No Child Left Behind

1. No Child Left Behind Obama-Biden Plan Robyn Corron, Rachel Ciminillo, Chloe Franer, & Nikki Grim

2. Education Policy Analyst • I am an Education policy analyst, employed by the Obama Administration. I’ve been at my post since President Obama was elected, and before that, I was a one of his campaign workers. I have my Master’s in Education, and worked as a Superintendent in an inner city schools in Chicago. My job as an analyst is a multi-directional one, full of goals and options to explore. As Sadie Blanchard stated, “Analysts in government provide decision makers with data and hypotheses about the effects of different policies.” (Blanchard, 2007). My job as an Education policy analyst is to research, accumulate, and present the statistics and trends in education. The starting point of my research began with the No Child Left Behind policy, and to see how well (or not) it is working, and where changes can be made.

3. Parent • I am the parent of a sixth grade student who attends a Cleveland City middle school. My son is a very active learner and I like to be a part of what he does at school. I completely agree with the No Child Left Behind Act. It gives parents the assurance of a good education, because NCLB gives us the power to provide our children with the extra help they need. This law requires that if the school is in need of improvement we are then notified, and have up to date information with what is going on in the school. We are strongly encouraged to attend school functions like parent-teacher meetings, volunteering in the classroom, and learning about children with special needs. I find it reassuring that they will do what it takes to teach children who learn at different rates than others, and that we as parents will be better able monitor what is going on with the schools.

4. Teacher • Graduating from college five years ago, I am now teaching in a second grade classroom and am working with children of diverse backgrounds. I have one son in school at the age of 8. He is working hard in order to keep up his grades. As a teacher I am not fond of all the paperwork and limitations on my curriculum, but I am doing what I must in order for my students to get the education they deserve and need. Obama’s plan is at times agreeable, is still shaky in parts. I would love to get a raise simply based on the fact that my students reach a certain expectation, but I do not believe that is fair to my fellow teachers who are skilled at what they do, but they may have a special needs student in their class or if the students are having difficulties with certain aspects of the curriculum. I believe some kinks may need worked out in the No Child Left Behind Act concerning certain aspects of the law.

5. Student Government President • I am a 12th grade student body president at Cleveland Heights high school in Cleveland, Ohio. In this unique position, I am in a situation to inform the committee of the students’ wants and needs, and how we feel No Child Left Behind has affected our educations. As one who has succeeded, I can say that it was not easy- tests ruled my life, and I studied nonstop. I feel that the bill still not only does not address but creates inequality. I want to help this committee create positive legislation to help address the achievement gaps and holes I see every day in my school and community.

6. History of NCLB • A Nation At Risk (1983) • Improving America’s Schools Act (1994) • No Child Left Behind Act (2001)

7. A Nation At Risk (1983) • Ronald Reagan’s National Commission on Excellence in Education • Focused attention on school reform for the first time in a generation (Standard Based Reform, p. 11) • Functional illiteracy among minorities= 40% • Remedial math classes are now 25% of all math courses at public colleges • Content was found to be diluted, teachers not academically able, poor time management, expectations were not set

8. Improving America’s Schools Act (1994) • Title 1: Improving education for children in disadvantaged areas • Focused on the needs of ALL students • Required content/performance standards • Assessments according to grade level • Accountability system • Greater flexibility for towns and cities to design their own education plans • Started a shift to assessment-based education

9. No Child Left Behind (2001) • Assessment systems that track the achievement of all students according to high standards across the board • Tests will be administered annually in reading and mathematics • Based on challenging state standards, with results made public • In exchange for changing to meet these requirements, states will be given more freedom in use and allocation of funding • Transfer and tutoring options • Funds for training and ‘scientifically based’ instruction programs

10. Strickland’s Plan • 21st Century Learning Environments • Expanded Learning Opportunities • Longer school days • Longer school year • All-day kindergarten • High Quality Educators • 4 year residency program • “Teach Ohio” program • Measure Ohio Students Against The World • ACT Plus replaces OGT • School District Accountability and Responsible Funding • Recalculate taxes and have penalties for abuse or misplacing of funding

11. Obama’s Plan • Allocate funds fairly and equitably • Focus on the bottom 5% of schools • 4 Methods for Turnaround • School closure model • Restart model • convert or close and re-open as charter • Turnaround model • replace staff • Transformation • replace principal and strengthen staffing

12. Pros of Obama’s Plan • Ensure access to high-quality early childhood education programs and child care opportunities so children enter kindergarten ready to learn. • Work to place effective teachers in every classroom in America, especially those in high-poverty, high-minority areas. • Reward effective teachers for taking on challenging assignments and helping children succeed. • Support highly-effective principals and school leaders. • Make science and math education a national priority. • Reduce the high school dropout rate by focusing on proven methods to improve student achievement and enhance graduation and higher education opportunities. • Close the achievement gap and invest in what works. • Empower parents to raise healthy and successful children by taking a greater role in their child’s

