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Bush Plans to Extend NCLB's Testing and Training Rules to Secondary Schools
The Cato Institute objects.
The Cato Institute
January 12, 2005 Media Contact: (202) 789-5200 LINK Federal education regulations should be left behind Less federal intrusion will help America's schools WASHINGTON--Speaking at a high school today in Virginia, President Bush introduced his plan to extend to secondary schools the federal testing and training rules of No Child Left Behind. David Salisbury, director of the Cato Institute's Center for Education Freedom, made the following comments regarding the president's proposal: "While tougher standards for high schools are a good idea, Washington has never been good at providing remedies in an effective way. America's schools already suffer from too many mandates and too much bureaucracy. It would be much better for the president to advocate local measures, including more parental choice and competition among schools as a way to improve education. Empowering parents to make decisions about where their children go to school would improve high schools faster than a federally mandated testing program." Cato education policy analyst Neal McCluskey adds that by extending the requirements to high schools, the president will compound the burden of rules and regulations on schools. "Instead of increasing its burdensome and unconstitutional intrusion in America's schools, the federal government should be getting out," he said. Salisbury and McCluskey are available for interviews on the president's education initiatives. Contact the Cato media relations department at 202-789-5200 or media@cato.org to arrange an interview. |