By: Bill Roberts –
Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, is behind a bill that would give states and local school districts the right to tell the federal government to butt out of their education standards business and student testing without fear of losing education dollars.
That’s a bill that would likely play well among Idahoans queasy about the state achievement tests in place in Idaho to meet federal requirements.
A contingent of Idahoans has complained that requiring testing — such as the test associated with Idaho Core Standards — is a federal overreach and schools should be able to say “no” without penalty.
Co-sponsors of the bill include Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Mike Lee, R-Utah; Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; James Lankford, R-Okla.; and Rand Paul, R-Ky.
The bill would stop the federal government from mandating academic standards and requiring students to test annually.
“Too often, state and local educators spend too much time dealing with federal mandates when it is local leaders that know what is best for their students,” Crapo said in a news release.