I support policies such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) that focus on strengthening our schools by bringing accountability to our educational system, empowering parents, and supporting teachers.  However, in order to make these and similar programs viable and effective, full funding is imperative. Fair implementation of this law requires sufficient resources and proper flexibility.

One of the first pieces of legislation that I cosponsored in the Senate was the No Child Left Behind Common Sense Flexibility Legislation, (S.951).  This bill would have provided a one year waiver exemption from sanctions under NCLB for Virginia schools to develop an acceptable assessment for ELL students, and appropriately train and educate students and teachers on the new assessment without being penalized.  My staff and I will continue to identify opportunities to assist struggling schools in meeting the NCLB mandates.