13. Cons of Obama’s Plan • money concerns-if the funding isn’t there to back it then the plan may become more than a burden rather than an aid. • Some teachers feel pressured to focus more on subjects rated by the NCLB testing requirements, rather then giving kids a well rounded education. Not really improving, but sacrificing one subject for another. • Too much federal control, people think that the matter should be left out to individual states. • Good teachers could be replaced through the transformation model

14. Alliance of School Choice: CURE v. LAUSD and CUSD • Filed by the Alliance of School Choice and the Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE) • Alleges “the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and Compton Unified School District (CUSD) fail to adequately inform parents of children zoned to attend failing schools about their transfer options under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).” • Suit alleges that the school districts did not inform or provide parents with the option of transferring schools, with both districts failing. School choice was simply never an option as mandated by NCLB. • Case pending

15. A Spate of Cheating—By Teachers • 8th graders in Sunset Ridge, IL reported their math test being rigged - 90% of the math tests had evidence of being tampered with • Suspicion fell on an 8th grade teacher who promptly resigned (name unreleased) • In California alone, there are over 200 teachers who have or are being investigated for cheating • Teachers are using a variety of methods to cheat, from blocking weaker students from testing, to handing out the test/answers beforehand, and changing students’ answers • An unforeseen consequence of NCLB

16. Wettach v. Allen • Wettach represents 2 students suspended for 5 months and given no alternative schooling options in Raleigh, North Carolina • Allen represents the school district, which says that by getting suspended the students temporarily forfeit their right to an education • Case pending

17. CCJEF v. Rell • CT State Supreme Court • 15 Connecticut families and the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding sued Gov. M. Jodi Rell • Suing on the basis that their children are being denied the right to an education as guaranteed by NCLB because they live in poorer districts • Represented for free by Yale Law School’s Education Adequacy Clinic • Judges ruled in favor of the families 4-3, outlining what an adequate education is • Adequate materials, safe enough buildings, current textbooks, and sufficient teachers

18. Effects on Schools • Teacher Unions aren’t happy, could possibly strike • Longer school days and hours: funding? • Getting qualified teachers: Strickland and Obama plans (drawing qualified teachers) • 21st Century Skills: technology

19. Effects on Parents • Taxes will raise • Work with children since the curriculum will get more difficult • Could affect schedule if school day changes • Have the opportunity of school choice if child’s school is failing • Parents have promised to put their children in public schools or charter schools (Standard Based Reform, p. 18)

20. Effects on Students • Curriculum will get more difficult • Less testing • More interpersonal skill building: Problem-Based Learning • Greater incorporation of technology

21. Effects on Teachers • Does not compensate teacher’s salaries • Change lesson plans to fit standards • May have to go back to school to be considered qualified

22. Effects on School Administrators • Completely rearrange after school programs • Responsible for funding • Sports? • Responsible for making sure standards are met

23. Implementation of Our Plan • Testing annually - once a year • Funding not dependent on scores • Standard set of funding regulations, licensure requirements, and content standards that are unilaterally accepted and implemented for all states • Stricter than before- no leeway for states to decide curriculums • Prepared for opposition from states • Base increase in teacher salaries • Pay raises annually if both evaluations and test results are positive • Funding is need-based • along with assessment

24. Resources • Benton, E. (2010, March 23). Court ruling could bring vast school reforms: Suit filed in '05 challenged education funding, equality. New Haven Register. • Bonner, L. (2010, March 22). BRIEF: Justices hear case on school suspensions, right to education. The Observer. • Dial, K. (2006, June 1). L.A. Parents Sue for NCLB Choice Options. School Reform News. • Grow, B. (2004). A Spate of Cheating-- By Teachers. BusinessWeek, (3890), 94-95. • Jorgensen, M. A., & Hoffmann, J. (2003). History of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Pearson Education, Inc., 1-8. • Long, G. (2010, March 25). BISD bilingual programs work, educators say. The Brownsville Herald. • O. (n.d.). Content Browser. Retrieved April 12, 2010, from http://www.ohea.org/GD/Templates/Pages/OEA/OEADetail.aspx?page=3&Topic • Standard Based Reform. Pages 11, 18-19. • White, D. (n.d.). Obama's Education Plan to Reform Schools, Reward Teachers, Change No Child Left Behind. Retrieved April 12, 2010, from http://usliberals.about.com/od/education/a/ObamaEdPlan.htm