No Child Left Behind is stalled in Congress – leaving the administration to take the matter into their hands. The administration announced new waivers to make changes.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker argues the ‘status quo isn’t enough.’

“I think one of the best things we’ve seen in America is how people on the left and right in cities and states have been coming together to make real substantive education reform,” Booker said. “We can’t let dysfunction in Congress undermine sensible pragmatic changes.”

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Booker said President Barack Obama is doing the right thing with focusing on the people and children, and not politics and partisanship.

He said all states with Republication governors and Democratic governors are asking for education reform. He admitted Governor Chris Christie and he could write a dissertation about their differences, but on this matter they agree.

“When it comes to children here in Newark, N.J., he and I found a number of places where we can work together by keeping our focus not on each other, not on politics, not on the parties we belong to, but what is practically going to work best to deal with… that children’s destiny in our country is going to be determined on the zip code they’re born in.”

According to Booker, you can’t have a leading democracy with failing schools.