Don’t get left behind!

Steven Hicks, a teacher at the Accelerated School, a public charter school and a teaching ambassador fellow with the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, writes:

(Steven Hicks, back row at right, and some of his colleagues. In the front row fellows Julie Shively, Bobbi Cirizia Houtchens and Gillian Cohen-Boyer; middle row at left, Jocelyn Pickford, chief of staff for the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs, and fellow Stephanie Canada; and with Hicks, fellow Jonathan Eckert.)

You are cordially invited to attend a special event and don’t even need to leave the comfort of your laptop. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings this morning is delivering remarks at South Carolina Educational Television about strengthening No Child Left Behind. 

Spellings will discuss better reporting for uniform graduation rates and enhancing parents’ educational options for their children. Her remarks and the question-and-answer session are available via webcast live. But if you miss it, don’t worry. The materials are here. 

By now, you are probably asking what would make you pause for all of this. I’ll give you a hint: It has to do with new regulations to strengthen and clarify No Child Left Behind. Well, sit back, get comfortable, and listen. It was a dark and stormy night. …

This summer, while most teachers were getting lesson plans in order, sending out welcome letters to new students and readying classrooms, Congress was passing the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2009. The president signed it on Sept. 30 -- the end of the government’s fiscal year. And what does that have to do with the price of pencils in your classroom? And why should you care? Well, I’ll tell you. First, let me back up a bit. Pay attention! This is important. Knowledge is power.

The original Department of Education was created in 1867 to collect information on schools and teaching to help the states establish effective school systems.  It became an office rather than a department in 1868, and was only formalized as today’s cabinet-level Department of Education in 1980. During the last 141 years, the name has changed and so too its mission. Originally a large data collection machine, its mission today is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.  Education is primarily a state and local responsibility.  By law, the department cannot endorse or create curriculum nor tell states what their standards should be. It takes its marching orders from the laws that Congress passes.

What laws? I’m glad you asked. The latest revision of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the most comprehensive federal law governing K-12 education (though not special education), was signed into law Jan. 8, 2002. You probably know it by its other name: the No Child Left Behind Act. On the East Coast, they say NCLB. But in the West, we say "nickelbee." It is arguably the most significant federal education law to date, with the objective that each child in America will meet the high learning standards of his or her state by 2014. It aims to close the achievement gaps among specific groups of students, and ensure that a highly qualified teacher teaches every child. It is based on stronger accountability for results, more flexibility for states and communities, proven education methods and more choices for parents. In 2007, it was up for reauthorization, but a little thing called the election got in the way, and its birthday slipped by without candles or balloons. 

Even the secretary of education wanted some changes, but Congress wanted to wait on making significant changes at this point. Since a whole new throng of people will be moving in this January, they thought it best to let sleeping dogs lie. The law is funded until March 6, 2009, because we are on a continuing resolution, and it stays the same until then or until a new law is reauthorized. 

Now back to the price of pencils and why you’ve kept reading. Last year, about $1 trillion was spent nationwide on education. About 9% of that came from the federal government. That’s a lot of pencils, computers, and teachers; it amounted to 2.3% of the federal government's $3 trillion budget in fiscal year 2008. Now, here’s the really important part. Since NCLB was not reauthorized, my boss, Secretary Spellings, proposed regulations for Title I to strengthen and clarify the law. She’s pretty committed to making sure we use the lessons learned over that last six years. Without Congress reauthorizing NCLB, her only choice was to propose changes to the Title I regulations, a significant part of NCLB: Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged. 

Once bills become laws, federal departments and agencies may adopt regulations to help clarify important areas Congress left unclear, and it of course is in regulations where an administration may be able to put its own stamp on a law Congress has passed. 

The Education Department develops regulations through this federal rulemaking process in which any member of the public may provide written comment and make recommendations. The proposed Title I regulations focus on improved accountability and transparency; uniform and disaggregated graduation rates; improved parental notification for supplemental educational services; and public school choice. I can’t say too much more on that because I don’t want to scoop the secretary, but what I can say is that the Department will be publishing final rules shortly -- very shortly. The proposed “regs” were posted in the Federal Register. Public meetings were held around the country to discuss the proposed changes, and 587 public comments were received and answered. Democracy in action!

But these regulations are issued under the current NCLB Act. Next year, when NCLB is up for reauthorization, we can have a voice in the law and be part of the solution instead of complaining that something is being done to us.

In her address at the Aspen Institute National Education Summit in September, she discussed the state of the American education system and the future of the accountability movement in education.

On both sides of the aisle, reasonable people agree that the goals of this law are still the right ones.  Back in 2002, a bipartisan group of lawmakers made a promise to educate every child with a qualified teacher.  They pledged to close the achievement gap that exists in cities and rural areas, defined sometimes by race and socioeconomic status. They committed to making sure that necessary resources were provided equitably among every city and small town.  They vowed that schools would be accountable, standards would be higher, and students would learn. There have been many successes and some unintended consequences. 

But that was 2002. In 2008, we know a lot more. A good teacher builds on prior knowledge. NCLB has finished kindergarten and is ready for first grade. The next president has an opportunity to influence the shape and scope of the federal education law so that we won’t be a nation of “half-educated.” You do, too. Don’t get left behind.

Photo credit: Joseph Pika

Comments

[lightnin]

For any of you that haven't heard Obama's 2001 "Wealth Redistribution" taped comments for yourselves, here's the direct You Tube link so you can. You SHOULD! It's consistent with his recent "Joe the Plumber" comments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iivL4c_3pck

[Kevin Sved]

This offers good insight on the federal law and is an informed perspective on NCLB. Teaching Ambassadors is a good way to get voices from the field heard in Washington; we also need to take more action. 587 comments on proposed regs for a nation with more than 100,000 schools is not enough, so heed the advice and get invoved in our democracy.

[Cesar Guzman]

First, it makes sense to have professional teachers advising lawmakers.
Second, I am wholeheartedly for accountability, letting assessments guide teaching practice, highly qualified teachers and for no child left behind. But we need to ask: Doesn’t testing take too much time from the instructional program? Wouldn’t it be better for teachers to teach and have testing done on say, Saturday, by either teachers or another entity. That way we, the teachers, can spend precious minutes with our students. Third, it seems to me too romantic a thought to think that all students will succeed when “socioeconomic status” is viewed as a simple variable. Money matters; the more money, the more top candidates will be moved to the field of education to push
out the perpetually mediocre, i.e., those that refuse to grow in the profession.