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Sec. Duncan Wants to Reauthorize the ESEA NowSept. 24, 2009—Critics have been calling for changes to No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the latest reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), since it was passed. In a speech to key stakeholders, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan acknowledged problems with provisions in NCLB, but rather than dwelling on them, he is calling on Congress, with support from the Department of Education, to reauthorize the ESEA, and he wants to start now. While Duncan gave NCLB credit for bringing attention to the achievement gap and focusing on accountability, he also listed the law’s flaws, including placing too much emphasis on standardized tests. “But the biggest problem with NCLB is that it doesn’t encourage high learning standards,” Duncan said. “In fact, it inadvertently encourages states to lower them. The net effect is that we are lying to children and parents by telling kids they are succeeding when they are not.” Calling for a “tranformative education law,” Secretary Duncan asked the stakeholders to help build a, “law that offers every child the education they want and need—a law that recognizes and reinforces the proper role of the federal government to support and drive reform at the state and local level.” In addition, he wants to “build a law that discourages a narrowing of curriculum and promotes a well-rounded education that draws children into sciences and history, languages and the arts in order to build a society distinguished by both intellectual and economic prowess.” This session was the first in a series of events where education stakeholders will offer input about the law. Stakeholders at this speech includes representatives of the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the NAACP, National Governors’ Association, United Way of America, the Children’s Defense Fund, and the Business Roundtable. (A list of future ESEA stakeholder meetings is available on the Dept. of Ed website.) Read more details in the Legislative Update from Education Legislative Services. Secretary Duncan’s Remarks: “Reauthorization of ESEA: Why We Can’t Wait” “Obama
education chief Duncan to push schools reform” |
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