Legislative Hot Topics: Blog

Here is a brief legislative update plus information on several IRA events, including a webinar on Tuesday, January 10, on Teacher Education with Victoria Risko as the lead presenter.

Click here to read the Legislative Update

The chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce has released his drafts of the last two sections of his reauthorization package.  The first is on Title I - Accountability and the second is on Teacher Effectiveness.  The following is his press release of his announcement with links to get summaries and the full legislative language.

_____________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2012                                                           CONTACT: Press Office

(202) 226-9440

Kline Releases Draft Accountability, Teacher Effectiveness Legislation

Proposals offer enhanced flexibility for K-12 schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) today released two pieces of draft legislation to reform current elementary and secondary education law, known as No Child Left Behind. The proposals will improve accountability, increase flexibility, and support more effective teachers in the classroom.

“The upcoming 10 year anniversary of No Child Left Behind provides an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities facing our nation’s classrooms,” said Chairman Kline. “There is a strong sense of urgency that the heavy-handed law must be reformed to ensure more children have access to the quality education they deserve.

“Today, I’m pleased to release draft legislation that will change the status quo and put more control into the hands of the teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents who know the needs of children best. This is not final legislation. It is a step forward in the ongoing debate on the best way to improve education in America. 

“Regardless of the differences between elected leaders in Washington, education reform is an issue that will shape future generations, and we cannot afford to let the conversation stall. I look forward to gaining input from my Congressional colleagues, state and local leaders, and the American public on our ideas for recruiting more talented teachers, boosting accountability for school and student performance, and encouraging innovation and creativity in the classroom.”

The Student Success Act http://edworkforce.house.gov/UploadedFiles/The_Student_Success_Act.pdf and the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act   http://edworkforce.house.gov/UploadedFiles/The_Encouraging_Innovation_and_Effective_Teachers_Act.pdf builds on the committee’s previous legislative efforts to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which has been due for reauthorization since 2007.

STUDENT SUCCESS ACT

No Child Left Behind fundamentally altered K-12 education in America by shining new light on the performance of individual schools and students. However, some areas of the law have failed to work in our nation’s classrooms and must be changed. For example, the law’s accountability system, known as Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), is a one-size-fits-all metric that restricts states’ and school districts’ ability to appropriately gauge student learning and tailor curriculum accordingly.

The Student Success Act offers a better way forward for education reform by:

Returning responsibility for student achievement to states, school districts, and parents, while maintaining high expectations.

Providing states and school districts greater flexibility to meet students’ unique needs.

Investing limited taxpayer dollars wisely.

Strengthening programs for schools and targeted populations.

Maintaining and strengthening long-standing protections for state and local autonomy.

To read a summary of the Student Success Act, click here http://edworkforce.house.gov/UploadedFiles/The_Student_Success_Act_Summary.pdf.

ENCOURAGING INNOVATION AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ACT

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act currently includes more than 80 K-12 programs. Despite the tripling of overall per pupil funding and countless programs created by Congress since 1965, national academic performance has stagnated. Many federal education programs overlap and have little effect on student achievement. Other programs, created decades ago, are outdated and do not reflect current practices or priorities from the local, state, or federal level. Finally, current ESEA programs provide parents and students with few school choice options and offer states and school districts little flexibility in how they can use federal dollars to meet their unique needs.

The Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act offers a better way forward for education reform by:

Providing information to parents on teacher effectiveness.

Increasing school choice and engaging parents in their child's education.

Increasing state and local innovation to reform public education.

Eliminating unnecessary and ineffective federal programs.

Supporting Impact Aid.

To read a summary of the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act, click here http://edworkforce.house.gov/UploadedFiles/The_Encouraging_Innovation_and_Effective_Teachers_Act_Summary.pdf.

On December 16^th at a White House event convened by the Domestic Policy Advisor, Melody Barnes with Secretaries Duncan (ED) and Sebelius (HHS) the announcement that nine states will be receiving the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grants was made. The states are: CA, DE, MD, MA, MN, NC, OH, RI & WA.

Both secretaries emphasized the importance of linking education, such as pre-reading activities with child care. They view this as a significant policy change. This policy change will not only focus on the mission of early childhood services but their tools as well. This includes “aligning and raising standards for existing early learning and development programs; improving training and support for the early learning workforce through evidence-based practices; and building robust evaluation systems that promote effective practices and programs to help parents make informed decisions.” (From USED press release which can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/we-cant-wait-nine-states-awarded-race-top-early-learning-challenge-grants-awards

In addition to both secretaries who spoke, James Hechman, Nobel Laureate in Economics spoke on the value and importance of early learning. A paper he has presented on this topic can be read at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp3515.pdf. He spoke of the closing the achievement gap and the “multiplicity of human abilities” that all children have. He called for a focus on the whole child and that this includes cognitive abilities in addition to social and emotional skills. Hechman also cited the need to close the achievement gap as early as possible.

 Barbara Bowman closed the panel presentation calling on education to be part of the care system, and that we need to be looking at making kids ready and having schools ready for all children, including those are living in poverty.