Overlooked due to the timing of Bob Beauprez’s announcement of a lieutenant governor running mate this week, the Congressman from the 7th District also has sponsored an important piece of education legislation, as highlighted by Dan Lips of the Heritage Foundation:
It’s been said that everything old becomes new again. This is proving true in the federal education reform debate. A conservative congressman has introduced new legislation based on an old idea: local control over education.
In July, Representative Bob Beauprez (R-CO) introduced the Partnership for Academic Success in the States Act, or PASS Act, to restore greater state and local control in education. With bipartisan frustration with No Child Left Behind growing, the PASS Act could garner support across the political spectrum.
The PASS Act would give up to ten states greater freedom and flexibility to control federal education spending without being tied down by the typical web of federal regulations. In exchange, the states would have to demonstrate improved academic achievement. And if a state reduces the achievement gap, it would receive a performance bonus from the federal government.
As Lips goes on to write, this looks to be both good policy and good politics. Although this won’t be the sledgehammer issue he ultimately needs, it will help Beauprez neutralize any apparent advantage the Ritter-O’Brien ticket has on education. Kudos.
Beauprez for governor?