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From http://languagemagazine.com/?p=124126#more-124126

The U.S. Senate has passed a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), replacing No Child Left Behind with a new iteration of federal education policy called the Every Child Achieves Act. The Senate had not approved of an overhaul of public education since No Child Left Behind was passed in 2001. With bipartisan support, the Every Child Achieves Act passed with an overwhelming majority of 81-17. Since its enactment in 1965, the ESEA has been a powerful tool in the struggle to ensure that all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, or income level, have the resources and support for academic success.

…Initial reactions to the bill include praise for requiring schools to measure how well schools serve disadvantaged populations, such as English language learners and students with disabilities. However, the Center for American Progress posited in a statement that, “it is imperative that Congress not undermine the federal government’s ability to hold states accountable for ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being well spent. Students—particularly at-risk students—should all be able to receive an excellent education that includes meaningful investments in high-quality early childhood education. Requiring states to take action in their consistently worst-performing schools and when any group of students fails to meet academic goals must be part of the final legislation.”

Read the full article at http://languagemagazine.com/?p=124126#more-124126

Read an essay arguing for the importance of students’ retaining their home languages at http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/07/14/congress-bilingualism-is-not-a-handicap.html