Fwd: [ARN-state] Re: Action Alert: - what is congressional schedule?

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Begin forwarded message:

  From: "Monty Neill" <monty@fairtest.org>

  Date: Fri Apr 6, 2007 6:59:52 AM US/Pacific

  To: "RScriticalteach" <RScriticalteach@lists.execpc.com>,
  <ndsgroup@yahoogroups.com>, <ARN-state@yahoogroups.com>, "ARN-L"
  <arn-l@interversity.org>, "arn2-strategy" <arn2-strategy@yahoogroups.com>,
  <care@yahoogroups.com>

  Subject: [ARN-state] Re: Action Alert: - what is congressional schedule?

  Reply-To: ARN-state@yahoogroups.com

  In response to a request for info (below):

  Hearings have been held and will be held at least through May in both Houses.
  I do not have an agenda of them.

  Kennedy said he wants a bill marked up and out of the Senate HELP committee
  by end of May. This is unlikely, but he may succeed in getting it out in
  June. House is not proceeding as quickly, but Miller wants it out of
  committee this summer. For multiple reasons, they may not succeed - but they
  are trying. What is also important is that the first and in many ways
  technically easiest place to influence legislation is at the committee level.
  Hence the need to be weighing in now.

  Both leaders want floor votes this summer, or certainly by fall. Again, they
  may not succeed - Kennedy and Miller do not schedule the voting - both are
  powerful and have influence, but with many other issues on the table and lots
  of other pressures, House and Senate leadership may not schedule it.

  The Miller-Kennedy goal would appear to be a vote by early fall leading to
  reconciliation between the two versions and completion by end of year. Again,
  may well not happen - the insider 'wisdom' is that it will not, but advocates
  for change should not sit back and act as tho that were true. Because Miller
  and Kennedy are pushing hard, committees esp need to be influenced.

  This means: call, write, fax your reps and sens, tell them to inform Kennedy
  and Miller, etc.

  - call etc the committees themselves and leave word on your views.

  (if you have not, see FairTest's 'action alert' at
  http://www.fairtest.org/nattest/ActTodayNCLB0407.html

  And hearing from local groups - school committees, churches, civic groups,
  etc., matters to reps and sens. The joint statement has 116 signers,
  including more than 20 religious denominations, SEIU, ACORN, PEN as well as
  many education and civil rights groups. Local affiliates should pass a
  resolution, send it to reps/sens and to the media.

  - joint statement is at
  http://www.fairtest.org/joint%20statement%20civil%20rights%20grps%2010-21-04.html

  See also Seven Ways to work for NLCB overhaul -
  http://www.fairtest.org/nattest/Seven_Ways_To_Overhaul_NCLB.html

  Lastly, the Forum on Ed Accountability has detailed legislative proposals to
  overhaul NCLB -

  summary and complete legislative proposal at
  http://www.fairtest.org/FEA_Home.html .

  Monty Neill

  ----- Original Message -----

  From: Daniel Penrice

  To: care@yahoogroups.com

  Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 12:00 AM

  Subject: RE: [care] Action Alert: Act TODAY for NCLB Overhaul!

  0000,0000,8080Does anyone know what the legislative calendar looks like on
  this? E.g., are there any more hearings scheduled, any idea when actual bills
  will come out of committee and likely go to the floor, will there be an H.R.
  bill as well as a Senate one, etc.?

  From:Tahoma1999,1999,FFFFcare@yahoogroups.comTahoma
  [mailto:care@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf OfMonty Neill

  Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 12:33 PM

  To: care-strategy; care@yahoogroups.com

  Subject: [care] Action Alert: Act TODAY for NCLB Overhaul!

  Act TODAY for NCLB Overhaul

  The Bush Administration and its Congressional allies are trying to push
  through fast-track renewal of the fundamentally flawed “No Child Left Behind”
  law without the public debate it requires.

  Now is the time for assessment reformers like you to act.  Contact your U.S.
  Senators and Representative today. Tell them NCLB should not be reauthorized
  unless all these issues are addressed. Ask them to contact the Education
  Committee and press for adoption of the reforms listed here.

  • End arbitrary and unrealistic “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP) requirements
  used to punish schools not on track to having all students score “proficient”
  by 2014. AYP should be replaced by expectations based on real-world rates of
  improved student achievement. Academic progress should be measured by
  multiple sources of evidence, not just standardized test scores.

  • Reduce excessive top-down testing mandates. The requirement that states
  assess each student every year in grades three through eight (and once in
  high school) should be reduced to once each in elementary, middle and high
  school. Over-testing takes time away from real teaching and learning.

  • Remove counter-productive sanctions. Escalating punitive consequences,
  which lack evidence of success, should be eliminated. These include
  requirements to spend money on school transfers and tutoring, as well as
  provisions calling for the replacement of teachers or privatizing control
  over schools.

  • Replace NCLB’s test-and-punish approach with support for improving
  educational quality. This includes holding schools accountable for making
  systemic changes through locally controlled professional development and
  family involvement programs. Federal funding should be more than doubled so
  that all eligible children receive support.

  The thrust of this approach is outlined in the Joint Organizational Statement
  on NCLB
  http://www.fairtest.org/joint%20statement%20civil%20rights%20grps%2010-21-04.html
  with details in Redefining Accountability: Improving Student Learning by
  Building Capacity. http://www.fairtest.org/FEA_Home.html.

  Members of Congress are in their home districts during the first half of
  April. Take advantage of this opportunity to make your views heard. Personal
  calls, letters, faxes and visits are much more effective than email. 
  Addresses and phone numbers are available at http://www.house.gov and
  http://www.senate.gov.

  Kennedy is especially important because he is chair of the Senate's education
  committee. Kennedy and Kerry contact information is below.

  Please take action today.  The U.S. will continue to leave many children
  behind unless your voice is heard.

  Sen. Edward Kennedy,

  DC: (202) 224-4643; fax(202) 224-2417

  317 Russell Senate Office Building

  Washington, DC 20510

  A0A0,2020,F0F0http://www.kennedy.senate.gov/Times New Roman

  Sen. John Kerry

  (202) 224-2742; no fax listed

  304 Russell Senate Office Building

  Washington, DC 20510

  A0A0,2020,F0F0http://www.kerry.senate.govTimes New Roman

  Monty Neill, Ed.D.

  Executive Director

  FairTest

  342 Broadway

  Cambridge, MA 02139

  617-864-4810    fax 617-497-2224

  monty@fairtest.org

  http://www.fairtest.org

  Donate: https://secure.entango.com/servlet/donate/MnrXjT8MQqk

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