Senator Murray: Assessments are Critical for Improving Equity Among K-12 Students, But Schools Need Federal Support to Carry Them Out

Statement

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement in response to the Department of Education's recent announcement that states will have to carry out assessments this school year, as required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

"Since the start of this crisis, I've been working to ensure students who were already facing obstacles don't fall further behind, and that all students have access to quality public education regardless of whether they're learning remotely or in person.

"Especially when it comes to the disparities that harm so many students of color, students with disabilities and students whose families have low incomes, we've got to have data that shows us where we're falling short so we can better support those students.

"But let me be clear--if President Trump and Republicans are in any way serious about ensuring schools can keep our kids learning, they've got to stop blocking our bill to finally provide schools with the resources they need."

In June, Senator Murray and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer introduced the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act (CCCERA), to provide a massive and much-needed investment to ensure that child care providers can remain open, and that K-12 schools and colleges can address a variety of issues including implementing public health measures, addressing learning loss among students, and providing high quality distance learning.

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