Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is leading a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy urging a temporary legislative authority for the Secretary of Education to proactively waive all federal testing, accountability, and fiscal requirements for elementary and secondary schools. This blanket waiver requires Congressional action.
“With schools focused on ensuring students have access to meals and finding ways to continue learning during closures, the federal government needs to provide more certainty and relief,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Teachers and school leaders have enough on their plates – it is time for a one-year pause on all federal testing requirements. Secretary of Education DeVos has taken steps in her power to allow states and districts to pursue testing waivers because of the COVID-19 crisis. However, these steps do not eliminate burdensome paperwork and uncertainty for local school districts. A blanket waiver will require congressional action, and I urge my colleagues in the House to come together to ease the burden on teachers and school districts.”
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