She added: 鈥淐ertainly, it will be a little bit more complicated because of different types of offerings, the way high school is organized, but I do think that same philosophy can apply: that measurement, sound data, more information, both for educators, students, and parents, is useful to improvement in the system.鈥�
Margaret Spellings, President Bush鈥檚 nominee to become the next secretary of education, vowed last week to listen carefully to the concerns of those dealing with the No Child Left Behind Act at the state and local levels and to take a 鈥渨orkable and sensible鈥� approach to carrying out the controversial law, the signature education achievement of Mr. Bush鈥檚 first term.
During her Jan. 6 confirmation hearing before the Senate education committee, she also pledged to bring a 鈥渟pirit of bipartisanship鈥� to her job if she wins Senate backing, which was all but certain. Later that day, in fact, the committee unanimously approved her nomination during a brief meeting just off the Senate floor.
No floor vote was scheduled as of late last week, though the Senate was expected to take fairly quick action on the nomination.
Ms. Spellings, 47, also reiterated President Bush鈥檚 desire to 鈥渂uild on the policy foundation鈥� of the No Child Left Behind law with a greater focus on high schools.
鈥淔rom parent to policymaker, I have seen public education from many angles, and often been in the other person鈥檚 shoes,鈥� Ms. Spellings told the committee in her opening remarks.
She won praise from both Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
鈥淚 am confident you will do a good job,鈥� said Republican Sen. Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming, noting her experience in education at the local, state, and national levels.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone has a better understanding of the president鈥檚 position on [education matters],鈥� added Mr. Enzi, who last week became the committee鈥檚 new chairman. He replaced Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who has relinquished the top slot in favor of chairing the Budget Committee.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had our differences, but I believe she鈥檚 an inspired choice to be secretary of education at this critical moment in our nation鈥檚 history,鈥� said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the committee鈥檚 ranking Democrat. 鈥淚 look forward very much to working with her in the years ahead.鈥�
鈥楾ipping the Boat鈥�
Before joining the White House in 2001 as the president鈥檚 domestic-policy adviser, Ms. Spellings served as Mr. Bush鈥檚 education adviser when he was the governor of Texas. Before that, she was the top lobbyist for the Texas Association of School Boards. (鈥淪pellings Would Bring Acumen, Pragmatism to Secretary鈥檚 Position,鈥� Nov. 24, 2004.)
If confirmed, she would become the eighth U.S. secretary of education.
She would succeed Secretary of Education Rod Paige, who offered his letter of resignation to President Bush in November. The president named Ms. Spellings as his choice on Nov. 17.
In her remarks, Ms. Spellings made clear that she intended to build on the recent record of bipartisanship in Washington when it comes to education policy.
鈥淭he recent enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as well as No Child Left Behind, are proof that education is an area where we can truly come together,鈥� she said. 鈥淒o we agree on everything? Of course we don鈥檛, and we won鈥檛. But if confirmed, I pledge to do all I can on behalf of the president to work with you to continue the spirit of bipartisanship.鈥�
Ms. Spellings also touched on some of the continuing debate around the No Child Left Behind Act, an ambitious revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that holds states and school districts accountable for improving student achievement.
She emphasized that she would pay close attention to challenges in the law鈥檚 implementation.
鈥淲e must listen to states and localities, to parents and reformers, about their experience with the act,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e must stay true to the sound principles of leaving no child behind, but we in the administration must engage with those closest to children to embed these principles in a sensible and workable way.鈥�
That message seemed to be especially welcomed by committee members.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been at the forefront of the debate on No Child Left Behind,鈥� said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, who just rejoined the education committee at the start of this Congress. 鈥淚 believe we were the first state to make moves toward possibly opting out, and I didn鈥檛 want to see us do that.鈥�
Utah ultimately backed down last year from earlier talk of declining the federal aid. Instead, the state legislature passed a measure that said Utah shouldn鈥檛 spend any of its own money to comply with the federal law.
Sen. Hatch asked Ms. Spellings how she would address the concerns raised about the law, 鈥渓ike in my home state of Utah?鈥�
The secretary-designate, without offering any specific areas for new flexibility, reiterated her commitment to listening to concerns about the law, adding that 鈥渘one of us want to tip the boat over, if you will, with these, you know, horror-story type of examples.鈥�
High School Tests
Sen. Enzi asked Ms. Spellings to explain the rationale for President Bush鈥檚 proposal鈥攊ssued during the presidential campaign鈥攖o expand the No Child Left Behind Act鈥檚 testing requirements with two more years at the high school level. Now, the law only requires that high schools test students one time.
鈥淲hat gets measured gets done,鈥� Ms. Spellings said. 鈥淭he assessment and data systems that we鈥檝e put in place in No Child Left Behind 鈥� [are] really working to improve education.鈥�
She added: 鈥淐ertainly, it will be a little bit more complicated because of different types of offerings, the way high school is organized, but I do think that same philosophy can apply: that measurement, sound data, more information, both for educators, students, and parents, is useful to improvement in the system.鈥�
