This ain't new...
"No child left behind" meant kids didn't have to learn anything because they couldnt/wouldn't be held back.
No matter what happens, you get advanced to the next grade, and after 12 years they hand you a meaningless piece of paper.
Which is a part that doesn't get touched on enough, it probably had a large effect on "degree inflation" because it made a highschool diploma mean absolutely nothing, even if you did well. Which lead to everyone going to college and all the issues with that.
Like, we definitely need to stop more damage from being done.
I just want to fix the shit Republicans broke 20 some years ago too.
