Manchin Votes to Overhaul Education Law
Bill will scale back federal interference in school system and ensure all children receive a high-quality
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) applauded the Senate passage of the Every Child Achieves Act, legislation to overhaul the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The legislation includes measures that will scale back federal interference in the public school system and ensure all children in America and West Virginia have access to a well-rounded, high-quality education that enables them to compete and succeed in a growing global economy.
"The future of our country’s economic success largely depends on the quality of education our children are receiving today,” Senator Joe Manchin said. “This legislation reduces federal interference in local schools to ensure teachers, school leaders, parents, local districts and states play a greater role in preparing our children to compete and succeed in a 21st century global economy. This bill works to provide every child across this country with a quality education. It also takes steps to ensure we meet the Five Promises we must keep to our children: that they will grow up with the help and guidance of caring adult, safe surroundings, healthy childhoods, effective education and opportunities to serve others. This bipartisan legislation demonstrates the Senate’s ability to work together across the aisle to pass meaningful legislation that will ultimately improve the future of the great state of West Virginia and our nation.”
Senator Manchin worked hard to include language in the final bill that will benefit students and families in West Virginia, including the following amendments:
Manchin-Ayotte: This amendment strongly encourages State Education Agencies to include in its state plan a strategy to provide support to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) for the education of children and youth facing substance abuse in the home. The support may include professional development, training, and technical assistance to LEAs and schools in communities with high rates of substance abuse. For a video of Senator Manchin’s remarks, please click here.
Senator Manchin was also able to include language in the bill that allows local education agencies to use Title IV Safe and Healthy Students funds to provide these services for students facing substance abuse in the home.
Manchin-Brown: This amendment authorizes the full community schools program to provide grant funding to school districts to establish public-private partnerships to ensure that low-income students have access to the resources that they need to learn and thrive, including physical and mental health services, nutrition services, and academic support services. Full Community schools, like Reconnecting McDowell in West Virginia, help ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.
Manchin-Brown-Capito: This amendment allows local education agencies to use Title IV Safe and Healthy Students funds to hire a site resource coordinator to help schools provide physical and mental health services, nutrition services, and academic support services.
Manchin-Shaheen: This amendment promotes student volunteerism and community service as part of a well-rounded education. Specifically, it adds “programs that promote volunteerism and community service” to the list programs and activities that a local education agency is authorized to provide under Title IV for the purpose of providing students with a well-rounded education alongside music, the arts, and computer science. For a video of Senator Manchin’s remarks, please click here.
Manchin-Toomey: This amendment bans "passing the trash"- the practice of a school helping a known child molester obtain a job at another school to prey upon other children.
Manchin-Heller: This amendment requires governors of states to be consulted during the development of a state education plan to improve education and workforce readiness. It also includes a 30-day "shot clock" for a state's governor to approve the plan before it is submitted to the Secretary of Education.
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