State School Superintendent Touts Education Reform At Congressional Committee

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma State School Superintendent Janet Barresi is touting her reform agenda to a congressional committee.

Barresi testified Thursday in Washington before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce during a hearing to examine education reform proposals.

Barresi's opening statement focused on her "3R Agenda," which represents rethinking how education is delivered to students, restructuring the state Department of Education and reforming schools.

The latter includes proposals such as implementing a grading system for schools and school districts and ending social promotion after the third grade.

Barresi told the committee that while guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Education seem to offer states flexibility to meet local needs, "there seems to be a disconnect between good intentions at the top level and what actually occurs in practice."