Steve Scalise on Education Policy
TL;DR
Steve Scalise champions federal school choice expansion and local control while opposing federal mandates on teacher evaluations.
Key Points
He sponsored an amendment to the Student Success Act to ensure there would be no federal mandate dictating teacher evaluation policies in 2013.
He celebrated the passage of legislation that included the first-ever federal school choice provision, enabling low-income families to access alternatives to failing schools.
He voted in favor of an amendment opposing federal government involvement in local school districts' personnel decisions regarding teacher evaluations as of July 2013.
Summary
Steve Scalise's position on education policy centers on advocating for increased school choice and a reduction in federal regulatory overreach, aligning with conservative principles favoring local control. He has actively sought to implement federal school choice options to allow low-income families to move their children out of underperforming schools, presenting this as a major win for working families within larger legislative packages. This stance is evidenced by his sponsorship or support of amendments aimed at preventing the federal government from dictating state or local policies, such as teacher evaluation methods.
He has historically been involved in efforts to rewrite major federal education laws, such as the No Child Left Behind Act rewrite, where his actions focused on removing federal mandates on teacher evaluations based on student outcomes, arguing such personnel decisions belong at the local level. This pattern suggests a consistent drive to decentralize educational authority away from Washington, D.C., and toward states and local school districts, as seen in his framing of legislative victories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Steve Scalise strongly opposes the federal government dictating teacher evaluation systems. He supported legislative efforts to ensure that teacher evaluations, which involve personnel decisions, remain the responsibility of state and local school districts rather than being federally mandated.
Yes, Steve Scalise has been a vocal supporter of school choice policies. He has praised legislation that included federal school choice options, framing it as a mechanism to help low-income families move their children to better educational settings.
During the debate on rewriting the No Child Left Behind Act, Steve Scalise pushed for amendments that would remove federal requirements concerning student outcomes in teacher evaluations. His focus was on increasing autonomy for states and school districts in K-12 policy.