SENATOR KENNEDY IN RESPONSE TO SEC. SPELLINGS ON NCLB Chairman Kennedy responds to Sec. of Education’s remarks today on NCLB Reauthorization

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to Secretary Spellings’ remarks made this afternoon at the National Press Club on reauthorizing No Child Left Behind. Senator Kennedy said, “I agree with Secretary Spellings that we must work together to strengthen what is working in public school reform and fix what is not. We are committed to progress so every child can get ahead. We can’t equip our students to compete in the world on the cheap. So I’m disappointed that the President’s education budgets have failed the test year after year. Too many of our nation's students are denied access to the best teachers, attend crumbling schools, use outdated textbooks and get lost in crowded classes that deny them individual attention. To continue to lead the world, America must invest in school reform and hold schools accountable for results.

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