Elementary and Secondary Education Act
No Child Left Behind
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was originally enacted in 1965 to provide guidance and funds for disadvangaged students in K-12 schools. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 (the latest reauthorization of ESEA) focuses on improving the academic achievement of students in low-performing schools around the country. It strives to have every student achieving at a proficient level, as defined by each state, by the 2013–2014 school year.
NCLB, in spite of its goals, presents real obstacles to helping students and strengthening public schools because it focuses on:
- Punishments rather than assistance
- Mandates and tests rather than support for effective programs
- Privatization rather than teacher-led, family-oriented solutions
MSTA and NEA are committed to increasing the effectiveness of NCLB in
the areas of academic achievement (adequate yearly progress), annual
testing,
teacher and paraprofessional quality, and school improvement. Since the
enactment of the legislation, cries have come from all corners of the
country and many diverse constituency groups for changes in some of
the provisions
of the law. NEA has been one of the strongest voices in pointing out
the unworkable provisions of the act. Although there have not been
any modifications
to the law, to date, there have been some strides in modifications to
the regulations, including the recent decision by the USDOE to extend
the deadlines
for Paraprofessionals to become highly qualified from January 8, 2006
to the end of the 2005-2006 school year http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/06/06172005a.html,
and some flexibility in assessing special education students, http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/05/05102005.html.
Prior to his resignation in November, 2004, U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige made four substantive changes to regulations that govern implementation of the so-called No Child Left Behind federal education law. Additional changes by Secretary Spelling have further reduced some of the more vexing provisions of the law. Changes made so far are steps in the right direction, but more significant changes are needed in order to make the law workable and effective.
NEA and the state affiliates like MSTA are focusing on the following goals:
- Continuing as the leading advocate for high standards and strong accountability in public education at the state and local levels.
- Pursuing flexibility that supports student learning.
- Increasing support for teacher quality programs to recruit, train, and retain highly qualified educators for America's classrooms.
- Making sure students, teachers, and schools are evaluated by more than just test scores.
- Providing parents and policymakers information that helps get at the causes of school failure, not just the effects.
- Fully funding successful elementary and secondary education programs such as Title I to help children with math and reading.
- Making struggling students and schools a priority.
