DOCSLIB.ORG

Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation's Children

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation's Children BEYOND NCLB: NCLB: BEYOND THE COMMISSION ON N O C H I L D L EF T B E H I N D Secretary Tommy G. Thompson Governor Roy E. Barnes Co-Chairs F It’s time to take a bold step forward and to ulfilling the Promise commit to significantly improving NCLB. We must insist on high achievement for all students. Our nation’s children deserve it. O ur N ation’s Children ation’s THE COMMISSION ON Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation’s Children N O C H I L D L EF T B E H I N D Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation’s Children The Commission on No Child Left Behind Secretary Tommy G. Thompson Governor Roy E. Barnes Co-Chairs The Commission on No Child Left Behind is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Spencer Foundation. This document is published to communicate the results of the Commission’s work. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in the Commission’s documents are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the donors. Copyright © 2007 by The Aspen Institute The Aspen Institute One Dupont Circle, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 Published in the United States of America in 2007 by The Aspen Institute All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 0-89843-467-X 07-003 Table of Contents List of Commissioners and Commission Staff 6 Acknowledgments 7 Foreword 9 Introduction: A New Day in American Education 11 Effective Teachers for All Students, Effective Principals for All Communities 29 Accelerating Progress and Closing Achievement Gaps Through Improved Accountability 55 Moving Beyond the Status Quo to Effective School Improvement and Student Options 79 Fair and Accurate Assessments of Student Progress 101 High Standards for Every Student in Every State 117 Ensuring High Schools Prepare Students for College and the Workplace 129 Driving Progress Through Reliable, Accurate Data 139 Additional Elements of a High-Achieving System 147 Addressing the Needs of English Language Learners 147 Strengthening Early Childhood Education 151 Improving Support for Migrant Students 154 A Call to Action 159 Summary of Recommendations 161 Recommendation Tables 170 Bibliography 205 Appendices 219 (A) Summary of Outreach and Research Activities 219 (B) List of Graphs and Charts 227 (C) Common Abbreviations Used 228 (D) Additional View 230 Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation’s Children The Commission on No Child Left Behind Co-Chairs Secretary Tommy G. Thompson Governor Roy E. Barnes Commissioners Dr. Craig Barrett Mr. Christopher Edley, Jr. Dr. Eugene García Hon. Judith E. Heumann Mr. Thomas Y. Hobart, Jr. Ms. Jaymie Reeber Kosa Ms. Andrea Messina Dr. J. Michael Ortiz Dr. James L. Pughsley Mr. Edward B. Rust, Jr. Dr. Ted Sanders Ms. Jennifer Smith Dr. Ed Sontag Commission Staff Alex Nock, Director Gary Huggins, Director of Policy and Research Jennifer W. Adams, Communications Director Renata Uzzell, Research and Data Analyst Erin Silliman, Administrative Assistant Acknowledgments The Commission would like to first thank our funders. Without their generous support of our work, we would not have been able to produce our recommendations after discussions with and comments from so many citizens, educators, policymakers and others across the country. Our funders—including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Spencer Foundation—are among the leading foundations in improving the quality of education in the United States. We would also like to gratefully acknowledge the Aspen Institute for providing a widely recognized and respected platform for this effort and for continuously supporting our work. Special thanks goes to Walter Isaacson, the President and CEO of the Institute, as well as Peter Reiling, Executive Vice President for Leadership and Policy Programs. The support of these two individuals in helping to form and nurture the Commission was essential to ensuring its effectiveness. Thanks also to Judy Wurtzel, Senior Fellow, for her work to support the Commission in its early stages. We would also be remiss if we did not thank all of the individuals who shared their No Child Left Behind (NCLB) experiences with the Commission during our public hearings, roundtables and school visits, during private meetings and conversations, and those who participated in our school and district profiles. The testimony, letters, e-mails and general comments were essential to helping us understand how NCLB is affecting our schools and communities and enabled us to form our recommendations. Our efforts have been supported by an excellent staff to whom we owe our gratitude. Our hard- working staff includes Alex Nock, Director, whose leadership, policy expertise and management skills were invaluable; Gary Huggins, Director of Policy and Research, who spearheaded our policy development and helped ensure our report truly reflected all of the diverse views on the Commission; Jennifer W. Adams, Communications Director, who ensured the public and press were well-informed about our activities; Renata Uzzell, Research and Data Analyst, whose research and analysis skills were essential to our understanding of achievement in our nation; Erin Silliman, Administrative Assistant, who ensured our many public events went off without a hitch and that our Web site enabled thousands to communicate their ideas with us; and Jean Morra, Alexa Law and Stew Harris, who collectively ensured our Web broadcasts were well done and accessible to all. We would also like to thank Collaborative Communications Group staff and consultants, including Danica Petroshius, who provided seasoned advice and leadership; Beth Schuster, whose project management, research and writing led to a high-quality product; Robert Rothman, whose writing