Copyright© 2007 by School Services of California, Inc.

                                      Volume 20                   For Publication Date: June 8, 2007             No. 13

By the Way . . .

Senator Takes on Margaret Spellings. In a floor speech, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), former U.S. Secretary of Education, took on Margaret Spellings to “back off.” 

Senator Alexander warned Spellings that he would seek to block the U.S. Department of Education’s from using its authority to transform the accreditation process. Currently, the department is considering new measures of “student-learning outcomes,” into the accreditation process and new prohibitions on colleges’ transfer process. 

Senator Alexander plans to offer an amendment when the Senate reauthorizes the Higher Education Act. The amendment would prohibit the department from issuing any regulations on accreditation until after Congress passes the reauthorization bill.