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No Child Left Behind: Congress Considers Revisions to Education Reform Law

1 year ago
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Danny Yadron
Danny Yadron
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Never let it be said they didn't take their time.

Lawmakers this week wrapped up three months of deliberations about how to rewrite No Child Left Behind, the 2002 standards-based education reform law. It marked the end of a wonk-filled journey that has revealed very little about what congressional leadership hopes to include in a bill, much less when they plan to write one.

Many complain that No Child Left Behind puts so much emphasis on boosting standardized test scores that states dumb down expectations to manufacture improvement. If schools don't show enough gains, they risk closure or a takeover by their district.

But revisions to NCLB probably won't come soon. There's an already crowded legislative calendar, midterm elections are in November, and legislators still don't agree on basic issues – even within their own parties.

Democrats are split on how to measure teacher performance; Republicans want the federal government out of classrooms, and the goal of making students "college and career ready," the latest buzzwords in high school reform, still needs a definition before it becomes the basis for funding underprivileged schools, as the White House suggests.

In the meantime, committee members at least agree on one thing.

"We're going to change No Child Left Behind," said Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee.

Committee staff members haven't even settled on early legislative language. But here are five issues, gleaned from hours of congressional hearings and conversations with those in the know, that will likely shape the debate.
The "race" will likely go on: Nothing has loomed over the process more than Education Secretary Arne Duncan's national sweepstakes for school reform dollars, Race to the Top. The $4 billion stimulus program rewards states that best adopt administration-approved reforms, many of which will be the basis for a new NCLB. It's been contentious, but cash-strapped states have passed education reform laws at a record pace this spring. "I like the idea of rewarding success rather than punishing failure," said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., the Number 2 Democrat on Harkin's committee. "We all like to be recognized." Several top Democrats share the sentiment, including Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., head of the House committee on education. Harkin, on the other hand, who also chairs the Senate appropriations subcommittee on education, said he's opposed to extending Duncan's "experiment." The takeaway: Look for a small, but permanent, competitive grant fund.

Not all districts are created equal: Republicans and Democrats actually seem to agree on this. Under current Education Department regulations, states seeking federal funding have four options to turn around their worst-performing schools: firing staff, closing schools, opening charters, or overhauling the curriculum under a new principal (known as "transformation" in Duncan-speak). But the options don't work in rural districts, where schools are scarce and qualified administrators are hard to find, Sen. Michael Enzi, (R-Wyo.), has repeatedly said. "They do not apply to the majority in the country," said Dan Domenech, head of the American Association of School Administrators. The most the administration will likely get on this is greater flexibility for bad schools. Even supportive Democrats, like Miller, said they want to flesh out the options before adopting them.
Moving upstream: Harkin has made pre-kindergarten education his pet project this session, often ending committee hearings with sermons on how the federal government tries to "fix" students too far down the river. On Tuesday, Harkin, who will have unrivaled influence on the final bill, said he plans to include early childhood education into the next version of NCLB. "We're always playing catch-up ball," Harkin said. "And one of the reasons we play so much catch-up is that we don't put a lot of emphasis on the time when kids' brains are developing the most, and that's from birth to five."
Unions still matter: Duncan's pro-charter school agenda has teacher unions, one of the most powerful forces in Democratic politics, on the retreat, several education reformers argue. Though it's true Democrats now discuss once-taboo subjects such as merit pay for teachers, education labor still holds considerable clout.

Rep. Judy Chu, (D-Calif.), with leadership from the two national teachers unions at her side, declared last week that Congress should scrap the White House's turnaround models for the country's worst schools. Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, said Tuesday he would be hard pressed to support a reform bill that lacked union support. And on Wednesday, Duncan, Miller and Rep. Dave Obey, (D-Wisc.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, appeared at a National Education Association press conference to support a $23 billion education jobs bill to prevent 100,000 to 300,000 teacher layoffs this summer.
"We are all trying to create and put our foot on the accelerator of reform, reforms that are not easy and that we struggle with but we want to do," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who was also in attendance. "This kind of layoff situation is a crashing, haunting break to it."

