Indiana Joins NCLB Protesters

[Bob Schaeffer <bobschaeffer@earthlink.net>]

     STATE JOINS PROTEST OF EDUCATION LAW
            Indianapolis Star -- March 5, 2004
                   March 5, 2004

Citing unrealistic requirements, Indiana education officials are joining 
with the nation's governors and state policy-makers in calling for an 
overhaul of President Bush's No Child Left Behind act.

The State Board of Education voted Thursday to add its name to a letter 
being sent to lawmakers and the U.S. Department of Education, seeking 
changes in the federal school accountability law.

"It's important that we support these educational groups," board member 
David O. Dickson said before the 6-5 vote.

Statewide associations representing superintendents, principals, 
teachers, school boards and urban districts have complained that the 
federal law is too rigid and imposes impractical goals.

Those groups plan to lobby Indiana's congressional delegation and the 
federal Education Department for modifications to the law, which 
measures accountability, student progress and teacher quality annually.

Their focus is on changing the law's goal of having students -- 
including special education students and those with limited English 
skills -- 100 percent proficient in math, English and science by the 
2013-14 school year.

"While the intent of the law is good, No Child Left Behind needs 
revision," said Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Duncan Pat 
Pritchett, who heads the state's largest school district and believes 
school progress must be measured over time.

National education groups, Republican and Democratic governors and the 
National Conference of State Legislatures have expressed similar concerns.

The federal law requires annual testing in Grades 3-8. Test scores are 
used to judge school improvement.

If schools fail to show improvement for two consecutive years, students 
can transfer to higher-performing schools in the district.

After the third year, schools also must provide tutoring or other 
remedial help for students who struggle. They must use the federal aid 
they receive to pay transportation and tutoring costs.

While sanctions apply only to schools that receive federal Title I 
funds, which are used to help boost the achievement of poor and minority 
children, all schools are subject to labels.

Concern that schools with diverse enrollments are less likely to meet 
the improvement targets is growing nationally.

Arizona, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming have proposed 
or passed legislation that would let them opt out of No Child Left 
Behind and forfeit federal funding.

"We're two years into this law. . . . We're going to see more schools in 
need of improvement this year," said Dane Linn, education director for 
the National Governors Association.

Using an "intrusive, one-size-fits-all" approach isn't the way to help 
schools improve, said Lily Eskelsen, secretary-treasurer for the 
National Education Association. That union represents 2.7 million teachers.

Eskelsen, who will be in Indianapolis on Saturday for an Indiana State 
Teachers Association meeting, said change is overdue. "We have been 
banging on the door of this administration for two years."

http://www.indystar.com/articles/7/126509-4797-009.html