November 30, 2015 7:49 PM

Congress promises to push final bills on education, transportation through before end of session

But the vagueness of statements on transportation are worrisome

Members of Congress are back in Washington, D.C., after a Thanksgiving break, expected to address transportation, education and the budget by year’s end.

Monday momentum would indicate lawmakers have a good chance of passing the Every Student Succeeds Act, the overdue redraft of No Child Left Behind. Today, the National Governors Association threw its support behind the reconciled draft, the first vocal support in two decades, to move control back to the states.

“This is a significant step in the right direction in our work to ensure state control of education policy. This bill reinforces that accountability and responsibility for K-12 education rests with the states,” said NGA Chair Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert. “It is a clear example of cooperative federalism, which is a core tenant of this association. It emphasizes that states and localities have the freedom to provide students the world-class education they deserve.”

This is one area where Republicans in the Senate and school officials can find true harmony. Ruben Longoria of the Texas Association of School Boards is hopeful for passage. He says there is much to like in the compromise: the end of federal dictates on Adequate Yearly Progress and Highly Qualified Teachers but offers resource to local school districts to meet the goals set out in the original bill.

Hard-core conservatives in the House may be the only impediment to the bill’s passage over the next two weeks. Even so, House Republicans on the education committee sent out a message this morning, praising the bill for its elimination of “Common Core mandates.”

By Kimberly Reeves