = = = = =By Michael A. Memoli = =//Published in the Los Angeles Times //= =// 5/21/11 //=

 =Reporting from Washington— = =__[|President Obama] __ used his weekly address to make a fresh push for an overlooked domestic priority, urging Congress move his proposed overhaul of the No Child Left Behind education law. = = = = = =The president highlighted progress made at __[|Booker T. Washington] __ High School in __[|Memphis] __, Tenn., where he delivered a commencement address Monday, in calling on lawmakers to give local schools greater flexibility. = = = ="We need to reward the reforms that are driven not by Washington, but by principals and teachers and parents. That's how we'll make progress in education – not from the top down, but from the bottom up," he said. = = = =Obama last called on Congress to act in March, citing a Department of Education report that found that 82% of the nation's public schools could fail to meet federal standards under the 2002 education overhaul pushed by __[|President George W. Bush] __. He said Congress should reauthorize the legislation before the start of the 2011-12 school year. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"The goals of No Child Left Behind were the right goals. But what hasn't worked is denying teachers, schools and states what they need to meet these goals," Obama said at the time. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Democrats and __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ee; font-family: serif; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">[|Republicans] __ widely agree that No Child Left Behind needs an overhaul, if not how precisely to do so. Many Democrats, and allies in the teachers unions, think schools need more federal money. They support standards of achievement but don't want teachers judged solely by student tests. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Conservatives generally endorse tough standards but think state and local governments should have more responsibility, and support vouchers that would allow parents to use public funds to pay for private school tuition, which they say would promote competition among the public schools. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Obama administration has said No Child Left Behind is inadequately funded and seeks to replace it with a system for reviewing schools that leaves more day-to-day decisions to states and school districts. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Though members of Congress and administration officials have continued to meet on education reform, it has been a low priority amid fierce debates on fiscal issues and the economy. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Republicans used their weekly address to discuss energy prices. Sen. __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ee; font-family: serif; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">[|Kay Bailey Hutchison] __ of Texas accused Obama of "seeking to impose more regulations and taxes on oil and gas companies," which she said could further raise prices at the pump. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"It is not enough for the president to talk about producing energy in America. We call on him to put policies in place that cut the bureaucratic red tape and put Americans to work doing it," Hutchison said. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Last week, Obama outlined plans for expanded petroleum exploration in Alaska, and extending leases in the Gulf of Mexico and Arctic Ocean. In the Senate, Democrats and Republicans offered competing plans to end subsidies for oil companies and expanded drilling, respectively. Each proposal failed to advance. = = = =<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obama leaves Sunday night for a weeklong trip to Europe, with stops in Ireland, the United Kingdom, France and Poland. Both the House and Senate will be in session this week before leaving Washington for __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ee; font-family: serif; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">[|Memorial Day] __ recess. = = = = = = =

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