Archbishop Lucas Welcomes Signing of Every Student Succeeds Act

 WASHINGTON—The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Catholic Education, Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Nebraska, applauded President Obama's signing today of the Every Student Succeeds Act into law.

"The Every Student Succeeds Act demonstrates that there is broad bipartisan agreement on restoring equitable treatment of private schools and ensuring that all children are afforded the education services, benefits, and opportunities they deserve, regardless of the type of school they attend," said Archbishop Lucas.  

The Every Student Succeeds Act reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the federal law that provides funds to local and state education agencies for elementary and secondary education programs. The law was last updated in 2001. Since its inception in 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act has long upheld the principle that students in need, regardless of whether they attend a public or private school, are entitled to an equitable share of services and benefits. The Every Student Succeeds Act, a bipartisan compromise that received overwhelming support in both the House and Senate, continues that standard.

The USCCB Committee on Catholic Education provides guidance for the educational mission of the Church in the United States, which includes more than 1,974,000 students in 6,594 Catholic elementary and high schools.
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Keywords: Every Student Succeeds Act, Catholic Education, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, private schools, Archbishop George J. Lucas, USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
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