U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) applauded yesterday’s passage of the bipartisan education reform bill in the U.S. House of Representative yesterday and encouraged Pinellas and Hillsborough School Districts to renew their focus on the achievement gap.  The Every Student Succeeds Act replaces No Child Left Behind, which was overdue for reauthorization and reform. Democrats fought off radical cuts proposed by the GOP that would have cut $437 million from Florida public schools over the coming years.

“Every child deserves an opportunity to succeed no matter the neighborhood in which they live. The reform bill ends federally-mandated high-stakes testing while maintaining the focus on the achievement gap and on schools that need improvement.  Title I funds remain intact as a vital supplement to state and local education dollars for at-risk schools and students,” said U.S. Rep. Castor, who has been working to ensure Title I dollars are properly supplementing -- not supplanting -- education resources for schools located in South St. Petersburg. A recent Tampa Bay Times investigation questioned whether several of the schools in South St. Petersburg were receiving the resources and attention they need and Title I funds are the focus of federal support.

“Local school districts and states must renew their focus on the lowest-performing schools, and increase teacher support to ensure that high-quality educators are available to teach all students,” U.S. Rep. Castor said. “This emphasis on teacher support for all students also can offer hope for improvement in schools in South St. Petersburg and across our community.” The bill incentivizes increased transparency, community engagement and accountability for all education resources, especially public dollars for charter schools, which has been another long-standing  concern of U.S. Rep. Castor.  In addition, she called restoring funding for some 50 education initiatives a “shared win for Democrats and Republicans”.

U.S. Rep. Castor has been critical of any proposal that removed key standards for success and the 50-year commitment to equity in public education that ensures that all American children, regardless of where they live, have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education. She has worked with education advocates to ensure the final version of the legislation included meaningful reforms.

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