gave a voice to our recommendations; Bill Glover, whose designs brought visual life to our report; Ellen Parker, whose copy editing proved invaluable; Jessica Schwartz Hahn, whose communications support helped the public and press stay informed; Lori Meyer, whose research deepened our understanding of NCLB’s impact; and Susanna Kemp, who provided valuable technical support. Foreword We see evidence every day that we are letting our children down. We hear news stories about low reading scores for young children and teens; we see unconscionably high numbers of students dropping out of school; we hear business owners express frustration at their workers’ lack of skills and the costs of training them; and we spend millions annually on remedial courses for college freshmen. We cannot afford to sit idly by and hope that things will improve. We have a responsibility as a nation to take bold steps to close the achievement gaps that plague our nation’s schools and to ensure that all students are properly prepared for successful and productive lives after high school. Failing to take sustained action will not only result in the continued tragedy of unfulfilled potential, but will also threaten our nation’s economy and future competitiveness in the world. This year, Congress is scheduled to review the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In 2002, this law signaled an important change in federal education policy by focusing on accountability for results rather than simple compliance and by seeking to set the performance bar high for all children, regardless of where they live. NCLB also provided data on student achievement, which has raised our awareness of the quality of education being provided to students across the country. Each of us is now more acutely aware that our future depends on more than just our own children. Our future economic success and security in the world depends on the success of all of the nation’s children. Though the law set us on a more productive course and spurred some improvement, it has not been enough. Far too many children are still not achieving to high standards in every state, and we are not yet making improvements in struggling schools as effectively or as rapidly as we had hoped. The time is now to learn from the successes and struggles of the law and forge a stronger path to a better future. The nation has an important opportunity to move beyond NCLB in its current form and take the steps necessary to fulfill the promise of high achievement for all children. Last February, 15 leaders in education—representing K–12 and higher education, school and school-system governance, civil rights and business—came together to form the Commission on No Child Left Behind, a bipartisan, independent effort dedicated to improving NCLB. Although our members brought a variety of perspectives with them, we were united from the beginning in our commitment to the principles of the law to help every child become proficient and to eliminate persistent achievement gaps that have left too many students behind. 10 Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation’s Children We were also in agreement that our recommendations would be informed by those who are affected by the law every day. Through the generous support of our funders and the Aspen Institute, we traveled across the country, listening to the stories and experiences of students, teachers, principals, parents, administrators, state and district officials, experts and policymakers. We held public hearings and roundtables, visited schools, wrote profiles of schools and districts, read thousands of comments submitted through our Web site, and researched and analyzed extensive amounts of data. We took our charge seriously. We researched. We listened. And we learned. Our efforts over the past year have helped us gain a deeper understanding of both the successes and the challenges of NCLB and how best to improve the law to ensure a quality education for all students.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Board of Education Agenda Item
    Board of Education Agenda Item Item: G. Date: May 25, 2005 Topic: Report on Status of Proposed Waivers/Amendments to Virginia’s Consolidated State Application Accountability Plan Required in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Presenter: Dr. Patricia I. Wright, Deputy Superintendent Telephone Number: (804) 225-2979 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Origin: __x__ Topic presented for information only (no board action required) Board review required by __ State or federal law or regulation ____ Board of Education regulation Other: Action requested at this meeting ____ Action requested at future meeting: (date) Previous Review/Action: No previous board review/action x Previous review/action date January 19, 2005/April 20, 2005 action Board approved proposed amendment/waiver requests Background Information: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), which is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), requires all state educational agencies (SEA) to submit for approval to the United States Department of Education (USED) individual program applications or a consolidated state application. A major component of the consolidated application is Virginia’s Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook that describes a single statewide accountability system for the commonwealth. The accountability workbook that describes the policies and procedures that were used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) ratings for the 2003-2004 school year are described in the amended workbook dated May 26, 2004. At its January 19, 2005, meeting the Virginia Board of Education adopted proposed waivers/amendments to the Consolidated State Application Accountability Plan (amended May 26, 2004) required in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).
    [Show full text]
  • Department of Education
    DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 400 Maryland Avenue SW 20202 phone 401–3000, fax 401–0596, http://www.ed.gov MARGARET SPELLINGS, Secretary of Education; born in Ann Arbor, MI, November 30, 1957; education: B.A., University of Houston, 1979; professional: education reform commis- sioner under Texas Governor William P. Clements; associate executive director, Texas Associa- tion of School Boards, 1988–94; senior advisor to George W. Bush during his term as Governor of Texas, 1994–2000; as senior adviser, Secretary Spellings created the Texas Read- ing Initiative, the Student Success Initiative to eliminate social promotion, and the nation’s strongest school assessment and accountability system; Domestic Policy Adviser, 2001–05; one of the principal authors of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act; first mother of school children to serve as Secretary of Education; children: Mary and Grace; nominated by President George W. Bush to become the 8th Secretary of Education on November 17, 2004; confirmed on January 20, 2005. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Room 7W301, phone 401–3000, fax 401–0596 Secretary of Education.—Margaret Spellings. Chief of Staff.—David Dunn, 205–9694. Interim Director, Public Affairs.—DJ Nordquist, room 7C105, 401–8459, fax 401–3130. OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY Room 7W310, phone 401–1000, fax 401–3095 Office of Educational Technology.—Susan Patrick, 205–4274. OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS 550 12th Street SW, Room 5000, 20202–1100, phone 245–6800, fax 245–6840 or 6844 Assistant Secretary.—James Manning (acting). Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement.—David Black (acting). Special Assistant / Legal.—Kimberly Richey, room 6142, 245–6819. Director of: Enforcement, East.—Susan Bowers, room 6094, 245–6798.
    [Show full text]
  • No Child Left Behind: Trends and Issues by Frederick M
    EDUCATION No Child Left Behind: Trends and Issues By Frederick M. Hess and Rosemary H. Kendrick The No Child Left Behind Act is the most ambitious piece of education legislation ever enacted by Congress. Designed to promote accountability and prod states to increase efforts to address educational inequities, NCLB includes significant provisions regarding assessment, sanctions for low-performing schools and districts, teacher quality and standards for educational research. On Jan. 8, 2002, surrounded by members of both tive requirements of the 1994 ESEA. Eager to sup- the Democratic and Republican congressional leader- port a Republican president after two terms under a ship, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Democratic White House, conservatives on Capitol Left Behind Act—called NCLB—into law. NCLB Hill accepted requirements regarding standards, test- is the nation’s most significant federal legislation on ing and accountability that they had resisted as fed- K-12 schooling since the Elementary and Secondary eral overreaching in 1994 and 1999. Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, and the most ambi- The NCLB accountability system requires states tious federal intervention in a domain long regarded to develop content standards for what students should as the preserve of state and local governments.1 know and be able to do, as well as complementary Congress approved NCLB by large, bipartisan state assessments. It requires states to annually test majorities, with the law passing 87–10 in the U.S. students to measure competency in the core subjects Senate and 381–41 in the House of Representatives.2 of reading and math. By the 2013–14 school year, Emerging from an exhaustive year of negotiations, all states are required to have all their students score NCLB refashioned federal education policy in the proficient on state reading and math assessments.
