The new federal law of the land for that nation's public schools does four things for education reform:
1) Calls for higher standards for America's schools and teachers by imposing a yearly testing requirement on states;
2) Helps ensure that poor children will have access to a better education and the ability to exercise choice when they are stuck in persistently failing schools;
3) Gives states flexibility in hiring, training and compensating teachers, and
4) Maintains the viability and continued expansion of the charter school movement.
A full summary of the bill can be found at http://www.ed.gov/nclb.
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BEST
BETS: The call for higher standards and
better curricular offerings has received national
attention and state-by-state support, but filtering
through the scores of programs that have emerged can
be confusing. CER offers basic guidelines for
separating the wheat from the chaff, as well as a
run-down of the current “Best Bets” in rigorous
K-12 education programs.
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND EXTRA CREDIT, May 1, 2003: Supporting National Charter School Week is Another Way No Child Left Behind is Helping Every Child Learn.
UNIONS and HYPOCRISY: The nation's largest union of school employees – the National Education Association – is now clearly on record against accountability and options for parents. In a radio advertisement in dozens of markets, the union's president whacked the federal No Child Left Behind act on the grounds that it (quote) TELLS SCHOOLS WHAT TO DO, HOW TO DO IT AND WHEN IT HAS TO BE DONE…(AND) ACTUALLY REDUCE STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS THAT SCHOOLS HAVE SET FOR THEMSELVES. (Unquote). The hypocrisy of this statement is almost too much for us. More... from CER Newswire February 18, 2003.
ONE YEAR LATER: "A year ago landmark education legislation was signed making it possible for students in chronically failing schools to attend schools that work…. For the first time in the history of federal education support, the issues of quality and accountability overcame Washington's previous fixation on resources only." Link here to the full statement by CER President Jeanne Allen on the one-year anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act.
PARENT POWER: New York parents' class action lawsuit charges that the cities of New York and Albany have failed to give them rights they are entitled to under the one-year old federal No Child Left Behind law. According to the complaint, "Parents have been intentionally misinformed, misled and uninformed about their rights under NCLB. Worse, some parents have requested transfers for their children out of failing schools, only to have those requests illegally denied." CER has learned of similar first-person stories from around the country. One family in a Maryland county was told three different things upon calling the district office. Such confusion or foot-dragging is also profiled in a Washington Post piece about the lawsuit.
In the News:
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Background and Developments:
Resources:
Newsworthy:
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The Center for Education Reform is a national, independent, non-profit advocacy organization providing support and guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policymakers and others who are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools. For further information, please call (202) 822-9000.
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