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WPLLC > NCLB Insights > Archived Issue
NCLB Insights - NEWS AND COMMENTARY ON THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT
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NCES Releases Condition of Education Report
On May 31, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released “The Condition of Education 2007,” a Congressionally mandated report that provides an annual statistical portrait of education in the United States. The 48 indicators included in the report cover all aspects of education, from student achievement to school environment and from early childhood through postsecondary education.
Overall, the report shows that enrollment in U.S. public schools is becoming increasingly diverse with minority students making up 42 percent of population. In addition, 20 percent of school-age children speak a language other than English at home. The rate of college enrollment immediately after high school increased from 49 percent in 1972 to 69 percent in 2005. About three-quarters of the freshman class graduated from public high schools on time in 2003–04. To view the report online, go to: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/
MAJOR NCLB
DEVELOPMENTS
- Education and Labor Committee Holds Bipartisan Meeting on NCLB
During the week of May 14, members of the House Education and Labor Committee held a bipartisan listening session to hear recommendations from other Members of Congress (not on the Committee) on ways to improve NCLB. Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) stated, "Our committee is committed to working in an open and collaborative way to improve the No Child Left Behind law. Just like the people they represent, members of Congress have diverse views about the law, including concerns about how it could work better. But it's clear that we all share the goal of making sure that every child is able to succeed in school, and we will work together to achieve that goal." For more information: http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/edlabor_dem/RelMay16NCLB.html
CAPITOL HILL
- Spellings Takes Center Stage in House Hearing
On May 10, the House Education and Labor Committee, Chaired by Congressman George Miller (D-CA), convened an investigative hearing on the Department of Education’s oversight of both the Reading First and Federal Student Loan programs. The lone witness was Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. Miller assessed the Department’s management of both programs as “a monumental failure”. When discussing both programs, Spellings focused not on past practices, but instead on the Department’s ongoing efforts to correct problems.
A copy of the Secretary’s testimony can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/05/05102007.html
- House Education and Labor Committee Holds Hearing on Teacher Quality
On May 11, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing, “ESEA Reauthorization: Boosting Quality in the Teaching Profession.” Chairman George Miller (D-CA) offered a very brief opening statement in which he stressed his belief that improving the quality, recruitment and retention of teachers is the centerpiece for a successful reauthorization of NCLB. While there was a variety of positions at the witness table, there was complete agreement that high quality teachers and principals are essential; some kind of differentiated pay system and/or incentives should be offered to teachers; and that the laudable goals of Chairman Miller’s Teacher Excellence for All Children Act (TEACH Act) would provide assistance in these endeavors.
For more information visit: http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/fc051107.shtml
- House Subcommittee Holds Field Hearing on Local Perspectives
On May 14, the House Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee of the Education and Labor Committee held a field hearing, "Examining Local Perspectives on the No Child Left Behind Act". Witness's included: Anthony Stevenson, assistant principal, Radnor High School, Radnor, Pennsylvania; Dr. Leslye Abrutyn, superintendent, Penn-Delco School District, Aston, Pennsylvania; Dr. Theodore Hershberg, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mr. Joseph Howell, principal, Norristown Area High School, Norristown, Pennsylvania; and Mr. Stephen Kozol, chairman Social Studies Department, Upper Merion High School, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Witness statements available at: http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/ecese051407.shtml
- House Education and Labor Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Teacher Preparation
On May 17, the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness held a hearing, "Preparing Teachers for the Classroom: The Role of the Higher Education Act and No Child Left Behind." Chairman Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) opened the hearing with a statement asserting that reaching the goals of NCLB is dependent on the quality of teaching in the country’s classrooms. He offered that far too often, the least qualified teachers are those charged with teaching the hardest to reach students and, “Our goal should be to change that.” Noting that the Education and Labor Committee is in the process of reauthorizing two pieces of legislation that address teacher preparation and professional development – the Higher Education Act (HEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) – he said, “This presents a unique opportunity to improve these laws so that they operate in a more integrated fashion and move us closer to our goal of a highly qualified teacher in every classroom.” For more information: http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/hellc051707.shtml
DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION
- ED Approves Additional Growth Model Pilots
Last week, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the approval of two
high-quality growth models. Iowa and Ohio have been approved to use the growth model
for the 2006-2007 school year. Delaware and Arkansas received approval last November to implement their growth model for the 2006-2007 school year and Florida’s proposal was also conditionally approved by the Department. The Department plans to approve no more than ten growth models for its pilot program. For more information: http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/growthmodel/proficiency.html
- NAEP History and Civics Results Released
On May 16, the Department's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released results from the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests in U.S. history and civics. Overall, student achievement improved significantly at all three grade levels tested (fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade) in U.S. history (previously assessed in 1994 and 2001) and at the fourth-grade level in civics (previously assessed in 1998). For more information: http://nationsreportcard.gov/ushistory_2006/ OR http://nationsreportcard.gov/civics_2006/.
