Pelosi Statement on Fourth Anniversary of No Child Left Behind
Pelosi Statement on Fourth Anniversary of No Child Left Behind
Friday, January 6, 2006
Contact: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616
Washington, D.C. â€" House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today marking the fourth anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act, which was signed into law on January 8, 2002:
â€Å"Four years ago, Democrats and Republicans joined together to make a promise to our nation’s children: that we leave no child behind in our educational system. No Child Left Behind was a promise to improve student performance, increase school accountability, and provide students with the resources they need to learn the skills crucial to their future success.
â€Å"Unfortunately, President Bush and Republicans in Congress have failed to live up to their part of the bargain. Over the last four years, they have shortchanged No Child Left Behind by $40 billion, leaving states with new mandates, but not enough funding, and leaving children without the necessary resources. Failing to provide a quality education undermines our responsibility to protect our values of fairness and opportunity for all.
â€Å"Underfunding No Child Left Behind is one in a long line of Republican attacks on our country’s education system. Proposed Republican budget cuts reduce opportunities for young people by cutting funding for student aid by more than $12 billion and heaping more debt on students. And for the fourth year in a row, Republicans have refused to increase Pell Grants, pricing hard-working students out of a college education.
â€Å"Sadly, Republican policies continue to leave millions of our children behind. Together, America can do better for our children and for their future.â€Â