Ranking Member Scott, Tri-Caucus Chairs Push for Stronger ESEA Reauthorization
WASHINGTON — On April 14, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) considered the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015, a bipartisan proposal introduced by Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In response, Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, together with leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus — the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) — issued statements calling for improvements to the bill to ensure stronger protections, clearer accountability, and equitable resources for vulnerable students.
Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member, House Committee on Education and the Workforce:
“This bill is an important step in the reauthorization process, but it requires further refinement to meet the needs of our most vulnerable students. ESEA represents the largest federal investment targeted to schools and districts serving students who face the greatest barriers to success. Yet funding by itself will not close persistent achievement gaps. The law must include clear requirements and enforceable actions to raise academic outcomes for low-income and minority students, students with disabilities, and students who are English learners when gaps continue to exist.”
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC):
“The Senate HELP Committee has an historic opportunity to restore the original intent of ESEA — guaranteeing that every child has a right to an equitable, high-quality education. While the bipartisan Senate proposal moves the discussion forward, it falls short in key areas. Subgroup accountability must be strengthened so that schools with low-performing student groups are identified and receive meaningful support. Data must be disaggregated in ways that reveal disparities, and funding must be distributed equitably; closing the comparability loophole is essential. These protections will help ensure the civil rights of every child in this nation, regardless of zip code, family income, race, or background.”
Representative G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), Chair, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC):
“Education remains one of the most important pathways to opportunity and upward mobility, yet African American students and other marginalized groups continue to face gaps in academic achievement and graduation rates. States must adopt high standards and set ambitious goals so all students graduate prepared for college and careers in the 21st-century economy. We have a responsibility to close the achievement gap that persists in many communities. A strong reauthorization of ESEA is critical to holding schools accountable for the progress of every student.”
Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Chair, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC):
“The bipartisan bill from Senators Murray and Alexander is a useful starting point for reauthorizing ESEA, but the Latino community — which now represents a significant portion of students in our public schools — must be protected. As this legislation advances, we must ensure that Latino students, English learners, and migrant students receive access to a rigorous education and that teachers and school leaders receive the support they need to serve diverse classrooms. From stronger accountability measures to more accurate data collection and equitable distribution of resources, ESEA should be reauthorized in the most comprehensive and effective way possible to serve all learners.”
These statements from Ranking Member Scott and the Tri-Caucus chairs emphasize a consistent set of priorities: strengthen subgroup accountability, ensure meaningful and timely disaggregation of student performance data, close funding loopholes that allow inequitable resource allocation, and require targeted actions where achievement gaps persist. Their collective message underscores the need for a reauthorization framework that not only provides funding but also creates enforceable standards and supports that drive measurable improvement for underserved students.
Lawmakers and advocates on all sides agree that reauthorizing ESEA is a pivotal moment for federal education policy. The debate centers on how to balance state flexibility with federal safeguards that guarantee equity and civil rights protections for historically underserved groups. The Tri-Caucus leaders and Ranking Member Scott call on policymakers to use this opportunity to deliver a reauthorization that prioritizes fairness, transparency, and accountability so every child can succeed.
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