Speaking Out! President Obama to bypass parts of “No Child Left Behind”

President Obama to bypass parts of “No Child Left Behind”

To the relief of most state governments, the Obama administration is preparing to waive some of the most stringent demands of the No Child Left Behind Act. But the White House will put conditions on these waivers, effectively enacting its own education policies.

Schools nationwide are facing enormous pressure to improve student performance under No Child Left Behind, a law signed during the Bush administration that controversially emphasizes standardized test scores. Unless their entire student bodies become proficient in math and reading by 2014, these schools face escalating penalties of staff firings and school shutdowns.

The Washington Post reports that as many as 45 states may apply for the waivers. In exchange for the waivers, states will be required to address how they will reduce achievement gaps, increase equity, and increase the quality of instruction. In order to qualify for a waiver states must adopt college-and career-ready standards in reading and math; develop systems of accountability that advance student learning and differentiated recognition to measure student progress; and provide guidelines for teacher and principal evaluation and support. (Learn more about these requirements here).

The No Child Left Behind Act was both a reform and a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, intended to improve education nationally by demanding schools continually improve performance on student test scores. But some, including Voices, have argued that a laser focus on standardized tests encourages “teaching to the test” rather than true learning. Almost a third of states dumbed down their test standards to create the illusion of improvement following No Child Left Behind, according to a 2009 report by the U.S Department of Education.

See “How child advocates would change education policy” in this newsletter for our take on how this legislation should work.

How child advocates would change education policy

In offering states waivers from some of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, President Obama has described the legislation as lofty in ideals but flawed in implementation. Child advocates agree, and as always we have some suggestions on how to reform the law.

The No Child Left Behind law is nearly a decade old and has been due for renewal by Congress for about four years. But attempts to change it have failed repeatedly, and a rewrite of the legislation seems a long ways off. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, has announced that he will seek reform of the legislation next month, but expects significant opposition from the other side of aisle.

Voices for America’s Children is in favor of expanding education resources, enhancing technical assistance, and bolstering other supports already in law that help children succeed in school. But Voices also seeks to improve the legislation with a focus on closing achievement gaps, particularly for children of color and those in low-income communities. Voices would also like the legislation to do more to identify and promote best practices, especially in the promising field of early education.

American Jobs Act would prop up teachers as well as aging schools

In his address on the jobs crisis this month, President Obama introduced the American Jobs Act, a blueprint for economic growth that some call a new stimulus. The big provisions are tax credits and other purely economic plans, but the bill also features a big boost to schools struggling in the economic decline.

Obama’s plan includes a $25 billion school modernization effort aimed at improving 35,000 schools. There is some research to suggest better facilities allow for better school performance, and Voices supports modernization efforts. And while rich school districts are often the best at lobbying for new financial support from the state, Voices is satisfied that Obama’s plan does well at targeting those schools most in need.

The American Jobs Act would also provide states with $30 billion to prevent layoffs of emergency first responders and teachers. This support could be vital to preventing teacher layoffs, as nearly every state has been cash-strapped since the recession. Since this support will also help states retain positions, the jobs market should benefit as well as America’s students.