Sweeping Overhaul To No Child Left Behind Act
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Since Congress has not acted to change the No Child Left Behind Act, a carryover from the Bush era, in a radical overhaul the Obama administration will alter the requirements of the law giving states freedom to seek waivers, re-work their achievement goals and focus energy on about 5,000 of the most troubled schools.
The blueprint calls for states to adopt new performance standards so that students are ready for college and careers by graduation replacing the current, unrealistic deadline that all students would reach academic proficiency by 2014.
Developing more rigorous and effective ways of evaluating teachers and designing new accountability systems, and a shift to measuring student growth, regardless of the performance level at which they started, are part of the plan.
While some teachers unions and Republican lawmakers have signaled dislike of various
parts, there is no question that removing the sanctions against schools not making AYP, adequate yearly progress, is welcomed by all groups. Read more in The New York Times.
Reported By Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio
