A Federal

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No Child Left Behind

• A Federal
• Education Reform Law
• ACT of 2001

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NCLBWhat is it?

• An Act initiated in 2001, and signed January of
  2002, by President Bush.
• Legislation intending to improve reading and math
  test scores across the U.S.
• Sets Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards to
  measure a schools success (AYPdescribed later).
• Publishes schools test results to hold the
  educational system accountable.
• Schools are to have met proficiency standards by
  the year 2014.

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Background of name

• The name's most likely origin is the motto of the
  liberal advocacy group The Childrens Defense
  Fund, "Leave No Child Behind."
• The CDF motto itself likely comes from the motto
  of the U.S. Army Rangers, "Leave No Man Behind

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History

• NCLB re-authorizes the Elementary and Secondary
  Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).
• Title I ("Title One") of the Act is a set of
  programs set up by the United States Department
  of Education to distribute funding to schools and
  school districts with a high percentage of
  students from low-income families.
• To qualify as a Title I school, a school
  typically has around 40 or more of its students
  that come from families that qualify under the
  United States Census's definitions as low-income.
• Enacts the theories of standards-based education
  reform, formerly known as outcome-based
  education, which is based on the belief that high
  expectations and setting of goals will result in
  success for all students.

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With every social policy, there are good
intentions, with unintended consequences!

• There is great controversy over the effects of
  the legislation. There are

HOT ISSUES!
Pros Cons
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PROS

• NCLB holds the public school system accountable
  (high test results, teacher qualifications,
  graduation, attendance).
• Recognizes achievement gaps between affluent and
  disadvantaged students.

• Seeks to narrow class and racial gaps by creating
  common expectations for all.
• Some Philadelphia schools are in the spotlight
  for success stories.

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More PROS. . .

• Gives schools a report card as a resource to
  parents.
• Exposes examples of where the public education
  system falls short.
• Provides motivation for schools that were
  sliding by to work to make the grade.

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CONS

• Schools are harshly punished, with no rewards.
• Adequate funding is not provided for failing
  schools.
• No one knows what to do with them!
• Tests are not accurate or predictable
• No national standardized tests. State tests may
  vary.
• Other countries have national standards.
• Comparing apples to oranges.
• -Expectations are lowered and curriculums are
  watered down in an attempt to look good.
• -Standardized testing may be culturally biased.

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More CONS. . .

• Teachers creativity is limitedconfined to set
  curriculums.
• Although Reading and Math are encouraged, other
  subjects like Science and History are neglected.
• Effort Gaps are created.
• NCLB can potentially harm special education and
  gifted programs.
• - Students with learning disabilities or who are
  non-English speaking will lower the whole
  schools rating.

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More CONS. . .

• Critics argue that schools have less of an
  incentive to do better if they are already
  receiving more funds.
• Some argue that the federal government has no
  constitutional authority in education.
• NCLB requires absolute level performance All
  schools have 12 years (from 2002 to 2014) to
  reach a certain proficiency level - academic
  growth is not the issue, just proficiency level.
• (Example of Basketball Analogy)

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Ivory Soap Criticism

• According to the AP, ED Secretary Margaret
  Spellings said August 30 that the No Child Left
  Behind Act is close to perfect and needs little
  change as its first major update draws nears.

"I talk about No Child Left Behind like Ivory
soap It's 99.9 percent pure or something,"
Spellings told reporters. "There's not much
needed in the way of change." ED Secretary
Margaret Spellings
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More Critiques

• Stress
• "Its main effect has been to sentence poor
  children to an endless regimen of
  test-preparation drillsEducation critic, Alfie
  Kohn
• Teachers are held to high-standards that may
  require an extraordinary amount of extra effort.
• "NCLB is like a Russian novel. That's because
  it's long, it's complicated, and in the end,
  everybody gets killed." a former superintendent
  of schools in Ohio
• Inadequate funding
• "The tragedy is that these long overdue reforms
  are finally in place, but the funds are not. Ted
  Kennedy, the legislation's initial sponsor. (for
  example President Bush requested only 13.3 of
  22.75 billion authorized in 2006)

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More Critiques

• Health Wellness
• A study conducted by the American Heart
  Association and the National Association for
  Sport and Physical Education contend that
  diminishing physical education in school has
  contributed to childhood obesity.
• Some critics of the law suggest it is also
  responsible for the elimination of certain
  extracurricular activities.
• The percentage of students who attend a daily
  physical education class has dropped from 42
  percent in 1991 to 28 percent in 2003 (According
  to the report from the American Heart Association
  and the National Association for Sport and
  Physical Education).

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State Responsibility

• Each state has responsibility of choosing how its
  children should be educated.
• In order to receive federal funding, Federal
  guidelines must be met.
• Each states guidelines are different.

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PAs Guidelines

• The Pennsylvania Accountability System applies to
  all public schools and districts.  It is based
  upon the States content and achievement
  standards, valid and reliable measures of
  academic achievement, and other key indicators of
  school and district performance such as
  attendance and graduation rates.
• A key additional feature of the Pennsylvania
  Accountability System is that it allows both a
  schools absolute level of achievement (the
  proportion of students who score at or above the
  proficient level), and a schools growth in
  achievement from one year to the next to be
  recognized.

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What is AYP?

• Adequate Yearly Progress
• For PA
• Performance Indicators
• Achievement in reading and mathematics
• 95 test participation
• Improvement in student attendance, K-8
• Improvement in four-year graduation rate,
  secondary schools

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What if a school fails?

• School Improvement
• 1st year (of not meeting targets) Warning
• 2nd Year School Improvement I
• 3rd Year School Improvement II
• 4th Year of not meeting Targets  Corrective
  Action I
• 5th Year Corrective Action II

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What are school improvements and corrective
actions?

• School Improvement Year I
• School choice, school assistance teams, and a
  specific plan for improvement.
• School Improvement Year II
• Same, plus supplemental services such as
  tutoring.
• Corrective Action Year I
• Same as School Improvement plus significant
  changes in leadership, curriculum, professional
  development or other strategies.
• Corrective Action Year II
• Same, plus significant changes in governance
  such as reconstitution, chartering, or
  privatization.
•  
• Exiting School Improvement or Corrective Action
• A school exits School Improvement or Corrective
  Action when it meets AYP targets for two
  consecutive years.  Schools do not start fresh
  under NCLB their status carries over from the
  previous federal law (ESEA).

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Other Details

• -The act also requires that the schools
  distribute the name, home phone number and
  address of every student enrolled to military
  recruiters.
• -Schools are not required to tell the students or
  parents. Students or parents can opt out of
  having their information shared.

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What can parents do?

• School Matterswebsite http//www.schoolmatters.co
  m/
• Pennsylvania Department of Education
  http//www.pde.state.pa.us//
• Become locally aware and involved!

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• Actual text of NCLB legislation
  http//www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.ht
  ml
• NCLB is up for reauthorization in 2007!
• Amendments are expected to be made!