The regulations that were written by the Education Department to explain how states could comply with ESSA were repealed by the Senate late last week. Emma Brown writes
The vote was 50 to 49, mostly along party lines. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) split with the GOP to vote against the measure. The Republican-led House approved the legislation last month 240 to 181. It now goes to President Trump, who is expected to sign it.
The GOP majority argued that the rules, written by President Barack Obama’s Education Department, contradicted congressional intent and amounted to executive overreach. Democrats said repealing the rules would remove provisions meant to ensure that schools serve poor children, minorities, English-language learners and students with disabilities.
Before the vote, Mike Petrilli and others argued that many of the regulations should have been preserved.
Secretary DeVos, if left to do her job, could pick and choose—getting rid of the regulations Republicans don’t like, while keeping the ones they do…And indeed, there are rules worth saving.
– Education Next
