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AEP Online |
NCLB Reauthorization Will Wait At Least Another YearHouse and Senate education leaders began the march toward reauthorization with confidence in the early days of the 110th Congress. Both the Chairs of the Senate Heath Education Labor and Pensions Committee and House Education and Labor Committee, Senator Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Miller (R-WY), indicated that they had the support and political capital to make improvements to the law and pass it during 2007. However, on Friday the AP released a story stating that Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi have decided "there's not enough time this year to complete work on the legislation which has not yet been formally introduced." Rumors have been swirling around the capitol for weeks about an impending introduction of a Senate version of NCLB after some sections of a draft bill were released a few weeks ago. Education insiders were speculating that the draft sections were "red herrings" intended to help leverage the substantial increase in education funding contained in the pending HHS/Labor appropriations bill. Following that story, the Washington Post also published an article on Monday about the demise of the bi-partisan coalition that passed the original version of NCLB. It paints a bleak picture for the bills prospects and quotes Senator Kennedy as saying "it's going to tip over into next year." Now, education advocates, experts, and speculators are waiting to see what is next. Without action the law will stay the same, and many groups are dismayed that there is no relief in sight. A myriad of changes were proposed this year including changing the definition of SBR to scientifically valid research; multiple measures for determining student progress; changing or eliminating the proficiency date of 2014; merit pay for teachers; expanding accountability measures into high schools; implementing math and reading programs in middle and high school; requiring testing on science; and giving vouchers to students in underperforming schools so they can attend private schools. Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 856-241-7772. |
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