Washington, D.C. – Third District Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) joined Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) as an original cosponsor of H. R. 1539, the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (A-PLUS) Act of 2007. The legislation would make key reforms to the No Child Left Behind federal education law, providing states and schools the flexibility needed to improve student achievement. Other cosponsors include House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) and House Republican Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA). Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jim DeMint (R-SC) have also introduced companion legislation, S. 893, in the U.S. Senate.

“As the husband of a career public school teacher, I voted against No Child Left Behind because I believe in the effectiveness of local control and local accountability in the education of America’s children,” Congressman Jones said. “Our current federal education system wastes resources on bureaucracy, regulations, and paperwork. This legislation is a step toward getting unelected, unaccountable federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. out of our nation’s classrooms, and giving control back to principals, teachers, and parents.”

Under the A-PLUS Act, all states would have the option of providing the Secretary of Education with a “declaration of intent” to assume full responsibility for the education of their students. They would continue to receive federal support, but they would be free to advance their own policies.

A-PLUS would give states flexibility to consolidate federal education programs and funding and redirect these resources to state education reform initiatives. Currently, the Department of Education forces states to use federal education funds on specific programs, an approach that has shown little success. In exchange for the flexibility A-PLUS provides, states would be required to be transparent about academic results.

For additional information please contact Kathleen Joyce in Congressman Walter B. Jones’ office at (202) 225-3415.