" We can't afford to opt out of No Child "

[Peter Farruggio <pfarr@cal.berkeley.edu>]

> See Arizona Republic:
>
>
>
> We can't afford to opt out of No Child
>
>
>
> Apr. 3, 2008 12:00 AM
> The Arizona Business & Education Coalition (ABEC) asks our 
> legislators to "stay the course" on No Child Left Behind.
>
> We ask our legislators to oppose any effort to opt out NCLB - not 
> only because we cannot afford the loss of $600 million in education 
> funding but because it keeps us focused on success for every child.
>
> We agree there are problems with NCLB, but ABEC supports its vision 
> as it sets high expectations for all students and provides 
> transparency for community members. We support the growth model, a 
> change in the NCLB's accountability measure.
>
> ABEC is concerned that the law can be demoralizing to hard-working 
> teachers within a school setting. We are concerned that Arizona's 
> data-collection system, foundational to assessing success of 
> schools, be accurate and comprehensive.
>
> We believe that there are insufficient appropriations to implement 
> NCLB and that reauthorization should address other specific educator 
> concerns. There must be a rational alignment between NCLB and the 
> Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
>
> But we also believe that the ideas and principles of NCLB need to be 
> retained. There is no magical solution, so we must provide the 
> resources and commitment to expect all children to succeed in public 
> schools. It is a moral issue.
>
> - Susan Carlson, Phoenix
>
>
> The writer is executive director of the Arizona Business & Education 
> Coalition.