Senator Ted Kennedy vows to work to soften the No Child Left Behind Act's deadlines and discipline
During a speech to about 1,000 local school board members at a conference of the National School Boards Association, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), has vowed to work to soften the No Child Left Behind Act's (NCLB) deadlines and discipline while providing a new surge of federal funds and encouragement. Sen. Kennedy was vaulted to chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions by the Democratic takeover. "Since the law's enactment, schools have faced many challenges in implementation-the most serious of which has been a lack of funding," the senator said. But he cautioned that "turning back the clock on the law is no solution, especially for the neediest students who gain the most from its reform." An early supporter of NCLB, he celebrated the act for bringing assessment and accountability to schools across the country. The law has reduced the learning gap between whites and minorities, increased opportunities for migrant and homeless students, and raised students' proficiency, he said. The law resulted in a 20% funding increase in its first year, before faltering, he added, and he pledged more money without proposing a specific figure. He said the law should provide "more effective ways to measure student progress" and more help for struggling schools-not necessarily threats of a state takeover or a designation that labels them underperforming. "If schools that miss the mark are truly on their way toward improving, we'll give them ample time-we'll give them time-under the law to demonstrate and document their progress," he said. The senator also promised his committee would explore extended school days, new ways to include parents, high school reform, and rewards for teachers for having "a special talent" in the classroom, not just a master's degree.
North Adams (MA) Transcript
By Evan Lehmann
[Full story]
[Editor’s Note: The press release below from Senator Kennedy’s office includes the complete text of his remarks at NSBA’s annual Federal Relations Network Conference, as well as more details of his proposals. These include a proposal, dubbed the States Using Collaboration and Coordination to Enhance Standards for Students (SUCCESS) Act of 2007, to assist states in setting more rigorous academic standards. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK) each received an NSBA Congressional Special Recognition Award at the conference for their efforts, including their reintroductions in the 110th Congress of NCLB reauthorization bills that incorporate NSBA’s recommendations. All three bills are provided below. Finally, see the video of the address by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings on NCLB reauthorization, which features some pointed Q&A with school board members in attendance, and background on the Bush administration’s proposals.]
[Kennedy press release]
[Text of Sen. Kennedy’s proposed SUCCESS Act]
[Text of Rep. Young’s NCLB Improvements Act of 2007]
[Text of Sen. Crapo’s Improving NCLB Act]
[C-SPAN footage of Secretary Spellings appearance]
[NSBA School Law pages on Bush administration proposals]