Federal Government Eases No Child Left Behind Law

[rainbow4321]

http://washdateline.mgnetwork.com/index.cfm?SiteID=lna&PackageID=46&fuseaction=article.main&ArticleID=6829&GroupID=213

Facing a growing rebellion among the states, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced Thursday new flexibility in how the federal government implements the No Child Left Behind education reform law.


Spellings highlighted changes in how special education students are tested, solving one of the most frequent complaints from educators about the No Child law.

After the speech, some state superintendents said the meeting was called in such a rush – a week’s notice – that they believed the Education Department is feeling the heat from irate state education officials.


For special education students, Spellings expanded the percentage of mentally disabled pupils who will take a separate test from regular students from the current 1 percent to 3 percent. School officials have complained that so many mentally disabled students are included in the assessment tests that it causes too many schools to be classified as failing. Texas’ state school superintendent told school districts not to count many of the special education students in their testing, regardless of the federal law.

[atreides1]

1. Watch Out

This administration has never backed down from any of it's laws, if I was a state superintendnet I would prepare for the surprise that's
coming.

[rainbow4321]

3. Translation:

"This law may hurt repuke governors who may want to run for a higher office so we better water it down"

Somewhere I read that Florida school stats were taking a hit with the new law...and, well, we see TX mentioned in this article. This backing down has to be benefiting someone's career in repukeland.

Judt a few weeks ago, she was "warning" Texas. Did she get slapped down for her public comments to shrubland??


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/040905dntexspecialed.fedf.html



Education Secretary Margaret Spellings had tough words for Texas on Friday: Get with the program on testing special education students – or else.

Ms. Spellings said that under President Bush's controversial No Child Left Behind Act, Texas education officials cannot continue to exempt 9 percent of the state's pupils – or nearly 500,000 children – from federal testing rules.

"I intend to take a very strong approach to Texas," Ms. Spellings, herself a Texan, told reporters Friday in Washington, noting that she has authority to withhold a portion of federal education funds from the state. That could cost the state up to $12 million next year.

[naturalselection]

2. That small of a percentage change

is not going to be that big of a difference. I have been analyzing my state's AYP results since NCLB came into effect and it clearly shows low scores for those students and it has been consistent over three years. The number of schools that are now on the "need improvement" list skyrocketed this year and in most cases it is b/c the special education subgroup cannot meet proficiency. Last year, 20% of students had to meet proficiency, but this year it jumps to 38.8%. They just finished taking exams a couple of weeks ago, so this year's results are not out yet, but I suspect that about 25% of our schools will be on the "need improvement" list based on trends over the last 3+ years.