    [Show full text]
  • Connecticut State Board of Education Dr
    CONNECTICUT STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DR. BETTY J. STERNBERG, COMMISSIONER January 14, 2005 Secretary-Designate Margaret Spellings United States Department of Education Washington, DC 20202 Dear Ms. Spellings: Please accept my congratulations on your nomination and certain confirmation as secretary of education – arguably one of the most challenging and rewarding positions in the president’s Cabinet. The opportunity to affect the lives and futures of the nation’s schoolchildren must be extraordinarily exciting. I and the members of my staff look forward to working with you and all those in the U.S. Department of Education who share our passion for this critical work. I was very pleased to read some of the comments you made at your confirmation hearing last week before the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, noting the states’ need for flexibility and “to be trusted” in carrying out the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). As one who works regularly with those “on the front lines,” I particularly appreciated your comment that “. we in the administration must engage with those closest to children to embed these [NCLB] principles in a sensible and workable way.” Certainly, NCLB is a set of responsibilities to which educators in the states and districts have been responding and will continue to respond with energy. We all share the experience-based belief that it has some fundamental strengths but also areas where improvement is needed if we are to truly increase the achievement of all students. We in Connecticut appreciate the changes in interpretations in a number of areas that have happened since the arrival of Raymond Simon as assistant secretary in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
    [Show full text]
  • Virginia Consolidated State Application Workbook (PDF)
    VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION Consolidated State Application Amended Accountability Workbook for State Grants under Title IX, Part C, Section 9302 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Public Law 107-110) Revised: September 10, 2003, Based on USED Conditional Letter of Approval, July 1, 2003 VBOE Letter of Response, August 20, 2003 Section 7.1 and Related Sections Revised: May 26, 2004, Based on USED Letter of Approval, May 25, 2004 VBOE Letter of Response, June 8, 2004 Revised: Based on VBOE Actions through June 22, 2005, and USED responses on June 13, August 5, and August 11, 2005 Critical Elements 1.6, 3.2, 3.2(b), 3.2(c), 4.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5, 7.1, 8.1 Final Information U. S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Washington, D.C. 20202 COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION 227 North Main Street Post Office Box 130 Thomas M. Jackson, Jr. Hillsville, VA 24343 President (276) 728-3737 (276) 728-3133 (FAX) August 16, 2005 The Honorable Henry Johnson Assistant Secretary Office of Elementary and Secondary Education United States Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. Washington, D. C. 20202 Dear Assistant Secretary Johnson: I am responding to your letter of August 5, 2005, notifying the Virginia Board of Education of the United States Department of Education’s (USED) decision on proposed amendments to the Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook required in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Enclosed please find Virginia’s amended accountability workbook, as directed in the letter and authorized by the Board of Education.
    [Show full text]
  • Department of Education
    DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 400 Maryland Avenue SW 20202 phone 401–3000, fax 401–0596, http://www.ed.gov MARGARET SPELLINGS, Secretary of Education; born in Ann Arbor, MI, November 30, 1957; education: B.A., University of Houston, 1979; professional: education reform commis- sioner under Texas Governor William P. Clements; associate executive director, Texas Associa- tion of School Boards, 1988–94; senior advisor to George W. Bush during his term as Governor of Texas, 1994–2000; as senior adviser, Secretary Spellings created the Texas Read- ing Initiative, the Student Success Initiative to eliminate social promotion, and the nation’s strongest school assessment and accountability system; Domestic Policy Adviser, 2001–05; one of the principal authors of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act; first mother of school children to serve as Secretary of Education; children: Mary and Grace; nominated by President George W. Bush to become the 8th Secretary of Education on November 17, 2004; confirmed on January 20, 2005. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Room 7W301, phone 401–3000, fax 401–0596 Secretary of Education.—Margaret Spellings. Chief of Staff.—David Dunn, 205–9694. Interim Director, Public Affairs.—DJ Nordquist, room 7C105, 401–8459, fax 401–3130. OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY Room 7W310, phone 401–1000, fax 401–3095 Office of Educational Technology.—Susan Patrick, 205–4274. OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS 550 12th Street SW, Room 5000, 20202–1100, phone 245–6800, fax 245–6840 or 6844 Assistant Secretary.—James Manning (acting). Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement.—David Black (acting). Special Assistant / Legal.—Kimberly Richey, room 6142, 245–6819. Director of: Enforcement, East.—Susan Bowers, room 6094, 245–6798.
    [Show full text]