House Panel Considers Federal Role in Standards

Key state officials, congressional leaders, and the president of the one of the national teachers’ unions all agreed at a hearing today that the United States needs to move toward common academic standards to stay competitive in an increasingly globalized economy—and that states must be the vehicle for the change.

What was not as clear is what the federal role should be in adding momentum to the effort already under way in about 40 states to move toward a set of standards that is more uniform and rigorous.

U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, which held the hearing on the topic, said he thinks states should take primary responsibility for moving the ball forward, but emphasized that they have an important...