NCLB Done For the Year, Though Not Forgotten

The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) took some strategic turns this week. On Sunday, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) confirmed what cynical political pundits claimed in January: that the reauthorization would not occur in 2007. “It's going to tip over to next year,” said Sen. Kennedy, but that too may be optimistic.

2008 is an election year and both parties have much to gain from having federal education on their platform. The Democrats stand to reclaim education as their party’s initiative. Republicans stand to rediscover their federalist roots and swing the power pendulum back to state departments of education. Together, the political incentives make 2009 more likely than 2008. Political prognostication, however, is notably unreliable and the fact that so many schools tripping into later stages of corrective action and restructuring makes it evident that something, if not the full reauthorization, must be done in 2008. The question is, what?

This week, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, introduced a bill that provides a glimpse of what Congress may pursue, in lieu of a full reauthorization, in 2008. The bill, the State Student Achievement Contract Act would create a pilot project for 12 states to trade most of No Child Left Behind's requirements in exchange for developing and implementing rigorous states' standards, and devising a clear accountability system and a statewide system of interventions.

As stated by Sen. Alexander when introducing the bill: “In other words, instead of saying: ‘Do it exactly this way' to the states, the federal government would be saying: ‘Give us results, and we will give you more flexibility.’” Twelve states would compete for the flexibility. Each applicant must have:

· Developed rigorous college and work-ready standards that are aligned across K-12 and have been developed in cooperation with the state educational agency (SEA), institutions of higher education and representative of the businesses community; or

Be at least as rigorous as national or international education standards and objectives measuring long-term trends and students’ academic achievement standards and objectives;

· Assurance about the quality and scope of the state assessment system;

· Provided an explanation of the state’s accountability system that includes a description of its:

o Single statewide accountability system;

o Statewide annual measurable objectives;

o Uniform system of identifying schools;

o Uniform and comprehensive interventions (which must include public school choice and supplemental educational service providers, among others);

· An explanation of the state's trajectory that is in place for meeting proficiency targets by 2014 or in up to 3 years and upon graduation from secondary school;

· Assurances of rigorous teacher quality standards;

· A demonstration that the state has an effective data system capable of reporting classroom level data; and

· Assurances that the contract was developed in consultation with either the Governor or the state legislature or both.

Secretary Spellings voiced her support for the pilot. “This legislation is a reasonable and responsible step forward as Congress moves toward reauthorizing No Child Left Behind,” stated Secretary Spellings. “I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Alexander and his colleagues as they develop a law that's in the best interest of America's children.” We will continue to monitor its progress and potential impact as the bill matures in Congress.

Resources:
“Statement by Secretary Spellings on Legislation Proposed by Senator Lamar Alexander,” United States Department of Education, Press Release, November 6, 2007, http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/11/11062007.html.
Author: DAD