U.S. Department of Education - Page 4

Eleven States Sue Obama: Transgender Demands Unconstitutional

Eleven states—led by Texas—filed a federal lawsuit today, arguing that the Obama administration’s redefining “sex” to include gender identity—and threatening to sue and strip funding from states and schools that refuse to go along—violates both federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

US President Barack Obama listens as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks at a bilate

Texas Sues Obama over School Transgender Policy

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against President Obama and his administration and vows a fight on his transgender policy for Texas schools. Eleven states have joined the state of Texas in suing the federal government.

Texas AG joins parent's protest

Transgender ‘Guidance’ Letter: AGs Call Out Feds for Talking Out Two Sides of Their Face

The Texas Attorney General and two other state attorneys general have called out the civil rights heads of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for talking out two sides of their face about states’ compliance with their transgender policy “guidance.” They ask questions about the mandatoriness of compliance, and about conflicting statements and applications of this letter of “guidance.”

Questions over Transgender Guidance Letter

Marco Rubio Once Supported Ideas Behind Common Core

Though Marco Rubio has consistently opposed the Common Core standards initiative and its federal intrusion into an area reserved for the states by the Constitution, GOP rival Jeb Bush observed recently that Rubio once supported Race to the Top, the vehicle used by the Obama administration to incentivize states to adopt the education reform.

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., arrives at a town hall in Wes

Obama: Arne Duncan Has ‘Delivered Some Incredible Results’

Obama’s comments appear to be a reference to the Common Core standards – though he does not call the reform by name, likely because the unpopular initiative is now often described as “toxic” and “poisonous.” The president nevertheless adopts the usual pro-Common Core position that the nationalized standards are higher or more rigorous than other standards – although there is no independent research that validates that claim.

President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (R) visits with sixth grade

Feds Admit U.S. Education Department ‘Forced’ States To Accept Common Core From Its Start

In a remarkable admission, the former director of the Race to the Top (RttT) competitive grant program and chief of staff to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the federal government “forced” full support for adoption of the Common Core standards from each state by requiring its governor, chief state school officer, and head of the state board of education to sign off on the grant application.

President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (R) visits with sixth grade

No Child Left Behind Rewrites in House and Senate Draw Intense Criticism From Grassroots

The House’s version of the redo, known as the Student Success Act (H.R. 5), was pulled from the House floor by GOP leadership in late February after it was determined the measure lacked sufficient support. Grassroots parents’ groups – many that have been fighting against the Common Core standards in their states – voiced their concerns that the Student Success Act still required excessive federal intrusion into the right of states to set their own education policies.

AP Photo/Jessie L. Bonner

Walker Defunds Smarter Balanced Test, But Replacement Exam Also Aligned With Common Core

Walker, a likely 2016 contender, has recently affirmed what has been true of Wisconsin school districts all along – that they can choose their own standards. To his credit, he has also proposed defunding the Smarter Balanced test, a product of one of the federally funded, interstate Common Core test consortia. Grassroots parents groups, however, say Walker’s proposed new state exam – called the “Badger Exam,” is also aligned with the Common Core standards.

Common Core

Bobby Jindal on Common Core: From Supporter To Aggressive Opponent

Jindal has heard the complaints of many parents in his state and has said that as a parent himself he could see the difficulties his own son was having with Common Core math. Ultimately, he unveiled an aggressive plan to eliminate Common Core in Louisiana, one that exposed how the state board of education and department of education can attempt to work around government rules and the state legislature in order to meet its own goals.

AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley

New Lawsuit Challenges Constitutionality of Common Core

The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) announced Monday that it has joined in filing a lawsuit against the governor of North Dakota and other officials that claims the state’s participation in one of the federally funded interstate Common Core test consortia and the implementation of the Common Core standards is unconstitutional and violates federal laws that ban federal control of public schools and curriculum.

AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis