Friday, September 30, 2011

No Child Left Behind

As of this date, Congress has again failed to revisit one of President GW Bush's signature laws, No Child Left Behind, risking loss of federal aid, the added costs of providing free tutoring, and the closing of schools which have not met rising standards calling for 100% student proficiency in math and reading by 2014. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has unsuccessfully pressed Congress to act over the past years and is now involved in a peer review process of requests for waivers that allow states to avoid the consequences established by the law. Despite the fact that states are allowed to set their own standards, and some have set low standards, almost all are seeking relief.

Overall there will be no return to a decade ago when the federal government's role was largely limited to funding public education. Standardized testing will continue, and programs, principals, teachers and students will be evaluated according to the results.

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