Our efforts as a nation to improve public education are important. That’s why President Bush pushed for the reforms of the “No Child Left Behind” act, which was overwhelmingly supported by a bipartisan majority in Congress. Paul Roberts’ commentary on this law (“No Child Left Behind’: Fix it before it does damage,” Oct. 6) was regrettably filled with misconceptions. The reality of “No Child Left Behind” is starkly different than the gloom and doom Roberts portrayed.
I, like Roberts, have served as a local school board member and as a member of the Federal Relations Network for the Washington State School Directors Association. That said, “No Child Left Behind” updates previous federal education law to promote increased accountability if states choose to accept federal K-12 education funding.
Let me be clear: States voluntarily choose to participate in “No Child Left Behind.” In return for increased funding and flexibility, states must be accountable to the public whose tax dollars are being used to improve student achievement.
As part of this accountability, Washington state determines its own tests based on its own standards for students. State and local districts are in charge of creating and implementing improvement plans for local schools based on the information from those tests. The same day Roberts’ commentary was published in The Herald, the Seattle Times examined this very process at Brier Terrace Middle School.
In the most glaring of his many misstatements, Roberts claims “the federal government will ultimately take over the administration of local schools …” Absolutely false! Not even the state of Washington is in the position to take such action.
Another notable inaccuracy in Roberts’ column is his discussion of federal education funding. The truth is, President Bush’s next budget builds on record-breaking increases since 2001 to provide Washington more than $611 million to implement “No Child Left Behind” and related programs.
That includes more than $378 million specifically for “No Child Left Behind” – a remarkable 52 percent increase since the president took office.
It also includes more than $232 million to support students in special education – a stunning 71 percent boost.
Need more evidence? Common sense trumps Roberts’ diatribe. The very fact that all 50 states have chosen to take part in this effort through their own individual decision-making process is great evidence of its worth.
The value of “No Child Left Behind” is clear. Two recent independent reports, one by the Education Commission of the States and the other by Ed Trust – an independent education advocacy group – reached important conclusions: “No Child Left Behind” is being successfully implemented and is having a clear and positive impact on student achievement.
Education is an important issue, worthy of ongoing debate as we work to prepare the students of today for the jobs of tomorrow. Contrary to opponents of “No Child Left Behind,” I believe that debate deserves to be held on the basis of fact, not fiction.
Donna Foxley is the secretary’s regional representative for the U.S. Department of Education.
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