WASHINGTON — After a bitter and polarizing midterm election, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, maintains that reforming the public education system is one action both parties can agree to take. Harkin will continue to chair the education committee and says Republican gains in the Senate will not weaken the legislation he has introduced.
Revising the No Child Left Behind Act, a legacy of President George W. Bush’s administration, is one of Harkin’s top priorities for the 112th Congress. Under Harkin’s leadership this year, the education committee held 10 hearings on the issues raised under the current No Child policy, which relies heavily on standardized test scores to measure student and school achievement. Specific changes have not been determined, but the committee will continue to negotiate with the Department of Education—which has the final say—into the new year.
“Elementary and secondary education has always been a bipartisan issue in Congress—a tradition we continue as we work to strengthen this legislation in the new Congress,” Harkin said. “In fact, it could be one of the truly marquee pieces of legislation where we could see bipartisan agreement, even in a more closely divided Congress.”
Harkin’s comments echo those of the Obama administration. After a sharp hit from Republicans at midterms, President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan have both claimed education reform to be an issue that will gain momentum in an otherwise gridlocked Congress.
During his post-election press conference on Wednesday, Obama said education will be an area where there is “potential common ground.”
“I think everybody in this country thinks that we’ve got to make sure our kids are equipped in terms of their education, their science background, their math backgrounds to compete in this new global economy,” Obama said.
But the newly elected Republicans may raise concern with Democrat statements that suggest they are in agreement.
John Kline, R-Minn., is likely to chair the House education committee in a direction that limits government intervention in order to create jobs. His top priorities include restoring local control to schools and protecting taxpayers.
“If I am selected by my colleagues to chair the Education and Labor Committee, I will immediately focus this panel’s work on the steps needed to restore economic certainty and promote job creation,” Kline said. “The American people have sent a message loud and clear that Washington must stop the spending sprees, government expansions and endless bailouts.”
Hearings on higher education held in Harkin’s committee even before the election were not free of partisan bickering.
Before Congress adjourned this fall, the committee held its fourth hearing to discuss federal student aid given to for-profit colleges. Harkin was accused by Republican Sens. Richard Burr, N.C., Mike Enzi, Wyo., and John McCain, Ariz., of presenting a one-sided panel in favor of regulating the loans they say were being wasted at underperforming for-profit schools.
A press secretary for Harkin said Republicans grew more opposed to determining which schools qualified to receive federal student aid before the election, but the senator urged agreement.
“Protecting students’ interests and taxpayer’s investments in for-profits schools is not a partisan issue,” said Harkin. “As chairman, I plan to continue our investigation to ensure these schools are serving students and not just shareholders.”
The committee has not released the topics it plans to discuss next year or whether it will convene during the lame duck session before new senators arrive.