- Department Releases Guidance on Limited English Proficient Students
Non-binding guidance released on Limited English Proficent (LEP) students May 29 by the Department closely mirrors guidance released last year. However, these regulations provide more details. Specifically, the regulations: provide a definition of a recently arrived LEP student; include testing and accountability flexibility for State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) regarding recently arrived LEP students; require reporting on SEA and LEA report cards on the use of testing exemptions for recently arrived LEP students; emphasize that LEAs are responsible for providing appropriate instruction to recently arrived LEP students; and provide for the inclusion of former LEP students in the LEP subgroup for AYP calculations. To view the guidance: www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/lepguidance.doc.
IN THE
EDUCATION COMMUNITY
- AEI Hosts Day Long Event on Education Policy Research
On May 21, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) hosted a day-long event titled, "The Politics of Knowledge: Why Research Does (or Does Not) Influence Education Policy".
The event was constructed around eleven papers commissioned by AEI to examine how and why high-quality research influences policy, how research is used (or misused) in core policy areas, and how education research is consumed by key audiences. A number of topics were addressed at the event, including the evolving relationship between research and policy; how research has been used in areas such as teacher quality, reading (specifically, Reading First), and school choice; the way in which research is used by the public, courts, and educational leaders; and how incentives for researchers and decision-makers are changing. For more information: http://www.aei.org/events/eventID.1455,filter.all/event_detail.asp
- NCLB Poll Reveals Strong Opposition to the Law Still Exists
Nearly two-thirds of American adults want Congress to rewrite to outright abolish the landmark No Child Left Behind Act that mandates nationwide testing to determine if public schools are performing adequately. Opposition is especially high among people most familiar with the law, according to a survey of 1,010 adults conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University. For more information: http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=NOCHILDPOLL-05-30-07
- Blackboard Hosts Education Leadership Forum
In May, Blackboard hosted the first in what will be a series of education leadership forums “on important issues impacting education.” Titled “Are America’s Students Left Behind?,” the forum featured a discussion of the status—current and prospective—of U.S. students in a global economy and what schools, government, parents and students can do to better prepare the next generation for success in college and beyond. Much of the discussion was familiar to those watching the “competitiveness” debate relative to education. For more information: http://www.blackboard.com/company/press/release.aspx?id=1000485.
IN THE NEWS
RECENT
PUBLICATIONS
CALENDAR
- June 4, 2007: House and Senate Return from Memorial Day Recess
- June 7, 2007:The House Education and Labor Committee’s Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee Hearing, “Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Current and Prospective Flexibility Under No Child Left Behind,” 2:30 p.m. 2175 Rayburn House Office Building
- June 30-July 5, 2007: NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly, Philadelphia, PA.
RESOURCES
Http://www.whitehouse.gov
Http://www.ed.gov/in
dex.html
Http://www.house.gov
Http://www.senate.gov
Http://edworkforce.h
ouse.gov
Http://help.senate.gov
Http://appropriat
ions.house.gov
Http://appropria
tions.senate.gov
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