Dive Brief:
- In a 218-213 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would overhaul No Child Left Behind, the Bush-era update to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
- Wednesday’s passage marked the House's second attempt to pass its version of the bill after an earlier version lost votes due to conservative backlash.
- The focus is now shifting to the Senate, where a bipartisan rewrite is under consideration.
Dive Insight:
Contrasting with the Senate's efforts to involve both parties in the reauthorization, the House bill passed without any Democratic support. Some within the GOP split from the majority, as well, with 27 Republicans voting against the rewrite.
Both the House and Senate versions of the bill would substantially change federal education policy, which was last officially updated in 2001. Under either, federally mandated tests would continue, but states would have more latitude to use the results as they wish.
The House bill, however, includes a notable provision known as “portability,” which allows federal dollars to follow low-income students from their neighborhood school to other public or private schools of their choice. Portability is very unpopular with Democrats, who say it removes oversight for the country’s most vulnerable students.