Kline meets with local school district officials
Private meeting was closed to the public
by Laura Adelmann
U.S. Rep. John Kline met with about 35 local school district officials Aug. 25 at Farmington High School to gain their input regarding proposed changes to federal education laws.
Thisweek Newspapers
About 35 school superintendents and metro education leaders met with U.S. Rep. John Kline behind closed doors at Farmington High School on Thursday, Aug. 25 to discuss educational issues.
Kline, chair of the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee, was seeking input from local officials about changes they would like to see as the committee works to reauthorize federal education laws, according to Kline’s communications director Troy Young.
“A good deal of the discussion centered around how to improve the way schools and teachers are held accountable for student performance,” Young said in an email.
He added that the meeting was closed to the public to create “good, open dialogue” among the officials.
Kline has worked to revamp No Child Left Behind, part of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, to allow for more flexibility and local control in schools.
Farmington Schools Superintendent Jay Haugen said Kline’s position was supported by the district leaders who attended the meeting.
He added that several school representatives favored allowing the federal government to work more through the states to provide assistance and resources.
“With No Child Left Behind, it circumvented the state and school boards and has gone straight to the schools.” Haugen said, noting how the federal government labels schools as “failing” and institutes sanctions if they don’t meet federally set goals and standards.
Three bills passed by Kline’s committee earlier this year would reform elementary and secondary education law to allow districts more autonomy in decision-making.
Young said those bills will be heard on the House floor this week; there is not a Senate companion to any of the bills.
“Educators attending the roundtable were particularly interested in what would happen to the outdated No Child Left Behind accountability structure, and the congressman talked with them about some of the ideas he hoped to incorporate in legislation that will be released later this year,” Young stated in an email.
Laura Adelmann is at laura.adelmann@ecm-inc.com.
