History of IDEA
Jeannie Oakes, Founder and Former Director
Youth Voice in School Finance
NEW REPORT: Los Angeles' road to A-G for all
Without Dollars and Sense Powerpoint
Past Educational Opportunity Reports
Congress should really overhaul ESEA
- 02-01-2011
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Opinion by Monty Neill/National Journal
Monty Neill is Deputy Director of FairTest
There are a few key changes Congress should make and other options they should flatly reject. Congress should remove the requirement to test every child in grades 3-8 every year in reading and math. At most, Congress should revert to the 1994 ESEA which mandated testing once each in elementary, middle and high schools. This will bring the U.S. in line with other nations whose academic outcomes (graduation, college enrollment, international test scores) are stronger than the U.S. The flattening of NAEP results since NCLB was implemented shows the incessant testing does not improve schools. Since the Obama administration indicated it was willing to drop the ‘adequate yearly progress’ scheme (one of its few good moves), the “third rail” of ESEA discussion has become its testing requirements. (more...)
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