Hoekstra Leads Effort to Restore Local Control in Education
West Michigan Congressman Defeats Effort to Expand Washington’s Role in Educational Policy
Washington,
Apr 24, 2007 -
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, today successfully led an effort against a measure in the House that would have expanded Washington’s role in developing educational policy.
“Education decisions are best determined at the local level by parents and school boards,” Hoekstra said. “The legislation as presented before the House would have taken us further in the opposite direction.”
During consideration of the bill Hoekstra offered a motion, known as a Motion to Recommit, to send the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act (H.R. 362) back to the House Committee on Science and Technology. Hoekstra’s motion directed the elimination of the section that would have diminished local control.
The Motion to Recommit instead inserted the following section into the bill: “Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to limit the authority of State governments or local school boards to determine the curricula of their students.”
Hoekstra’s motion passed by 408 to 4 votes. The bill once amended then passed the House by 389 to 22.
Hoekstra in March introduced the “Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act” (A-PLUS), which would allow states to opt out of No Child Left Behind while continuing to receive federal funding.
“We need to work harder on removing educational policy out of the hands of the federal government and back to states and local communities,” Hoekstra said. “We should be advocating for greater freedom and more flexibility, not more one-size-fits-all solutions created by Washington bureaucrats.”
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