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Obama Offers Flexibility on NCLB
On Friday, President Obama granted greater flexibility to states struggling to meet requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act that has guided U.S. education policy since its signing in 2002. While noting that NCLB appropriately focuses on raising standards, improving accountability and closing the achievement gap, he criticized the policy for pressuring teachers to “teach to the test,” reducing emphasis on subjects like history and science, and incentivizing states to lower their standards to avoid being labeled failures. Aspects of NCLB on which the administration will grant greater flexibility include requirements for 100 percent of students to prove proficiency in math and reading by 2014 and for failing schools to provide students with after-school tutoring and free transportation to better schools.
In order to qualify for this flexibility, states must meet three requirements: 1) teachers and administrators must be effectively evaluated by taking improvements in the test scores of their students into account, 2) they must set achievement standards that require high-performing students to be “college and career ready,” and 3) they must develop strategies to address the problems of the lowest-performing schools.
Links to further information on the announcement:
- Document from Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to the states, detailing 10 aspects of NCLB on which the administration will offer flexibility: ESEA Flexibility – 23 de sept.
- Video Recording
News Articles
- ‘No Child’ Fix Excites, Vexes – 24 de sept., por Kevin Helliker, The Wall Street Journal
- States can opt out of No Child Left Behind school standards, Obama says, but arguments remain – 24 de sept., Washington Post (AP)
- Obama Turns some Powers of Education back to States – 23 de sept., por Sam Dillon, New York Times
- Obama Unveils Education Plan – 23 de sept., por Laura Meckler y Stephanie Banchero,The Wall Street Journal
- Obama to Waive Parts of No Child Left Behind – 22 de sept., por Sam Dillon, New York Times
- Obama to Issue No Child Left Behind Waivers for States – 22 de sept., por Lyndsey Layton, Washington Post
Opinions:
- Obamaflex: Too much tight, too much loose – 28 de sept, por Michael Petrilli, Education Next
- NCLB Flexibility for States – 26 de sept., Editorial del Washington Post
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