A Better Answer for Education: Reviving State and Local Policymaking Authority. Heritage Lectures. No. 994

On the fifth anniversary of No Child Left Behind, Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jim DeMint (R-SC) outline their alternative for restoring state and local ownership of education policymaking while ensuring transparency about results and accountability to parents and taxpayers. The A-PLUS Act of 2007 (Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success) will revitalize education by allowing states flexibility in spending their federal education dollars while still requiring accountability to parents and taxpayers. The A-PLUS Act will restore the principles of federalism to public education. States should have the option to stay under the No Child Left Behind regime or choose to have the flexibility in policymaking while maintaining transparency for results. [Lecture delivered January 8, 2007.]