Contact: Roslyn Singer
Director of Communications, OU Advocacy
212-613-8227/202-489-4180
rsinger@ou.org

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage today of the Student Success Act (H.R.5), sponsored by Representative John Kline (R-MN).

This legislation will reauthorize and revise the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which funds local public school districts for specific purposes, such as remedial reading, teacher training, speech and occupational therapy.

While school districts are mandated by law to deliver ESEA services to all students, including those in non-public schools, too often they fail to implement these programs. H.R. 5 includes recommendations from the Orthodox Union that will improve the ESEA’s distribution of equitable services for all students. It also improves important “portability” initiatives for low income students.

“The provisions within H.R. 5 will better ensure the participation of private school students and teachers in the programs funded under the ESEA and will better protect access for low-income and learning-challenged students in non-public schools,” said Nathan Diament, Executive Director for Public Policy for the Orthodox Union.

“The Orthodox Union has worked with Representatives on both sides of the aisle for many years to improve ESEA for all American children—including those in non-public schools—and we are pleased the House has passed this bill for the reauthorization of ESEA,” added Diament.