On Thursday, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act, replacing the No Child Left Behind Act passed under President George W. Bush. The new law returns to states much control over K-12 education, prohibits the federal government from mandating academic requirements like Common Core, and keeps the required math and reading testing of No Child Left Behind but removes the federal penalties for underperforming schools.
"This bill makes long-overdue fixes to the last education law, replacing the one-size-fits-all approach to reform with a commitment to provide every student with a well-rounded education," Obama said. Noting the unusually broad support the bill had in and out of Congress, Obama proclaimed Thursday's event "a Christmas miracle — a bipartisan bill signing." USA Today explains the difference between Every Student Succeeds and No Child Left Behind, and you can watch Obama explain what he likes about the new legislation in the video below. Peter Weber
The Week
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