Contact: Caroline Rabbitt (202) 224-2353

Washington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement on the Every Student Succeeds Act:

"As the son of a public school teacher and principal and a graduate of Arkansas public schools, I know firsthand the benefits of a public school education. But over the last several years our schools have been stifled by government bureaucracy, and, as a result, too many children haven't received the quality education they deserve. Today, the Senate passed legislation that will bring much needed reform to our education system by enabling states and local communities to decide what's best for their students. This bill both ends Common Core mandates for states and significantly empowers states to determine their own measures of student success. Rest assured, I will continue to be an advocate for reforms to our public school system and will support policies that reduce the role of Washington politicians in the education of students in Arkansas and across the country."