NCLB is Simmering on the Burner

by Elizabeth Ahlgren, NEA Director District 10, Morse High

After defeating the Miller Pelosi draft on NCLB, the issue has been quiet but "quiet" is deceiving. There are over 100 bills in the house that would impact NCLB in various ways. Senator Ted Kennedy indicated he would be presenting a draft of NCLB in March and then indicated it might surface in April but nothing has been released. The common belief in Washington is that we won't see anything until a new President is in office.

Margaret Spellings, the Secretary of Education, is traveling around the country, touting the merits of NCLB and bragging about the pilot program in several states that provides a little more flexibility in the assessment of students.  At the same time, she has also announced a plan to require states to use the same formula for measuring graduation and drop out rates. Calls for a common measure have been going out since 2005 so why is this administration just getting around to moving toward one? The data only makes sense if we all know how to interpret it and that requires a common way to measure our success.

The House has passed a budget which increases Title One funding by 8%. This is both good news and bad news as some states will get an increase while others will stay the same and a few will be looking at cuts.  I don't know how our state or District budgets will be impacted.

The general counsel for the NEA, Bob Chanin, argued before a federal court that the mandates of NCLB could not be enforced unless those mandates were funded. The case was turned down and then it was heard in the Midwest and the NEA prevailed.  The fall-out is that those states, covered by the jurisdiction of the circuit court, don't have to comply with NCLB unless it is fully funded.  We're expecting the decision will be appealed to a higher court.

Are you wondering why education hasn't been a topic for the presidential candidates' speeches? We're not the "sexy" issue because all of us need to step up to the plate and make education an issue. How do we do that? Donate money and /or time to our candidates and let them know we are teachers who need them to support our issues. We call, write or visit the local offices of our politicians and let them know we are concerned constituents who want them to provide adequate funding for the education of our students.  If we don't get vocal and let our politicians know that education is important to us, they won't address our concerns.  I know I have colleagues who think we don't need to be in politics but the 904 educators who received pink slips have learned otherwise.  Please get involved or next time, it could be you.