Bush Administration's Fact Sheet Analysis

Millions and millions of dollars are spent each year improving education. The George W. Bush administration published a Fact Sheet (para. 6, 2002) that found that since 1965, America has spent more than 130 billion dollars trying to improve education. The Congressional Digest (Timeline 2017) lists sixteen initiatives that have been passed since 1965 for federal support K-12. The initiatives passed attempt to correct inconsequential problems or counteract the positive initiatives previously passed. Overall, educational policy and reforms that aim at standardization do not leave room for educators to include diversity into the classroom.

The current public education system was designed based on the enlightenment’s value of intellect, but the

The ESSA eliminates parts of NCLB including the elimination of NCLB’s abominable approach to standard accountability and rids schools of unnecessary testing. Also, ESSA includes forethought about college readiness and preschool preparation. The Congressional Digest (ESSA 2017) included more highlights including that ESSA, “Sustains and expands this administration’s historic investments in increasing access to high-quality preschool” (para. 6). NCLB solely focused on academic achievement based on results from academic testing when evaluating schools and teachers; ESSA considers more than just standardized tests when evaluating teachers. ESSA also brings diversity into evaluation. Under NCLB, schools had to bring all students up to proficiency standards, this includes special education and at-risk children. Another highlight from the Congressional Digest (ESSA 2017) includes “Advances equity by upholding critical protections for America’s disadvantage and high-need students” (para. 6). ESSA helps increase educational opportunity for all

The shift in power to the states can be risky. The federal government must trust each of the states to develop its own reform that could be potentially unequal. With the federal government in charge, states were held to the same standard. The flexibility given to the states could leave disadvantaged students unprotected or average students forgotten. All students in public schools depend on the states to establish structure and protect the value of education within the schools. The upside to flexibility given to the states includes diversity from school to school. Flexibility given to the states puts power into the hands of the leaders that closest serve the students. State and local educators can maintain standards while doing what they know is best for children in their