No bill this year: Miller and Harkin both said they hope to get a bill out of committee by August, which staffers acknowledge as improbable. President Barack Obama made no mention of education reform when he listed the year's legislative agenda during a Senate Republican caucus lunch Tuesday, according to GOP sources. Most observers see the bill coming up in early 2011. Even Harkin left the door open Tuesday.

"I'm going to see if I need to have some more hearings," he said. "This was supposed to be the last one, but I may need a couple more."
Filed Under: Democrats, Republicans, Education, Congress
Tagged: education reform, No Child Left Behind, school standards, tom harkin
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43 Comments

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vivralafrance

President Obama inspires all to take personal responsibility for ones own education and that in doing so success is guaranteed. You only get out of it what you put into it.

June 01 2010 at 11:15 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
conservgirl8

At first I thought the NCLB act was going to be great. After seeing it in action for 6 years, I now beleive it to be a failure. It took away the innovation, incentive and creativity of the teacher. Sad for the kids. If the Feds would turn education back over to the States to enact their own programs, I think it could succeed. What kids are not learning in school is shameful. I feel so lucky to have gone through school 40 years or more ago.

May 29 2010 at 6:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tistolaugh

Today's kids aren't learning substance so much as they are learning how to take tests, then discarding the material, thanks to "No Child". Ask any parent or hiring manager. And instead of correcting their mistakes, per usual, you can count on this WH and Congress to magnify their mistakes.

May 29 2010 at 2:13 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
dgreene620

This is/was one of the stupidest programs ever started. How long did it take students to figure out that they had to do NOTHING to be passed along and eventually recieve a diploma that was not earned. If they dont meet the requirements they should be held back regardless of thier fellings and selfestime.

May 29 2010 at 10:03 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
suwun

I always wondered what the problem with stanardized tests could be. If you taught correctly, wouldn't the children do well? Then I was told that the people writing the tests are, let's say, not in tune with the classroom. The most likely best barometer would be to go to a voucher system and let the parents decide which schools are the best. That would also allow for doing away with the federal dept of education. We have spent more and more on the education system only to see the unions do well and the kids not so well.

May 28 2010 at 11:05 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
nancyskr

The UNIONS have to go go......Nothing more to say. They are completely ruining this country with their distorted world agenda.

May 28 2010 at 10:32 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to nancyskr's comment
Diane

What? Do you remember life for workers before unions? Research Triangle Shirt Factory fire.

July 27 2010 at 8:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
expresselectric0

Not saying all teachers are great but most are. The finger is always pointed at the teacher but how many parents do their part at home to be involved and further their education? Not many, thats the real problem. Teachers are people and no one is perfect. Take a role in your childrens education at night instead of watching American Idol and see where that takes your child. Wow thats what they call responsible parenting...........crazy

May 28 2010 at 10:11 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Diane

I know a lot of teachers who want to see NCLB go away. I think if those in charge would listen to the teachers more often our educational system would improve tremendously. The teachers are on the front lines and know what their kids need.

May 28 2010 at 7:12 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Don

Im sorry but no should be guarenteed a job for life. You do the job you get paid for and if the people under you do good, you do good. No CEO is that lucky. Even the President isnt sure he will get a second term. What makes teachers so special. The Union, nothing else. Change is necessary. Granted not all the problems with schools should be blamed on teachers but when times are tough then according to the system in place someone has to go. Tenure is not part of the Constitution.

May 28 2010 at 7:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
joper201

namingway, a Nation at Risk was not a BOOK! It was a bi-partisan, Blue Ribbon Commission report on the state of our education system commissioned by President Reagan.
Our government/union run education system has continued in it's downward spiral since the report was issued.

May 28 2010 at 7:00 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply

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