The Student Success Act

Floor Speech

Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to this bill and in support of New Mexico's children and the dedicated men and women who educate them. This bill cuts federal funding for education at a time when other countries are strategically investing in the next generation, and seeing positive results come from those investments. We can't afford to cut funding for education, especially when the U.S. is lagging behind in several key indicators. American fourth graders now rank eleventh in math and sixth in reading. And in a few years, we'll ask them to compete in a global economy without giving them the tools to succeed.

But funding isn't the only problem with this bill, Mr. Chairman. This bill also fundamentally alters the federal role in education. Traditionally, the federal government has assumed the responsibility of maintaining equity in education. Of ensuring that students with disabilities, or students in low-income or unique communities, have equal access to a public education. This is particularly important in my home state of New Mexico, where students of color make up a significant portion of the school-age population. Provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act requiring that data be broken down into subgroups, and that schools be held accountable for the achievement of those subgroups, have allowed us to identify where there's more work to be done, and to begin shifting support to the areas where it's most needed. But we've got a long way to go. This bill represents a step back for equity, eliminating requirements that ensure that all students have access to the services they need, and that schools, school districts, and states are held accountable when they fall short of that all-important goal.

When I talk to New Mexicans about what's wrong in public education, it's never that there's too much money, or that we provide too much support for our students facing the greatest challenges. It's that we're not getting funds to where they're most needed or providing support services that care for the whole child. That's why we can't afford to pass this bill; I urge my colleagues to reject this approach and oppose this legislation.

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