Rep. Chu Statement on 50th Anniversary of Landmark Education Law

Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) released the following statement on the 50th anniversary of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on April 11, 1965:

“Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), every child has the right to an equitable education, regardless of race, zip code, family income, background, or disability. Education is the greatest equalizer, and the ESEA helps accomplish this by helping break down the socio-economic barriers students face. Fifty years since the ESEA was passed, we have seen great progress, but there is still more work to be done to bridge the chasm of inequality. States and local educational agencies must be accountable for the education of all students, and we must ensure that critical funding and resources go to those that need it the most. And, for the almost 5 million English language learners in the U.S., we must make certain that they have the support that they need to succeed. I will continue to fight to ensure that the ESEA is not only reauthorized, but also strengthened to further promote educational excellence for every child.”

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was first passed in 1965, and has been reauthorized seven times since then, most recently in 2002 as No Child Left Behind. The latest version of ESEA expired in 2007, and Congress has been unable to reach a reauthorization agreement since. Currently, there is a proposal in the House to rewrite ESEA, H.R. 5, The Student Success Act, and the Senate version is planned to be introduced next week.