Fwd: Excellent advice from FairTest

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Begin forwarded message:

  ACTION ALERT

  FFFF,8080,0000Ensure U.S. House Really Overhauls NCLB

  The House Education Committee is about to adopt language for the next version
  of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)/No Child Left
  Behind (NCLB). [Committee members are expected to vote on a Democratic
  leadership bill (yet to be unveiled) before Congress takes its August recess
  -- that is, in the next 2-3 weeks.]

  Now is the time for assessment reformers like you to act. The next steps
  include:

  1) 9999,0000,9999Keep pressure on the leadership0000,0000,0000, especially
  Chairman George Miller. Demand they make needed major improvements (as
  outlined below) and allow substantial time for discussion and amendments.
  Tell your Rep. to deliver this message to Mr. Miller. (See contact info at
  the bottom.)

  2) 9999,0000,9999If your Representative is on the Education Committee0000,0000,0000,
  ask her or him to vote “No” to any bill or parts of the bill that do not make
  sufficient changes in the law. Ask them to propose amendments to advance the
  key changes and to take leadership on these issues.

  3) 9999,0000,9999Focus on key changes needed in the law:

  • End unrealistic "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) requirements. Expect
  schools to make reasonable progress based on real-world rates of student
  improvement.

  • Require testing once each in elementary, middle and high school, scrapping
  requirement to test in grades 3-8. Over-testing takes time away from real
  teaching and learning.

  • Assess academic progress using multiple sources of evidence, not just
  standardized test scores. Provide funding to help states and districts
  develop locally-based, performance and classroom assessments to improve
  teaching and learning as well as accountability.

  • Replace the test-and-punish approach with support for improving educational
  quality. Expect all schools to take reasonable steps to improve, including
  use of high-quality professional development and strong parental involvement.
  Replace current sanctions-based system with a focus on targeted assistance.

  4) 9999,0000,9999Get other people and organizations to fax, call, or write
  Congress. 0000,0000,0000Tell your Representatives and Senators to rely on the
  Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB and the legislative recommendations of
  the Forum on Educational Accountability to guide their votes on
  reauthorization of NLCB. http://www.fairtest.org/FEA_Home.html0000,0000,0000.0000,0000,0000

  House contact info:

  Rep. George Miller, Chair, House Education Committee, 2181 Rayburn,
  Washington, DC 20515; 202-225-3725; fax 202-226-5398.

  Find your Rep at 1999,1999,FFFFwww.house.govArial0000,0000,0000 and Ed.
  committee members at http://edlabor.house.gov/about/members.shtml0000,0000,0000

  http://www.fairtest.org/nattest/ActTodayNCLB0607.html

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