President Obama Proposes Changes to No Child Left Behind

The hallmark of former President George Bush's education policy was the law known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). This legislation places a strong emphasis on standardized testing as the measure of students' proficiency, with math and reading scores being the determining factors. Under President Obama's proposed changes, details of which were released on March 13, 2010, the educational paradigm will expand to include progress over time, with an emphasis on preparedness for college and careers, as well as test scores.

While students will continue to be tested annually in reading and math, under the new proposal, schools may now include test scores from other subjects as well. And, rather than determine student success-and by extension, school success-based upon students' ability to score at a specific grade level, achievement will be recognized in students who demonstrate significant gains over the course of a school year, regardless of grade level proficiency.

An additional change is in how each plan addresses the needs of poor students classified as part of the federally funded Title I program. NCLB mandates that states adopt challenging academic standards, but permits each state to define "challenging." The new proposal instead, requires schools receiving Title I funding to adopt "college-and career-ready standards" in order to qualify for funding.

This raises perhaps the most notable change, which is in the educational focus. If implemented, the changes proposed by the Obama administration shift the emphasis from the overall number of students showing grade level proficiency as measured by standardized tests scores to readiness for either college or a career, with schools being required by 2020 to verify that all students are ready.

The bottom 5 percent of schools, in terms of achievement, will close under the new plan, while the next-lowest 5 percent will be placed on a warning list and be admonished to improve. The 5 percent of schools with the widest disparities in achievement within each school will be required to narrow the gaps. This leaves the vast majority of schools to implement changes without government intervention.

How the Changes Affect Your Child

With educational standards-and the tools for measuring them-continually changing, parents might well be confused about how all of this affects their children. Ultimately, while adults are the architects of educational change, students are the ones most affected by it.

In terms of standardized exams, students will have a greater opportunity to meet standards under the proposed plan. Since this plan allows-but does not require-school systems to include subjects beyond math and reading, school systems that choose to do so, broaden the presentation of their students' overall skills and knowledge.

Students are also more apt to have classes that allot equal time to subjects other than math and reading, as teachers might no longer feel compelled to narrow the curriculum to focus on reading and math test essentials. And, along similar lines, high school may return to preparing students for vocations as well as for college in accordance with the new plan's emphasis on readiness.

Additionally, by including progress as a measure of success, students and schools are less likely to be labeled "failures" than under NCLB, which does not consider progress. On the other hand, parents will no longer have the option (or, perhaps, the need) to transfer students from "failing" schools; such schools will close under the new plan.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/education/14child.html?ref=education

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/13/AR2010031301137.html